Training With My Worst Enemy

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Work Together.

The door to my dad's office was slightly open. I pushed it wide and stepped inside, my clothes still dripping with filthy, freezing water. My hands were still clenched into tight fists at my sides.

My dad was sitting behind his wide oak desk, wearing the same athletic track jacket from when he dropped me off this morning. The moment his eyes landed on my soaked hair and ruined clothes, he jumped up from his chair.

"Baby girl, what happened to you?" his voice softened, concern washing over his face as he reached out to hold my shoulders.

I brushed a damp strand of hair away from my forehead and forced a small smile.

"Nothing, Dad. Just an accident." I said.

He stared at me, his eyes narrowing. He obviously didn't believe a word of it, but he let out a long sigh and ran a hand over his face. He knew how stubborn I could be.

"An accident," he repeated softly, rubbing his temples. "Right. Well... grab a towel from the back closet and sit down, Maya. We need to talk about your track schedule."

I grabbed a clean white towel, wrapped it around my shoulders, and sat in the chair across from his desk. The cold water was still soaking through my shirt, but I kept my posture straight, refusing to shiver.

"The Athletic Academy trials are coming up faster than expected," my dad said, resting his elbows on the desk. "You're fast, Maya. You have the heart. But your lap times are stalling, and if you want to win that scholarship on your own merit, you need to push past your current limits."

"I can train harder," I said quickly, my voice firm. "I'll add another hour to my morning runs."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "You don't need more hours. You need a pacing partner. Someone who is already running at the elite level to drag you out of your comfort zone."

A knock sounded at the office door. "Come in," my dad called out.

The door swung open. My heart sank when I saw who had walked through the door.

Mike Vance stepped into the room, looking completely unbothered, his hands shoved lazily into the pockets of his jacket. His eyes swept over me, taking in the towel and my damp hair, and that same insufferable smirk returned to his face.

"You called for me, Coach?" Mike asked, his voice smooth and relaxed.

"Yes," my dad said, standing up. "Mike, this is Maya. Maya, starting tomorrow at 5:00 AM, Mike is going to be your personal training partner."

I froze, the towel slipping slightly from my grip. "Wait... what?”

I slammed my hands down on the desk, standing up so fast the towel tumbled to the floor. "Dad, you can't be serious! I am not working with him."

Mike casually walked past me, pulling out the leather chair right next to mine. He sank into it, crossed one long leg over the other, and leaned back like he owned the place.

His gray eyes slowly traced over my dripping wet hair, landing on my pale, shivering face with a slow, toxic smirk.

"You look weak, Lin," he said lazily. "How can you run if you can't even handle a little water?"

My teeth ground together so hard my jaw hurt. I wanted to leap across the small gap between our chairs and tear that arrogant smile right off his face.

"I'm ten times the athlete you'll ever be, Vance," I spat, my voice lethal.

"Enough! Both of you!" My dad's booming voice cut through the room like a whip, slamming his hands onto the desk. He glared back and forth between us, his dark eyes fierce with authority.

"I don't care about your little high school drama, and I certainly don't care if you like each other," my dad said, pointing a stern finger at me. "Maya, your times are flatlining. Mike is the fastest sprinter in the entire division. If you want a spot at the Athletic Academy, you will swallow your pride and keep up with him."

He then turned his sharp gaze onto Mike. "And Vance, your technique has gotten sloppy because you think you're untouchable. Training Maya will fix your discipline, or I'll report your missed team hours to the athletic board."

Mike's smug expression flickered for a fraction of a second, and a tiny c***k appeared in his calm mask before he quickly recovered, narrowing his eyes at my father.

"5:00 AM sharp tomorrow on the main track, Lin," Mike said quietly, his voice dangerously low as he stood up from the chair. "Don't be late. I won't wait for you.”

The door slammed shut with a thud.

“Dad, are you trying to push me? Did you want me to do that with him? My enemy?”

My dad leaned back in his heavy leather chair, completely unbothered by my sudden outburst. He picked up a pen from his desk, tapping it against his notepad with a calm, steady rhythm.

"Enemy or not, he's the fastest runner on this campus, Maya," my dad said, his voice flat and firm. "You want to get into the Athletic Academy on your own merit? Then you need to train with someone who will push you past your limits. Mike is that person."

"He's arrogant, he's cruel, and he hates me!" I shouted, my fingers digging into the edge of his desk. "He called me weak, Dad! He literally laughed at me!"

"Then prove him wrong," my dad countered, locking his dark eyes onto mine. His tone shifted from stern coach to protective father for just a split second.

"Listen to me, Maya. I know how hard you work. I know how much you want to earn your own spot without people whispering that I gave it to you. But in the real world, your rivals aren't going to be nice. Use his arrogance as fuel. Outrun him."

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted copper. I knew that look on my dad's face. Once he made up his mind as a coach, there was no changing it.

"Fine," I bit out, snatching the wet towel off the floor. "5:00 AM. I'll show both of you what I'm capable of."

I turned on my heel and marched out of the office, pulling my damp jacket tight around my shivering shoulders. I was going to beat Mike Vance on that track tomorrow morning even if it killed me.