Free Higher (The University of Gatica #3) by Lexy Timms Page A

“Really?” She turned to check what the bar measurement was. “Holy crap! That’s one eighty-eight!”
    Arms crossed over her chest like it wasn’t a big deal, Maves nodded without showing any excitement. “Six-two. First time working on your full approach. I was going to have you move up to your three-step approach to work on your timing over the bar, but this seems to be working fine today.”
    “Can we raise it?” Jani was totally up to seeing how much more she could do. Imagine if I set a PB in practice? Six two in practice is huge. I’m lucky if I jump five nine at most practices! She couldn’t believe how awful a day it had been before practice. She wished she could live in the fieldhouse forever. Screw school and just train. That would be awesome!
    “Let’s call it a day for jumping. End on a great note. Go mark out your approach and write it down.”
    Ahhhh! Jani didn’t argue. Maves knew what she was doing. “You have a pen?”
    Her coach handed her a permanent marker. She knew Jani always wrote the measurement on the inside tongue of her high jump shoe. “When you’re finished, you need to do a medball circuit and then finish with some resistance sprints.” She handed Jani a sheet of paper. “Here’s the circuit. Medballs are by the shot put area.” Coach Maves walked away and called another high jumper to start warming up and help her set up her approach.
    Jani bounced and did a quick set of high knees on the spot. It was going to be an amazing year. Aileen, Carter and whatever other ingredients were working. She was going to blast this season! A new school record. Maybe a Canadian record were in her sights – in her heights!

Chapter 8
     
    “Want me to jog to the weight room with you?” Aileen offered. She stood beside Jani just inside the doors of the fieldhouse as the rain fell by the buckets.
    “You have got to be the nicest person in the world. Or the craziest.” Jani frowned up at the sky. “This weather sucks royal poop.”
    Aileen laughed. “Royal poop?”
    “I’ve decided I need to keep my language more respectful.” Jani tried to keep a straight face, still on a high from her high jump technical practice she had just had. She put her arm around her roommate. “Thanks for offering to come, but I can’t put you through this. It’s November. With my luck, this’ll turn into snow by the time we get to the weight room and then ice when we’re finished. I’ll have you sick through finals and during your first meet. Coach Anderson would skin me alive to put his little freshman superstar near death.”
    “A run in the rain isn’t going to kill me.”
    Jani gave her a watch-it look. “You say that now.”
    “I’m offering to cheer you on and keep you company while you lift.”
    “Which is super sweet of you.” Jani hugged Aileen. “I appreciate it. I really do. But my tired-ass this morning is not your fault.”
    Aileen laughed. “So much for the clean language.”
    “My bad.” Jani covered her mouth. “Why don’t you go home, maybe make us some pasta for dinner? I’ll jog over to the weight room and bum a ride back from someone who’s got a car there.” She grinned wickedly. “Maybe the football team’s lifting and I can ask Tyler to drop me off. Maybe tell him you’re cooking dinner…”
    Aileen blushed and waved her hand. “I doubt he’ll be there.” She tucked a blonde stray lock of hair behind her ear. “But if he is, you can offer to invite him. I make a mean meatball and spaghetti.”
    “I know. It’s one of my favorite meals.”
    Aileen smiled. “Thanks!”
    “Do you mind taking my phone back with you? It has a less chance of getting broken if you take it back.” When practice had finished, she had raced up to Coach Maves’ office and left her laptop and school bag locked safely inside. Her phone needed to come home. Jani took a deep breath and pushed the heavy door open. The air smelled wet and the steady drumming of the rain they heard