The Running Dream

Jessica calls Gavin’s house but keeps getting the answering machine. She finally leaves a message that includes her phone number, then feels foolish every time the phone rings at her home. She sees him at school the next day, but although he comes over to talk to her briefly, he is focused on Merryl. Hurt, Jessica avoids Gavin for the rest of the week.

Her walking skills have improved so much that Jessica begins to leave the cane behind. Then Jessica receives more bad news: Coach Kyro tells her that Gavin’s newspaper article only brought in forty dollars in donations. Discouraged, Jessica shares her sadness with Rosa in math class, and Rosa sends back inspirational notes to lift her spirits. Jessica wants “to believe that I’ll run again” (205).

Watching her teammates board the bus after school for an away meet, Jessica can’t help but wonder how any of them can get back on a bus after what happened with the accident. But then she acknowledges that as time passes, “memory must be fading” (207). But for her, the crash always feels like it happened just yesterday, and Jessica doesn’t believe that will ever change.