Chapter 9 300 feet . 600 feet ... The gap between them stretched wider than a bad Wi - Fi signal . ' Hold up , ' Thomas thought , his brain glitching . ' Is this girl actually getting faster ? ' One instructor stood there , mouth hanging open , muttering , " Wait , did I just- " Another instructor smacked his shoulder , smirking . " Oh yeah , bud . You saw it . We all did . " Back in the pack , the other runners started clocking the streak blazing ahead like a human missile . " Hey , what the hell was that ? " someone wheezed . " Isn't that Eden ? You know , the confession - wall queen ? The total babe ? " another kid panted . 71 % " Hold on - Eden ? The Wright family heiress who's been MIA for , like , a decade ? Since when do rich girls run like they're in the freaking Olympics ? " " Didn't Thomas own the boys ' 1,000 - meter at the Drea City junior high meet a couple years back? Dude's supposed to be untouchable ! " " Yeah , and that's him getting smoked by , like , a football field ! " " This girl's got some serious speed ! " Thomas stared as Eden's figure vanished into the distance , his whole world spinning like a TikTok dance gone wrong . The guys huffing behind him were just as shook . To them , one mile was supposed to be their turf . Where the dudes dominated . But now ? Forget the jocks , even the track stars couldn't hang with this random girl who'd rolled up out of nowhere . And Eden ? She just kept hauling , no hint of slowing down . Zero . Is she seriously gonna sprint two kilometers like it's a 100 - meter dash ? ' Thomas wondered , his jaw practically scraping the track . He sucked in a shaky breath , trying to pump himself up . ' Stay chill , man . You got this . " Whoosh ! A gust of wind hit him as Eden zoomed by . His eyes nearly popped out as she lapped him , leaving him eating her dust . So much for " chill . " He was wrecked . They weren't even half a mile in , and she'd already lapped him . A girl had lapped him ! By now , most of the pack was slogging around the 660 - yard mark , looking like they'd been hit by a bus . 1/3 Mon Sept Chapter 9 The instructors were watching , so no one dared fully dog it , but plenty were pulling the classic jog - a - bit , shuffle - a - bit move . 1 % A few sneaky kids yanked out their phones to record the chaos , while others started hyping her up . " Whoa , Eden's a straight - up beast ! Go off , girl ! " a girl shouted . " She's serving looks and speed ! " another cheered . " Eden , you're torching him ! Keep it up ! " The crowd was absolutely feral . Finally , after Eden lapped Thomas twice , Peter's whistle sliced through the air . Eden cruised over the finish line like she'd just jogged to the corner store . The girls in the crowd lost their minds , screaming like they'd just snagged front - row concert tickets . " I knew you were that girl , Eden ! " one squealed . " You're my forever icon , Eden ! " another swore . Peter , smelling a future champ , let a grin slip before snapping back to his tough - guy act . " Why're you all freaking out ? She finished , not you ! Get moving - train hard , and maybe you'll be half as good someday ! " He didn't sound that mad , though . A minute later , Thomas stumbled across the finish line , followed by the rest of the guys . Compared to Eden , they looked like they'd survived a zombie apocalypse . Everyone figured running one mile that fast would leave you gasping , maybe even hurling . But Eden ? She just stood there , cool as a breeze , not even sweating . The guys ? Total trainwreck . Some were hunched over , hands on knees , faces redder than a cherry Slurpee . One dude Hlooked like he was about to pass out , and another was making these weird " hurk , hurk " noises , like he was trying to cough up his soul . They'd pushed way harder than usual trying to keep up with Eden , and their bodies were screaming . Thomas , especially , was stuck between laughing and crying . On one hand , he'd smashed his own record . On the other , he'd been crushed by a girl in a one mile race - lapped twice- after years of thinking he was the track king . Eden , meanwhite , was quietly stunned . She'd gone easy , and still left everyone in the rearview . Then she felt it : a stare so intense it could've melted steel . She glanced up and met Peter's eyes , glowing like headlights on a midnight road . 2/3 12:30 Mon , 15 Sept Chapter 9 She bit back a smirk and looked away . 71 % Before she could catch her breath , Thomas jogged up , still huffing like a broken vacuum . " Hey , Eden , right ? Uh , real quick - did you , like , train for this ? You on the track team or what ? I swear I've never seen you around . " Up close , he noticed she was skinnier than she'd looked from far off . And the rumors about her being drop - dead gorgeous ? Total scam - they didn't do her justice . She was way prettier than he'd imagined , and his brain wasn't exactly slacking in the daydream department . Eden blinked , unsure how to answer . ' Did my ten years at Ravenhold count as " training " ? Nah , not really .' No fancy drills or instructors there - just pure survival . Ran or got chased by a rabid wolf. Swam or tangled with a crocodile . Ravenhold's whole deal was : Move it or lose it - probably their head . " Nope , " she said , shrugging . " Not on the team . " Thomas's face fell like he'd just found out his favorite show got canceled . She thought for a sec , then tossed out the line she used to cheer up her friend Josie . " Don't sweat it . Practice makes perfect . " " Thanks , " Thomas muttered , not even a little comforted . Clearly , no cheat codes were coming from this speed - demon prodigy . He glanced at the other guys , some still hacking up a lung . " Psh , " he scoffed . At least he wasn't that sad . One by one , the rest of the kids dragged themselves across the finish line . Peter , showing a rare spark of mercy , gave everyone fifteen minutes to pull themselves together before the next drill . The hype around Eden's epic run didn't fade , though . Kids were craning their necks , trying to spot her , but she was gone . That was because she and a few of the guys had been pulled into the coach's office for a quick chat . " Eden , " the head coach said , practically bouncing with excitement . "We clocked your time , and let me tell ya , that was stra the u're to ain wit I your ! 3/3 Title: A Boyfriend on Loan, A Real Love on Way Author: CrushReels Genre: Romance, Modern Status: ongoing In "A Boyfriend on Loan, A Real Love on Way" by CrushReels, Felix Lloyd finds himself in a predicament as he seeks to pacify his family's marriage expectations by renting a girlfriend for the holiday season. However, a serendipitous airport mishap leads Kendal Scott, the wrong woman, into his life. As Felix and Kendal navigate this unexpected twist of fate, the novel delves into themes of familial pressure, mistaken identities, and the complexities of modern relationships. CrushReels intricately weaves together elements of romance and contemporary dilemmas to create a compelling narrative that resonates with readers seeking a blend of heartwarming moments and unforeseen connections. What sets "A Boyfriend on Loan, A Real Love on Way" apart is its ability to balance light-hearted humor with poignant insights into the intricacies of human emotions. With its engaging storyline and relatable characters, this ongoing romance promises a captivating read for fans of modern love stories. Experience the unfolding tale of Felix and Kendal at CrushReels and immerse yourself in a world where love finds its way through unexpected avenues. Read online at CrushReels today to discover the enchanting journey awaiting within these digital pages.