Breaking Point

The rivalry between Jess and Emma had reached an all-time high. Every practice felt like a battle, every competition another step toward proving who was the better athlete. The upcoming Penn Relays weren’t just a goal anymore—they were an obsession.

Jess found herself at the track every night, long after the other athletes had packed up and gone home. The stadium lights cast eerie shadows as she ran through her drills, pushing herself to her limits. Pole vaulting had become her singular focus. She wasn’t going to let Emma beat her.

Days turned into weeks. She hadn’t been to the game club. She hadn’t touched her knitting needles. Ryan had stopped asking when they could hang out. Even Kevin had given up on making jokes about her late-night practices. Everyone was worried, but Jess didn’t care. Not until Leanna showed up.

It was past midnight when Jess heard footsteps crunching against the gravel. She was gripping the pole tightly, preparing for yet another attempt when she spotted Leanna standing at the edge of the track, arms crossed.

"You look like hell," Leanna said, walking toward her.

Jess let out a breath, rolling her shoulders. "Thanks. Just what I needed to hear."

Leanna didn’t laugh. "Jess, you haven’t been around. You haven’t talked to any of us. We’re all worried about you."

Jess turned away, staring at the pole vault setup. "I don’t have time for this right now, Leanna. I have to get this right."

Leanna sighed, stepping closer. "And then what? You win the spot and what? Do you think that’s going to make everything okay?"

Jess clenched her jaw. "I need to do this. I need to prove I can."

"To who?" Leanna asked, voice softer now. "Emma? The team? Yourself?"

Jess didn’t answer. Instead, she gripped the pole again, readying herself for another attempt. But before she could start her approach, Leanna grabbed her wrist.

"Jess. Stop."

Something in Leanna’s voice broke through the wall Jess had built around herself. She let go of the pole and turned away, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her breath hitched, and before she could stop it, the dam broke.

Tears welled up, spilling down her cheeks. "I don’t know who I am anymore, Leanna. I just… I thought if I focused on this, if I won, maybe I’d figure it out. But I just feel—" She choked on the words. "Lost."

Leanna didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward and wrapped Jess in a tight hug. "You don’t have to do this alone. You never did."

For the first time in weeks, Jess let herself lean into someone else. The weight of everything—the rivalry, the expectations, the fear of losing herself—came crashing down all at once. And in that moment, she didn’t feel alone.

Leanna held her for a long time, letting her cry, letting the tension drain out of her. When Jess finally pulled away, wiping at her eyes, Leanna gave her a small smile.

"Come home, Jess. Take a day off. You need it."

Jess shook her head. "I can't. The Penn Relays—"

"Will still be there when you get back," Leanna interrupted. "But you won’t be if you keep running yourself into the ground."

Jess hesitated, but Leanna wasn’t letting her off the hook. "Come with us to the beach tomorrow. The whole gang. Just one day."

Jess exhaled heavily. "One day."

"One day," Leanna promised, squeezing her shoulder. "And I swear, the pole vault won’t miss you."

Jess let out a small, tired laugh. Maybe Leanna was right. Maybe a break wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.