Chapter 1: The Athletics Meet

Emma was running just behind and to the outside of her best friend Aiyla who was leading the under-16, 800 metre track race. Just before the end of the penultimate straight, Emma increased her pace to take the lead as Aiyla breathlessly said, “Go girl!”, knowing that Emma would pace her later in the day in the 1500 metres.

When she reached the last straight, Emma sprinted for the finish and hit the tape 10 metres ahead of the next girl who was from the school they were competing against. Aiyla almost jogged to the finish in third place, saving herself for the 1500 metres later.

As Emma hit the tape, she vaguely noticed Mark crouched down with his camera taking photos of her. She really wished he wouldn’t as she knew her pained, exhausted expression at the end of a race would not look attractive. However, Mark, who was a couple of years older was the official school photographer for the online student newspaper, so she could not really complain. She spent a few seconds bent over with her hands on her knees, recovering. As soon as Aiyla finished, she jogged over to Emma who embraced her friend with a big smile as Mark took a few more photos.

“You set a hell of a pace Aiyla!” Emma remarked.

“Well, we know that Sue from St. Josephs is fast and I didn’t want her to get in front” Aiyla replied.

Both girls laughed, smiling at each other, as Mark clicked again.

Emma was still 14, a pretty, slim girl with long blond hair in a ponytail, held in place with a baseball cap. Her competitor number was hiding nicely developing small breasts and her tight running shorts showed off her hips which were starting to develop curves and a sexy little bottom. She had long, beautifully toned legs due to her love of sports, especially running and swimming.

Aiyla was just 15, also pretty and slim but with more curves than her friend. She had long black hair, also in a ponytail with a baseball cap. She was darker skinned than Emma, a legacy of her mother’s Turkish origin. Once she had got her breath back, she said “See you later” to Emma and went to find her boyfriend who had come to watch.

Mark appeared in front of Emma and she smiled at him as he took another photo. He was in the swim squad with Emma and Aiyla, but soccer was his main interest, apart from photography. Emma really liked Mark and thought he was cute, but with him being a couple of years older, she did not think he would consider her to be a potential girlfriend, especially as he had been with Jade ever since she could remember.

“Congrats Emma!” he complimented. “That was an amazing sprint finish!”

Emma smiled at him with her sparkly blue eyes. “Thanks, but Aiyla paced it beautifully for me. I hope I can do it for her in the 1500 metres.”

He was really attracted to her and her sexy body, but wondered why she always seemed to be wearing slightly scruffy clothes. Maybe they were more comfortable, or she just didn’t care.

“The lace on your running shoe has come undone” he pointed out.

She tried to re-tie them but the lace broke.

“Shit! I really need new running shoes, but I can’t afford them” Emma replied, taking the shoe off. She sat down on the grass, took the lace out and tried to re-thread it but now it was too short. Mark sat down next to her and took the lace out of one of his trainers.

“Try this one” he said, handing it to her. “I can manage without.”

She laced her shoe up with his lace, looked up and smiled at him. “Thanks Mark, I was so worried I would have a problem pacing Aiyla in the 1500 metres.”

They were still sitting next to each other on the grassy bank.

“Do you want to see the photos I took of you winning the race?” he asked.

“OK. But I bet I look horrible”.

He took his camera from around his neck, positioned the screen at the first picture of her, then handed it to her. “They are all bursts of 10 photos taken a tenth of a second apart. It’s easier with sports photography to get the right shot. Press that button to see the next pic.”

“Wow! It looks a very professional camera” Emma remarked.

“It’s a Canon EOS R5C with a 24-105 f/4L lens” Mark said proudly, then, seeing her amused expression added “I’m sure you wanted to know that!”

Emma laughed and looked at the first photo of her approaching the finish, taken from a low angle which emphasised her long, shapely legs. The second, from the same angle was just as she hit the tape, showing the beginnings of a smile appearing on her face. The next one was of her bending over with her hands on her knees, getting her breath back. It was taken from partly behind, with her pretty bottom pointing to the sky. She gasped when she saw that one. The next was Emma and Aiyla laughing and embracing. The last one was soon after, showing her beaming smile as he had congratulated her.

“They are really great photos” Emma said, looking up to him, “but did you really have to take the one of my bum!”

“Sorry, but it’s such a sexy bum!” he replied, “but I’ll not publish that one,”

“Thanks” she replied, really pleased that he liked her little bottom.