Patina (Track, #2)

by Jason Reynolds

For those who’ve been passed the baton too young

AIN’T NO SUCH thing as a false start. Because false means fake, and ain’t no fake starts in track. Either you start or you don’t. Either you run or you don’t. No in-between. Now, there can be a wrong start. That makes more sense to me. Means you just start at the wrong time. Just jump early and break out running with no one there running with you. No competition except for your own brain that swears there’s other people on your heels. But ain’t nobody there. Not for real. Ain’t no chaser. That’s what they really mean when they say false start. A real start at the wrong time.

“Of course we all have moms. Why?” Taylor asked, which stung me a little. Because we all don’t have everything. Some people have mothers, some don’t. Some have dads, some don’t. Some got two moms. Shoot, some even have to be moms before they actually are moms.

‘Folks who try to do everything are usually avoiding one thing.’ ”

‘A constellation that exists only on paper is useless.’ ” She slapped the note down to her side. I gave her a blank stare. A so what face, which is when Becca yipped, “Frida said that!” “But what does it mean?” “I have no idea. But she said it!” Me and Becca laughed. “And I’m going to think about it, because maybe we can use it for the project.” I nodded, smiled. “Then I’ll think about it too.”