Chapter 19: Run

I stepped outside my dorm room in my running gear, EarPods dangling next to my earlobes. Hair in a high ponytail. Andrew was leaning against the wall next to my door, one leg propped up. His black suit impeccable. Arms crossed. I sometimes wondered if he was here all night. The other night I almost took a peak outside my door but didn’t.

He glanced at my outfit. ’Where are we going today princess?’

‘Do you ever sleep?’

‘Do you always answer questions with questions?’

‘Do you?’

We scowled at each other a few seconds too long. I was feeling rebellious today and he could tell. My talk with Ash last night still on my mind. Clouding my vision and having me toss and turn all night. I needed to run this off. It was also a Monday, I hated Mondays.

‘You are not running alone.’

‘You are not my boss, Andrew. I can jog around the park like I do every other day just fine.’

‘Those every other days didn’t include you being mated to the Paramore’s or you being indebted to the number one bad guy of the country, did it?’

He had a point.

‘Well, I have classes in exactly one hour. I can’t wait around for you to get ready.’ Assuming that’s what he meant. Considering he was hinting at following me while jogging. Well he better pucker the fuck up, because I was damn fast on these long legs of mine.

‘You’re in luck princess.’ He motioned his head towards the dorm room across the hall from me. That’s where the timid girl from my science class used to reside. I hadn’t seen her since the start of the year though.

I raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m not getting it.’

’You ask if I sleep. I sleep there.’

‘With the mouse?’ I quickly slapped my hand in front of my mouth, I didn’t mean to use the nickname me and Sky used to give the poor girl out loud.

‘Not sure who that is, but I’m definitely alone in there.’ He walked towards the door and opened it. ‘Unless you are referencing a real mouse.’

I felt stupid not realising he must have been staying somewhere and not be awake outside of my door at all times.

‘You intimidated the poor girl to leave this room?’ and her lively roommate with the big glasses.

‘I used some very persuasive tactics.’ He entered the room. ‘Come on now princess. I’m changing and you are staying right here. I’m not trusting you today.’ He damn well could read my mood like a psychic.

I grunted and followed him inside. It had the same layout as my dorm. Two single beds upon entering. A bathroom door in the middle of those two beds and I bet it looked the exact same as ours did. Two sinks, a toilet and a nice little shower. The couch was red, not brown as ours was, but it stood at the exact same spot. In a niche in the far back. With a small side table and a mini refrigerator underneath the flatscreen. It was a lot cleaner than our room was.

I needed to organise this asap with Skylark because it was getting embarrassing. Yesterday I found a candy wrapper in the middle of the floor and both of us just stepped around it, instead of just picking it up. It was that bad in our room. Clothes everywhere. Make-up on every counter. Shoes to trip over. Yeah, we were a hot mess together.

I let my index finder wander over the dresser in front of the bed. He had three pair of identical shoes, black sneakers, in a row next to his bed. I just wanted to remark if he had all identical suits in the closet but when I turned around he was standing there putting black training shorts over his black boxers. The sight of him took my breath away. He was all muscle, lean muscle.

I knew he ate right and he was trained, but damn it. That man had a body. A small trail of dark hair trailed beneath his navel. His arms, they were lean but corded with tight muscles.

Also scars. Lots of scars.

Not only the striped ones one his arms, but bullet wounds and other miscellaneous scars covered his entire body. I was ogling him without any shame. He opened his mouth to say something funny but I cut in. ‘Where did you got all those….’ I frowned at his arms. They looked different than what Dosch described. Not all that intentional. ‘Well…’ he corded his pants tightly. His black hair flopping over his forehead a little. He hadn’t used gel today and it showed. A slight beard lining his jawline. ‘That’ s a story for another day.’ I glanced up a second later as he put his black shirt on. ‘You ready for this run, princess?’ he quickly changed subjects and I understood. I wasn’t ready to share all my scars with him either. We had only known each other for a month now. Yet, it sometimes seemed longer if I was being honest.

‘Try to keep up champ, I’m not waiting on anyone.’ I chipped in, trying to lighten the mood again.

Out of breath and completely exhausted I stopped at the ending mark. We had been challenging each other the entire way. Not wanting to give up and show the other any weakness. I had run farther and faster than I had ever ran. Perhaps a little bit too much. I was embarrassingly out of breath now. Gulping down my entire water bottle. He was as well, but didn’t look nearly as tired as I was.

Yet, I had kept up with him, so that must have counted for something. According to his impressed smirk, I think it did. ‘Well, we finished this thing in under thirty minutes. You got some time left for the Verr Boyas introduction princess.’ I had to gulp down a few more breaths before I could answer him. ‘Sure. I’m interested.’

‘Remove your shoes and follow my lead.’