LAILAH #2
As I ran, I felt my legs getting tired, my breathing becoming more labored, and my pulse rose slightly.
That’s strange, I can run three miles easily, it’s when I get closer to six that I start getting winded.
Am I that out of shape? I stopped and took a moment to catch my breath, shaking out my legs.
I looked around and froze—I was nowhere near the school.
I didn’t even have my watch on to know what time it was. How long have I been running?
I turned around and started walking back the way I came, giving my legs a chance to recover.
I didn’t know how long it would take me to get back.
I kept looking around to find a glimpse of the school trying to get a read on what direction to head.
I felt my panic begin to rise as I kicked myself for leaving without my phone.
What kind of an idiot am I? Feeling the need to move faster, I started jogging again, hoping I might run into someone on the path.
As if the gods had heard me, a half-naked guy came running up behind me and passed me with long powerful steps. His golden skin was glistening with sweat, drawing my eyes to watch him as he ran, making me forget I needed help.
“Hey,” I yelled, waving at him to get his attention.
He slowed, then stopped looking back at me with a blank expression, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Don’t just drool over him, ask him for help, you idiot, I chided myself.
“Sorry to stop you on your run, but I seem to have taken a wrong turn,” I said and waited for some response.
He just silently looked at me with his gorgeous almond-shaped eyes that were the color of slate.
He blinked slowly at me and ran his hand over his buzzed head.
It was then I noticed the tattoos covering his whole left arm in a black and white design that went over his shoulder and dipped onto his peck.
Finally, he nodded at me and started jogging again slightly slower.
I looked around to see if there was anyone else who could help me or if I would have to manage with the silent Asian god.
Who am I kidding? Why wouldn’t I follow the half-naked man?
I took off, jogging to catch up with him.
Now that I felt more rested and I had a guide to keep me from freaking out, I picked up my normal pace.
I fell back into my zone and smiled at the sound of both of us matching paces.
Part of me wanted to push my stride longer to see if I could keep up with his original pace.
I knew better than to do that this far into the run, and I didn’t know how long I was going to need to last.
In our companionable silence, I took the time to appreciate having a running partner for once.
I used to be on the track team in high school and never minded being a lone runner.
I think it happened because I didn’t have anyone who could match my stride, let alone push me further.
Even though I was only five-three and didn’t have the typical legs for running, I made up for it in speed and stamina.
At my peak performance, when I added hurdles to the list, I could run a half marathon for a warm-up.
I was shaken out of my reminiscing when a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me to the right.
“This way, if you want to head back to school,” a rich deep voice said beside me.
I looked up, shocked to hear him speak for the first time. “Thanks. I would’ve been running to another country if you hadn’t been here,” I said, grinning.
“No, you would have ended up running all the way to Nettleton, which is another twenty-four clicks from here,” he said.
Okay, this guy doesn't do sarcasm well apparently, but since he’s willing to talk, why not take advantage.
“How far did I manage to run off course?” I asked, slowing a little to make talking easier.
“Close to fifteen clicks give or take,” he said, matching my pace.
“Clicks?” I asked confused. I’d only heard military people use this term.
I saw the corner of his mouth pull up like he might smile. “It’s nine point three miles.”
“Holy crap. How did I manage to get that off track?” I said more to myself than him.
“By the time we make it back, I would say it will be around seventeen total. I’m taking you back a more direct route to the school,” he explained.
“Oh, God. I’m going to be so sore tomorrow. It has been way too long for me to run that far,” I complained.
My running partner shrugged his shoulders. “I think the body can handle more than we give it credit for. You’re an experienced runner, you’ll be fine.”
“How can you tell that?” I asked, intrigued.
“You lose yourself in your running. Only people who have been running for a while know how to tune out everything but the run,” he said, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. “Also, not many people can get close to matching my preferred pace.”
I grinned widely. I didn’t know why, but I felt like it was something he didn’t often do.
When I looked down the path rounding a shrub wall, I saw the school dead ahead.
I wasn’t lost forever! I picked up my pace looking over to my right, where I found him watching me with the first glimmer of emotion in his eyes.
He saw my challenge for what it was. He edged past me, pushing the pace faster.
I rose to the bait and nosed past him. Soon we were both running full tilt down the path, not a care in the world.
My bun jostled loose from its confines, and I saw my scrunchie fall to the ground.
I didn’t care; I had a race to win and an ass to beat.
I gritted my teeth as I felt my energy begin to waver, I couldn’t let up yet.
The school was so close it was only a few more feet that I had to make, and I would be waiting for him to brush off my dust. Just when I thought I had this in the bag, I saw him blur past me; he’d been holding back till the very end.
I knew I’d been beat. I didn’t have anything left in the tank, so I slowed to a more manageable pace.
Once I caught up to him near the reflecting pool where I’d started this run, I flopped into the grass.
“You run like the flippin’ wind. Where did you have that last boost stored away?” I asked, looking up at him from the ground.
I was happy to see that he had to take a moment to catch his breath before answering. “It’s always the best tactic to let your foe think they’ve won. It makes them careless.”
I blinked up at him, surprised by that nugget of information. “You read the Art of War before bed, don’t you.”
“It might be a personal favorite, but no, I didn’t learn that from there,” he said, reaching a hand to help me up. “You shouldn’t let your legs freeze up like that or you will be sore tomorrow.”
As he helped me up, I looked down at his watch and gasped. “Oh, fuck!”
He looked at me questioningly, looking down at his watch. “Is there something about the time being noon that offends you?”
“No, it’s not that. I can’t believe I was gone that long.
I left for my run at nine-thirty; it was supposed to take me forty-five minutes at most to do this run.
It’s now been over three hours, and I totally missed my lab for a class I can’t screw up in,” I said, sitting dejectedly on the low brick wall of the reflecting pool.
“Why did I choose Organic Chemistry of all things?”
My savior came and sat next to me, rigid and unsure. “I’m sorry you missed an important class.”
“It wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t already sucking at it. The other day it took me an hour to do a simple twenty-question quiz. I’m going to bomb this class and lose my scholarship if I can’t perform to the school standards,” I said, wallowing in my self-pity.
“Would it help if I knew of someone who could tutor you?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.
“That would be amazing, but I don’t really have the extra money to pay someone.”
“He wouldn’t charge you. He has no need for the extra income.”
“Sure, sounds like a dream come true,” I said, smiling up at him.
He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “Put your number in, and I’ll text you his number. He’ll be glad to help if you tell him Jay gave you his number.”
I smirked at him as I typed in my number, “Is that your name—Jay?”
“It’s Jalen, but everyone calls me Jay,” he answered as I handed him back his phone.
“You’ll find my name under Lailah, but since you only have ten contacts, I’m sure you would have figured it out,” I said, standing up.
“I hate phones, but it’s how everyone chooses to communicate these days,” Jay said, following my lead. “Let me know if you want a guide on your next run. I know all the trails around here.”
“Thanks, I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” I said, waving goodbye as I crossed the street to Ashfall.