girl.” He smirks, clearly proud of me.
“Well, I think I have some in storage.” I pat my ass. “Besides, I don’t like eating here, and…this conversation is extremely awkward.”
“I’ll leave you alone if you let me bring you a protein drink tomorrow, and you’ll drink it.”
“My mother taught me never to take protein drinks from strangers.” I smirk as I walk away.
He walks beside me, waiting for an answer.
“Okay, fine—as long as it’s still sealed.” I wink and walk away, leaving Brady grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
At my locker, I exchange my lunch bag for my algebra book before heading to class. I choose a seat in the back of the room and pop a stick of gum into my mouth. I’m answering a text from Matt when someone takes the seat next to me.
I look up and smile. “Brady, it’s been too long.” I quickly throw my phone into my purse.
He flashes his gorgeous smile. I’ll never get enough of that.
During class, I feel him staring at me. After what seems like forever, he still won’t look away, so I place my finger on his chin and turn his face toward the teacher. Somehow, we make it through the rest of class without any other distractions from one another.
After the last bell of the day rings, I race to my locker, drop off some of my things, and gather the books that I need to take home with me. Noticing that Chelsea is busy socializing, I don’t bother waiting for her. I follow the crowd of kids to the student parking lot and jump in my car. Then, I mindlessly drive home.
I change into my gym clothes and drive to the gym.
Now, here I am, at the gym and on a stupid treadmill. I’ve grown to love this place, but today, I have no desire to be here. I know that skipping one day leads to skipping the next and the next. It’s a cycle that I just can’t entertain, considering that I look and feel better than I ever have.
I jack the volume all the way up on my iPod. I’m trying not to look at the time every two seconds, but I’m failing miserably at my attempt. So, I pull out the trick that my mom uses. I throw my towel over the display. The only thing left to do is to check out all the freaky people around me, and there is no shortage of them. There’s the lady with the flawless hair and makeup.
Really, lady?
When someone takes the treadmill next to mine, I keep my eyes trained ahead—that is, until a hand is on my controls, turning the speed up.
I spin my head around to the body connected to the arm. “What the—”
“Quit being a wimp. Run with me.”
“I don’t run. Thank you!” I press the button to turn the speed back down.
“You do today.” Brady mouths, Run , to me, and he turns the speed back up.
I mouth, Fuck you , as I slow the speed again.
He laughs but turns the speed right back up.
I run for a second, and my boobs bounce. I don’t want to bounce in front of Brady, so I jump and plant my feet on the rails on either side of the treadmill. “I can’t. I don’t run.”
“You can’t just humor me for a few minutes? Look at me when we run, and match your breaths with mine. You can do it, Reese. If you learn to breathe right, it isn’t so bad.”
“You are so fucking annoying, Brady.”
“Oh, that mouth—I love it.”
I ignore his comment and hop back on, keeping speed while syncing my breath with Brady’s. After one minute passes, I want to stop. A minute and a half passes, then two, and then three. I’m only going to five, no matter what.
At five minutes, I jump and plant my feet on the sides of the treadmill again. “See? I told you, I suck.” I’m embarrassed, and it’s all Brady’s doing.
“Are you kidding? That was great.”
I grab my towel and dry my face. I hate sweating in front of boys. This is exactly why I hate the gym.
He turns to face me and steps off his treadmill. “Let’s go box.”
“Box? I can’t even run for five minutes, Brady. Are you trying to humiliate me today?” I step off my treadmill and take a
“Well, I think I have some in storage.” I pat my ass. “Besides, I don’t like eating here, and…this conversation is extremely awkward.”
“I’ll leave you alone if you let me bring you a protein drink tomorrow, and you’ll drink it.”
“My mother taught me never to take protein drinks from strangers.” I smirk as I walk away.
He walks beside me, waiting for an answer.
“Okay, fine—as long as it’s still sealed.” I wink and walk away, leaving Brady grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
At my locker, I exchange my lunch bag for my algebra book before heading to class. I choose a seat in the back of the room and pop a stick of gum into my mouth. I’m answering a text from Matt when someone takes the seat next to me.
I look up and smile. “Brady, it’s been too long.” I quickly throw my phone into my purse.
He flashes his gorgeous smile. I’ll never get enough of that.
During class, I feel him staring at me. After what seems like forever, he still won’t look away, so I place my finger on his chin and turn his face toward the teacher. Somehow, we make it through the rest of class without any other distractions from one another.
After the last bell of the day rings, I race to my locker, drop off some of my things, and gather the books that I need to take home with me. Noticing that Chelsea is busy socializing, I don’t bother waiting for her. I follow the crowd of kids to the student parking lot and jump in my car. Then, I mindlessly drive home.
I change into my gym clothes and drive to the gym.
Now, here I am, at the gym and on a stupid treadmill. I’ve grown to love this place, but today, I have no desire to be here. I know that skipping one day leads to skipping the next and the next. It’s a cycle that I just can’t entertain, considering that I look and feel better than I ever have.
I jack the volume all the way up on my iPod. I’m trying not to look at the time every two seconds, but I’m failing miserably at my attempt. So, I pull out the trick that my mom uses. I throw my towel over the display. The only thing left to do is to check out all the freaky people around me, and there is no shortage of them. There’s the lady with the flawless hair and makeup.
Really, lady?
When someone takes the treadmill next to mine, I keep my eyes trained ahead—that is, until a hand is on my controls, turning the speed up.
I spin my head around to the body connected to the arm. “What the—”
“Quit being a wimp. Run with me.”
“I don’t run. Thank you!” I press the button to turn the speed back down.
“You do today.” Brady mouths, Run , to me, and he turns the speed back up.
I mouth, Fuck you , as I slow the speed again.
He laughs but turns the speed right back up.
I run for a second, and my boobs bounce. I don’t want to bounce in front of Brady, so I jump and plant my feet on the rails on either side of the treadmill. “I can’t. I don’t run.”
“You can’t just humor me for a few minutes? Look at me when we run, and match your breaths with mine. You can do it, Reese. If you learn to breathe right, it isn’t so bad.”
“You are so fucking annoying, Brady.”
“Oh, that mouth—I love it.”
I ignore his comment and hop back on, keeping speed while syncing my breath with Brady’s. After one minute passes, I want to stop. A minute and a half passes, then two, and then three. I’m only going to five, no matter what.
At five minutes, I jump and plant my feet on the sides of the treadmill again. “See? I told you, I suck.” I’m embarrassed, and it’s all Brady’s doing.
“Are you kidding? That was great.”
I grab my towel and dry my face. I hate sweating in front of boys. This is exactly why I hate the gym.
He turns to face me and steps off his treadmill. “Let’s go box.”
“Box? I can’t even run for five minutes, Brady. Are you trying to humiliate me today?” I step off my treadmill and take a
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