exertion my body was feeling from the run. I was running a slower pace for Jamie's sake; this was his first run this season. As we ran side by side, Jamie's breath became more labored. My breath was still even and regular. I stole a glance at Jamie as we ran. He was concentrating, his eyes set on some stationary object ahead of him. His gait was deliberate and natural, his arms swung loosely at his sides. Dark spots of sweat had begun to form on his bright green t-shirt. I was thankful I had worn a white t-shirt. With his hand, he wiped the sweat off his forehead just as it rolled down the side of his face.
Turning my gaze away from Jamie, I looked back toward our path. Jamie was such a good sport. He was trying very hard to keep up with me. I could tell the run wasn't easy for him, but he wasn't complaining. I smiled, breathing easily.
We entered the forest that led to the boardwalk. I couldn't help but think of the events of the prior morning. As we ran past the large oak behind the library, I looked to see if he was there, hiding behind the thick, sturdy trunk. I tried not to feel disappointed when he wasn't. I ran, strong and controlled. I could feel my disappointment ebb away with each step, each breath.
We followed the sidewalk into the forest. The forest was dark this morning, but it was alive with noises. Crickets chirped loudly, silencing when we ran past them. A bullfrog bellowed. The unexpected sound startled me, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through my body. It was a little scary running through the forest so early in the morning. The spring sun was not high enough to penetrate the thick forest ceiling. I was glad Jamie was with me. His presence helped calm the panic that was building inside me. Although I could not see him very well because of the darkness, I knew he was still there, running just a couple of feet behind me. Each heavy step and each labored breath that Jamie gave reassured me.
We neared the boardwalk, emerging from the dark, dense forest still cloaked in darkness. Images of the prior morning flashed through my mind. As we neared the very spot where I had twisted my ankle and he had helped me, a pang of disappointment and doubt stabbed at my heart. I realized I wasn't going to see him on this run with Jamie. The realization was crushing.
"Jacey," Jamie panted heavily behind me. "Hold up...going too fast."
I turned and saw that Jamie was quite a way behind me. Without realizing it, I had sprinted through the dark forest to the boardwalk. Jamie was bent over, his head down, hands on his thighs. He was desperately trying to catch his breath and his body heaved in response. I had been running too fast and Jamie couldn't keep up with my pace. I jogged back to him.
"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I didn't realize I was running so fast."
Still bent over, Jamie titled his head up to look at me. He was sweating profusely, droplets of sweat running freely down his face. That familiar smile broke out across Jamie's lips.
I smiled in return. Putting my hands on my hips, I teased, "McMann, if you can't keep up with a weak, puny girl, how do you expect to compete this fall against those big college guys?"
Laughing as best he could between his heavy recovery breaths, Jamie hung his head again. "I know," he panted in response.
When Jamie had regained his breath, we began to walk on the boardwalk toward the dunes. The sun was higher now and it was beginning to warm up. I looked up into the clear blue sky, allowing the beauty to clear my mind. We walked in silence for a moment, until Jamie spoke. "I hope you'll still run with me in the future. I guess I'm not as conditioned as I thought I was."
I glanced at Jamie's reddened face from the run. Smiling, I teased him further. "I don't know. You kind of cramp my style."
He smiled in return. We rounded the sand dune and the road leading home came into view.
"Do you think you could run the rest of the way or are you too lazy?" I joked.
"I don't know...I'm
Turning my gaze away from Jamie, I looked back toward our path. Jamie was such a good sport. He was trying very hard to keep up with me. I could tell the run wasn't easy for him, but he wasn't complaining. I smiled, breathing easily.
We entered the forest that led to the boardwalk. I couldn't help but think of the events of the prior morning. As we ran past the large oak behind the library, I looked to see if he was there, hiding behind the thick, sturdy trunk. I tried not to feel disappointed when he wasn't. I ran, strong and controlled. I could feel my disappointment ebb away with each step, each breath.
We followed the sidewalk into the forest. The forest was dark this morning, but it was alive with noises. Crickets chirped loudly, silencing when we ran past them. A bullfrog bellowed. The unexpected sound startled me, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through my body. It was a little scary running through the forest so early in the morning. The spring sun was not high enough to penetrate the thick forest ceiling. I was glad Jamie was with me. His presence helped calm the panic that was building inside me. Although I could not see him very well because of the darkness, I knew he was still there, running just a couple of feet behind me. Each heavy step and each labored breath that Jamie gave reassured me.
We neared the boardwalk, emerging from the dark, dense forest still cloaked in darkness. Images of the prior morning flashed through my mind. As we neared the very spot where I had twisted my ankle and he had helped me, a pang of disappointment and doubt stabbed at my heart. I realized I wasn't going to see him on this run with Jamie. The realization was crushing.
"Jacey," Jamie panted heavily behind me. "Hold up...going too fast."
I turned and saw that Jamie was quite a way behind me. Without realizing it, I had sprinted through the dark forest to the boardwalk. Jamie was bent over, his head down, hands on his thighs. He was desperately trying to catch his breath and his body heaved in response. I had been running too fast and Jamie couldn't keep up with my pace. I jogged back to him.
"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I didn't realize I was running so fast."
Still bent over, Jamie titled his head up to look at me. He was sweating profusely, droplets of sweat running freely down his face. That familiar smile broke out across Jamie's lips.
I smiled in return. Putting my hands on my hips, I teased, "McMann, if you can't keep up with a weak, puny girl, how do you expect to compete this fall against those big college guys?"
Laughing as best he could between his heavy recovery breaths, Jamie hung his head again. "I know," he panted in response.
When Jamie had regained his breath, we began to walk on the boardwalk toward the dunes. The sun was higher now and it was beginning to warm up. I looked up into the clear blue sky, allowing the beauty to clear my mind. We walked in silence for a moment, until Jamie spoke. "I hope you'll still run with me in the future. I guess I'm not as conditioned as I thought I was."
I glanced at Jamie's reddened face from the run. Smiling, I teased him further. "I don't know. You kind of cramp my style."
He smiled in return. We rounded the sand dune and the road leading home came into view.
"Do you think you could run the rest of the way or are you too lazy?" I joked.
"I don't know...I'm
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