Not So Simple

Chapter four, Misty morning

I get up at around seven, careful not to wake my mother. I quietly get dressed into leggings and a t shirt, creep into the kitchen and grab breakfast. After that I'm out the door heading towards the stairs, when my name being called out stops me.

"Alice!" I hear Nick yell from his front door and jogs over to me, "Morning run?"

"Yeah, I'm think about 10k?" I say it like it's nothing, but I can tell from his face he wasn't expecting that.

"Wow...I was just gonna go around the block once, now I'm rethinking asking if I can run with you.."

"Haha, of course you can run with me...if you can keep up." I say with challenge I'm my voice.

"You're on...let's make this interesting..." He says with a smirk.

"How so?" I ask, almost impatiently. I just want to run, not having some stupid bet. He can sense I'm not the one to mess around while running. Thankfully he just presses down on the elevator.
The awkwardness in the elevator is almost tangible. I fell bad for among him feel this way, "Sorry-" my sentence is cut short when he apologizes.

We both crake up laughing as the elevator lands.

"We're cool?" I wants this friendship to last, and I appreciate that, so I nod while answering his question.

We start up slow but he gains on me, giving me permission to speed up. We've been running for about 15 minutes, and I don't brake a sweat...him on the other hand, not so much.

"W-water, please." He pants as I nod and slow down to a walk. "Man, you're serious about running..."

"Yeah, you might not make it the whole thing, haha." I say, teasing him but still worried about his breathing.

"How much more?" He asks between deep breaths. He is collected now, but I'll be nice enough to give him more of a brake.

I look to our right where a little stream is. I turn my head to my right and look above his head at the giant trees we're surrounded by.
"On a normal day I'm about 10% done, but for your sake im about 99% done."

He chuckles, I can tell he's grateful for wrapping up our run. As we walk back our arms keep brushing, but I ignore it.

Once home I tell him he did a good job and head into my apartment, but the door even closes I get a text from him asking for same time tomorrow.
I answer with a thumbs up and go to shower.