Phenomenal

14~ Little Things Mean a Lot

"ARGH! I hate you!"

The sound of the front door being hurled open followed by the roar sent Charlotte rocketing up so fast she almost fell out of bed. Thankfully, Adam was between her and the edge of the bed - so he fell off instead.

"Ugh," she groaned, hands to her face as sleep clung to her, a murderous glare settling on her features as she heard footsteps out in the main room. "I wish those two had never become friends," she growled, hurling the covers off, stepping over Adam who hadn't woken up from the fall, and wrenched the door open.

Clarissa and Damien were out in the living room; breathing hard, sweat pouring from them as they faced each other, chests heaving.

Damien's body was curled like he was ready to attack Clarissa and Clarissa was ready to run, a phone clutched in her fist.

She took one step back and Damien lunged at her, narrowly missing her and she launched over the back of the sofa.

"Give that back!" Damien shouted, snatching for her as she bounced away.

"Ah ah, you said you'd let me win today. This is punishment."

"Who actually just gives away a win?" Damien said, rounding the sofa and grabbing her wrist before she could get away, locking his arms around her waist and making her shriek.

"SHUT UP THE PAIR OF YOU!" Charlotte snarled and they both froze, looking at her. "I swear to god I'm going to start locking you out in the mornings!"

"Sorry Char," they said at the same time, then Damien took his chance, grabbed his phone and tossed Clarissa on the sofa, making her squeak then glare at him. He stuck his tongue out at her and she growled.

"Seriously, go to Damien's place once you're done in the mornings. I want to sleeeeep," Charlotte moaned then slammed her door behind her. There was a beat of silence, then her door opened again and she peered through the crack, her eyes still as dark as a devil. "And I expect fresh tea when I next wake up," she hissed and closed the door again with a sharp snap that made the pair in the living room wince.

They glanced at each other as the silence fell... then sniggered, keeping their voices down and Clarissa stood up.

"Right, be back in ten," Damien said, knocking his fist against hers as he walked past, heading for the door.

As he saw himself out, Clarissa walked into her room and gathered up the stuff she needed for a shower.

Despite what she'd said before, morning jogs (aka: races) became a routine for the pair. Damien has the good graces to move the time from five in the morning to six in the morning. It was two weeks since they had started this mad routine and Clarissa hadn't won once. How could she win?! The guy was all leg and never seemed to get tired, ever!

The number of breakfasts she owed the guy kept mounting up and it wasn't like she was able to start paying them off.

Why?

Because when she finished with her shower and walked out, Damien was already back, dressed in shorts, vest top, hair still damp, pulled into a ponytail at the back of his head and in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for four.

As he was every morning since they started their runs.

Deacon was snoozing on the sofa - which he had taken over without permission - and Miffy slept on top of him.

When they had first met, Miffy - who thought she was a tiger rather then a small, light-boned furball - had tired to eat Deacon.

And the Doberman had just watched her attack his tail like he wasn't entirely sure what to make of the creature. The dog's temperament amazed Clarissa. No matter how often Miffy showed him who was boss, he just let her beat him up then fall asleep on him.