When Holidays Go Wrong

Chapter 3: Put Me Down!!!

I stretch with a sigh as sit up in bed and look out my window the sun is just starting to rise and I still see the frost on the ground. I smile before jumping out and changing into my running outfit I had set out yesterday.

I pull my hair into a a ponytail as I pull on a thin, workout jacket and check myself over in the mirror. Leggings and the jacket should keep me warm enough. I think this as I do some stretches before running downstairs. I'm almost out the door when a I see a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eyes and let out a shriek of surprise.

Storm comes into view, laughing crazily as I hold a hand over my rapidly beating heart. "You jerk!" I shout when I calm down before smacking his (surprisingly hard) chest. He laughs for a few seconds more before calming himself and turning to look at me. 

"Going out for a run?" He asks and I finally notice his workout outfit as well. I slowly nod as I strap my iPod onto my arm and put my earbuds in. I have those earbuds that wrap around you ears so that they don't fall when you're exercising

I turn the music up loud enough to hear the music and the beat but soft enough to hear anyone that might happen to talk to me. That person being, Storm. "Do you mind if I run with you? I don't exactly know the way." He asks hopefully and I stare at him for a moment before slowly nodding.

"I run four miles in the morning and in the afternoon when I get a chance. There's one mile to reach the end of my gravel road, two on a wraparound path in the woods, and one on the trip back on the gravel road. Keep up, or follow the trail. Either way's fine with me." I tell him before opening my front door and let the cold air hit me.

I notice Storm put some earbuds in his ears quickly as he straps an iPod onto his upper arm like me. I start to run with Storm running right beside me as our feet hit the gravel, making a satisfying crunch noise that makes me smile every time. 

We run silently, side by side, for a few minutes until Storm asks, "Is Kyle coming over later?" His voice is somewhat bitter, not the happy, confident voice I had associated with him. I glance in his direction before replying, "Yeah, he said he'd come over early." I smile to myself for a few seconds before adding, "Of course his early would be around lunch time."

I notice that flicker of unknown emotion pass over his face again, but he's quick to hide it before I can figure it out, again.  "I don't see why he just wouldn't be leaping at the chance to see you as soon as possible." He winks at me and I roll my eyes again.

"And here I thought I might actually get pleasant conversation out of you, for once." I mutter the end of it before picking up my pace ever so slightly. We both reach the forest path at the same time and the crunching our footsteps change tone to a softer crunching of frost covered leaves. 

"But I'm such a joy to be around. All of my conversations must be a delight." He says with a smile as he runs a little bit in front of me before turning his head to smirk at me. I roll my eyes again before attempting to out pace him again.

Sadly, him and his brother have the same height and they both can outrun me in a second. I let out a sigh as he catches up once more and laughs at my frustration. We take the first bend in the wraparound coming along the little creek I always love to come sit by when I get a chance.

It has a large stone that hangs over the water, low enough to just let me dip my feet in during the warmer weather. But, right now, it's freezing cold and I would never put my feet in it. "Well, what else do you have lined up for today?" Storm asks curiously and I glance at him in surprise.

A normal question? Wow, that's new. I shrug the best I can while running before replying, "My cousin Nicole is coming today so I'll have to pick her up later tonight since she's flying in from California. I'll probably do some last minute shopping online and get the rest of my decorations set up."