RUN

Chapter 5

Mr. Gardner said I did really well on my performance. So well, in fact, that he told Paul to start teaching me kickboxing so I could train with Will. I wasn't exactly excited—especially since I hadn't spoken to Will in two weeks.

From that point on, Paul started taking my training a lot more seriously. He pushed me harder, added more stretches, and made the whole routine more intense. Sometimes... I just can't stand him.

But things with Jack have been amazing. We've gotten really close—he's become my go-to person. I talk to him about everything, and he does the same. We eat lunch together every day, and sometimes we hang out with Evan and his girlfriend, Isa. Isa and I have become best friends.

Ally and I, on the other hand, kind of drifted apart. We still talk sometimes, but she's been distant lately. It makes me a little sad.

Today at lunch, it was just me, Isa, Jack, and Evan. We were talking, laughing, and just chilling. Jack's arm was around me, and I almost died. I looked up at him, and he smiled. I slipped my fingers through his, and that's when something clicked—something that suddenly made perfect sense.

"Hey, I'll be right back," I said, getting up. I didn't let go of Jack's hand until we were far apart. I gave him a smile and rushed into the building, running through the lobby, past my dorm, and straight into the training room. I knew Paul would be there—and he was, putting away equipment in the exercise closet.

"Someone's in a hurry to—"

"It's Christina," I blurted out.

He paused, turning around slowly.

"She's your girlfriend."

"How did you—?"

"Oh please," I panted, my heart racing. "Her hair is super long, almost lighter than her skin. She's got scars on her arms and face that make her look like some kind of battle-worn hero. And her personality? It flips in a second."

Paul looked like he'd been caught off guard, worried I might spill the secret.

"I won't tell a soul," I promised, sitting down on the floor as he exhaled in relief.

"Honestly, I think you two make an interesting couple. You're actually kind of alike."

"And how would you know that?"

"Well, for starters—you both gang up on me."

"I don't hate you. Neither does Christina. She just... has personal problems. You wouldn't understand."

"I do," I said softly.

"How?"

"Christina and I were classmates for years. Our entire school knew what happened to her parents."

Christina's parents died in a house fire when she was about ten. She's lived with her older brother, Jason, ever since.

Paul seemed skeptical, but the doubt faded.

"So... what was she like back then?"

"We weren't exactly friends. But I think we could be now."

"That doesn't mean you know all her personal stuff."

"Then tell me."

"I can't. You need to get back to lunch, or Gardner's going to kill me."

He was right. Gardner kept tabs on us during lunch. I bolted—through the halls, past my dorm, back to the courtyard—and slid into the seat beside Jack. He wrapped his arm around me again, and I melted into him.

"Where were you, Kris?" he asked.

"With my trainer," I replied. "I needed to ask him a personal question... one I swore never to share."