Heart in Training

Chapter 16

"Bye! I'll text you," Amber calls out as she steps out the door. I wave her off before turning on my heel and getting in my car to go work out with Jeremiah.

**

Jeremiah opens the front door, a single eyebrow raised.

"Hi," I say, plastering half a smile.

He leans casually against the frame, arms crossed. "You did not drive here.. You live down the street," he says, disappointed.

"Yeah. Down the street is too far of a walk," I shoot back with a shrug.

He scoffs. "This is only going to work if you meet me halfway."

I narrow my eyes at him, letting the silence speak for itself. 

"Come on in," he says, pulling the door open wider and motioning me in with a dramatic sweep of his arm.

We make our way through his house and out back to the gym. 

"Hey Erica!" I hear his mom call out from the stationary bike.

"Hi, Mrs. Matthews!" I greet back.

She smiles and waves me off. "You can call me Angie, sweetie, I'll leave you two, enjoy your workout" She pats my back on her way out and disappears into the hallway.

"Bye," I say, tying my curly hair into a high ponytail.

Jeremiah scrolls through his phone and connects it to the Bluetooth speaker. "Alright, let's warm up on the treadmill first, then we'll hit some weights."

Ginuwine's "Pony" blasts through the speakers, and I try not to laugh as Jeremiah sings the lyrics while flexing time to time in the mirror. 

Forty minutes in, and my body is screaming. Sweat drips down my back, my thighs ache, and my ponytail is sticking to my neck. 

We've already knocked out squats, kettlebell swings, jump rope rounds, and some ridiculous thing called mountain climbers that made me see stars. And now... burpees.

"Alright, give me three more," Jeremiah says, crouching near me as I press up from the floor for what feels like the hundredth time.

My arms shake, legs wobble, and everything inside me wants to quit. I spring up, barely making the jump, then drop down again, chest nearly hitting the mat.

"Alright one second," I pant, voice tight. 

"Come on don't stop," he says firmly. "Let's finish strong."

"I'm trying" I snap, trying to catch my breath. "I already feel like I failed." bent over with my hands on my knees.

His tone shifts. "You're not failing. You're pushing. There's a difference. Come on."

I stand there, chest rising and falling rapidly, my hands still on my knees. I feel weak, embarrassed, and like my own body is working against me.

"I don't even know why you're helping me," I mutter, not looking at him. 

I eventually stand up straight, he raises a brow, walking a little closer.

"You act like you're better than everyone," I continue, voice rising, my frustration spilling out. "You're cocky, pushy, always so perfect, and it's annoying—"

I take a step back as he takes one toward me, the heat still rising in my face. His expression is unreadable.

"—And I can't stand the way you look at me like you're always judging me and—"

Another step back. I bump into the wall.

He's in front of me now, his eyes locked on mine. I go silent.

"You done?" he says quietly.

I blink, confused.

Then, without warning, he leans in. His hand brushes my cheek, and his lips press softly, just barely, against mine.

I freeze.

It's gentle, hesitant, and lasts maybe two seconds. But it stuns me.

He pulls back first, just far enough for me to see the look in his eyes —shock, like I was the one who kissed him.

We just stare at each other.

My hand slowly rises to my lips. Did that just happen?

"I—uh..." Jeremiah clears his throat, stepping away. "I shouldn't have done that."

The air between us feels heavy, charged with everything unsaid.

"You can uh cool down. We're done for today," he says quickly, turning his back to me as he reaches for a towel.

I blink again, still standing by the wall, heat rushing to my face. He doesn't even look at me.

Without saying anything, I grab my water bottle, keys, and rush out the door.

**

After my shower I text Amber. She calls me instantly. 

"So wait—what happened?" she asks, mouth full.

"If you stopped chewing In my ear, I could tell you."

She laughs. "Sorry. This chicken is good as hell."

She finally stops chewing. "Okay, okay, spill."

I take a deep breath. "So we were working out, right? And I was trying to take a little breather and he was getting on me so I told him off just a little bit.."

"Uh-huh," Amber says.

"And then," I continue, "he started walking towards, I run into the wall, then he asks if I'm done, AND KISSES ME" I say exaggerating kiss me.

Amber screams. I move my phone away from my ear.

"He kissed you?! Oh my God! Was it good?!" she's yelling through the phone. I put it back to my ear.

"I—yeah... I guess? He kissed me first. Or... came onto me. I don't know."

"Girl," she says dramatically, "he definitely likes you."

"Okay, chill. I don't know all about that now"

"Erica and Jeremiah kissing in the tree K-I-S"

"Okay stop," I say.

Amber bursts into laughter. "Er, green eyes... Jeremiah's boo thang!"

"Okay, but like, do you like him?" she asks calming down.

"I don't know girl..." I trail off. "He just seems so full and high and mighty of himself"

"You mean confident?" she asks.

I'm silent, because she may have a point.

"Wait he was your first!" she yells. I move my phone away from my ear again.

I can hear her cheering and screaming.

"Okay I'm done," she says before she starts screaming. "Oh my gosh my bestie done had her first kiss" she adds, "Okay but how was it?" she then asks.

"I don't know, it all happened so fast," I answer. I roll over on my back and sigh, "It wasn't bad, but I think, -I don't know what I think so yeah" I say catching myself before I say too much.

"Well that's normal, it was just your first.. It gets better over time especially when you start to do it more with the same person.

"Yeah, makes sense." I say pondering off. I hear Amber start to chew.

 I sit back up in my bed."Well Imma let you go and get back to that burger," I say.

"Its chicken girl, and okay bye bestie love you! Keep me posted!" she says. We both hang up.

I fall back onto my pillow and stare at the ceiling. My thoughts race as I replay the moment again and again.

"Oh my God," I whisper to myself. Do I like him?

I cringe for a full ten seconds before grabbing my pillow, pressing it over my face, and groaning.