Catching you

3

Haley Scott

Jogging always helps me to take my mind off things.

It is fairly easy for me to lose myself in the monotonous speed of my steps. Sometimes I even accelerate at the end, but most times I run at the same speed.

Running is something I do to remind myself that I am free. I enjoy the sensation of the wind blowing through my hair and the feeling of accomplishment when I succeed to run even further than I thought.

However, today even running does not help. I am still able to see Dean and Cecilia dancing closely clear in front of me. I reprehend myself for the thousand time that I seriously have to talk with Dean about our relationship. I am not sure that I am able to stand how things are between us any longer.

I quicken my pace and soon I reach a tree that marks my finish line. At first I am so out of breath and busy with breathing deeply in and out, I do not hear the cat in the tree, but after several attempts of it meowing to get my attention, I notice it and look up.

A small, black cat sits in the tree and it looks like it is stuck there. Thinking of a plan how to get it down safely again I do not hear the steps approaching me. So when a manly voice close to me says "Hey" I shriek.

Turning into the direction of the voice and taking in a stance I learnt in self defence class, I face a grinning Jason Taylor.

I immediately realx and laugh at him. "God, you scared me!"

He chuckles and answers: "I can see that. What were you staring at?"

I am now able to see that he is also in running clothes and that a layer of sweat is covering his whole body. Did I mention that he has a very defined body and is also shirtless?

I try not to blush when I respond: "There is a small cat up there in the tree and I was trying to figure out how to get it down again."

He steps closer to me in order to see the cat and my face redens even more. Jason is so close to me that I can smell him and let me tell you he smells delicious.

I face palm myself inwardly and remind myself that I have a boyfriend. Guiltily I step away from his personal space and notice him eyeing me.

"Do you have a plan?", he wants to know.

I look up into the tree once again and explain: "The branches are too high up, but maybe we can manage it together." I smile encouragingly at him and Jason softly smiles back.

Suddenly he bends down as if he wants to do a squat and before I am able to question him Jason rises again while picking me up by my waist. After overcoming my intial shock I realize that I am now high enough to climb onto a branch and I use my arms to push myself on it.

"You got it?", Jason wants to know and somehow it does not seem as if he is out of breath whereas I am a little.

"Yep!", I answer him and manage it to stand with bent legs on the tree. Next I am trying to let the cat know that I am just going to help it so I whisper to it softly: "Hey there. Just trying to help you getting down again." While speaking I extend my one hand towards it and shortly before my fingers touch its fur it licks my finger.

Seeing this as a good sign I pet the cat and when it begins to lean into my touch I stretch my other hand out too and grab it softly in its nape. Now I am able to see that the cat is actually a kitten, because of its seize and weight.

Safely in my arms it begins to lick my face and I laugh at it. I look down to Jason to see him softly smiling at me and gently I transfer the kitten to him.