Friction

Chapter 2

"Why did you invite him again?" I ask Arri, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.

"Cause he's hot and might run with his shirt off, DUH." She says tapping me on the forehead.

"He's also an arrogant jerk who refuses to admit when he's wrong." I say, stretching my quads.

"Who's an arrogant jerk?" I hear Noah's masculine voice say from behind me. Why did i feel like he was staring at my butt?

"Uh, some guy-" Arri attempts to save me but I interuppt her with the real answer.

"You." I say, turning and putting my hand on my hip and cocking my eyebrows, daring him to turn it into a fight. Well, I guess Arri is happy, he does run shirtless. youch.

"What was that second part?" He simply asks, stretching his arm behind his head, flexing his muscles.

"You're always ri-" Arri begins to attempt again, much to her dismay.

"Wrong. You're always wrong and you refuse to admit it." I say, pulling my black and white sneakers to my butt to stretch.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." I say as Arri says, "No." We give each other looks. Noah just shakes his head and chuckles to his arrogant self.

"Long or short loop Arri?" I ask.

"Long pleease." She says, eyeing Noah. Gag-gag-gag. I started running, me ahead and Arri and Noah side by side behind me. Again with the feeling that he's staring at me!

"So what are you doin this weekend Noah?" I head Arri ask, her voice dripping with her flirtatious ways.

"Oh, nothing." he says, but judging by Arri's giggling, he probably winked at her. That Arrogant player. I ran faster but, think of the devil, he came up next to me.

"Your friend isn't as put off by me as you are." He says. I don't reply since it was a statement.

"What on earth is so bad about all this?" He gestures to his chiseled abs and runs his hand through his wind-blown hair.

"You're just a book with a really pretty cover." I say, turning my head toward the path.

"Is that so?"

"Yep." i say, popping the "p".

"Well you're not as great and above us all as you think Bent." Noah says, emphasizing the "t".

"Don't call me that."

"What? above us all or B-"

"My name is Bentley."

"Okay... Bent." He says, smirking as he disobeys me.

"Why do you insist upon irritating me in every single way possible?!" I yell at him, stopping. Arri comes up to us, having eyes only for Noah. Ugh.

"Why do you have to be so irritable?" He counters.

"Do i have to split you two up?" Arri says cheerfully, her hand on Noah's flexed bicep.

"Please do." I say as i turn and begin running again.

"Is she always like this?" Noah asks Arri.

"Only when you're around." Arri says, melting the word referencing to him. ick.

"Oh really? Looks like i get special treatment." He leans closer for the last part, so i feel his hot breath on my neck. I run faster. We had run about half way through our usual longer route when i saw a familiar form standing on a bridge that the path uses to cross the small river in the park. I pick up speed and jump into his arms.