Bring Me To Life

Thunderstuck

Sound of the drums, beating in my heart

The thunder of guns, tore me apart

You've been

Thunderstruck

      --- Thunderstruck, AC/DC

August 2016

Durham, NC

The run felt good. 

Grayson never minded running, even in the sweltering August heat of Durham.  After all, he grew up in Florida.  Heat was nothing new.  Luke, however, had come up with a few creative ways to curse him out that Grayson hadn't thought of on his worst day.  The Ohio native wasn't willing to quit, but he would probably kick Grayson's ass later.

"You  . . . said . . .a  . . . short . . . run," Luke puffed out.  "We . . . already . . . lifted . . . today."

"Yeah, and Coach Will said we needed to do some cardio."  Grayson responded, as they arrived back at the K Center.  They'd only run three miles.  Luke was being a pussy.

"We, like, couldn't have done that inside, man?  We have a whole gym full of treadmills and bikes.  Not to mention air conditioning,"  Luke rolled his eyes at Grayson. 

"Come on.  You'll feel better after an ice bath."  Grayson shook his head at the sophomore and led the way through the training room, waving to Matt and Amile.  He stepped through the door, but came to a screeching halt, stopping so fast that Luke ran into him.

"What the actual f- hell?"  Grayson questioned, censoring himself slightly at the last second.  "Why is there a girl in my cold tub?"

She lifted her head and looked him dead in the eye, with a bit of a sneer.  Her green eyes bored into his hazel ones and she cocked a brow.  "Sorry, I must have missed the engraved plaque with your name on the tub," she smirked.

Grayson opened his mouth a couple of times before he could form words.  "Who the hell do you think you are? How the fuck did you even get in here?" he finally managed to spit out, only to hear Luke laugh, slamming into his shoulder as he walked past him.

"Dude, you seriously need to pay closer attention to the team group message."  Luke snorted.  He approached the girl, "Sorry for my friend, he can't be bothered with reading his texts.  You must be Cait.  I'm Luke. Welcome to Duke."

If Grayson was somewhat speechless before, he was pissed now.  Especially when Matt and Amile trailed into the room and joined Luke in making conversation with this interloper.  Who the hell was she anyhow?  And what was she doing standing in his ice bath in a pair of running shorts and a tank top?

Matt noticed his narrowed gaze and gave him a warm smile.  "No worries, G, we'll handle the introductions.  Cait Callahan, meet Grayson Allen.  G, Cait is a former Olympic champ, member of the US Ski Team and Coach K's goddaughter."  Matt emphasized the last part a bit and elbowed Grayson, giving him a pointed look.  "She's attending Duke this year while rehabbing an injury and she'll be using our facilities and staff.  We do have the best, y'know?"  Matt grinned in Grayson's direction and continued, "Grayson," he nodded to Cait, "is everyone's choice for preseason player of the year and the key to our title hopes." 

Grayson and Cait continued their staredown, both with arms crossed.  Luke noticed the tension and asked a trainer to fill the second tub in the room.  "Don't worry G, you get the privilege of sharing a bath with me.  Lots of people would pay hard cash for that," he added with a wink in Cait's direction.