My alarm was blaring the next morning, letting me know that it was time for my run, I hesitated only a moment before turning it off and getting out of bed. Jake mumbled something and rolled over to snuggle into my pillows. I shed my night clothes and donned my sports bra and jogging shorts before grabbing my phone and running down the stairs.
"Kody this is getting really old," Rylan's annoyed voice sounded as I opened the door.
"Huh?" I whipped around to look at him.
"This whole you running out while I am asleep thing, it's getting old," he rolled his shoulders and stood up, Herbert falling to the ground with his movement. My eyes followed the bear as it hit the floor at Rylan's feet, he was watching the bear too. "Kody," his voice sounded dangerous and instead of sticking around to find out what he was going to say next, I bolted out the door and through the gate in the backyard. After a few seconds I realized he was not going to follow me, so I pushed my headphones in and set out in my normal pace, but apparently I was wrong about him not following me because when I hit a mile he was all of a sudden next to me trying to get my attention and dodging trees.
I turned to frown at him, where had he come from, I stopped running to look at him.
"Dammit it Kody," he was panting when I finally removed my headphones. "Stop running away from me!" he yelled after catching his breath.
"Did you want something?" I asked stupidly and the fire was back in his eyes.
"I want you to stop trying to give me back this damn bear," he said trusting the stuffed animal into my hands, I didn't even notice that it was in his hand. "It was a bet, fair and square, I don't want him."
I looked down at the bear in my hands, my plan was unraveling. "I don't want him," I said quietly.
"What?" Rylan asked.
"I don't want the bear," I said again.
"To damn bad," he yelled, "the bear is yours."
I looked up at him and took a deep breath, "No don't you dare," he said shaking his head at me.
"What?" I asked confused.
"I know that face," he pointed at me, "you're about to go all Frankie on me, well I don't want to talk to Frankie right now, I want to speak with Kody."
"We are the same person," I yelled at him and then covered my mouth with my hand.
"No," he stepped closer, "Frankie is the one holding her mouth right now, Kody is the one who just yelled at me."
"You think you know everything don't you?" I asked, angry now that he was using the names against me again. "You don't know shit!"
"There she is," he licked his lips and stepped closer again, "go ahead yell at me Kody," he was so close that his words brushed across my skin.
"Can't you let me do the right thing?" I yelled.
"No," he said abruptly, "not when the right thing is you leaving me behind," he stared into my eyes. "This whole time Frankie has been the one ashamed of what Kody has done, Frankie told me she didn't want me, Kody said nothing," he moved again and then we were pressed against each other. Our chest heaved and bumped, "I want to hear Kody say she doesn't want me."
"I don't want you," I said weakly.
"That's not Kody," he said angrily and then his hands were on my arms. "Tell me that you don't want me Kody."
I just looked up at him, why couldn't he understand? I did want him that was the problem, I couldn't have him. I can't be Kody and I can't have the man I love. Woah, love where did that come from? I asked, but I already knew the answer, I loved Rylan, that is why I was trying so hard to let him go.
