Where the Butterflies Hide

*}|{*Chapter Three*}|{*

Levi flexed his arm muscles, sweat dripping down his forehead and onto the grass below. His forearms bulged as he forced himself to go down as low as he could without breaking. After a slow, concentrated breath, he pushed back up, balancing on the palms of his hands and the tips of his toes. After holding the position for a few more seconds, he sighed and stood.

"Alright, ten laps and then you can take a break!" Coach hollered at them. He gave a long blow of his whistle and Levi and his teammates jogged over to the track and began running laps around the field. Around the ninth lap, Marcus sprinted to catch pace with Levi, who was currently in the front with Josh and their wide receiver, Bradley.

"Hey dude," Marcus panted out.

"Man, you look like you've been running for ten years." Levi responded smugly.

"Hey, not all of us wake up at five in the morning to run and do whatever the hell else you do at five a.m.!" Marcus countered.

Levi just laughed. "Seriously though Levi, you've been spacing out all day what's wrong with you?" Marcus asked.

"It's nothing, just a bit tired, that's all." Levi said, effectively ending the conversation by running ahead to where Josh was.

"So, according to Marcus your brain seems to be lost somewhere in space... feel like explaining that?" Josh asked when they ended the last lap. Coach gave them a five minute break to get water and Levi slumped down onto a bench. "You heard?' Levi asked.

"Please, Marcus is so loud I wouldn't be surprised if all of Belleview heard you." Josh chuckled.

Levi huffed, taking a swing of his water and wiping his sweaty forehead with the bottom of his shirt.

Josh sat down carefully beside him. "Not that I would ever agree with Marcus on purpose, but you kind of haven't been yourself today, do you want to talk...in a totally non-girly way?"

Levi laughed "So I can't cry on your shoulder about how my boyfriend is such an ass?"

"You can, but I'd probably record it and post it online" Josh replied.

Levi punched his shoulder lightly, laughing as he turned his head up to face the sky. "You've seen the new girl right?"

Josh nodded "Yea that girl, um, Charlotte?"

"Claire," Levi clarified.

"Oh I get it, does Levi have a crush?" Josh teased.

"It's not that," Levi replied, licking his dry lips.

"Then tell me what it is, cause right now, I think you just want to get in her pants." Josh said.

Levi sighed. Where was he supposed to start? There was so much about Claire Hartley that intrigued him. The fact that she tried her hardest to disappear raised so many questions, and he just couldn't get her out of his mind, no matter what he tried. Starting from when Claire first entered Homeroom, Levi recounted the events he witnessed, the questions that her mannerisms raised, and his confusion about what happened before she had run off after school.

Josh blew out a loud breath after Levi finished recounting the details of his strange day "Well, that is definitely confusing..." he said after a long moment.

"So, why do you think I can't get this girl out of my head?" Levi asked.

"Maybe because you're trying so hard to forget her, it makes it that much harder to." Josh tried.

Levi paused for a moment "Maybe. But if so, then what do I do? The girl ran off as soon as I turned my back!"

"Maybe she was in a rush. Try to get to know her better and see where that leads." Josh said just as Coach blew the whistle to officially start practice.