Walking The Line | ✓

Chapter Fifteen

This time I had left prepared. A pair of leggings, a warm hoodie over a thermal and woolen socks had been my outfit for the day.

I wasn't planing on going back to bed after I'd just barely recovered. And after Kühl's message the night before I decided to take some drastic measures. For a moment I had weighed whether to take a scarf and gloves, but then I decided they would barely stay on for two minutes before I started sweating.

A thick layer of snow lay against the curbs as evidence of last night snowstorm, a WSV must have passed by some time during the early morning clearing the pavement and the sidewalks before people left their houses to get to work. But the weather didn't matter when you went for a run. When blood started pumping through your veins full force your body began to sweat. That was a fact. Cold or not the result was the same.

Kühl had messaged me at seven a.m. sharp letting me know he was outside my door. I had asked him to text me so as not to bother my parents. In reality, I just didn't want them to find out I had gone on a morning run with the German. I'd never hear the end of it.

Watching the untouched toasts with peanut butter and jelly I'd prepared for breakfast I almost wept knowing they'd have to wait. I couldn't have left Kühl standing in the hallway forever nor could I have let him come in. With a last parting glance I had gulped down my coffee and exited the apartment, locking the door behind me with the skill of a woman who had broken curfew too many times as a teenager. The German had looked at me funny but didn't comment on it. Something I was glad for because I wasn't feeling up to it. The night on the sofa had done me in. My cervical spine was still complaining about the sleeping arrangements.

Tough luck though.

I would have to suffer for another night. It was that or the floor. My brain still couldn't process how the German had managed to sleep in there. Damn if the thing wasn't uncomfortable.

I puffed a breath of air through my mouth, watching as the white cloud evaporated in the air. We'd been running for almost an hour at a steady peace. I wanted to push myself today, see if I could beat my 5k mark. Usually marathons went from 8k and upwards. If I really wanted to participate I'd need to up my game.

Kühl kept peace beside me, a silent support as we jogged along the streets. He had pulled up his hood in case anyone recognized him. Though, if I had to be sincere, his attempt at a disguise did little to fool any basketball fan. If there was one of those in a ten feet radius I'd bet a bottle of Barolo that he would recognize him in a heartbeat.

As we kept running a tingling sensation made its way to the back of my eyes. I ignored it at first, but then the surrounding sounds were drowned out as my eardrums blocked.

I swayed a little.

My feet came to an abrupt stop and I bent over myself, resting my hands on my kneecaps for support. I felt dizzy, like I was about to drop to the floor any second.

Figuring that the best option was to stay close to the ground, I lowered myself to my hunches.

"...tired?...say...frozen ass." Kühl's voice was muffled by the buzz inside my ear.

My stomach turned and I clamped a hand over my mouth.

I was going to be sick.

I was going to be sick.

Please no. No.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing my stomach to settle.

Footsteps came closer and something cold touched my forehead.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

I kept my mouth shut, taking deep breaths through my nose. My body gave a slight shudder as the cold of the sidewalk permeated my clothes.