The Girl from the Gym

Chapter 3: Budding Love

It's a cool Friday afternoon, my brother and I are at the park like usual. He's playing other two other kids on the slide. I'm sitting on the bench next to an older lady who is telling about how wonder her child is, but I'm uninterested. I'm looking towards the gym hoping for Jordan to come out so she can greet me as usual. I check the time on my phone, it's 5:30.

She's taking longer than usual, I tell myself. Wait why do I know what time she leaves the gym...ugh I'm such a stalker. The lady sitting next to me finally stops talking and gets her child to leave. "Finally." I whisper under my breath.

Ten minutes later Jordan finally comes out the gym and a big smile forms on my face. I can feel my heart racing and my face get hot. Just calm down I tell myself as she gets closer. I force myself to look down at my phone so I won't stare at her. I hear the park's gate open and her foot steps get closer. She comes and sits down next to me and my heart stops.

"Hey stranger." she says.

"Hi Jordan, how was your work out?" I manage to mumble as I look up to meet her gaze.

She's wearing a black men's tank top that says, Cool Story Bro and red nike basketball shorts. Her arms look bigger than the last time we spoke and I can smell a hint of cologne on her.

"The same as usual but I feel stronger." she replies with a smile.

"You look amazing as alwa-

*THUD*

"Wahhhhhhhhh, Samantha!!!!!" My brother screams.

I see my brother on the ground and jump up and rush towards him. Jordan also rushes to him and reaches him before me. "Chris, what's wrong? What happened?!!!!" I ask him as Jordan examines him. "I fell off the slide!" He says while crying. "Look he has a big cut on his leg." Jordan says. Chris's leg is bleeding bad and I start to feel dizzy at the sight of blood. I feel a hand touch my shoulder and turn to see its Jordan.

"Hey are you okay? You don't look to good."

"It's nothing I'm fine." I blush a little at the thought of her caring about me.

Jordan calms Chris down and picks him up. "Hey Samantha my house isn't too far from here, we can clean him up there."

"Your house....that's fine, thank you!

We leave the park and walk to her house which is right around the corner from the park. She unlocks her front door and leads us down a hallway to her living room. She lies my brother down on the couch and heads towards the kitchen. I kiss my brother on the forehead and tell him it'll be alright. I start looking around the living room and take notice of some family pictures. I pick up a picture and see a little girl with long curly hair standing in the middle of her parents.

"I see you found an old picture of my parents and I." Jordan says as she enters the room with a first aid kit and two bottles of water.

"This is you? I can't believe you were so cute."

"Wait, so I'm not cute anymore?"

"No...wait yes....um I mean you still are cute." I start to blush.

"Haha...yea, I guess I was cuter when I had long hair."

She kneels down beside my brother and opens the first aid kit. She pours some rubbing alcohol on a napkin and tells my brother it's going to sting a little. Chris winces from the pain but he doesn't make a noise. She puts a band-aid over his cut and hands him a water bottle. "Stay here and rest for a few." Jordan stands up, walks over to me and hands me a bottle too.

"So you're and only child?" I asked

"Yep, my parents only wanted one child even though I begged for another sibling when I was younger."

"Looks like you didn't beg hard enough. So where are your parents?"

"My mom is still at work and my dad.....is dead. He died of lung cancer four years ago." She looked away when she said that.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine, I know he's in a good place."

She smiles at me and I couldn't help but to hug her. She wraps her arms around my waist and I lay my head on her chest. My heart is racing and I feel warm wrapped in her arms. I wish we could stay like this forever but the hug soon ends. I pull out my phone see that I have a missed call from my mom. "Oh shit, we should have been home 30 minutes ago. My mom must be worried." I go get my brother Chris and head towards the front door.

I open the door but I feel Jordan grab my hand. "Wait can I see your phone real quick."

"Sure." I hand over my phone and she types something in it then hands it back.

"I'll see later Samantha." Jordan says with warm smile.

"Goodbye."

She's closes the door behind us as we leave and once I'm outside I check my phone and see that she added her number. I blush and jump around from happiness. I probably look like an idiot right now but I'm too happy to care. I hug my brother and say thank you. He looks confused but before he could ask questions, I grab his hand and we run home.