His Secret Bodyguard

Part 66

"Can I ask you something?" He questioned. I shrugged, watching as a bird flew by the window.. "There's a lot you don't like to talk about. So, what's something you do like talking about?" He asked. I looked over at him. "Nothing." I replied. He rolled his eyes. "So then, you just go through life not talking to anyone?" He asked.

"Pretty much." I said, drinking more of the smoothie. "Ok. Well. What about school? You said you went to university." He commented. I nodded. "Four years. Barely talked to anyone. Graduated a little early, and here I am now." I summed up. He sighed. "So you didn't hang out with your friends or anything?" He asked.. "I mean, I had a few roommates. We'd watch movies and have wine-night every week. But that was pretty much the extent of it." I explained.. He nodded, obviously trying to come up with stuff to talk about..

"And so, were you like a normal person at some point? Or have you always been impossible to talk to?" He asked. I laughed, having to think about that for a minute.. "I was never normal, I don't think. It just got worse over-time." I answered. "So, are you happy with your life being this way? Or do you ever think that maybe it could be different?" He questioned. I sighed, looking over at him. "Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"I want to know you." He commented. I shook my head. "I don't want you to know me." I said. "Brynn, there's no harm in telling me stuff. You know I won't tell anyone, and I won't judge you for it." He stated. "I know.. I just.." I trailed off, my mind going back to Daniel. I told him a lot, but it took a little while to get to that point with someone... "What?" He asked. "I don't open up to people. At least, not like this." I explained. "What do you mean?" He questioned. I drank some more of the smoothie, before setting the glass down on the table..

"I can't just sit around like this and have a conversation. It makes me uncomfortable." I said, standing up. "So.." He trailed off, obviously confused. "I need to go for a run. You can come if you want." I stated, going into my room.

I changed into a different pair of Nike shorts, and kept the hoodie on.. I walked back out, putting on my running shoes.. "You were being serious?" He asked, getting up. "Yes. When I'm running, I can't think about all the reasons why I don't talk to people." I stated, walking out of my apartment. He quickly followed me. He was already wearing some shorts and a sweatshirt, so it wouldn't matter..

He was walking behind me as we made our way down the stairs. "This isn't going to be one of those five mile runs, right?" He questioned. "Don't know yet. We'll see how far I can go four weeks after heart surgery." I replied, feeling him pull the hood over my head.  He already had his hood up, as well as some sunglasses..

He opened the door for me, keeping his head angled away from the guys who were still out there.. I kept my head down, and Harry used his body to shield me from their view as they started taking pictures. I definitely appreciated that.. We started walking down the street, and I pulled my hood down. "You ready?" I asked, glancing in his direction. He nodded, and we started off jogging..

We ended up running two miles, before I had to stop. Probably due to the recent heart surgery, and it had also been a while since I'd run.. He was out of breath, leaning up against the brick wall of a building. "How far was that?" He asked. I was stretching, and glanced in his direction. "Little over two." I said. He nodded. "Still pretty impressive." He commented. I simply shrugged.

"You need to keep moving." I stated, motioning for him to get off the wall. He sighed, letting his hood fall down as he shoved his hands through his hair. He stretched a little. "When did you start running?" He asked, crouching down to re-tie one of his shoes. "Don't know. Probably during college. I used it to clear my head, and I always felt better after I ran." I explained. He nodded. "And you've always run this much? I mean, I run sometimes. But not ever like this." He said. I shrugged.

"I forget that I'm even running. Once you start thinking about it, you start thinking about the burning in your calves, and the lack of oxygen in your lungs. It's best not to think." I replied, motioning for him to follow me. He did, walking next to me..

"So, if you don't think about running, what do you think about?" He asked. "Mm, a lot of different things." I replied. "Like what?" He questioned. I shrugged. "It depends. Sometimes I think about work. Or college. I like to remember all the places I've lived, and try and picture them in my head." I explained, making a motion that I was going to start running again...

*

I could tell he was tired, and considered stopping, since he'd also had recent heart surgery. But, after another mile, I got tired again and had to stop.. "You shouldn't push yourself." He commented, trying to catch his breath, pacing on the sidewalk. I didn't respond, still trying to get enough air into my lungs..

After a few minutes, he walked over. "We should go back. Jeff will wonder where we are." He stated. I nodded, breathlessly, and started walking back in the direction we'd come. He was silently walking next to me. "Do you feel ok? Does anything hurt?" He asked. I shook my head, but it was a lie. My chest was on fire, and I was dizzy. But, I'd run marathons on the verge of passing out. So, I'd be fine.

I stopped after two miles, sitting on the curb without saying anything to him. "Brynn." He commented. I shook my head, taking my hair down and shoving my hands through it.. I put it back into a better ponytail. He looked around, pulling his hood up and sitting down next to me. "What is it?" He questioned.. I tapped my chest twice, and he gently grasped my wrist, placing two fingers on it. He was feeling my heart-rate, which was probably a bit faster then it should be..

"I don't have my phone." He said, letting go of my arm.. "I'll be fine." I finally commented.. "Are you sure?" He asked, seeming hesitant. I nodded. "I grew up dealing with this.. It happened a lot when I first started running. I haven't ran in a while, so I should've seen this coming." I explained, managing to slow my breathing. He glanced over his shoulder as someone walked-by behind us...

We sat there for a few minutes. He had his leg resting up against mine. Occasionally a car would go by. But this side of town was fairly quiet.. "How is it now?" He asked. "Better. We can keep going." I commented. He nodded, standing up and helping me to my feet...

We made it back to the building, having to pull our hoods back up. Harry got between me and the cameras again, which I was actually really grateful for, since I hate my picture being taken..

We got back up to the apartment, and Jeff was sitting at the kitchen table. "Where the hell have you been?" He asked. "We went for a run." Harry answered. I pulled the sweatshirt off. I only had a sports bra on under it, and could feel Harry's eyes on me as I walked across the room and into my bedroom.

"Could you be any more obvious?" I barely heard Jeff ask. I didn't hear Harry's response.. I started gathering a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I turned on the shower, quickly stripping and getting in. The cold water felt amazing after all that, and I let it run through my hair and down my back...

When I got out, I pulled on a different bra and some underwear with a pair of jean shorts. Before I could put my shirt on, there was a knock on the bathroom door.....