Potentially You and Me (Two Truths and a Lie)

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

It's been two weeks. Two damn, long ass weeks and I'm in funk. I'm so sick of moping around, but I just can't seem to stop.

I feel like a robot, just going through the motions. If I'm not going to class, doing homework, eating, or sleeping, I'm running. I've been running twice, or even three times a day just to keep myself occupied from my thoughts. Just to keep myself from thinking about him.

I inhale a deep breath and let it out before picking up my ankle and holding it against my butt, stretching my quads. I do the same with my other leg before reaching down to touch my toes. Straightening back up, I re-tie my hair, securing the blonde strands up in a high ponytail, before starting off down the pathway. A breeze blows past me seeing as it's the early evening, just before sunset. I'm glad it's been getting warmer out lately because it allows me to run in a t-shirt and athletic shorts.

I decided not to listen to music today, so my phone remains in my right hand for now, but will soon get transferred to my left when the weight of it gets to heavy. I look down at my feet as they continue to pound against the cement. My sneakers look worn and battered, but I've always liked them better that way.

I make a left, following my normal route around the perimeter of campus, but then glancing back up I lock eyes with the person I've been avoiding. The person I've been trying to avoid, but even just standing here ten feet away from each other I can still feel the raw intensity of his gaze. My feet stop in place, but I don't give them time to freeze there. They scrape against the pavement as I turn around and head back in the other direction.

"Lacie, wait!" Trent calls. God only knows how fast he must be running to already be within hearing distance. That thought only makes me run faster and amplifies the blood pounding in my ears. When heavy footsteps fall in step with my heart beat I veer off the pathway and head towards the parking lot. My lungs burn in my chest along with all the muscles in my legs, but I will them to keep moving. "Lacie, please!" I go to run around a car, but a hand wraps around my elbow. "Lacie," he breathes abruptly turning me around to face him, but I yank my arm out of his grip as if he suddenly caught fire.

"I don't want to hear it," I say as stern as I can in between ragged breaths and go to take off again, but Trent quickly jumps in front of me, blocking my path.

"Just hear me out," he breathes, seemingly just as breathless.

"No." I go to move around him again, but he blocks my path.

"Please."

I look up only to find that his eyes are pleading with me. They captivate me and hold me in place. It feels like I'm looking into a mirror.  They hold the same pained expression I've been wearing the past few weeks. The only difference is, mine where they dull in sadness. His burn brighter. I inhale a deep breath through my nose before folding my arms across my chest, giving him my attention. He runs a hand through his hair as the rising and falling of his chest finally slows down to a normal rate.

"Lacie, look, I didn't mean what I said." My hands drop back down to my sides along with my gaze as I let out a huff. "Lacie, I swear I was just saying that, so the guys, so I," he pauses, shaking his head as if unsure of his own thoughts. "Just... to get the guys off my back."

My eyes cut back up to his, and my eyebrows draw together as I tilt my head to the side. "Oh, so they don't hound you about actually going out with a girl more than once without getting in her pants? Yeah, that makes total sense." I shake my head and move around him, but once again he hops back in front of me, now walking backwards.

He shakes his head. "That's not what I meant."

"Well, that's what it sounded like," I spit back continue to walk forward.