Blindsided

Part 9

Melanie

"Hey... wait... can you just... wait a second." I ignore a loud snicker from in front of me, my body collapsing onto the cool grass of the early morning. My chest heaves as my feet burn, my whole body feeling like it's been set on fire.

"Oh come on Melly, we've only got a quarter of a mile left to go."

"Shut up Whitlock, you don't know the pain I'm in." I groan, laying my hands flat against my sides. 

"Are you really going to do this every time we run?"

"As long as you keep forcing this torture, then yes."

We've only been doing our 'fitness program' for 2 weeks now, but it's already turned into my living hell. Having to workout with the abomination of Bailey Whitlock is bad enough, but having to go running? It's killing me. If I'm only one thing, it's that I'm not a runner.

"Alright, up we get." Bailey stands over me, extending his hands towards my body. I groan again, bringing my legs into a reverse tabletop position and thrashing them around like a dying bug.

"You just have to make everything so difficult, don't you?" he mumbles, dodging my forceful kicks by moving around, until he's standing behind my head. I can't stop him as he bends down, hooking his hands under my armpits and lifting me up. Once I'm standing, he leans down again, laying his arms underneath the back of my knee. In one swift moment, he picks me up, his other arm circling around my waist to carry me bridal style. 

"Fuck off Whitlock!" I yell into his ear, thrashing my body from side to side. He only clutches me tighter as he takes off into a slow jog, my body bopping with his movements. 

"Ugh, can you stop carrying me everywhere? I do have legs to walk with."

"Well use them next time and stop complaining." Bailey continues ignoring my protests, as we round a corner, the building we started our run at finally emerging. I let out a cheer just as he drops me to the ground, one of his hands staying put in the middle of my back. His index finger trails along my spine, his eyes never straying from mine. Although I know I should pull away, I feel like I'm in a trance. It's not like we've never touched before, but now, with his hand drawing small circles across the heat of my back, it feels different. The way his eyes twinkle as they search every part of my face, looking for a reaction sets my pulse flying. The way I'm suddenly aware of how close we are, that if I just looked up a little further we could-

I cut my thoughts off, taking an obvious and awkward step back. I cough, running a hand over my exposed arm. 

"Well, I'd better be going. Homework and... stuff." I begin, taking another step backwards.

"Uh yeah, same. Well, I'll see you tomorrow at training Melly. Get ready to lose." he taunts, his quiet, mysterious persona flicking away until he's back to his annoying self.

"Hah, funny one. Maybe you should spend more time speaking to your mirror." I reply, turning on my heels. His loud laughs echoes in my ear, and just because it will drive him mad, I start running. 

"I hope you break your kneecap!" I flip him my middle finger behind my back as I race around the corner of the large white science building, my chest heaving once again. 

I don't know what that was, but I don't think I even want to.

...

"Are you nearly ready to go Mel?" I whack a final layer of gloss onto my lips, humming as I chuck a few small items into my purse.

"Yep, I'll just put on my shoes." I grab the pair of heeled boots off of the floor, shoving them onto my feet before standing up.

I grab the bottle of tequila sitting on my desk as well as the two gift bags, before hurrying after Persephone out of the door. We walk down the staircase which seems to be getting steeper by the day, exiting the loud building and stepping out into the quiet night. Persephone leads me to her car, which I fall into, depositing the goodies resting in my hands onto the floor. She gets in beside me, handing me the aux cord as she fiddles with the keys. I plug my phone in, although there's sort of no point, seeing Natalie's apartment is only 5 minutes from campus. Regardless, I flick open my phone, pressing shuffle on my car playlist. 'Birthday' by Katy Perry flows through the speakers, which is ironically fitting for the situation.