Love Bites 1 (Austin Mahone Oneshot)

Chapter 20: Partners

~Carmen's P.O.V~

I woke up and was surprised to find that it was 6 AM on Tuesday. I had slept a grand total of thirteen hours straight from when I got home at 5 o’clock yesterday and fell asleep.

I tried for half an hour to fall back asleep, but I couldn’t, so I rolled out of bed with a groan. My room was dark, and when I pulled open the blinds covering my window, I found it was still quite dark out as well. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but the sky was a mix of dark and pale blue.

I scrunched up my face, wondering what to do with my time. I felt restless, and I had an abundance of energy from sleeping for thirteen hours straight, so I slipped on a pair of sweats and a tank top. I pulled my hair into a pony tail and pulled my bangs back as well with a couple of bobby pins.

I grabbed a light sweater and zipped it up halfway before grabbing my I-Pod and tucking the earphones into my ears. I pulled on my running shoes, and headed outside without once making a noise. I locked the door behind me, and walked calmly down the stairs as I scrolled through my play list for some good work out music.

I finally settled on Riot by Three Days Grace before I took off at a jog down the street. I jogged for almost a hour, and even though it usually took me longer to get tired than the average human, I was absolutely exhausted by the end of the hour.

I remembered vaguely where I had jogged; only brief flashes, images, of where I had been. I had been so focused on the music, on myself, on my feet hitting the pavement and the sound of my breathing and my heart pounding in my chest that I had barely registered my surroundings.

I remembered seeing a forest, it stretched out far, and I jogged alongside it for most of my morning run. It was dark and morbid, and I had felt a brief wave of unease as I had passed by it. It was the same forest next to the school; the same forest where they found a dead body.

I was standing in the shower, shuddering at the very thought of jogging near the place where a dead body had lain, killed by that mysterious person who had yet to be identified.

I stood in the shower for another fifteen minutes, even though I was already finished washing my hair, and I just let the hot water rush over my body; unknotting all my tense and sore muscles.

I vowed to make this a routine; to go running every morning and get in shape, to be strong so I can defend myself better.

********

“Carmen??” Lily yawned, “How long have you been up for?”

I took a sip of my hot tea, “I’ve been up since about 6 AM.”

Lily’s jaw dropped. “Since when you do get up that early?”

“Since I fell asleep as soon as I got home yesterday, and continued to sleep straight on till 6 AM this morning.” I explained, shrugging as I took another sip of tea.

“Jeez,” Iily said, as she stumbled into the kitchen to start making breakfast. “So, how are you and Matt?”

I put my cup of tea down on the table, wrapping both hands around the warm mug and staring down into its contents. “I don’t know.” I answered honestly.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Iily asked worriedly as she sat down at the table next to me.

I chuckled, “Nothing’s wrong.” I sighed, rubbing my thumb thoughtfully up and down the cup. “It’s just….I think I might have to take sometime to get used to Matt being…..that way; I mean, I’m so used to him being my friend that it make take a while to think about him in….that way,” I said, wondering vaguely if I was lying or not. It was partially true, but also partially a lie.