Blooming Passion •• Ryan Tedder {1}

A Lying Cheat

Addie's P.O.V.

Addie was out on a jog in Los Angeles, weaving in and out of various people while she listened to Walk The Moon through headphones. She approached the park she usually jogs at, the one where she met Ryan, and decided she'd go there again today.

At the crosswalk, Addie stopped herself and caught her breath, waiting for the symbol to walk show up on the other side along with the other Californians. The early sun beat down on her, making her tan skin sticky with perspiration. Is it always this hot out at eight thirty? She asked herself.

Then the people around her started moving and Addie went in between them at her quicker pace to get past them. She reached the other side to find another jogger come up beside her. Addie felt slightly freaked out at how close he was and moved over a few feet. She glanced his way for a moment only to see him wink. Nothing about this was flirtatious or attractive. He had oily black hair and eyebrows so thick Addie felt like they'd pop off of his face and chase after her like rabid squirrels.

She picked up her pace to escape him and made it to the thin path at the park. She had run for a while, making it to the other side, but then she took a breather, leaning down and gripping her knees. Addie took this as an opportunity to stretch a little, some voice in the back of her mind hoping out loud that the creepy man wasn't behind her at all.

However, when she was stretching her quads, she managed to lock her eyes on something unexpected, something that angered her.

It was the one and only Shawn Murphy, walking slowly along the path, his right arm around the waist of another woman, one clad in a pink mini skirt and white tank top, not to mention her dangling silver jewelry and face covered with ten tons of makeup. Even from here, Addie could see Shawn's eyes scanning the woman's body up and down as she flipped her long blonde hair behind her shoulder and bat her lashes at him.

Addie had so many feelings at once, but the clearest one was the fury. Oh, the nerve of this guy! He already abuses Ramona---that's been established, after all, for what else could've given Ramona the bruise on her cheek? But now, now he's cheating on her?! This can't be the first time, though. Because he's Shawn fucking Murphy.

Addie had her fists clenched at her sides, but there was hardly any time to stand here and be mad about it. She had to go tell Ramona! And Ryan!

Yet there was no time for that either. Shawn, the whore loving bastard, had looked up. He locked eyes on her, just as she had with him, and they formed into an angry glare, the same kind Addie had on now. Now Addie changed hers to challenging, but as soon as he moved away from the woman he was with and went at her, Addie broke into a run.

Shit. She thought. Now he'd run after her, surely. Shawn isn't dumb, he knows things. And he certainly knows that Addie is going to tell Ramona as soon as possible, and he'll do anything to stop that from happening.

She was filled with a new kind of adrenaline, one of both fear and bravery at the same time. It made her run faster, especially as she looked back and saw Shawn speeding towards her with determination and his own kind of rage.

The fucking psychotic, no good son-of-a-bitch fuckboy!! She thought angrily.

Then she saw an exit from the park and took it instantly. Shawn was still bound to follow her, but Addie had a few advantages. She knows the streets, and she's simply a better runner. Besides, she can probably lose him in the crowds of people.

Addie made her way for a street nearby, heading for the very people she knew would help her. Glancing back once, she saw Shawn nearly sprinting after her. No matter if her legs ached and her chest burned, she would keep going. She won't let this asshole win.