Elastic Heart:

3:

Savannah:

A large oak tree outside of my window is close enough that one of the branches touches the roof. That was the only way to sneak in and out of my bedroom. The plan was for Mason to sneak in after my parents left and for him to leave before it became light out. But Mason, being the twit he is, didn't set his alarm. "I'm not climbing down. It's to light out, and someone will see me." Mason said. I narrow my eyes. I wanted to throw him across the ocean right now. "I can push you down. Maybe they will think you're a large bird." I offer. He narrows his eyes at me. "Don't be a smartass." He grumbles. "Oh, but it's one of my best qualities," I reply sarcastically. He frowns at my comment. I sigh, grabbing his hand. I walk us to my bedroom door, which is cracking open. "It doesn't sound like they are awake. So we have to be quiet." I whisper. Mason nods. 

I pull the door open further. Mason groans when his shoulder hits the wall. I try not to laugh, but it makes me smile. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?" I ask. He sucks in a deep breath and nods. "Don't forget I'm bigger than you. I can't squeeze through small door openings." Mason whispers. I roll my eyes, leading the way downstairs. I go to open the front door when the door knob starts to turn. In a panic, I push Mason towards the back door in the kitchen. "Call me later," I say, kissing him. He smiles, kissing me back. "Who's there?" Colton's voice sends a shiver down my spine. I shove Mason out the door, closing and locking it. "Savannah?" Colton asks. I peek out the back door window to see Mason has left the yard. I turn and face Colton. Holy damn. His hair was damp. His shirt was also wet, and it clung closer to his body. "Why are you so sweaty?" I ask. "I could do the same thing to you." He counters, walking to the fridge. "I asked you first," I remark.

 Yes, I know, childish, but Colton got under my skin like nobody else before. "Fine. I run in the mornings. You. Go." He orders. I couldn't come up with a reasonable lie. "Same." I blurt out. I wince. Why would you say that? I don't run. I've never run a single day in my life. I wouldn't say I like running. "Really? You were running?" Colton asks. I nod, trying to convince him that I am. "In short shorts and a tank top?" He asks. I look down at my outfit. I cross my arms and nod. "You don't think I run?" I ask. He laughs, shaking his head. "No, frankly, I don't. See, in all the time I have known you, I have yet to see you join a sport." Colton explains. "I sport," I mumble. "Really? What?" He asks. "Fine, but that doesn't mean I don't run," I say, pointing a finger. "So why haven't you ever done cross country or track?" He asks, stepping closer. "Because I don't like organized events. Ever thought of that?" I remark. Colton smirks. "So you would be up to running with me from now on?" He asks, stepping closer to me. I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. Only I couldn't think. Not when he was in his sweaty, sexy state. "Yeah." I snap out of my thoughts.
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Great."
"So it's settled. Tomorrow morning. 6:00 am." Colton says, walking away. "Wait..what?" I ask, but he's gone. Oh no. Did I agree to go running with Colton? What in the world is wrong with me? I grab the house phone from the hook, dialing my best friend's number. "Hello?" A female voice answers. "May," I greet her. "Oh, thank god it's you. I've been dying for someone to call me that I know. This whole grounded from my cellphone thing sucks. Do you know that the only people that call my house are my parents or family members? No offense, Grandma, but I don't want to hear about your crochet." May rambles. I try to cut in, but May continues to ramble. "I'm pretty sure that's why they grounded me this way: they knew that none of my friends talk on the phone, not anyone. They text. Speaking of? Where have you been? I've been going out of my mind here. I thought you were dead. Seriously. I was thinking about what I would say at your funeral or what I would wear. I settled on a simple black dress with pumps. Classy but formal. Which is messed up considering that it's your funeral." May rambles.

 I couldn't help but laugh. She pauses and waits. "Why are you laughing?" She asks. "You. You're so bored out of your mind that you've planned out my funeral." I say. She falls quiet for a moment, then laughs. "I'm sorry. You're the first human interaction I've had in weeks. I can't wait to be ungrounded." She grumbles. "Hang in there, trooper. I promise I'll call more." I say. "Speaking of. Why did you call out of the blue? At...7:30 in the morning." She asks. "I could ask you why you are up this early, but I already know the answer," I say. May's parents were early birds. Everyone was always up before eight at her house. May lived for the moments she came to stay with me. We could sleep in as long as we wanted. "Back to why you called." She says. "Oh, right. My parents left last night-"
"Awe, man. I missed saying goodbye. You'll have to tell them for me." May cuts me off. "Hey, I'm telling the story."
"Sorry." She apologizes. I smile but continue. "Anyways, you know my parents. They set a bunch of rules, and no boyfriends are allowed over. But you know me-rule breaker- I snuck Mason in after my parents left and Brandon went to bed." I say. "So what's the problem? Oh my god! Did you guys finally do it!" She shrieks. 

I pull the phone away from my ear as she talks a mile a minute. I couldn't even understand her. "May, no! That's not what happened." I cut her off. She falls quiet. "Sorry. So if you didn't, do you know..what happened?" She asks. "Well, Mason comes in at night and leaves before morning. That way, none of my neighbors see him. You know, the usual. But he didn't set the alarm last night, so we woke up literally twenty minutes ago." I say. She hums, indicating for me to continue. "Well, I was going to sneak him out, but then Colton came home, so I had to shove him out the back door. Colton just got back from his run. Then I told him I went on a run. And somehow one way or another I agreed to go on morning runs with him." I say. 

"Wait-Colton? As in Colton Collins? He's living with you?" She asks excitedly. "For two months. I was going to tell you, but then you got grounded, and stuff happened. You know, but yes, he's living with me."
"But..Vanna, you don't run." She finally understands. "Oh, dear god." She gasps. "What are you gonna do?" She asks. "I don't know. Go? I don't want to back out and let him think I'm a wuss."
"So just go," May says. "Was he sweaty?"
"Oh yes." I practically moan. "Ugh! I would have done anything to touch that sweaty face." She groans. "You have issues," I say, chuckling. "You don't understand. I'm under house arrest here." She cries. "Maybe I can come over and convince your parents to unground you. Then you could come to Mel's party tonight."
"You're going?" She asks, shocked. "Yes. Mason wants to go, and it will get me out of the house." I say. "Okay, well, hurry and come. Grams is on her way. Maybe that will soften her blow." She says hanging up. I set the phone off the hook and then ran upstairs. I walked into my room to change, but Colton was on my bed. "Get out," I demand. "Why? I like it here." Colton says, sitting up. I roll my eyes, pointing to the door. He sighs, standing up. "Oh, so that you know. The walls are paper thin. I know your little boy toy was here." He whispers, walking out. "Colton," I call his name, but he's already in his room.