July Raine

An Easy Run...

I loved my mom, but she was so embarrassing.  She pointed to me and I just lowered my head.   "She has never, not once, considered ever going running."

I shook my head in shame. My mom was making me seem like a lazy bum.

"Yeah, I gathered from her response when I first asked her, that she was not a runner. But honestly, it really wasn't too hard. All I had to do was con her into it."

This made my mom laugh, not giggle. She was full out laughing. I tried to give her a 'seriously mom' look, but she just kept laughing, and dad started laughing, and Maddy had hug grin on his face as if he was trying to hold back a laugh. Before I knew, I was laughing too. I'm not sure why I was laughing really, I think maybe from all the stress and lack of sleep. I don't know why, but it felt good to laugh. Whenever I was around Maddy, I couldn't help but laugh.

When everyone finally stopped laughing, I spoke up. "Maddy, go change clothes before I change my mind."

I place my tongue between a couple of back teeth and tried hard not to smile at him. I was trying to be serious and make a point, but I wasn't doing a good job.

"Yeah right, as if you'd pass up a chance to hang out with me."

I pointed to the bathroom. "Go!"

As he walked past me, he bumped his arm into my shoulder and winked. " I'm going, I'm going, give me a break a ready.

I was really glad that my parents did not see Maddy wink at me. Even though they didn't; they had four thousand questions to ask me as soon as the bathroom door shut. I felt a little overwhelmed by everything they were asking. I was thinking are you kidding me I've known the guy two days. I felt like a sixteen year old kid again. My parents quizzing me about a boy. The most embarrassing question came from my dad.

"Why did he call you babe, what is going on between you two." My dad was just as embarrassing as my mom.

"Dad he was just goofing around, if you can't tell, he likes to joke around a lot. I just met the guy, he makes me laugh, he is my friend. He will not get me pregnant if that is what your are worried about." I said in a harsher than intended tone.

My parents were a little taken back, but they backed off. My dad spoke again, " No, that was not what I was getting at, I  know that you wouldn't let that happen again. No matter how much you love July."

I let out a sigh, "I'm sorry about snapping, I'm just under a lot of stress right now."

My mom and dad both walked up and hugged me tightly. I really was glad they were here, I had always been there for me through thick and thin. We were all still hugging when Maddy came out from the bathroom. He just have felt a little out of place because he just stood there.

We finally pulled apart, and I smiled at Maddy and he smiled back. " You ready to go run?"

"Mom, dad, are you going to be okay here by yourself?"

"Melonie, we are grown, we know how to take care of ourselves, you go have fun and we will unpack and we will find something to do until you get back."

"Okay, what would you think of me inviting Rainey to come here for lunch, and you guys can formally meet him."

"That sounds good."

"Okay, we will run by the cabin and invite Rainey over if that is okay with Maddy."

He nodded his head. " That is fine with me."

I looked at him, I was a little worried about running but I guess it was now or never. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Once we started running, I was really surprised at the fact that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. However, I quickly changed my mind when we got about three minutes into the run. Now I knew why, I'd never wanted to be a runner. Those first three minutes I was right beside Maddy, then I slowly started to fall behind. Maddy didn't notice at first, but then he glanced to his side. I assumed that he was making sure I was still kicking. When he noticed I was gone, he turned and looked behind him. He never stopped running he just turned and started jogging backwards and slowed his pace.

"Come on Melonie, pick up the pace."

I just gave him the evil eye. "Seriously, you said you were going to take it easy on me."

"Did I say that." He said this with an evil smirk on his face."We are going to whip you into shape. We can start jogging together every morning."

"Hey I'm in shape."

This stopped him dead in his tracks, " This from the girl who is moving at snail pace."

"Hey at-least I'm still moving, unlike you." I jogged right past him.

He finally came to his senses and caught back up with me. This time he jogged behind me as if trying to push me a long.  If he wanted to harass me, I could retaliate. We were jogging along and I just stopped dead in my tracks, causing him to run into the back of me.

My plan backfired because I went toppling to the ground, but thank goodness that he caught himself before he fell on top of me. I rolled onto my back and before I knew it he was standing over me.

"Are you okay?"

I just laughed and held out my hand, "Just help me up and run in front of me from now on."

He helped me up and I brushed myself off.

"You just want to stare my b-hind." 

I looked up at him and just shook my head. "Just run already would you."

He surprising did as I asked. We jogged like this for a while. He stopped up head with his back to me and I got a another bright idea. It probably wasn't the most well thought out idea, but when did I ever think before I acted. I took off full speed and jumped on his back, this time I was more successful. It was as if he knew it was about to happen because he automatically grabbed my legs and stood up straight. I latched on to him like a leach and laughed.

He turned his head to looked at me and had a huge grin on his face. "What were you thinking? Do you think before you act."

"Hmm, I really don't think so, how you think I ended up pregnant."

He just shook his head."You are a nut."

"You have to carry me the way I'm tired, the cabin is just ahead." I pointed in the direction of the cabin.

"Okay hang on." 

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he took off running. Which made me grab on to him tighter and I let out  a screech. It was amazing that he could run with me on his back. I had never been so glad to reach the cabin. I was starting to fear for my life. We stopped in front of Rainey's cabin and I started laughing, which was causing me to slide off his back. I guess he realized this because he grabbed my arms and pulled me back onto his back. I held on tighter so he could let go, but he didn't. He just kept his hands on my arms. I rested my face against his head and he rubbed his hands up and down my arms. I closed my eyes and wondered what this feeling I was having. The moment was quickly interrupted by someone speaking.

"What are you doing?"

*** Who do we think it is?

Let me know what you think about this chapter! I maybe go back and make some changes, I'm not sure if I like it or not.

Any ideas for a chapter name?