The Hard Truth

chapter 11

I wake up wrapped up tightly in the blanket. Stretching I realize Lucas was gone.

"Come one we're going," he says now walking into the room.

"Going where?" I asked sleepily.

"Then gym now get up and get going. Get changed and something to eat. I'll meet you outside."

He leaves me in the room alone shutting the door behind them. Standing up I realized my suitcase on the floor by the end of the bed. I pull out some gym shorts and a tank top quickly pulling up my hair. Once I was ready I grab a banana and quickly eat it. Running outside I see Lucas waiting for me on the bench in front of his house.

Turning to me and standing up he asks, "you ready to go?"

I nod my head. I follow him and we stop right in front of a motorcycle. I watch as he puts on his helmet holding the other one out to me.

"There is no way I'm riding on that," I say just staring at him.

"Come on, this is one of the only times I get to," he wines.

"No. I'm not getting on that."

"Are you seriously scared?"

"No," I quickly answer.

"Sure," he says with a smirk. " We can just take the truck."

"No we can take the motorcycle," I say pulling on the helmet.

"It's really okay I was just joking. We don't need to take the motorcycle. I'm not going to force you."

"Let's go," I say holding my hand out to the motorcycle.

He climbs on and I carefully climb in behind him.

"Hold on tight I wouldn't want you falling off."

I put my arms around him trying to keep the distance between us. He then starts it and we take off. Holding onto him tighter I squeeze my eyes shut. Finally we pull up in front of the gym. He holds his hand out and I get off first. Taking off my helmet I hand it to him as he gets off.

"So what exactly am I doing here?" I ask.

"Work out? What else do you do at a gym?"

"I know but why did I have to come? I could of stayed."

"First off you are not staying alone and second you need to work on self defense."

"Why can't I stay alone and I know enough self defense."

"I need to help train you since I know your specialty is only using a gun."

"Fine," I say rolling my eyes, ignoring the fact he didn't answer one of my questions.. "Why does this place looks so abandoned?" I ask as we walk inside.

"It's the neighborhood gym and not a lot of people ever come here," he says with a shrug. "Now run twenty laps i'm going to be on the bike."

Before I could even say anything he was already at the bikes. I hadn't run laps in such a long time. Twenty lapess used to be easy for me. I was bound and determined to show Lucas that I could do this. I was already starting to get tired out after the tenth lap. That just made me frustrated. Running used to be so easy for me. I used to go on runs every morning or when I just had a bad day. But word though is used. I had stopped when I had gotten really busy and then I just never got back to the habaite.

Finally on the last lap I could hear my heartbeat in my head making my head pound. It was hard to breathe and my legs burned. I stop where Lucas was on the bikes. I could see the sweat slowly building up at his hairline. He had changed his jeans that he was wearing before we left to gym shorts.

"Im...finished," I say almost out of breath.

"Now lets-"

I go running not hearing the rest of what he said. I suddenly felt like I was going to puke. I get to the trashcan right in time. As I feel a hand on my back I slowly looked up to see Lucas watching me with a concerned look. My face started heating up with embarrassment. This is definitely how I planned on how showing him that I'm stronger than he thinks. I sit down by the wall covering my red face.

"Are you okay?"

I slowly look up to see Lucas kneeling in front of me just nod my head.

"You definitely pushed yourself to far. Let's just head back so you can get something to eat."

He holding out his hand to me after he stands up. I take if and he pulls me up effortlessly. We head out to his bike pulling out our helmets. I felt so exhausted. I keep trying hard not to fall asleep while leaning up against Lucas. I didn't even realize when we pulled up to the house. Lucas gets off and takes my helmet off for me. He then keeps an arm wound my waist as we head inside.

"What would you like to eat?" Lucas asks handing me a water bottle.

I sit down at the table shrugging my shoulders, "I don't know."

"Well then I get to make you whatever I want and you will not complain."

I just roll my eyes as he heads into the kitchen. It doesn't take long before Lucas is setting a grilled cheese in front of me.

"I am going to shower real quick. You just stay here and eat. There's more water in the fridge if you need more."

Before I could say anything he takes off. I fished lunch like he told me to. I was exhausted and kept struggling to stay awake. Eventually I ended up laying my head down on the table and falling asleep. When I woke back up I was on the couch with a blanket over me. Lucas was sitting on the chair not far away working on some papers. A laptop was balanced on the arm rest.

Lucas then looks up at my from the papers right at me. "I didn't even notice you were up."

"It's okay," I say sitting up.

"Sorry. I would have brought you upstairs but I wanted to keep an eye on you just in case."

"It's okay...again," I say with a small smile. "Do you mind if I go shower real quick?"

"Um...yeah go ahead just get changed into something decent because I need to go to the store and we can just grab dinner on the way back," he says going back to his papers.

There it is again. Me needing to be constantly by his side. I was never anywhere without him besides me. "Could I ask you a question and you have to answer it."

He sets down the papers now giving me his full attention. "Go ahead."

"Why can't I stay anywhere alone now?"

He lets out a long sigh, "you can't stay alone because of the threats against you. I'm helping keep watch for you. Maybe after your apartment is cleaned up you can go back there but I wouldn't be surprised if they want you staying somewhere else."

I give a slight nod standing up. "Okay." I head to the bathroom in silence. Was all this more than I let on?