Lucy Tong woke up with the sunrise to take her dog Patch on a morning run with her. As much as she hated to exercise, she knew she had to. Volleyball season was upon her, and if she wasn't in shape she wouldn't be able to make the team. So she quickly showered, threw on a sports bra and shorts, tied her sneakers, and ran out the door with Patch by her side.
Her run was long and tiring as it went all the way past the Flynn's house and back to hers; all in all she ran about 5 miles total.
As she ran down the street, she eyed the beautiful houses. She always dreamt of having a house as big as the ones she ran past. She knew, however, that it was majorly unlikely.
As she ran around the block, Patch close by her side, she heard a whistle from a house. She stopped running and so did Patch. She turned to face the source of the whistle; there was Lee Flynn, leaning over the ledge of his house. Lucy didn't know Lee very well and vice versa. Everyone seemed to know Lucy as the star player of the volleyball team.
Patch seemed to pick up on the whistle and ran towards Lee's house. Lucy immediately panicked and ran into Lee's house, following Patch.
"Patch! No, Patch! Don't go in there!" Lucy called as she ran into Lee's pool area and, unfortunately, straight into Lee. Lucy got knocked to the ground and Lee fell into the pool. Lucy jumped up to see Elle Evans hysterically laughing on a chair with Patch.
Lee crawled out of the pool soaking wet, the water dripping off of his chest. Lucy's eyes grew wide and her face turned red. Lee's eyes darted over to Elle who shrugged.
"I am so sorry." Lucy apologized. Patch barked at her then ran over to her. Lucy got down on her knees and wrapped an arm around Patch. "Patch just has a mind of his own sometimes." She laughed. She stroked Patch's head in affection and Lee kneeled down next to her and began to pet Patch with her. Lucy shivered as she looked at a smiling Lee. She bit her lip and looked back down at Patch, completely flustered.
Suddenly, a moment of realization dawned over Lee. "Wait a minute, you're Lucille Tong! You're the volleyball and rugby girl!" Lee cried, pointing at her.
Lucy stood up awkwardly and Lee was joined at the side by Elle. "Uh, yeah, I guess. And most people call me Lucy." Lucy muttered. When she said "most people", she really just meant herself. She didn't have any friends at all.
"Hey, Lucy. I'm-" Lee began but Lucy interrupted him.
"Lee Flynn," Lucy said. "And you're Elle Evans." Lucy motioned to Elle. Elle and Lee both looked impressed. "Yeah, I know. I have a knack for names...and faces." Lucy glanced one more time at Lee, her face heating up. "Well, I should get going. I'm only half way done with my run." Lucy sighed.
"Stay!" Elle blurted out. Lee and Lucy both looked at her, confused. "I mean it's the last day of summer, we could use the company." She shrugged.
"I mean, you're probably almost done with your run anyway. How much do you really have left?" Lee asked.
Lucy looked at her watch which tracked her mileage. "About 2.5 miles left."
"Jesus Christ I can't even dream of running that long." Lee muttered making Lucy laugh.
"Are you sure it's okay? I'm super sweaty and gross right now." Lucy said. Elle elbowed Lee hard in his side.
"Use my shower!" Lee exclaimed.
Lucy felt her face heat up. She just trespassed in the Flynn household and met a nice, funny, cute guy who invited her to use his shower? There was no way she could've passed on that offer.
"Really? You're okay with that?" She questioned. Lee's eyes got wide and he nodded quickly. Lucy blushed as Lee led her up to his bathroom.
"Here you go. Towels are over here." Lee pointed out.
"Thanks — wait, forget it. I don't have any clothes to change into." Lucy sighed. She handed the towel back to Lee. Lee ran into his room and came back with a shirt. He held it up to her and it almost fell around her upper thigh.
"You can wear this. It'll fit like a dress." He snorted. Lee handed her the shirt and towel.
"Thanks. I'll be quick." Lucy said. Lee walked out of the bathroom and she shut the door. Like she promised, she took the quickest shower she could. She threw on Lee's shirt and dried her hair with the towel. When she walked out of the bathroom, Lee was waiting there.
"Oh, hi." Lucy said. She tried pulling down his shirt a little more.
"Lucy, hi. I was just-" Lee began but his older brother Noah came into the room.
"He was just waiting for you, hoping you'd come out naked." Noah laughed. Lee yelled at him, making Lucy smile.
"Here, I wanna show you something." Lee said, taking her hand.
Lucy felt herself tense up, she had had feelings for Lee since 1st grade but would never admit it. She loved how he could make anything into a joke. He was never afraid to be himself (which Lucy was). If 1st grade Lucy could see her now.
Lee led her to his deck which overlooked the pool. "This is so pretty." Lucy sighed.
"Isn't it?" Lee said. Lucy looked over at him and he was staring at her. Lucy quickly let go of his hand. Lee ran to the edge of the deck and jumped off. "Geronimo!" He screamed as he fell into the pool.
"Lee!" Lucy screamed as she followed him to the edge. She watched him plunge into the pool and Elle clap. Lucy shrugged and jumped off the edge in style of Lee. As she crashed into the water she splashed Patch and Elle. She bobbed to the top of the pool and got out. Elle handed her a towel which Lucy gladly took. Lucy walked over to Patch who proceeded to jump up and lick her face. Elle and Lucy laughed.
"Your dog is crazy cute." Elle said as she pet Patch. Patch wagged his tail from all the attention he was getting. Lee came over and sat next to Elle. He was drying himself off with a towel in one hand and petting Patch with the other hand.
"His name is Patch." Lucy said with a smile on her face. Unfortunately, her watch beeped signaling that she had to go. "Oh shit, I'm late. I have to direct Captain's practice for volleyball. Thanks for everything." Lucy jumped up from the chair and whistled for Patch to follow. She began to walk out of the pool when Lee called after her.
"Lucy! Aren't you forgetting something?" Lee asked. Lucy looked around and then realized she was still wearing his shirt. Her face began to heat up in embarrassment.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry." Lucy said as she began to take off the shirt. She stopped halfway through, realizing that she was only in her underwear. She pulled the shirt back down and saw Lee and Elle laughing. Lucy finally loosened up and laughed with them.
"I'll go get your shorts, you can wait at the front door." Lee told Lucy as he led her to the front door. Lucy waited at the front door and, not long after Lee left, his brother Noah appeared.
"Lucy?" Noah asked. Lucy turned around and saw Noah shirtless in his football uniform.
"Flynn, hey. How have things been this season?" Lucy said, making polite conversation. Lee came downstairs while Noah and Lucy were talking.
"Dude, get the hell away from her." Lee threatened his brother. Lucy stood in between them to diffuse the tension.
"Woah, Lee, calm down. Flynn, uh, Noah and I know each other." Lucy reassured.
"Volleyball and rugby." Noah said as he motioned towards Lucy.
"Football." Lucy said, motioning towards Noah. Lee looked confused.
"We get each other." Noah wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Lucy quickly plucked his arm off of her with a smile.
"Plus he's dated, slept, and made out with a ton of my teammates." Lee laughed at Lucy's comment. Noah stifled a laugh and walked away.
"Anyway, here are your shorts." Lee handed her her shorts which she quickly put on. She ripped off his shirt and threw it at him.
"Thanks for everything. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Lucy said with a smile. She felt her heart melt when Lee smiled and laughed. "Patch, time to go." She called to her dog. Patch barked and wagged his tail. "Thanks again, Lee." Lucy said as she ran out the door.
"Are you gonna do her or can I?" Noah asked from behind Lee as he watched Lucy jog home.
Lee's face got red as he walked over to Elle but he couldn't shake the feeling he got whenever he was around her. He just hoped that he would see her again and soon.