Chapter Eight

We get home and go to my room. We sit on my bed with our laptops. Amy scrolls through her emails.

"School's starting soon, huh?" she asks.

"Yeah."

Amy goes silent.

"Hey," I say. "You okay?"

Amy looks up. She blinks a few times. "Y-Yeah, just a little… Nerve-wracking.

I nod and put my arm around her. She flinches.

I blush.

Suddenly, something sparks in me.

Something I've never felt before.

I look over at Amy.

This is weird.

But amazing.

She's never looked so beautiful.

Until now.

Her pink, silky hair. Her pale, soft skin. Her bright, blue eyes.

My heart beats quickly. Amy seems to notice since she's so close to my chest.

"Are you okay?" she asks with a concerned look on her face.

"Y-Yeah…"

Amy closes her eyes and lays her head on my chest again.

My heart beats even faster. Amy jolts up. "What's wrong?" she exclaims, folding her arms and sitting up. She closes her laptop and sets it on the ground.

"N-Nothing," I say. I feel my cheeks flush. Suddenly, as if Amy reads my mind, she lets her arms fall into her lap, and her face relaxes.

"Kim…"

"Yeah?"

Amy pauses. She shakes her head as if clearing her mind. "N-Nothing."

I sigh. I can feel my heart beating. Hear it, in some ways. Bu-Bump! Bu-Bump!

After a while of looking on our laptops, Amy gets a text. She stands up and starts typing back. Once she finishes, she stands up and stretches. She looks at me.

"Well, I gotta go," she says.

"Where?"

"Uh, my mom. She just… wants me to help set up for a wedding reception or something," Amy shrugs. "I'll be out of town all day, probably, though. It's all the way in San Diego. I'll probably see you sometime tomorrow."

"Oh, okay…" I say. I stand up and walk with her to the door as she slips on a light jacket and some shoes. She takes her keys for the apartment out of her pocket and waves goodbye. She smiles a little as she walks out the door. I wave back. I sigh as the door shuts and I hear the door lock.

I go over to the couch and turn on live TV. I start surfing through the channels. "Nothing good," I sigh. I look over into my room and look around at what is visible from the couch. My nightstand, the side of my bed, my lamp… My running shoes.

I smile.

* * *

I put on my shoes and get my phone, earbuds, and keys. I walk out into the hall of the building and lock the door behind me. I slip my phone into the pocket of my light jacket and start walking down the hall towards the elevator.

I've changed into a black, cropped tank top and light leggings, with a light jacket over it. I put my hair in a high pony as I wait in the elevator. When I get to the bottom floor, I glance over at Jackson. Then I stop. He's with his girlfriend. Keep walking, Kim. Keep walking.

"Kimmy!" Jackson calls from the other side of the room.

Sh*t.

I turn around and smile awkwardly. "Hey! Jackson!"

"Hey! It is you!" Jackson says. "Kelli here wasn't sure!" Jackson motions to his girlfriend (Kelli), wrapping his arm around her neck. She raises her eyebrows.

"Hey," Kelli says.

"Hi…" I say. We stare each other down.

I raise my eyebrows. "Better go," I say, but Jackson stops me.

"Wait!" he says. He pauses and squints. "Are you… Are you going running?"

I tip my head back and look at the ceiling. "Yes…"

"You never dared go running when we were together…"

"Well, Jackson," I say, my temper rising. "Things change."

Jackson pauses, looking a little nervous. "What things?"

I breathe deeply.

"Well, for starters," I say, my voice shaking. "I'm in love with someone else."