Ice Cold

19

Landon Reilly

We won our last away game, our first win of the season, and while all the guys on the team were happy about that, I was happier about being able to go back home.

We didn't get back to campus until late Saturday night. I was exhausted from travel, yet still too wired to fall asleep. Kyle came back into the room around two in the morning and I was still lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

Kyle left the light off as he moved through the room, assuming I was asleep.

"You can turn the light on," I said, glancing over at him.

"Oh, you're awake." The light turned on and I squinted at Kyle as my eyes adjusted.

"Yeah," I said, groaning as I stretched out. "Can't sleep."

"Well, at least you have all day tomorrow to just chill out," he said, moving toward his closet to change. I looked away from him, staring back at the ceiling. "Unless... you're going to Stella's tomorrow right?"

I looked over at him now that he was dressed.

"I was planning on it." With the hope of Wren being there. I didn't know when I started hoping to see Wren. Whenever it changed from hoping to avoid him to hoping to see him was lost on me. I wasn't going to think too much about it.

"I would go but I have other plans," Kyle said. "And I was just hanging out with her today."

"At her place?" I asked before I could stop myself. "With Jess and... Wren? And James."

"Just Stella, Jess, and James," he replied. "James said Wren was watching porn or something."

"He's just always working on his computer," I said and mentally cursed at myself. I shouldn't care about what Wren was doing and I definitely shouldn't be explaining his actions to my roommate so he wouldn't think he was some weird porn addict.

Kyle just shrugged and turn the light off, using his phone light to guide him over to his bed before climbing in.

It wasn't until around four in the morning that I actually fell asleep and it wasn't for long. I was awake by eight, my internal clock deciding for me that I couldn't sleep in. I quietly got out of bed and got changed for my run, seeing the running pants Wren had let me borrow as I rummaged through my drawer. I should've returned those to him by now.

After getting changed, I left the dorm and started on my running route. My mind was everywhere as I went through campus. There were very few people out at this time, most of the student body probably having been out all night the night before. I hadn't even remembered to bring my headphones, but that didn't bother me like I thought it would.

Listening to the birds chirping, the water running, the wind blowing the leaves around, it was peaceful.

I was almost at the coffee shop when I saw a familiar face running my way. I slowed down to a stop, meeting him in the middle. It surprised me that he even stopped, taking both his airpods out of his ears.

"Hi," I greeted breathlessly.

"Hi," Wren replied with a grin. "You missed me?"

I rolled my eyes. "You wish."

"It seems like you did," Wren said.

"You're making that up."

Wren shrugged. "Maybe I am."

It was hard trying to deny my attraction to him anymore. He looked good, he always did. Especially in this state where he was slightly breathless and sweaty, putting all sorts of images in my head.