The Tortoise and His Sunrise | ✓

30. Gym

 AN: STOP! Please go back to the previous chapter to read it. I really messed up updating last week, I'm sorry. After I reuploaded the correct one, I don't think anyone read that. This is very important, so please go back to the previous chapter to read it if you read the first upload of last chapter. Thanks!

"What are we going to tell Ashley and the others?"

At my question, Nolan's expression turned contemplative.

"It's going to be obvious that I can be out in the sunlight now." He took a large bite out of the piping fresh baguette in his hand. "We can't hide that from them."

Putting aside the fact that I didn't want to hide it from them—I mean, now we could actually go out as a group during the day!—I didn't think it was viable. They would eventually see Nolan walking around campus in the mornings or afternoons, and then the questions would come.

"Do you want to keep this from them?"

"No," he said. "We should tell them that they don't need to accommodate me anymore."

In the middle of our stroll, I stopped and sat down on a nearby bench. Nolan followed suit without a word.

"Yeah, good idea," I said. "It'd be a lot easier when we're arranging to meet up."

For a while, Nolan watched a crow in the red maple tree near us caw repeatedly. A few answering caws came from some distance away, but I couldn't spot any other nearby crows.

I had thought the conversation was over, at least for now, but then Nolan said, "What do you think about telling them what happened?"

While I gave his question some thought, I slurped up the last of the unsweetened iced tea in my to-go cup.

"Nope," I said.

As though he hadn't expected that answer, he started, turning to stare at me. "No?"

"No. Would they even believe us? Do you really want to share that with them?"

There was no point. There was no evidence left—aside from his apparent ageless appearance—to back up the fact that Nolan had once been a vampire. I didn't think we should put that on our friends.

He shrugged, but his facial expression was one of pleasant surprise. "I don't know why, but I thought that you would want to."

I tugged Nolan closer to pinch off some of his baguette. "I guess it would've been really convenient if they knew while you were still a vampire. How about we just tell them you're no longer as photosensitive as you used to be? I don't think they'll ask for too many details."

"Alright, that's a plan. Anyway, I'm going to the gym later. Want to join me?"

I squinted at him.

"We just had brunch. Also, you're almost about to finish a giant baguette."

Nolan's lips curved into a self-satisfied smile. "That's exactly why I need to hit the gym after this. I've been eating a lot lately."

He really was. I was honestly kind of impressed by the magnitude of his appetite. He had been trying all kinds of foods and beverages, often grabbing a second breakfast or a second lunch. Additionally, whenever I offered him a bite of whatever I had in my hands, he would never turn down at least the first bite.

"What I mean is, aren't you going to be too full to exercise?"

"I'll walk it off, then I'll go." His arm slipped around my waist. "So?"

After some consideration, despite feeling a little too lazy to exercise, I said, "Yeah, let's go together. I've never seen you in the gym before. I want to see you flexing your muscles!"