How to choose the one

Running away from reality

The morning after the party, I am awake way too early and not for a lack trying, I can't get back to sleep. So, with a quiet huff, I roll out of bed and creep about in the room in stealth mode, trying desperately not to wake Lexi. I throw on the first work out gear I come across in the dark closet, which happens to be some short bike shorts and a muscle tee. I brush my teeth and twist my hair up into a high messy bun, as per my signature style.

I grab my keys, phone and headphones and head out. I figure going for a run around campus might give me a little more of a sense of direction for the upcoming orientation week and help me shed some of the built up anxiety I have been storing since we arrived.

I stop on the grass in front of my building and sit down, placing my legs out straight in front of me. I go through a series of warm up stretches, laying my upper body flat against my legs and holding tight, really feeling the pull behind my legs.

I kneel up and step into downward facing dog, bottom and thighs to the sky, as I stretch my shoulders and towards the ground. Through my legs, I see someone coming up behind me on the phone, he lets out an audible gasp as he takes in my upside down position.

Though I am the wrong way up, I recognise the now familiar aqua shade of his eyes as he stops behind me. He takes in my body from upside down, top to bottom, raking over me in a very obvious and slightly unnerving way.

"Ah, I gotta go." He says into his phone and tucks it in his pocket without taking his eyes off me.

I bend down on to my knees and turn over, bringing my legs into a cross and stretching down, hands spread onto the grass. Bayne's smiling face is an idyllic sight in the morning sun and I can't help but feel a tiny spark of excitement bloom inside me as he stops to talk to me.

"Shit Ellis. You really should warn people you may be doing a porn show out here in the open? You might cause an accident or something." He chuckles to himself and shakes his head, seemingly trying to clear something from his mind.

I feel all kinds of embarrassed as he laughs down at me, I usually wouldn't care what people say. But from him, for some reason, it gets me.

I go on the defensive almost immediately.

"What? I'm just stretching. If people choose to take that in a weird way, that's their dirty minded issue, not mine." I reply, covering my face as I squint in the sun trying to see his face.

He laughs again and shrugs his shoulders.

"Hey, I'm fine with it. But if you could just let me know what time? I don't want to miss anything."

He laughs at himself again and I feel my face flush automatically. Why does he get this reaction from me? The old Ellis would have told him to get lost and had a laugh. But this one? Ahh. She is a tongue tied, flustered mess.

Its like he has scrambled my mind. I flip him off without a witty retort, mostly because I can't think of one while I'm distracted by his perfect freckled face. I stand up, shaking each of my legs out, more than ever, ready to run away from here.

"Ok, well... I'm going to run now so, I'll see you around ok?" I manage to get out before I take off towards the main buildings of campus.

Before I even get five minutes of running in , I hear foot steps running behind me and soon Bayne is running at pace next to me. He puts his hand on my arm as we run and tries to get my attention;

"Hey Ellis? You know I was just joking around right? I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable".

He looks at me so sincerely, only kindness evident in his eyes and I'm not sure what to think. Maybe I just get too nervous around him to think straight. I decide it's too early for drama and I smile at him softly.