Matters of the Heart

Chapter 0.13

|| Madison ||

I woke up the next morning just after seven in an uncomfortable position on my couch and a stiff neck due to laying my head on the arm of the couch.

I had fallen asleep in the early hours of this morning while reading through my dad's letters. I didn't get through all of them but those that I did read brought a blanket of comfort over me. Knowing that my dad really and truly cared about me and my mom washed away any doubts that I may have ever had about him loving us.

I gathered up the letters that I had already read and placed them in a neat pile on the coffee table and then did the same for the letters that I hadn't yet read.

"Gym or a run?" I murmured to myself as I looked out the living room window. The sun was out and there were only a few clouds dotting the blue sky. It was too nice a day to be cooped up in the gym. "Run it is."

After changing into a pair of running tights and a tank top, I sourced out a pair of socks and then slipped my feet into my hot pink trainers. I decided that I didn't need to run with music this morning so I left my phone in my room on charge before setting off.

I knew my area pretty accurately by now and I estimated a good thirty-minute run if I took the long way to the nearby park.

The run did me good. I took in all my surroundings while my feet hit the pavement in a steady rhythm -fast enough to live up to being called a run but slow enough for me to not run out of breath.

As I ran on the almost empty streets, I became aware of somebody calling out my name. Stopping, I turned around to face a grinning Calum.

"Hey," He said, letting out a breath when he caught up to me.

"Hi," I said with a smile.

"I see we have the same idea," He observed.

"Um, ya. Today's too nice to be in a stuffy gym," I told him.

"My sentiments exactly," He agreed. "Where are you off to?"

"Just the park on Milder's Lane," I told him.

"Same," He told me. "Care for a running buddy?"

"Ya, sure," I nodded and then smiled when he smiled at me.

As Calum and I ran -Well it was probably a jog for him because, with my short legs, a run for me is probably a jog for him- I could help but recall what he had said to my aunt yesterday afternoon.

"Well, to be honest, I'm kind of glad she's straying from the "casual hot hookups". Makes my life a heck of a lot easier."

My aunt had teased me mercilessly about it yesterday and I had brushed it off but like...I mean, I don't want to think more of it than I should just in case it's not what I think it is and then everything just ends up sucking. But also like...

As much as I didn't want for it to happen, I'm firmly lodged in the 'crushing on Calum' camp. I mean, what's there not to like? He's caring, funny, smart, insanely cute and likes books. Like I said, nothing to not like.

When we had reached the park, we made our way up onto the jungle gym.

"Did you have a good time with your aunt yesterday?" Calum asked me once we had caught our breaths.

"I did," I nodded. "I'm pretty sure I've met my match when it comes to shopping." And that was no lie. My aunt was a force to be reckoned with when it came to the mall.

"You and my sister would be like two peas in a pod," He laughed. "She goes mad in a mall."

"Hey, girls gotta have fun, right?" I giggled.