Cottage on the Hill (MxMxMxMxM)

Chapter Two

Chapter 2 -5:26am, Sunday October 11th

I slid out of bed and set my feet on the floorboards before standing with a sigh. I ran my fingers through my hair and rubbed my eyes. Fuck, I'm tired. I didn't sleep well. Tossing and turning all night is not good for ones back. I glanced at my phone, I could go to the 6am yoga session at the gym. They might have space left.

After pulling on some shorts and a t-shirt, I wrote a short text telling the four sleeping men telling them where I was going, then headed downstairs. I hesitated at the door, taking a shaky breath. I'm not going for a run. I'm going to be in a class with at least thirty other people. It's not the same.

I took my keys from the llama bowl beside the door and a hoodie from the hooks above it and headed out into the dark, cold driveway. I have no idea whose hoodie this is, but it's comfortable.

Judging by the kid-friendly picture of a dragon on the front, I'm willing to bet it's Ollie's. The man likes to think of himself as rebellious and dark and the colour black, but he's more like an afternoon thunderstorm with a cup of black coffee and a pink cupcake. Don't tell him I said that though.

I pulled into the carpark of the gym, deciding that if there are no spots in the class, I'll just buy some swim trunks and swim a few laps. I haven't done that in a while, it seems rather appealing. Maybe I could do both.

"How can I help you?" the tired woman at the front desk asked, smiling, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Are there any spots in the 6am yoga class?" I asked, hopefully. I did my best to smile, though I suspect it was more lopsided than smile-shaped.

"You're lucky, we have two spots left. Are you a member?"

"Yeah," I said, then continued to read out my member number. She typed it in and clicked a few buttons before pointing me down the hall towards the studio rooms. I saw a class of teenagers doing ballet in the first studio. All of them look remarkably awake, despite the early hour.

The next two rooms housed men's and women's boxing classes, respectively. Hale occasionally likes to go to those, but he hasn't been in a while. He's not really a morningperson.

I opened the door to the room with thirty-odd yoga mats laid out and picked a green one at the back of the room, away from the cluster of soccer-mums chatting animatedly in the opposite corner. They eyed me nastily as I went in and one of them even whispered a slur I'd rather not repeat. I don't know how they know I'm gay, maybe they've seen me around the village with one of the guys.

"Alright! Everyone find a mat!" the instructor said after a few minutes. He saw me in the corner, waiting to start already, and flashed me a smile while everyone else tripped over each other.

He took us through a series of warm ups before the actual class started and by the time the 45 minutes was up sweat poured down my face and body, sticking my hair to my face. My phone buzzed twice next to me, but I didn't pick it up until I'd finished the last position. I used one of the towels on the back shelf to wipe my face. Swimming some laps seems awfullyniceright now.

Cottage Residents

5:36am

Elliot

Going to the 6am yoga class

Be back after xx

6:44am

James

Be safe

I love you xx

6:48am

Elliot

Going to swim a few laps before I come home