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Distance
between us
is not like a store...

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TJ workedout through Friday morning at the school's gym.

He puffed out short breaths, sweat dewing  his body, as he took a third lap on the treadmill. The workout helped him to vent off his frustration.

All the while, thinking of what was wrong with him, before switching to thinking about Chimdi.

She'd flipped her feelings like a switch with him, turning from warm to hot and now, she'd gone to dead cold. With the pace she was going, he couldn't keep up with her.

With sweat trickling satisfactorily down his tanned skin. He topped the mile, subjecting his legs to another punishment that was undeserving.

But he had to think of a way to speed things up. She hadn't returned any of the numerous texts and calls he'd sent her. And she'd read them, and not hearing from her had his insecurities coming up.

Frustrated, he used a gym towel to dry off the perspiration trickling down his neck. The workout tortured his legs and nothing more.

It didn't give him the answers he sought. His seventeen years of existence didn't give him the chance to sweat over a female rather, they did fawn over him.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been unarmed and totally clueless over a female.

He thought of Ruby, the chase had only lasted for a week. He'd first seen her at a party he'd gone to with Milo. She'd reciprocated the interest he'd shown. No complications, no unanswered texts. They'd hooked up once, twice... Thus their story began.

Reducing the miles, he circled back his thoughts, chastising himself for comparing Chimdi to Ruby. They were both females, yes. But one was a female and more. While Ruby was as flashy and sort out as a rose, Chimdi like a cactus, was strong and ever independent and he couldn't forget, beautiful.

Her eyes, feisty, shy and bold were it's reflection. Everything about her appealed him, from her strength to the shyness she tried to hide from him.

But goddamnit, he had to know. He had to know if she felt the way he did.

If she does, she won't be ignoring you.

She does, she's just fighting it!

He answered with conviction.

She had to feel something of what he felt. The instant bond they formed, the connection that seemed right.

He needed to change direction, he thought, as the treadmill abridged it's speed.

He'll have to call her, he thought, stepping off the exercise machine. Hunt her down if he had to and clear things up.

"You done beating up your body?" Jiki's voice sliced through his thoughts. His shirtless body laid out like a fair feast on a yoga mat.

Elo had ditched them for the ICT laboratory and Jiki had left him to fend for his nerve aching thoughts.

He glanced at the fairer boy, laying face up on the yoga mat with eyes shut close, one would thing he was having a snooze.

"Get your shit together will you. I need to have contact with my bed ASAP," Jiki said with eyes still shut.

TJ wiped perspiration off his face and neck. The exercise had him craving anything edible and a cold bath.

He had three things to do once he got back to the hostel. Gobble down a whole meal, have a good cold bath and confront the confrontable.

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