Expectations (Book Two)

Chapter 31

Lyla

I fall back into my normal routine when we get back from Chicago. Back to school, classes, track, and Shawn. We meet most days for lunch on campus, stealing kisses in the hallway when he walks me to my classes.

I haven't stayed over at his place all week due to all my early morning classes. Shawn had argued I could bring all my clothes and school stuff over to his place, but I knew he would be too much of a temptation for me to resist and I'd end up late every morning, if I even made to class.

I've had track practice everyday this week since we are preparing for our meet tomorrow in Granton. We've moved our practices back outside now that the weather is decent enough. I prefer the outdoor runs anyway. The fresh outdoor air seems to help my move faster for whatever reason. This meet will be our first outdoor one of the season.

I am hoping to beat my time from my last race, I want to shave off at least ten seconds if I can. The team is taking a bus that leaves at the crack of dawn, but I was able to get permission from my coach to drive down, thus allowing me an extra two hours of sleep tonight.

Shawn was more then eager to volunteer as my chauffeur tomorrow. He told me that he was going to be there whether I was able to drive with him or not. It's only about and hour and a half drive, definitely not our longest road trip yet.

Shawn has already promised he will have plenty of snacks, drinks, and a playlist ready to go to pump me up for my race. I'm set to run at eleven thirty and then our game plan is to hop back in the car and head back to Oakridge since Shawn has a game tomorrow night.

I'm walking through campus and heading back to my dorm after a gruelling practice once again. I have been religiously rolling out my muscles every night this week to make sure they don't knot up before my meet. Shawn has also been the sweetest and massaged my entire body almost every night this week. Most of the time it leads to sex, but I like to thing that's not his main goal when he starts. I smile to myself as I think of my boyfriend.

I truly believe we are in an even better place in our relationship now then prior to the whole Tyler blow up. The way Shawn opened up to me in Chicago was unlike anyway I had seen him before. He was honest about his feelings and explained them to me without raising his voice or letting his temper rise. I had been so appreciative of him in that moment. I felt like he was allowing himself to be vulnerable with me again and I wanted to show him that I wouldn't judge or criticize his feelings.

I understand that everyone is going to feel a certain way given the situation based on their own past experiences. I had come to realize that my version of or feelings on something was not going to be the quote 'right' response. It was just my personal response. Same as Shawn's. Same as anyone's.

What might seem important and critical in my mind might not be such a big deal to someone else. I have been really trying to implement that idea in the past couple of weeks and reminding myself to be patient and work on empathizing with Shawn.

I walk into my dorm building and saunter up the stairs towards my room. When I walk inside, I can hear music playing from inside Megan's room. I dig a beer out of our mini fridge when I hear her door open behind me.

"Hey girl," she greets me and I turn to face her.

She is in a pajama assemble as she plants herself down onto our couch. I walk over and join her, dropping my exhausted body back into the lumpy cushions.

"Hey," I mumble out.

I still have to finish some reading tonight and pack up all my things to head for a sleepover at Shawn's, but my body doesn't want to move another inch right now. I really hope I didn't overdue it and won't be a complete waste at the meet tomorrow.