Heart Attack

5

Lennox

I always loved our house. My mother and father bought it together when she was pregnant with me and Bryn. But it was an old house and needed to be carefully renovated. She died before the renovations were complete. She never got to see her dreamhouse. My dad and my stepmom weren't there yet, so Bryn gave Jesse a tour around the house. I went upstairs to unpack my things. Bryn and Jake's rooms were on either side of mine. My father and Eline had the master bedroom downstairs. Bryn gave the only available bedroom to Jesse. Right across from mine. The other two rooms on his side was a large bathroom and an office space.

I was sitting on the large windowsill in my room, looking out to the ocean when Jesse was shown the guest bedroom. He looked around the neatly decorated room. It was maybe a little girly for him as it was re-decorated by Eline a few years ago. But he dropped his bag on the bed, checked his phone but put it down quickly again. I glanced at my laptop where not only my essay was waiting but also the ten chapters that needed to be done in less than two months. Fuck this, I can't deal with that right now. I hopped off the windowsill, closed my door a little and changed into my sportswear.

I nearly got a heart attack when I opened the door to head downstairs. "Hi." Jesse said.

"Uhm, hello. I was just on my way out."

"Yeah, I can see that." His eyes roamed over me slowly. "Are you going for a run?"

"I am." I said hesitantly.

"Do - do you mind if I join you? I could use a break before I take another crack at my essay again. And before meeting your parents."

"You're nervous about meeting our parents?" I chuckled. I tilted my head. "Why?"

Jesse's eyes followed the hair that cascaded over my shoulder. "I haven't met anyone's parents since high school. And I'm not good with parents." He rubbed his neck. He looked nervous.

"Is that so? Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

Jesse grinned as he leaned against my door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. I have to admit, he was easy on the eyes. I could understand why so many girls fell into his bed. With his charming grin, those dark blue eyes.

"Once when I was fifteen, I had a girlfriend and she brought me home to meet her parents. I wanted to impress them and asked to help set the table. I dropped and broke four of their fancy plates, stepped on their Chiwawa and made the mother cry at the end of the night."

I couldn't help but laugh. I laughed so hard, I had to clutch my side. "Don't worry." I straightened up and grinned at him. He was looking at me with a soft smile, but his eyes were curious. "We don't have any fancy plates but just in case, you can put the silverware on the table." He chuckled. "And we have a real dog, you won't be able to step on Sassie. And it would take a whole lot to make my father or Eline cry. But you don't have to impress them, you know. You're friends with Bryn and Jake, that's enough for them. It's not the same as meeting the parents of a girlfriend."

"Well, you partly reassured me. Although now I am afraid what kind of dog you have."

"You'll be fine. But if you really want, you can go on a run with me. To clear your head."

"I'll get changed." His answer quick.

"Meet me downstairs in ten minutes."

He pushed himself off the door in a fluent motion. And walked into his room.

When I came down, Jake and Bryn were hanging on the couch watching TV, a bag of crisps between them. "Hey, I'm going for a run. Want to come with?" I asked as I filled my water bottle.