The Agent and The School Teacher

Chapter Twenty-Four: Extend the Invitation

"NO!" I screamed, my feet pounding against the pavement as I ran. My lungs were burning, along with my leg muscles as cold sweat dripped down my neck. "No, Aaron don't even think about it!"

"Is that all you got? Because I don't think its gonna be enough?" He asked, running beside me. We were both in the park, training for our triathlons.

"No, no!"

"I'm gonna have to take it. I'm gonna have to beat you."

"Don't, I fought hard for this, just give me this one!"

"I just, I don't think I can do that, I don't think its gonna be enough." He slowly inched past me. "Oh no! Oh no!"

"Ow!" I stumbled to a stop, holding me knee. "Ow, oh gosh."

"Are you alright?" He stopped, coming over to me and putting a hand on my back. "Are you ok?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I will be...when I claim the victory that's rightfully mine!" I ran past him to the point we had arranged as the finish line before turning to face him, grinning.

"That's...that's really pathetic."

"Says the loser!" I shouted back. "I won!"

"Really? You know, you don't win if you cheat. Are these the kind of morals you teach the kids in your class?"

"You ever hear the phrase, 'Do as I say, not as I do'? I teach by that philosophy." He laughed, walking over to me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders, hugging me. "Oh, gross. You're all sweaty."

"So are you. We're dating, and we're training partners, which I think warrants that we be mutually disgusting." I smiled, wrapping my arms around his waist, and hugging him back. He rested his chin on top of my head, and I found it weird that I didn't find the smell of his sweat repulsive in the slightest. "But um...about the whole...training thing."

"Yeah?" I asked, pulling away from him.

"As you know, its this weekend."

"Yes."

"And...there's a chance I might be out on a case." I raised my eyebrows.

"So there's a chance you can't do the triathlon?" I asked. He nodded.

"Probably a good chance. I'll just have to do another race."

"But you trained so hard for this specific race."

"I'll just have to do the next one. Maybe I'll join you and your teacher friends in the MS one."

"That just sucks. You trained so hard."

"I know, all for nothing. If only something good had come out of this like, oh I don't know, running into you after a month of avoiding each other." I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"I um...I have to admit, I may have some ulterior motives for hoping that you can compete."

"What are those?" He asked, putting his hands on his hips.

"I may...or may not...have been planning on exploiting your race as an opportunity to introduce Ben and Emily." He raised his eyebrows.

"Prentiss?" He asked. "You're trying to set up one of my team members with your ex-husband?"

"Yeah, its kind of a...its a hobby."

"Oh no." He said.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"You're a matchmaker! I knew this relationship was too good to be true."

"Shut up!" I shoved his chest. "I will have you know that I have set up a total of six couples made up of my single friends."