Is there anything more freeing than the air filling your lungs as you run a little further than you did the day before? I'd argue nothing. And that's the exact reason I took to running a few laps of the oval adjacent to campus as my exercise when my head was feeling particularly full. Which was often. And despite my best efforts to clear my head by other methods, this always worked a treat.
Wind breezing past as I took in the surrounding park and modulated my breathing in time with the song. For someone who chronically overthinks, this 45 mins is the most my train of thought isn't all page numbers and precedents. Instead it's my feet landing on the pavement one in front of the other in rhythmic pattern, the sound of Dua Lipa telling me her novel rules in my ears as I do.
A shirtless figure came into my line of sight, the closer I ran the more sculpted he looked. Drenched in sweat, the deep muscular line that separated shoulder blade from shoulder blade and left from right, glistening. A black cap on his head and black exercise shorts hung low on his hips, a pair of Skins peeking out from underneath a 5 inch seam.
He jogged casually now but by the droplets that peppered his whole body, he was quite obviously cooling down. I looked mesmerised at how someone could look this good exercising. I knew for a fact under my cap was a red, sweaty, hot mess. Temperature hot, to clarify.
And as I took his form in for a moment longer my feet faltered and I fell to the ground with a thud, a rogue tree trunk breaking through the cement to blame for my instability. It seems I couldn't even focus on the one foot in front of the other thing.
Pausing for a second on the ground to inspect the grazes on my hands and inspect myself for any other injuries, a hand outstretched in front of me. Peeling away from the tunes I take my AirPods out and glance up to see the last person I'd expected to see. The gorgeous runner from before is now in front of me and a knowing smirk across his perpetually smug face.
"You alright, Harper? Were you distracted or are you just clumsy?" Iggy kept his hand in front of me dutifully.
"Fine thanks. I'll be perfectly fine." I dusted my hands off and pressed my hands to the floor to lift myself back up, to my surprise Iggy's hands reached for the space between my shoulders and elbows to assist. Once upright he held them there looking down from his perch (sheer height) and checked me for any ailments.
"Positive? You got some decent air time from that fall, if you weren't hurt I'd be kind of impressed." Iggy smiles looking me up and down once more.
"Certain, Iggy. Thanks." A bit dazed still, I shrugged from his grip and he slowly let go in response.
"Didn't take you for an early morning runner." Iggy said falling in to step with my walk as I recovered.
"Well, add that to the very short list of things you know about me." I grimaced as I said it, a shooting pain from my ankle indicating I'd done a little more damage than just embarrassing myself.
"I will actually. Alongside, feels no pain and ignores injury. Seriously, let's take a minute, check you out." Iggy returns his hands to my limbs and flips my own hands to check them, inspecting the grazes for any alarming debris or deep cuts. Once he's satisfied they're superficial he bends down and takes in my legs running a cautious finger across my knee and then onto my ankle.
"What are you pre-med?" I ask flinching at his touch across the top of my ankle, earning myself a quirk of Iggy's brow as he looks up to me.
"No but being an athlete comes with injuries." He replies. "I think you've just twinged it, but definitely get some antiseptic on those gra..."
"Harper?" A voice I recognise interrupts and I'm stilled to a complete freeze. The chill coursing up my spine and despite being clad in my pink running shorts and black tank, pouring with sweat mere moments ago, now? Icy. Looking up I meet the eyes of the very last person I want to see, pipping Iggy at the post for unwanted encounter. Not to mention Iggy's rise from his crouch and sizing up of the guy working his way towards us, assessing each step forward he makes.
YOU ARE READING
Closing Arguments
Romance"He should never have hit you, but winding him up like that..." "Like what? Talking about being your partner, working with you, spending time with you. That's no fabrication, H. We are going to be spending a whole lot of time together this semester...
