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Xena Lloyd felt the heat as she was running. In a matching pair of black spandex and sports bra, her tan skin sparkled as her blond hair bounced behind her in a high pony tail. Her muscle— soccer like— legs felt like jello, and her calf started to cramp. She felt her side ache as she panted unevenly. She ignored the little numb of pains as she listened to her music, loudly playing in her ear.
                          
"So bring on the rain," Jo Dee Messina sang, making Xena smile as she pumped her arms to get her legs moving faster. She was keeping a good seven minute mile pace as she raced forward, determined to set a PR. Her phone was strapped to her shoulder as it tracked the distance, time, and pace of her runs. "It's almost like the hard times circle 'round."
                          
She quickly crossed the street, checking both ways for cars. The last thing she needed was to get hit— like she almost did yesterday. There was a reason why runners ran behind cars at stop signs. The drivers just don't look sometimes. "A couple drops and they all start coming down." The beads of sweat on Xena's forehead started to run down, making the salty water get into her eyes. She glanced down at her hands noticing that a layer of natural body water started to rest there.
                          
She blinked, trying to keep moving as she was potentially blinded by her own body. "Yeah, I might feel defeated, and I might hang my head." She didn't notice as she started going closer and closer into a crowded one-way street. She groaned, huffing some air quickly in and out as she breathed. She felt the ground lower with her next step, and a loud horn went off. Her arms covered her head as she started to fall, and the car came closer and closer as the driver slammed on the breaks. "I might be barely breathing, but I'm not dead."
                          
Xena felt an arm wrap around her sweaty and bare waist, and she was pulled into a strong chest. Her eyes opened just in time to see a car fly past her, but it was moving slow enough to see the man flipping her the bird. She gasped, regaining her lost breath as she gripped the man's arm, her fingers digging into his skin.
                          
"Tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway." After a quick moment, Xena finally regain the feeling of her body. She didn't even know she lost it at the time, but she could feel the little shock waves on her skin as the man slowly started to pull her even further away from the edge of the sidewalk. Her back was pressed against his chest, and she felt another hand go up to her arm and turned off her running app on her phone. The last lyrics she heard was, "So bring on the rain."
                          
She noticed she was right next to a wall, part of a clothing store that she never been inside before. She felt the man's chest bob up and down, almost like he was in a panic like she was. 
                          
"Are you aright?" His voice was deep, making her shiver.
                          
Xena nodded her head, not able to form words. She actually started to lean closer into him, making him smile. She rested her head against him, her neck loosening from its panic position. 
                          
Then she was whipped around, and she stared face to face with the man who saved her. "What the hell were you thinking?" He grunted, and Xena took a step back, and she ran into the wall. "Running into the street. You almost got hit!"
                          
Xena gulped, her eyes widening. She went to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she close her mouth and subconsciously licked her lips. His eyes snapped down. 
                          
"I... I didn't..." she tried, but he didn't let her finish. 
                          
"You didn't what? Notice the car. Never learned how to look both ways. Goddess, you could have been killed!" His hands landed on her shoulders. His fingers dug into her skin as she whimpered, but he didn't stop. "What am I supposed to do if you're dead?"