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?"
Xena blinked, her senses kicking back in. Hero or not, she was not going to have a stranger get away with yelling at her and holding her against the wall. "Probably go back to a normal day," she snapped. "Ok, my plan for today wasn't to go and get hit by a car while running. I couldn't see and... and one thing lead to another. Now, will you please get your hands off of me?"
The man looked at her shoulders, seeing her skin turn bothered. He took a step back, but still trapping her. He hung his head in defeat. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he spoke, but Xena shook her head.
"Thanks for saving me, but you need to stay away." Xena ducked under her arm, and took off running again. Just barley seeing his head snap up, and the most pain that could ever be seen slapped across his face.
She took off, not bothering to turn around as she escaped. She ran all the way home with no other problems.
*•*•*•*
Shay Harry was wearing red. It brought out her natural skin tone as she walked away from her work. She had a back pack on her back, filled with workout clothes since she was a personal trainer.
After a nice shower, she felt clean from helping others work out and doing her own. Her legs ached and her arms were sore, but it was natural since she was breaking down muscles so they could get stronger.
"Shay! Hey! Shay Shay!" She turned around, her eyes widening and her face dropping as a man started to jog near her. "Hey, long time no see." He went in for a hug and, for Shay's knowledge, a kiss on the check, but Shay put her hand up stopping him.
"What do you want, Bobby?" She hissed out politely. Bobby, the man, took a step back, giving her an awkward smile.
"I was just in town for my mom, and I saw you. Thought it would be a good idea to say hello." He explained, shrugging his shoulders. He suddenly smiled, "I heard that you work with your brother at the gym. That's pretty cool."
Shay rubbed her temples and Bobby smiled dropped. "Ok, I know," he started, pulling her hands away from her face. Shay just glared at him, making him pull away again. "We didn't really have a clean break and we didn't want to do long distance, but I still love you."
Shay Harry laughed, shaking her head. Her eyes started to get a little watery over the announcement, but she knew it was a lie. "No, no you don't, Bobby." She turned facing him with her bravest face she could muster. "You left four years ago, telling me that you didn't like me enough to keep a relationship going while I stayed here and you went to college. I was fine doing a long distance relationship. You weren't." She stepped back, smiling to herself. She remembered how she cried for weeks over him, checking over his social media and finding out he was sleeping and dating other girls. "And I don't love you. Maybe I did when we were together, but not anymore. You should had kept me while you had the chance."
She turned away, leaving Bobby standing on the side walk with his mouth open and catching flies. Shay smiled, feeling proud of herself as she walked home.
She lived with on of her co-workers and best friend, Kimber. Luckily for her, the door was unlocked and Kimber was on the couch watching some show on Netflix. "Hey, what's up, Harry?"
Shay dropped her bag at the door, closing it shut and made her way over to the couch. "Ran into Bobby," she mumbled, sitting next to her friend. Kimber was silent, her mouth opened and some of her popcorn fell out. Shay shook her head, "I'm fine honestly. It's been four years."
Kimber spit her popcorn from her mouth and into the bowl, making Shay shake her head. "That's disgusting, Kim."
"You told me that you loved that guy." Kimber leaned her head on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're ok?"
Shay nodded. "Of course, but I almost started crying when he told me he loved me."
Kimber jumped up. "Wait, what?" Her bowl of popcorn went flying everywhere.
Harry sighed, "You're cleaning that up."
"Oh my god, that was be so romantic if he wasn't a jackass." Kimber pouted, "I mean, can't you just imagine a man you loved traveling from... from where ever he went comes back and get you because it was right." She sighed, lovely. "Wouldn't that just be amazing?"
"If it was anybody else, yes. If it was Bobby, no." Shay answered, and stood up facing Kimber. "Can you please tell me you will not let Bobby near me? At all?"
Kimber nodded her head, "Yes. Oh! Can you toilet paper and egg his house or something?"
Shay rolled her eyes, "I'm pretty sure he's staying with his mom, and as much as I like that idea, Bobby's mother treated me like her own daughter so no."
Kimber pouted again. "Well, I guess I have to clean this popcorn mess up." She smirked, "Unless you want to help me."
"Make sure you get the stuff you already chewed," Shay teased, making Kimber stick out her tongue. "That's attractive."