Saturday, July 8th....
*First Draft*

Knocking on the door of the quant two-story house no more than two blocks from mine, I rest my left shoulder up against the wall as I wait. I fold my arms over my 'I Don't Exercise' pink and black tank top, not bothering to cover the sudden yawn that's broken out.

I suppose staying up until 1 A.M watching Breaking Bad with mom and getting up at 8 was a bad idea on my end. No pun intended. Which then I ended up walking to the Patricks' house because Mom was dead to the world and I didn't have the heart to wake her.

It was only a fifteen minutes walk, but damm, maybe that wasn't such I good thing to do before running....at least when it comes to me that is. Not to mention I haven't had breakfast yet because I can't eat before running unless I want to get a seriously bad cramp. No thanks.

So why don't you just call me grouch this morning?

There's the sound of a lock sliding out of place before the door is pulled open, revealing a stoic Drew dressed in blue and black running shorts, a black tee, and Nike tennis shoes, looking far more awake than I feel right now.

His eyes quickly skim over my own outfit before he raises an eyebrow. "You look like you fell in a hole and died." He deadpans, face blank. I groan, letting my head fall down to my chest. "I'm not a morning person, okay?"

Nadine suddenly pops up from Drew's left, stopping next to him as she smiles at me. "Nicki, good morning!" She beams like it's not 8:56 in the morning. She wraps her blue nightgown tighter around her before looking up at Drew, who's still standing in the doorway. "And Drew, be nice." She chastises, making me smile.

Drew looks out the door before rolling his eyes. "Alright. Well, we're going now." He grabs something to his right, keeping his face impassive as he walks through the doorway and past me without giving either of us a second glance.

He doesn't waist a second, now does he?

"Take it easy today, Drew!" Nadine calls after him, stepping partially out the door. Drew does a half-wave, without turning around, to signify he heard her, still heading down the sidewalk. She stares after him with worried eyes, her jaw set. She seems to suddenly remember I'm standing next to her.

"Well, have fun I suppose." She smiles softly. "I'm glad you're going with him." She almost whispers, a gentle look growing in her eyes. I blink a few times, sure there's some double meaning to what she just said.

I've got nothing.

"Well," she suddenly perks up, turning to head back in the house. "I'll have cinnamon rolls ready by the time you get back." She winks at my baffled look. "Cat already told me you haven't eaten yet." And with that she shuts the door, leaving me standing at her doorstep, yearning for this run to be over already.

Why did I agree with this again.....Oh wait, you're the one who set it up. Duh.

I blow a loose strand of hair out of my face, huffing in annoyance. Trotting down the two front steps, I pick my head up, locking my eyes on the retreating back of Drew, who's already at least three hundred feet away.

Speed walking to catch up to him, I pull my iPod and earphones out of my poor excuse of a pocket, unwinding the earphones from around it. Falling in step beside Drew, I see he already has his earphones in his ears, his attention down on his dark iPhone's screen.

Geez, he has that down on like, as dark as possible. How do you even see anything?

Before I can try to make anything out on the screen to prove my hypothesis, he presses the off button, quickly shoving it down in the large pocket his shorts provide, unlike mine. Completely unfair.

I place the right earphone in my ear. "So where have you been running?" I question, holding the left earbud in my hand. His eyes gaze around the area, scoping it out. "Just around the city." He shrugs, bringing his eyes down to the ground as we pass a random guy, I've never seen before, who's currently jogging at a moderately fast pace.

I nod. That's what I usually do also. There isn't really anywhere else unless you want to brave the roads that lead out to nowhere, which I don't. The city is nice though. It's got a lot of nature and sidewalks. It works.

"So we gonna warm up first before stretching?" I jump up and down, kinda like skipping, managing to stay next to Drew as he continues to walk. He nods his head. "I usually do a mile." He fiddles with his right earbud, eying me as I continue to skip beside him.

"Well damn," I laugh. "I usually don't go that far just for warmup, but I'm game." I smile over at him, and he looks away, clearly uncomfortable. What? I pick up my pace, grinning back at him. "Lets get a move on, I've got a cinnamon roll with my name on it back at your house." My grin turns malicious. "Just waiting for me to devour it." I cackle, only to end up coughing halfway through as my throat gives out.

Glancing back at Drew, I see he actually has a amused smirk on his lips. He shakes his head with a eye roll. "That wasn't creepy at all." He mutters, giving me a pointed look. My grin widens. Maybe I can get my friend back after all.

"That, my friend, was the point." With that, and very dramatic might I add, ending, I face frontwards, picking my feet up in a fast jog. I hear Drew just behind me, his feet surprisingly quiet as he jogs. I press 'play' on my iPod, stuffing it down in the mini opening on my shorts called a pocket.

False advertisement.

I keep an eye on the Apple Watch on my left wrist, waiting for the mileage count to reach one. And yes, I did reset it before we started out. I get lost in the combinations of music I have on shuffle, the pounding of my feet hitting the ground, and the comforting presence of Drew behind me.

Am I actually a faster jogger than him, or is he just being nice and letting me think that?

I'm a relatively fast jogger with decent stamina. It's just the hills and the cramps I have to watch out for. You're supposed to be able to work through a cramp if you get one while you're running. I've just never been able to do it.

I'm a sucker for pain.

Eleven or so minutes later, I stop as the mileage count on my watch reads 'one'. Placing my hands on my hips, I tilt my head up to the blue sky, drawing in deep breaths as the slightly humid air causes the sweat brewing on my forehead to grow clammy.

Turning around to face Drew, I see he's nowhere near as out of breath as I am, sadly. His chest simply rises and falls quicker than normal, his nostrils flaring slightly as he continues to breath through his nose. Something I bypassed half a mile ago.

We wordlessly begin to stretch, doing both lower and upper body ones. It's while we're bending down to touch our toes I find my eyes landing on the assortment of bracelets around both his wrists. Odd. Wouldn't that be kinda nasty to wear all those while you're sweating?

Eh, to each his own I suppose.

They fill out about three or four inches of his wrists, mostly consisting of brown and black leather cords that each have a unique design woven into the braids. I can't even count how many he has on.

My eyes then, unconsciously of course, move up to the rest of his bare arm to where his shirt starts right above his biceps. I suddenly realize his arms aren't exactly 'stick thin' like they at first appearance had appeared. Instead they seem to be well-defined with lean muscles.

Hm, maybe I should stop staring now?

Drew doesn't seem to have noticed my 'examination' of him, continuing on with a few more warm-ups. I do a few more before deciding I'm good. I pull my right arm behind my head with my left, holding it there for a few seconds. "Okay, I'm good." I tell Drew, jogging in place to warm my legs back up.

That's the one setback to stopping to stretch; your legs cool down.

He nods, something I'm beginning to notice he does a lot, motioning for me to go on as he does a few more stretches I'm not familiar with. "I'll catch up." He assures, and I make a sound of agreement.

I start off down the sidewalk, continuing on down the way we were headed. A full three minutes goes by without a sight of Drew, and I question myself whether I should slow down for him to catch up. I steal glances over my shoulder every hundred yards or so, waiting for him to pop up around the bend I went around a half a mile ago.

He said to go on. So there's no need to wait up and possibly ruin my groove. Though maybe he was just sending me ahead as a way to dump me. Maybe he's not coming at all?

Another five minutes goes by, and I've given up on looking for him, resolving to simply concentrate on my music and enjoy, if I can call it joyful, the run. Though I have to admit the fresh summer air does really-

I cut my thoughts off as I abruptly catch the sound of fast approaching footsteps behind me, just barely perceptible through my music. My gate slows unconsciously as Drew suddenly passes me on my left, a vivid image of Sam Wilson getting passed effortlessly by Steve Rogers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, flashing in the back of my mind.

Aw, he didn't say it.

I catch a look at Drew's face as he passes. Complete concentration, relaxed, and hardly breathing hard even though he's practically running laps around me. And I'm doing my average pace of nine minutes a mile.

I'm almost positive my face has a look of incredulous aww on it at the moment, and I have to force myself to keep going. He slows so he's only about ten or so feet in front of me, keeping his pace easily and without any obvious hassle. 

Show off.

I complete 3.5 miles before the Patricks' house looms in the distance. We'd gone on the outskirts of the city, making a half-loop so we would end back at his house. Drew had led the entire time by that ten or so feet of space, the gap only growing larger when my stamina decided to take a vacation.

Not to mention the cramp that's now stabbing the left side of my stomach. Can I just say, ouch?

I slow to a walk, gasping and looking like I just got dunked in a tub full of water with the amount of sweat that currently coats my body. My throat burns with each breath, and the stitch in my side throbs with vengeance.

I think a two week break was too long.

I watch as Drew continue his steady run/jog towards the house, only stopping once he reaches the building. I'm still catching my breath by the time I stop next to Drew, and I immediately bend down to hold my knees despite knowing that's like the number one rule not to do after running.

But sometimes you've gotta.

Drew has his hands on his hips as he takes deep and even breaths, his face coated with sweat and his beanie-less hair damp. I look up at him from my bent over position. "That was insane!" I gasp out. He rolls his eyes, walking around as he walks off his run like you're supposed to do.

I follow him around to the other side of the house. He wordlessly walks up to the front door, opening the door before stepping in and holding it open for me with that stolid expression back on his face.

"Why thank you." I smile at him as I walk past, and I see the corner of his mouth tilt up. I walk immediately into a comfy, medium sized living room. Two couches facing a flat screen tv hanging on the wall, a few knickknacks and bookshelves.

Nothing to show that they just moved in last week. Though, I don't see any family photos, which puzzles me. Nadine was always one for pictures. Mom has a ridiculous amount hanging in our living room with just me and her.

Ignoring that for now, I follow the wonderful smell that's drifting out from a room off to the right. I hear the door shut behind me, followed by Drew's soft footsteps. Walking through a swinging door, I immediately find myself in a large, quant kitchen.

Nadine's face instantly brightens as she spots me from her position next to the stove. That wonderful smell wafts into a cinnamon smell, and I close my eyes in bliss, my mouth watering. My stomach growls.

"Just in time, Nicki." Nadine steps away from the stove, revealing a pan full of fluffy cinnamon rolls. "They're fresh out of the oven." I smile, taking a seat on the middle barstool in front of the counter that runs through the middle of the kitchen.

There's suddenly a pressure around my torso, and I look down to see Saige, dressed in Frozen pajamas, hugging me with a full blown smile on her face. "Nicki!" Her smile grows larger until I can see her missing teeth. "Saige." I pull her around so she's hugging my front in stead of my back, and I return the hug.

She hops up on the stool next to me, a impish smile now on her face. "I looove Cinnamon rolls!" She grabs a napkin off the center of the counter, along with a fork. "Now remember to breathe while you eat, Saige. Don't inhale it all." Nadine warns as she places a steaming plate down in front of both of us.

"Yes, mommy." Saige mumbles before quickly stabbing at her cinnamon roll, her attention suddenly on nothing else. I inhale the delectable smell again, a grateful smile on my lips. "Thanks, Nadine. You're a life saver." I breathe before slicing a small piece off with my own fork and stuffing it in my mouth.

Nadine laughs as a blissful expression falls across my face at the explosion of flavors currently in my mouth from just that small bite. "Gosh, Nadine. These are absolutely heaven!" I gush, holding my free hand up to my mouth to hide the half chewed food.

"Why thank ya." Nadine, now fully dressed, moves back to the oven, shuffling a few things over to the sink. Footsteps sound behind me, and Drew suddenly pops up, from who-knows-where, to my left as he passes me. He heads over to the fridge, opening it and pulling something out before he shuts it.

He leans back against the counter next to the fridge, holding the pre-prepared smoothie up to his mouth as he takes a sip out of the straw. All the while looking cool and collected, while still pulling off the 'I just worked out' look. Nadine moves her attention over to him, a gentle expression on her face. "Drew, would you like a cinnamon roll?" She questions, sounding slightly.....hopeful.

Drew glances over at her, then over to me and Saige before looking down at our plates. He takes the straw away from his lips, swallowing thickly. "No thanks." A muscle in his jaw ticks, and he focuses back down on his smoothie.

"Okay....They're here if you want one." I catch a slightly disappointed look in Nadine's eyes before she turns back to the sink. I slouch in my seat, feeling a type of tension grow in the air I can't really explain. Even Saige seems to have grown more distant.

Deciding I'd rather not sit in this uncomfortable silence, I softly clear my throat. "Nadine, did you know you have a running machine for a son? He's like ridiculously fast!"

Drew immediately seems to sputter on his sip of smoothie, his eyes snapping over to me in a glare. I nonchalantly shrug at him, smirking. Nadine turns back around, that smile back on her face along with what looks like pride.

"Oh I know alright." She chuckles, giving Drew a look he ignores. "We've told him he should try competing, but he's not interested." She says, leaning back against the sink.

I give Drew a incredulous look. Now he shrugs, lifting his left hand up to fiddle with the side of his smoothie cup. "What! Why not?" I look between the two, then over to Saige who's practically done with her roll. Saige gives me a shrug, and I look back at Drew.

He keeps his eyes down on the cup, as if it's the most interesting thing at the moment. "Just because." He mutters, hanging his head down a little lower. I get the urge to go over exactly why that's not a reasonable explanation and berate him about how he can't just use nothing as a excuse.

But I simply bite my tongue, clasping down on that urge before I absentmindedly swirl my cup of orange juice. "Well, that's a talent wasted then." I shrug, peeking over at him from the corner of my eye.

His eyebrows furrow, creating a crevice between his forehead. Nadine looks between us, a cautious look in her eye now. Saige stares over at him from under her hair, her fork half out of her mouth.

Cue the crickets.

Drew clears his throat, shuffling so he stands upright. "I'll be....upstairs." He mutters, keeping his head down as he walks past me and towards the door, cup in hand. His footsteps fade off in the distance, and I grimace, internally wishing I'd just stayed quiet.

Curse me and my inability to shut up.

"Sorry." I apologize to Nadine, biting my bottom lip. She sighs, pulling her eyes away from the kitchen door where Drew left. "Don't be." She smiles softly. "I agree with you. But sadly...." She nods, wiping a spot off the counter with a preoccupied look now on her face.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't force him to drink."

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A/N

Hello! I hope y'all are enjoying this thus far?! Please feel free to vote and comment!! I'd appreciate it immensely.

So, conflict in the Patricks' house, huh. Wonder what that's about. . . ? 🤔

Maggy