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Now that the weather’s begun to change, going for a morning run absolutely sucks ass. I’m currently two miles in, and it’s freezing cold outside. We had our first frost warning this week, so I can see my breath coming out in short puffs as I run. I have a jacket on and long pants, but it just feels so restrictive. I guess I could just hit the gym on campus and run on a treadmill, but it’s not the same. I love the fresh air and the quiet of jogging on the hiking trails near campus. I go running most mornings, but I like to come out here and do my long runs once a week.

I ran track in high school and played soccer for a little bit. Once I started at my charter school, the coaches tried hard torecruit me to their teams. Trenton Prep was not known for their athletic success. I think they saw me, a 5’10” fourteen-year-old, and just hoped I had amazing athletic abilities. News Flash, I didn’t. They tried to get me to play volleyball, but my hand-eye coordination was off, so I could never connect with the ball on my hitting or blocking attempts. They tried to get me to play basketball, and I could not shoot a basket to save my life. Even my free throws were all over the place. Softball was completely off the table, I’d flinch and back away from the plate every time the ball was pitched to me.

Soccer was a complete fluke. I was a midfielder, and I think because of my long legs, I was able to sprint up and down the field easily. That’s actually how I ended up doing track. Playing midfield, I could move the ball down the field quickly, but I was horrible at defending myself. If they could catch up with me, that ball would be gone. But clearly, I had speed, so they suggested I try track, and I fell in love with it. I primarily competed in the 1500m race and the 4 x 4 relay, but I’ve trained and ran in a few 5k runs, 10k runs, two half-marathons, and then one full marathon.

I just love pushing myself and seeing what I can do. Which is why I still come out here every morning to try and run at least ten miles a few times a week. Not nearly as intense as when I was actively training for races, but it still keeps me in good shape should I decide to run in another half or full marathon in the future. I make it to the eight-mile mark on this twelve-and-a-half-mile trail when my phone rings. I answer the call from my watch as I gradually slow to a stop. “Hello?” I ask, my breathing a bit labored.

“Sage, are you running a marathon?” The familiar Southern accent comes through my earbuds, and I smile.

“Something like that. What’s up, Naomi?”

“Remember how you offered to connect me with the person who does your tattoos and piercings if I ever wanted to get one?”

“Yeah…” I drag out, curious to see where Naomi is going to take this.

“It’s time,” she says.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it’s time! I want to get my nose pierced, Sage.”

“No fucking way.”

“Yes! Can we do it today? Before I chicken out,” she says with a laugh.

“I mean, they’re open on Saturdays, so probably. Let me finish my run and I’ll reach out to them and see how packed their schedule is for today. I’ll get back to you in like an hour.”

“Wait, you’re on a run? For fun?”

I laugh loudly, a small snort escaping. “Yes, Naomi, I am running for fun. I go out on the trails near campus every weekend.”

“Ew. Well, do they have an easy trail? Maybe I can join you for awalkone weekend,” she says, emphasizing walk. I get it. A lot of people hate running.

“Yeah, that’d be nice.”

“Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to it, Flo Jo,” she says teasingly.

I roll my eyes, knowing Naomi can’t see me. “I talk to you later.” I end the call, slowly getting back into my run.

Once I make it back to my apartment, I call the tattoo and piercing shop I go to, Wild Thorn Ink in my hometown, to see if James is in today, which he is. He let me know his schedule is pretty wide open today, so we could just drop in whenever we are ready. So, I text Naomi that I’ll come pick her up in thirty minutes after I shower.

James was the Wild Thorn piercer who did most of my piercings. He was probably the best piercer in Trenton or at leastthe one I trust the most. He makes the process as quick and painless as he can, and I’ve never had any issues with the healing of any of my piercings. I figured he was the perfect person to do Naomi’s first piercing.

I throw on a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, grabbing a zip-up sweatshirt and putting on my sneakers. I text Naomi, letting her know I’m on my way before I head out of my apartment.

I pull up outside her apartment, honking my horn to let her know I’m here. Naomi comes running down the steps, looking around embarrassed. “You couldn’t have just texted me to let me know you were here?”

“Nope!” I say, grinning from ear to ear, leaning toward her side of the car. She gets in, turning toward me and pressing her lips against mine gently in a quick kiss before pulling away. “Hey, you.”

“Hey?” I raise an eyebrow, surprised by Naomi’s kiss. We’d been heavily flirting through text and a bit touchy-feely when together since our smoke session a couple weeks ago, but this was the first time that Naomi’s even remotely tried to kiss me since then.

Her smile drops, sensing my apprehension. “Was that okay? Sorry, I just thought—I should have asked you if you even wanted to kiss me. I just thought that since we’d been flirting—”

“It’s okay, Naomi,” I interject, taking her hand and trying to stop her impending spiral, “you just caught me off guard, that’s all. I absolutely do want to kiss you.”

She smiles, looking at our joined hands on the center console. “Want to do it again?”

I laugh out loud, tipping her chin up with my free hand and pressing my lips to hers again. She reaches out, cupping my cheek as she kisses me back, this time with more urgency. I part my lips and she matches my movements, parting hers aswell, leaning further into me as best as she can across the center console of the car.