Page 6 of Foul Territory

Popular? Also yes.

Cool? Up for debate.

“Oh yeah? Do you have first hand experience with the athletes at this school? Ex-boyfriend maybe?” he asks. Then with slight hesitation he adds, “Current boyfriend?”

“Do you think I would date someone who wasn’t cool?” I joke.

“No, I don’t. Lucky guy whoever he is.”

A few runners pass, having already lapped us on the track. I glance around, quickly spotting Charlie jogging on the opposite side of the field. Her smile is forced and she is favoring her right leg. The lengths she will go for a date knows no boundaries.

“My brother, Nash Pierce, he’s the one who isn’t as cool as he appears. Not my boyfriend. I mean I don’t have a boyfriend.” The words fly out of my mouth as I correct my statement.

“You’re Nash’s sister?” he asks, with wide eyes and slack jaw. “He talks about his sister all the time but has never given many details. Now I know why.”

“He talks about me? What does he say?” Having second thoughts, I raise my hand to stop him from speaking. “Actually, I don’t want to know what he says about me.”

We haven’t always gotten along growing up. Being fifteen months apart kept us close but also at each other’s throats periodically.

“Like I said he never gave many details. He would mention you being out at The Armory, a party, or wherever and warn the guys to keep their hands to themselves if they see you there.”

“Ahh, yes. The threat of losing a limb if you touch me. I’m sorry about that. He’s overprotective for some reason. They’re empty threats. I promise. I’ve been touched many times and as far as I know those guys still have their hands attached.”

The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. What did I say that was so amusing?Oh…oh no.

“Not that many guys,” I reassure him. “A small amount really. Not even a full hand.” I lift my hand to show how small the number is before grasping it behind my back to keep myself from doing it again.

“Regardless of the number because it doesn’t matter if it was a lot, I’m a single woman free to do what I want with whoever I want. But for reassurance purposes, all of their appendages are still fully intact as far as I know.” I let out a breath and risk a glance in his direction.

He is grinning from ear to ear staring at me with amusement. I’ve got to get out of here before I dig myself a bigger hole of embarrassment.

“Oh look. There’s Charlie. It was nice to meet you. I’m just going to…” My voice trails off as I point a finger at a group of runners in front of us. I don’t know if Charlie is with them. I don’t really care.

I walk swift enough my thighs could start a fire with the amount of friction they’re producing. I cannot believe I said all of that to him. Maybe this is the real reason why I’m single.

It has nothing to do withhim. It's me and my ability to make things weird in less than ten minutes of meeting someone.

“Sydney! Wait up,” Joe shouts from behind me. I stare at the trees pretending I don’t hear him.

Maybe I should start running. I could probably make it to the gym without having to stop and rest my legs. I could hide in the bathroom for a few hours. A humorless laugh escapes me. “With my luck I would trip or gas out halfway there,” I mumble.

All thoughts of escaping vanish when a soft hand grips my elbow. “You’re quick when you want to be,” Joe teases with an appeasing smile.

“I wanted to get the full running club experience while saving what’s left of my dignity.” With his hand still holding onto my elbow, Joe continues our walk around the track.

“Your dignity is still intact,” he says, dropping his hand. I’m not convinced. The urge to Usain Bolt my ass out of here is still very strong.

“What I was going to say before you ran off is that Nash didn’t give me any warnings about you. Even if he did, it wouldn’t stop me from talking to you,” he says. His eyes deliver the ‘or touching’part of the conversation.

My heart however gets stuck on the ‘it wouldn’t stop me.’I’ve been waiting a long time to hear someone say that exact phrase to me. Too bad it’s coming from the wrong guy. Or maybe Joe is the right one and my heart needs to get with the program.We are over him, remember?

I school my face in an attempt to hide all the damage Koa left behind. He was a tsunami on my heart. I don’t think he fully grasps the destruction he left in his wake. It’s been four years and I’m still sifting through the wreckage.

“Oh yeah? Even after all of my rambling?” I ask in a half hearted attempt to be flirty.

“Your rambling is adorable. I liked it. It was enlightening,” he says. I snort a laugh. I would usually be embarrassed but I’m already past caring at this point. We are running full speed ahead.

“I’m glad I could educate you on the inner workings of my brain.”