Running High

[Angeleyz]

Chewing absently on a piece of cheese, Nicole jumped when she heard the chime of an incoming text. Reading it, she replied:

Long here too. Got called in for early shift and never really stopped

This time, she held onto the phone just in case he responded and tried not to pay attention to the passing time.

 

[a_libertine]

JC looked at the phone then typed,

How badly have you missed me since the end of your shift?
​

 

[Angeleyz]

Eyes widening when she saw his next response, Nicole threw the phone down next to her like it had scalded her. Oh dear lord, how was she supposed to answer that?! She didn't want to admit that she and Malinda had spent almost two hours talking about him, but she was awful at lying... and wasn't sure what would be gained even if she did.

It was probably a good ten minutes before she replied:

Caught up on some reading and lost track of time.

Thought maybe you were out...

 

[a_libertine]

He looked at the non admission of anything and replied:

At my Uncle Tommy's jamming with him. Or more like I play to avoid his questions.
​

He placed the phone down and picked up the guitar, looking in every direction except at his uncle. He heard a chuckle from behind the drums and nearly blew up.

He took a deep breath and said, "Let it go please. This is difficult enough with out the peanut gallery chiming in all the damn time."

Tommy laughed even harder, "Boy I would not say shiiiit if you weren't here."

 

[Angeleyz]

Finishing up her cheese and grapes, Nicole leaned over to place the now empty plate on her nightstand as she thought about his last text. She wasn't sure if it was any of her business what questions JC was avoiding, but at the same time it made her curious. It wasn't like she knew him very well, but he seemed to be so upfront about everything that it seemed odd for him to be avoiding anything.

Nibbling on her fingernail, she finally typed:

Sounds like fun... Even if you're avoiding his questions.

 

[a_libertine]

JC barked out his almost peculiar laugh at her response.

Not really. He is an inquisitive pain in the ass, and the more personal the topic the worse he is.

And yes...
You
​

 

[Angeleyz]

Lips pursing at the response, Nicole definitely didn't want to know the direction of the questioning, but didn't want to just ignore it.

Sounds like he and Malinda might share some similarities...

Biting her lip, she added:

Me?

 

[a_libertine]

Yeah, or more specifically us and how we need to talk. I think it too soon he says better sooner than later. For now later.

​

He didn't know how she would receive that but he had already promised his uncle that he would not lie to Nicole or, more importantly, to himself.

He knew he was confused. Her beauty was such that it could over power reason and that worried him. Was he too emotionally invested in her? He knew with a fair certainty that he was more attached to her than the reverse.

Maybe he should back off a little to see where she was at.

 

[Angeleyz]

Twirling a long section of her hair around a slender finger, she wondered how he could even use the word 'us' when he knew how screwed up Jason's death had left her. She waited a moment before responding.

Later works for me.

 

[a_libertine]

He looked at her response a moment processing every possible way she may have meant it. Eventually he shrugged and decided it would wash out in the laundry one way or another.

ok

​

He thought a moment about saying something else and decided against it.

Putting the phone in his pocket he bumped fists with his uncle and said, "Later."

He was about out of the room when his uncle's voice stopped him. "Pain now. Or pain later. Understand? "

JC looked almost defeated, almost like a little boy again as he nodded. "Yeah, I get it Uncle Tommy."

Tommy ' s face was almost sympathetic as he said, "If y'all have the talk and are together bring her by some Sunday night."

JC grinned and wondered what Nicole would make of his uncle and said, "Sure thing."

He left and headed home, his head swimming.

 

[Angeleyz]

Nicole stared at JC's response with a furrowed brow, wondering if she had upset him somehow as the abbreviated answer was unlike his earlier more wordy ones. Her fingers hesitated over the keys before she curled them up and let the phone drop to the bed. He was hanging out with his uncle and surely didn't want to keep texting her.

Of course it was one thing to think it. It was something totally different to realize it was true when she heard nothing else from him for the rest of the night despite her many checks to ensure there were no missed messages.

She ended up calling it an early night, although she slept fitfully with disturbing dreams of Jason and JC waking her frequently. It was hard pushing herself out of bed the next day, but she knew she had to get her run in or the program would get all jacked up.

She didn't realize that she was subconsciously looking for JC until she had seen someone running in her direction who looked vaguely like him only to be disappointed when it wasn't. She finished the run with a less than stellar time partially due to her preoccupation, but tried to chalk it up to her rough night.

 

[a_libertine]

JC sat up most of the night playing his guitar and drinking beer. He knew he had class in the morning but somehow the motivation suddenly evaporated. Maybe he would feel more like it in the morning.

As it was, it was past midnight when he finally crawled into bed. He picked up the phone thinking he would send her a text but decided against it.

He woke late, not too late to go to class, but certainly too late to go for a run before it. He showered, dressed and took off for class. He settled in and began taking notes.

In a lull of the lecture, he picked his phone up and texted Nicole:

Good morning beautiful​

 

[Angeleyz]

Nicole had just about reached the townhouse when her phone beeped with an incoming text message. Pulling it out of her arm holster, she looked down and saw with a curious sense of giddiness that the message from JC.

Smiling, she tapped out a reply while walking to the front door:

Just got back from a run and going to jump in the shower...



Never saw you today... I must be moving extra slow.

As soon as she hit the enter button she worried that he would find her last comment too forward. It wasn't like they had a running date or anything…

 

[a_libertine]

JC nearly laughed at Nicole's last comment, muttering good naturedly, "Ain't that the truth."

He quickly replied,

Woke up too late to run and came to class. Running later. Have dinner plans tonight?​

 

[Angeleyz]

Unlocking the front door, Nicole headed upstairs as she crafted her response:

Have the lunch shift today. Might be asked to cover dinner too but not sure...

Entering the bathroom, she kicked off her sneakers, put down the phone on the counter and started to strip out of her running clothes.

 

[a_libertine]

JC looked at his phone and replied:

okay. Let me know if you are free and want to have dinner​

He returned to the lecture and took notes. His mind was plainly split between Nicole and his studies and even before he packed his bag JC snatched up the phone to check it.

 

[Angeleyz]

Turning on the water to start warming up, Nicole checked her phone one last time and saw JC's offer. Did she want to see him again so soon? The flutters in her stomach said yes. Should she see him again? That answer wasn't as clear. She still hadn't figured out why she responded so differently to him than Jason, and that made her nervous... But the urge to see him again was stronger than her nerves.

Would like to, yes. Will have to let you know tho...

 

[a_libertine]

He saw her text and gave the only response that fit.

Okay. Let me know. If not I understand.​

He turned to the homework from the last class and began to work his way through it. It wasn't a tough course though it was time consuming. He barely finished before his next class. Along the way he check his phone.

 

[Angeleyz]

Jumping in for a quick shower, Nicole found herself daydreaming about her shower with JC. Malinda had been tickled when she had mentioned it, probably because during the course of their relationship she and Jason had never done anything like that. She tried to ignore her sense of guilt for not being completely honest with her friend about what had happened, but she wasn't ready to share those intimate details.

She focused on getting ready for work before she checked her phone again. She responded to the five texts from Malinda before she sat down at the kitchen table with her oatmeal and fruit before answering JC's.

I won't know until I get to work...

How late would you eat?

 

[a_libertine]

He replied

I have three hours until I am out of class for the day and then I plan to run 15 miles or so. So anytime after five would work if it works for you.​

He thought about giving her an out for a drink after but remembered what the last drink did to her.

Not that it was bad but he would much prefer that she elect to sleep with him sober.

 

[Angeleyz]

Shuddering at the casual mention of a 15 mile run, she replied:

You are such a glutton for punishment...

If we are able to do dinner, where would you like to go?

Cleaning up her dishes, she noted she had a little more time before she had to head to work.

 

[a_libertine]

JC smiled and typed:

No where. I will cook. We spent most of my entertainment budget last night. ​

He let the message go and waited a moment ot two before adding:

I promise to let you leave if you so desire.​

 

[Angeleyz]

Nicole chewed on her lip at the response. Oh dear... She hadn't thought he meant to eat at his place, and immediately started worrying about what he might think would happen next.

Ah

Apparently their texts had crossed in the ether, because as soon as she hit send, a new message appeared from him. She tried to inject a little levity with her reply.

Is that a pinky swear?

 

[a_libertine]

JC chortled at the pinky swear:

Sure. Normally my yes is yes and my no is no.​

He waited a minute then sent:

and no booze So I won't be able to take advantage of you again. ​

 

[Angeleyz]

Wondering if she had offended him with her teasing comment, she quickly answered:

Ok

She blushed when she read his comment about no alcohol, wishing she had a better recollection of what had happened once they reached the jazz club. As it was, it would probably be a long, long time before she drank another margarita.

Agreed...