I looked up at the clock, 2.45. I'd told work that I'd be leaving early to meet a friend at the airport. They weren't actually arriving until 6, but I had to go home and fix up a few things ahead of their arrival. As soon as 3 O'Clock rolled around I was out of there, waving my goodbyes I took a packet of Haribo to munch on the way back.
By 5.30 I was waiting at the airport, flowers in hand. I smiled to myself as I looked at the people exiting through the arrivals door, trying to catch a glance of my friend. A couple of times I started forward, seeing long brown hair, before stepping back again.
Long brown hair, blue eyes, soft smile... check, check, check. I grinned and stepped forward, opening my arms to embrace Alice in a great big hug. She grinned, somewhat embarrassed at the public show of affection and looked at the flowers in my hand.
"For me?"
"Of course! Welcome welcome!"
I took her bags and we set off, chatting idly. I had planned to get some nice Chinese food this evening, and had grabbed a movie to watch.
Alice sighed deeply as she lay back on the couch, wriggling her legs under the blanket.
"Thanks, it's really nice to just... relax and not stress, to be easy and chill out with my buddy."
I nodded in agreement, and reached for more wine. "I was thinking we might go out for dinner tomorrow and dancing? Say, Italian and then cheesy pop?" It took some convincing, but I managed to get her to agree, on the condition that we'd go for aĀ runĀ the next day to work off the calories.
I woke up to the smell of coffee drifting in, and a loud rap on my door. Ughhhn. Last night had been great fun with dancing and singing to cheesy songs, but now my body was paying the price.
"Up! Up! Up!" I heard through the doorway. Groaning I rolled over, until I hear an insistent thump at the door. Moaning and groaning some more I managed to pull myself up and start to get dressed. It had been hard work last night to get Alice to enjoy the evening, but eventually we'd hit on a place she'd loved and we'd ended the night giggling helplessly. She'd looked incredible of course, her bright red lipstick drawing the attention of many guys.
"Put on someĀ runningĀ gear, you promised!"
Shit. I had totally forgotten about the deal. I was going to be punished; Alice was in great shape and I was... well.. not. I grabbed a pair ofĀ runningĀ shorts and a top, and stepped out of my bedroom before stopping short. Alice was standing there in her tight work out gear, looking incredible. I quickly averted my gaze before she caught me looking and stumbled to the bathroom.
I managed to get through the next 30 minutes distracting myself with getting ready, drinking coffee and procrastinating but eventually I got dragged out into the cool morning air.
"Once around the park, then back here, Ok?"
I reluctantly agreed as we set off at a slow pace, warming up. Alice was chatting away, and I was concentrating very hard on my breathing. We sped up a little as we entered the park and stopped talking. Sheer persistence and desire to not be thoroughly embarrassed kept me going, through burning legs, lungs and a pounding head. By the time we'd got back home I was completely wiped out, barely able to stand as I swayed back and forth. Alice was positively beaming.
Stumbling into the living room I flopped down into the couch, and let my head fall forward between my knees.
"Oh my god, I am so very unfit, you nearly killed me there" I panted. I just hear laughter in response and see her feet come into view standing in front of me. Sighing I moved my head to look up at her, and drink in the view as I do so. Long, taut, legs giving way to thin, sexy, hips and waist, up over herĀ runningĀ gear clinging tightly to her front and up over her smile to her eyes.
Alice looked back at me, and raised one eyebrow questioningly.
"Like what you see?"
I turned the deepest shade of red, so incredibly embarrassed.
"Oh... err... sorry, I wasn't err... trying to look... "
"So youĀ don'tĀ like it?" She interrupted me, the beginnings of a smile beginning to tug the corners of her mouth up. That just made me blush more.
"No you look fantastic, really fit, I mean, cute, I mean, sexy" I blurted. Real smooth. Alice looked down at me and put a hand on her hip whilst she smiled.