The morning had started awkwardly. Marco was sheepish, trying to laugh off his drunken antics from the night before. Meanwhile, Bela hovered around, offering lingering glances and playful nudges that made my chest tighten with guilt. She deserved better than being a temporary distraction, but that's exactly how I had treated her.
As I sat in my cubicle, pretending to focus on the client file in front of me, my mind kept drifting back to last night. I could still feel the weight of Bela's legs wrapped around me, her soft murmurs in my ear. But each time, the memory was interrupted by a flash of Aurelia. Her teasing smile on the dance floor, the smirk on her lips in that photograph. It was as if she was everywhere, pulling me back into her orbit.
The guilt gnawed at me, not just because of Bela, but because of what it said about me. I had used her to escape the tangled mess of feelings that Aurelia's reappearance had stirred up, but it hadn't worked. If anything, it made everything worse. And now, I couldn't stop worrying about how it might affect things at Marco's. If Bela felt hurt, would I need to find somewhere else to stay? The selfishness of that thought only made me feel more ashamed.
Around lunch, Nat texted me, renewing her offer to go on a run later today. The rest of the day dragged on at a glacial pace until finally I once again found myself riding the subway and dropped by Marco's to get changed, glad that no one else was there.
II made my way to the square Nat had mentioned, arriving a little early. The sun was low, casting a soft, golden light over the busy street. I sat on a bench, letting the sounds of the city wash over me as I tried to push away my anxiety. Maybe the run would help clear my head.
A few minutes later, I spotted Nat walking toward me. She looked slightly uncomfortable, as if the workout gear was new and unfamiliar, but she still managed to wear it well. But my attention was still stolen by the stunning redhead woman standing next to her.
Aurelia.
Of course Nat had brought her. It all made sense now, her awkwardness when making the offer, the tense conversation I had caught between them at the party. This was a setup.
But I couldn't bring myself to be angry, not when Aurelia looked like that. Her athletic shorts clung to her hips, accentuating every curve, and her sports bra revealed the smooth, pale skin of her midriff. Her red hair was tied up in a high ponytail, swaying with each step, and despite everything, I couldn't stop myself from staring.
"Hey Tom!" Nat's voice was upbeat, as if nothing was wrong.
"Hello Nat," I paused, turning to her friend. "Aurelia, I wasn't expecting to see you today."
"Oh, I texted you earlier asking if it was okay for me to come." Her tone was neutral, her face the very image of indifference, but a spark in her eyes was daring me to react. "You must've missed it."
Crap! She was still blocked on my phone. Did she know that?
"I guess..."
Nat shifted awkwardly beside her, glancing at me with an apologetic smile. "Well, now that we're all here... shall we start?"
In a strained silence, we set off at a brisk pace. Aurelia took the lead, her ponytail trailing behind her, while I struggled to match her rhythm. Two years of being cooped up, glued to my desk, working on my startup, had taken its toll. Still, I was determined to keep up, even if it meant ignoring the burn in my legs.
But to my surprise, Nat seemed to be struggling even more than I was
Before long, her black hair was plastered to her forehead, damp with sweat, and she slowed to a halt, hands on her knees, panting.
"You guys are going too fast," was all she managed to get out, between two ragged breaths
Aurelia jogged back to her, barely winded, and crouched beside her.
"Come on, Nat! The first kilometer is the hardest." She was leaning over her, rubbing her shoulder. "You just need to get into the rhythm." She looked up at me, despite her supportive tone I could see that competitive glint in her eyes. "Right Thomas?"
Her smirk and the use of my full name was egging me on. "Yeah sure."
Truth be told, we were definitely going too fast for me too, but there was no way I was going to admit that in front of her. I could already feel my lungs burning, but I wasn't about to let Aurelia make me look weak. I straightened up, willing myself to act like this was nothing, even though my muscles were already screaming at me to stop.
Nat groaned and waved a hand, still bent over. "Rhythm, my ass," she muttered, shooting Aurelia a glare through her sweat-soaked bangs. "I knew this was a bad idea." She pushed herself upright, her breathing still heavy. "I'm going home, you two maniacs can keep going but next time make sure that you don't burn me before we even get started."
"Oh, sorry sweetie." Aurelia's tone was sugary. She reached out and gave Nat's arm a light pat, but there was no real effort to convince her to stay.
Nat snorted, unfazed. "Whatever." She shot one last pointed look at Aurelia before turning to me. "Let's keep in touch Tom." With that she started on her way back.
Despite her apparent annoyance, I couldn't help but smile. This had been what most of high school had looked like. Aurelia and me doing something dumb and the serious Nat getting angry, though back then I would have been the usual target of her ire.
Aurelia caught my amused look.
"What about you?" She smiled enticingly. "Ready to get back into it?"
I nodded, and without waiting for any word from me, she bolted. Swearing under my breath I took off after her, my legs straining to match her pace.
It was hard to tell how long we spent running like kids, darting through the streets without a clear direction. Every time I managed to pull ahead, pushing myself to pass her, she'd slip past me at the next intersection, sticking her tongue out or flashing me a teasing smile over her shoulder. We were both laughing, breathless, racing aimlessly through the maze of the city.
Our comfort with each other was coming back so fast, a light year away from the detachment she'd shown earlier. It was disorienting and thrilling at the same time, like slipping into a favorite old song you hadn't heard in years.
Eventually, Aurelia slowed, glancing back to make sure I was still following, before coming to a stop in front of a door I didn't recognize. I jogged up to her, panting, my chest heaving as I caught my breath. As I reached her side, I noticed a faint sheen of sweat on her brow, her cheeks flushed and glowing.
But if she looked a little winded, I was drenched. She reached out, and with a gentle, almost absentminded touch, brushed her hand over my forehead, wiping away the sweat and pushing my damp hair out of my eyes.
"You're cooked," she said, in a soft tone. Seeing as I was too confused by her unprompted familiar gesture to answer, she added, pointing at the door. "Anyways, this is mine."
