Arthur
Gwendolyn: I think the hippo makes you look fat.
The next day, a text from her finally appeared on my phone. I’d been trying to figure out what to say to her the past few days. Everything kept coming out stupid, so I just went with something random. I’d been commissioned to do a painting for a comedic standee for the winter festival this upcoming weekend. Kids and adults alike were going to have a blast standing behind these and making funny faces through the cutout. Looking like they had a hippo or seal’s body. It was all for charity, too.
Maybe I could ask her to go with me to the festival.
I looked over at the clock and tilted my head to the side. She would be going for her morning run soon—should I go bump into her or not be a weird stalker?
A handful of minutes passed, and then I was jumping up and getting dressed for a winter run.
Any time I could spend getting to know Gwendolyn, the better.
The snow had melted yesterday, but Seahill’s weather was notorious for switching things up randomly, snowing one minute then heating up a bit an hour later. Today was supposed to be a sunny but cold day.
I was stretching out my quads when I saw her and Cora, her dragon, running in my direction. Absolute male pride bloomed in my chest when I saw the unmistakable blush on her cheeks when she looked at me, registering I was indeed standing here.
“Arthur. You like to run?” She slowed to a stop to chat with me. That was a positive improvement.
“Yep. Gotta keep my beach volleyball body somehow,” I teased, and her face turned slightly pink again, this time from embarrassment.
“Shit, that came out mean. I just meant I gotta stay in shape somehow.”
She nodded.
“I don’t always catch jokes. I was so embarrassed yesterday saying that, but I just couldn’t let it go. I guess I didn’t make a fool out of myself, if you are okay to tease about it.” She looked down at Cora, who was walking around us curiously.
“Definitely not a fool—more like cute.”
“Cute.” She chewed on my choice of word.
“Cute is one of the three things I know about you that are mesmerizing.” I grinned, and her eyes flicked up to me.
“What are the other two things?” There were many things that I found mesmerizing about her, but I’d stick to the first three that came to mind.
“Cute, smart, and beautiful.”
Before she could overthink what I said and get spooked, I suggested that we run together.
She agreed and together we ran, Cora ahead of us like a good guard dragon.
We really didn’t chat while we ran, and I was still in a bit of shock that she was okay being around me for so long. It still wasn’t enough for me, though. There was so much I wanted to know.
So, I started asking some more questions when we stopped to stretch at the end.
“How’s working with the Hero Society going for you?” I’d yet to get called for anything, although I did receive my superhero suit—if one could call it that. I had taken the liberty to add my own flare to it shortly after opening the box.
“Okay. I’m starting to put myself out there more with them. They have something that I’ve always craved but never tried to attain.” She reached down to touch her toes, and I might have stared at her ass in those leggings for a moment longer than I should have.
“What’s that?” For a moment I was thankful she didn’t notice the obvious—like how my voice deepened when I asked her that, because I was half-groaning as I watched her petite body move so fluidly, working out the lactic acid in her legs.
“A place where I belong.”
She stood up, still barely coming to my nose, and stretched those arms up high. Her statement was deep, and it said so much about her. Her candor was refreshing, and I yearned for more of her honesty. So few people nowadays truly said what was on their mind.
“They are like a family, from what I’ve seen of them.”
They would die for each other and the ones they loved. It was admirable, but I still hadn’t dragged my ass down to the headquarters to become a part of that.
