Change

“Wake up.” I hear someone say as they shake me awake after only a few hours of sleep. “Joy, wake up.”

Looking at my alarm clock through one eye. Are you kidding me? “4:30 in the morning,” I say as I shoot up out of bed, “Really, Charlie?”

My uncle has a smirk on his face as I look him up and down as he is already ready for the day to begin. “I got a call from your coach last night.”

“Great.” I mumble as I fall back into my bed as pillows surround me. I knew what was coming next: running and working out.

“He says you might need a little motivation since you are a D1 prospect now.” Charlie says taking a sip from his coffee mug. “So I am thinking a nice five mile run and sprints will do you some good according to the workout packet from your coach.”

“He is honestly trying to kill me. And so are you! I will probably get lost so I doubt that is even a good idea.” I snap back as he flips on the lights as they blind my tired eyes. “Can I go later, I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Nope, I’m coming with you.” He said turning to walk out of my room. “Not surprising to hear about your night of sleep though since you came back late last night with Liam.” He turns and winks at me as I hurl a pillow at him as he laughs. “Grab that iPod thing of yours as well. I’m sure you would love to ignore my beautiful voice.”

“You’re going to run five miles with me?”

“Maybe.” He answered as he made his way down the hall.

I climb out of bed and grab my running shoes out of a box I haven’t unpacked yet along with my cleats. I slip on a pair of running shorts and shirt and make my way outside as I grab a banana to meet my uncle, who is waiting with a horse.

“Meet your running partner.” My uncle chides as he pats the horse, Winnie, the one that seemed to love me the other day with Liam. “Winnie loves to go for runs.”

“Oh I am sure she does.” I mumble as I take a bite out of my banana. “I’m going to die on this run.”

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Kill me. Kill me now. I keep saying over and over again as I reach every mile marker until I reach my… or should I say my uncle’s goal of five miles.

“Am I almost done yet?” I say as I let out heaving breaths.

“Almost Joy.” My uncle says as he sits on top of Winnie as she trots along with me. It was kind of nice having her there with me. We turn down yet another gravel road, which my ankles are nowhere near used to. “We are almost there.”

I just want breakfast from my aunt and a nice cool shower, it was too humid to run, but I am just complaining

This road we, or should I say Winnie and I, were running down got much more familiar to me as I made my way until I realize that we were almost done.

Who has driveways this long? I am so close to home after turning down the long gravel driveway leading up to the front porch. “Anna should have breakfast ready by now.” My uncle says as he leads Winnie towards the barn. “I will see you in there, don’t eat too much, you have more running to do.”

Pancakes engulf my senses as I walk into the entryway that leads into the kitchen.

“Reina, good morning.” My aunt said as she flipped pancakes. “Do you mind grabbing the orange juice, butter and syrup out of the fridge?”

Giving into her commands, I head towards the fridge and start to pile the items into my arms.

“Did you find everything ok?” I hear my aunt ask as she stands at the oven with the pancakes.

Just as I am about to answer her, someone already was, “Yeah, I think so.” I hear Liam’s familiarly deep voice fill the kitchen as I slam the refrigerator door closed to find him standing in the entryway, holding ice on his shoulder and medicine in the other hand. “Reina, hi.” He smiles once he notices me behind the door.

“Liam-” I say nervously as my eyes stay on him. *Stupid, stupid, stupid… All he did was kiss you last night! You have been kissed before, well, but not by him..* Why do I have to be so awkwardly nervous right now? Usually he is the nervous one, I like it better that way.

He laughs and shakes his head, blue eyes glistening, as he takes a seat at the kitchen table. He is so fucking cute.

“Reina?” My aunt says looking at me from the oven as I look back at her, arms filled with her condiment requests. “Everything OK?”

Taking a sharp breath in I come out of trance, “Oh, uh, yeah.” I say, setting everything down at the table. “Totally.” I laugh nervously. Oh my God.

“Liam.” I hear my uncle say as he walks through the door and takes a seat at the small kitchen table. “I see no heavy lifting today.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Liam sighs.

“Perfect.” He smiles as Liam gives him a weird look. “You can have the day off.”

“What a deal, I still get breakfast though, right?” He laughs, “My mom is out of town with Henry for the next few days.”

“When don’t you eat here?” My uncle laughs.

“My mother is also a terrible cook.” Liam joins in on the laughter.

“Fair enough, she really is.” My uncles said, as he grabs himself a glass of orange juice. Anna comes over with a steaming plate of pancakes and sets them in front of all of us.

“Charles!” My aunt says sternly.

Anna and I both look at Charlie shockingly as Liam butts in, “It’s true.” He laughs to himself as he helps himself to some pancakes.

“Joy,” My uncle says with a smirk, “Why so quiet? Could it be-”

“Just leave her be, you got her up at 4:30 this morning, Charlie.” My aunt cuts him off. “She is probably just tired, she came home pretty late last night.”

“Why yes she did.” He whispers to me as I stare daggers at him while he takes a bite of pancake and then over to Liam, who is shoveling pancakes in his mouth while balancing the bag of ice on his shoulder and back to my smug uncle. Honestly I wonder how my uncle knows what is going on, he is such a teenager.

“Liam?” My uncle says clearing his throat as Liam looks up from his plate to my uncle and then to myself. “Did you kiss my niece?”

Liam chokes on his food as he drops his fork and looks at my uncle who is laughing to him self. Liam looks over at me with panic filled eyes as I try to hide my laughter behind my hands. This is fucking ridiculous, but it is also too funny not to laugh.

“Charles.” My aunt says sternly. “I think you have chores to do.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He says still laughing as he gets up to put his boots on.

“I better go out there and help him,” My aunt says as she points to Liam, “Since you can’t.” My aunt grabs her boots and is out the door shouting behind her, “Clean up for me will you!”

“Surely.” I state aloud, even though she no longer was there. I get up and grab syrup filled dishes and set them into the dishwasher. That was a quick breakfast.

“Can I ask you something?” I hear Liam say as he drops the bag of ice onto the table. I look over at him as he looks at me with his blue eyes, and dark hair a mess.

“Yeah, sure.” I say leaning against the kitchen sink.

He was the nervous one now. I smile to myself as I look at him while he contemplates on what he would like to say to me. “Would you uh-,” He sighs as I give him a smile. I love his nervousness. “Can I take you to dinner tonight?” I stare at him blankly for a moment as he starts to ramble on, “This is this new Italian place, and I don’t know, maybe you don’t like Italian. Which-.”

I take a seat next to him at the table. “I love Italian.”

“-I mean, I don’t have to take you there-.” He stops abruptly, “Wait, so is that say yes, Reina?”

Seriously, so adorable, I think to myself as he runs a hand through his messy hair as I laugh a little. “I mean; I’m pretty sure I did, Liam.”