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Falling For Autumn 11
Kolson
Kolsondidn’twantto wait until their next tutoring session to see Autumn. He was awake early for a run and they had talked about running together. He wasn’t sure if she was a morning person, if she wasn’t then she wouldn’t respond until she woke. Kolson snapped a picture of his running shoes and added the caption want to go for a run? Then sent it to @autumnstudies. He sat on the edge of his bed waiting for a reply. Maybe he hadn’t thought this through. She may not reply because she was asleep. Then he’d wonder if it was because she really didn’t want to go running with him. Kolson’s heel tapped on the floor. He was being an idiot. What did he care if one girl didn’t like him? It wasn’t like he didn’t have choices.
Relief washed over him when his phone buzzed. It was a photo of a pair of women’s running shoes. They were white with pink stripes. I’ll meet you at the track in twenty.
Meet her at the track? He’d been hoping to meet at the dorm. He responded with a like. Then finished getting dressed. Putting more thought into what joggers and hoodie he was going to wear than he usually did. Kolson laced his shoes and tied them, then added a beanie over his head in case it was cold like it had been the last few mornings. He put in his earbuds though he didn’t plan on using them after he got to the track.
He was glad he’d chosen the beanie. A burst of cold air hit him as he jogged out the door. He hesitated by the girl’s dorms, jogging in place for only a few seconds. He wanted to run with her for as long as he could, but what if she was already at the track waiting on him? He continued toward the track, the crisp air bit at his cheeks. There were only a few others there this morning, typical for this time of day. He turned toward the direction of the dorms, watching for her as he stood in the grass, stretching.
“What ya doing?” There was a tap on his shoulder just as he was pulling his foot toward his glute.
He turned and had to do a double take. How did she get behind him so quickly? He’d been watching for her. He looked toward the dorms then back at her.
“Hey,” he put his foot down and took out an earbud. He couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face. She wore a knit hat. Her ponytail spouted out the top. She was dressed in a large, grey hoodie that said Scottsville High. It looked big enough to be her brother’s. Or could it be a boyfriend’s? Kolson imagined her wearing one of his hoodies. He liked the thought of that. She’d look good in his black Millard Knights Football hoodie with his number and last name. Her legs were donned with leggings, and he wished that hoodie wasn’t so big. Then he forced himself to focus on her face. Her cheeks were red. He had the urge to put his hands against them to warm them up.
“Have you stretched yet?” He hoped she’d say no so he could help.
“I stretched back at … the dorm.” She pulled one arm across her chest, holding it in place. “How much do you want to run?”
He wanted to run with her all day. But that wasn’t realistic. They both had classes.
“Maybe a mile.” He looked at her and smiled. “Unless you can’t handle that much.”
She lifted a brow as she stretched her other arm.
“Can I handle it?” She scoffed. “I will run that mile. You watch me.”
This made Kolson smile even more. He liked her spunk and how determined she was to prove him wrong. She already admitted that she was a sprinter in track when she was in high school. Distance running wasn’t her thing, and he wasn’t about to let her best him.
