Chapter 41: Chapter Six

Natalee

I woke up Friday ready to face the day. Well, sort of. I hadn't run the day before. I knew if I wanted to actually make it through track season this spring that I needed to keep training.

Besides, I had to be up extra early for that stupid Homecoming meeting. Especially considering I had missed two in a row and was now on Alesha's crap list.

Why had I agreed to serving on the committee in the first place? Oh right, because my friend forced me into it and Evan claimed he needed someone who wasn't currently trying to get into his pants.

Which was totally how he and Alesha acted around each other. She'd flutter her eyelashes, he'd roll his eyes, and seconds later they'd be making out in the closet.

Evan always claimed temporary insanity. However, I knew the truth. He wanted her just as bad. They just didn't know how to jump out of the friends-with-benefits zone.

I threw the covers back, sleepily rolled out of bed, and put on my workout gear. I twisted my hair into a ponytail and ran down the stairs out the front door.

The air was crisp and frigid. It was one of the colder mornings, but at least the wind wasn't blowing as hard as it normally was.

I stretched and quickly put on my gloves so my fingers wouldn't freeze.

“Didn't take you for the type that exercised,” a voice said to my right.

I turned and came face to face with Alec. He was wearing workout gear and a baseball cap. He almost looked… normal. Well, as normal as a gorgeous guy could look.

I shook my head. “Yeah, well, I didn't take you for the type to do anything but sit and brood, so I guess we're even, huh?”

Laughing, he removed his hat and rubbed his hair down before putting it back on again. “Want some company?”

Out of all the things he could have said, that was the last I expected. “You want to run with me?”

“I think I can keep up.”

“I run fast.”

“Okay,” he seemed unaffected.

“I listen to music.”

He held up his iPhone. The same one I had shamelessly stalked not a few days ago.

Gulping, I nodded my head. “Sounds great.” But it wasn't great. For some reason Alec made me more uncomfortable than Demetri. At least with Demetri I knew what to expect.

Alec was… well, he was Alec. There was something mysterious about him. At least running would make it so we didn't talk too much.

“Ready?” I watched as he turned on his music and put his headphones in. With a quick nod in my direction he was off.

We ran a mile in silence.

I never looked in his direction. But it was hard to keep my eyes focused on the road when I was running with some mysterious yet famous bad boy.

Once we reached the second mile, I was ready to yell. He was staring at me. I could feel his gaze. I was practically burning up from head to toe with mortification.

Finally, I stopped in my tracks and found the earbuds that had been tucked in my pocket. I needed to listen to music if I was going to have to put up with his brooding stare.

I slid earbuds into my ears but didn't turn on the music. “What!”

Alec bit his lip and reached up to pull out his earbuds. “I'm just surprised.”

“Do I even want to know?” I stretched my arms.

He moved behind me and gently tugged them into a tighter stretch, then whispered in my ear, “You tripped over your own feet twice yesterday.

“I'm in track.”

His warm chuckle gave me shivers as he moved my arms behind my back and crossed them so that my shoulders and chest were getting a better stretch.

“That explains the body.”

“What?” I jerked away from him and turned around.

“Your body.” He looked me up from head to toe, then met my gaze. “You have long legs.”

The way he said it, almost in reverence. Confused, I squinted at him. Normally, guys said things like you're hot, or nice bod.

Instead, he just complimented the length of my legs like I was some sort of giant. I wasn't sure why I felt a blush coming on.

Maybe it was because his compliment didn't make me feel objectified, but more special. I seriously needed to get out more.

“What?” Alec grinned. I hated it when he smiled at me like that. As if I was his sun, moon, and stars. When clearly, that was not the case.

“You can't just walk around saying things like that to girls.”

“Just did.” He shrugged. “But I guess in a way you're right. I shouldn't say things like that to my brother's girl. There's rules for that and all.”

Irritated, I glared at him and grabbed my phone to change songs. “I'm not his girl.”

Alec whistled. “Don't tell him that. Plus, I saw the two of you last night.”

“Studying?” Why was I so hopeful that he didn't see us later that night?

“At the beach,” Alec confirmed, his eyes narrowing before he broke out into another earth-shattering grin. “But it's cool. Demetri likes you.

“Look.” Alec sat on the edge of the fence near the boardwalk. “I want to be your friend. I'm not going to lie and say I'm not angry that my brother got to you first.

“But I'll overlook your obvious lack of good judgment if you promise you'll come to me if you need anything. Okay?”

I nodded slowly, my heart thumping way too loud for us to be in the friend zone or any zone near it.

“Cool.” He grabbed my phone. “Justin Bieber, Nat? Really?”

I felt myself flush. “It's good running music!”

“I'm a little hurt. Are we even on here?” My worst nightmares were coming true as he scrolled through the playlist.

“Give me that!” I lunged for him. Unlike his brother, he wasn't okay with allowing a girl to win. He held me off with one arm. I kicked. He only laughed harder.

“No way! You love me!” He jumped up and down and waved his hands in the air. This was not the Alec I knew. The Alec I knew brooded. What the heck?

“Give that back.” Teeth clenched, I held out my hand.

“Are you blushing?” he teased.

“No, I'm just, winded.” Lame answer, Nat. Lame answer!

“I like this playlist best too.”

I cursed and looked down at my phone. When he handed it back to me, it was on the playlist marked Crush.

I wanted to kill him.

“Want me to sing to you right now?” he asked, amusement making his eyes twinkle more than usual.

“No, I kind of want to jump into the ocean and drown myself though.”

“I'm not worth it, and neither is Justin Bieber. Don't let me see that crap on your run mix again.” He put his earbuds in.

I reached for his phone, but he had it in his pocket before I could snatch it. “What do you listen to?”

“Myself, of course.” He laughed as he set the pace for our run back.

“Doubt it.”

“Wanna bet?” He stopped.

“Yup.” I knew the guy probably had himself on his playlist; it only made sense, but I highly doubted he actually listened to himself sing. That would be vain, and he didn't seem the type.

“Fine. I win, you have to go to Evan's party with me next Friday. You win, I'll let you drive my car for a week.”

“What kind of car?” I asked. I was skeptical since I hadn't seen either of their rides over the past week. Then again, I hadn't exactly stalked them like the rest of the student body.

“What kind of car do you think I drive?”

I liked this side of Alec, the playful one. He reminded me of Demetri, only more devastating.

I'm sure any girl on the opposite end of that smile would willingly throw their V card, no questions asked. “I'm guessing you drive something classy, dark.

“Hmm, black Mercedes, tinted windows?” As I watched the sweat trickle down his cheek, I could almost pretend like he was a normal person… almost. My comfort level with Alec had definitely changed.

“Not even close, but it's nice. I promise.”

“Fine.” I held out my hand. “Hand it over.”

He placed the phone in my hands. I gasped. He really was listening to himself, but it didn't say AD2; it said Alec Daniels.

“What's this?”

He shrugged.

I unplugged his earphones and slipped mine in.

The music wasn't the usual techno that the guys were famous for. It was… raw. It made me want to cry. My heart lurched when his voice reached the high notes.

It was an acoustic track, and then the music stopped and he was talking about changing the verse. The music started again and his voice reached the same painful heights that made me tremble.

Shaking, I handed the phone back. “Is that going on your next album?”

“Nope.” He laughed bitterly. “That will never see the light of day. Not if my brother has anything to do with it.”

“Why?” I blurted.

He shrugged. Should have known he wouldn't give me any details. “So this party…” He placed his phone back in his pocket. “I'll pick you up at seven.”

I rolled my eyes. “A bet's a bet.”

“Yes, it is.” Alec said, starting to run again. I followed him. We ended the run in silence. He waved as he ran inside. I might be late for my school meeting, but it was all worth it.

Mom had yet again fallen asleep in her office.

I yelled goodbye.

Silence greeted me.

I hated being ignored so much, but the only other option would be to charge into her room and share my feelings. I'd rather be ignored than be a client.

Irritated, I jumped into my truck. But for the first time in years, I was excited for school.

I just hated that it was Alec's face that came into my head, not Demetri's. I turned on the radio to distract me, and rolled my eyes as one of AD2's infamous songs began to play.

Alec's voice was first. I only knew that because I'd seen the music video. I hated that while Demetri was the one irritating the crap out of me, Alec was the one I was curious about.

It had to be the whole hard-to-get thing, not to mention he was brooding. Girls liked brooding. I got to school and tried to push the thoughts of the guys out of my head. Math.