Page 27 of Chasing Wild Heart

Little minx.

"Other people are touching Perry!" I whine, pointing to a few guests with sticky fingers.

Juni rolls her eyes before giving me a nod of approval. "It's been sealed so many times with a ton of different sealers that no one can really ruin it. Except with fingerprints."

"I seriously cannot believe you created this masterpiece," I breathe in awe, my finger tracing over the bumps and ridges of the suckers on a tentacle.

As a physical therapist, I marvel at the complexities of the human body. How everything is connected. The way the body heals, moves, and responds. But to create a piece of art from a concept? Using every day resources? That's simply another level of amazement.

"So, how do you keep Perry?" I ask, realizing she can't walk out of the building with an entire wall under her arm.

"I don't," Juni answer with a casual shrug. "He'll remain here for the rest of the school year, but then he'll get torn down."

A mix of outrage, confusion, and sadness drifts inside me. Why create something so magnificent for a short period? Perry deserves to live on the wall for more than a year.

"Really? That's kinda sad."

"Yeah, it is," she agrees ruefully. "But I also understand. Even beautiful things don't last forever."

Something inside me breaks, as my heart picks up speed for no good reason. The idea of someone swinging a sledgehammer at her labor of love sounds cruel, but she accepts Perry's fate without a second thought. Or without a fight.

Am I even talking about Perry at this point? I don't know.

"Dash?" Her soft voice pulls me from my spiral, and I see the concern in her eyes.

I want to tell her I'm fine. To shake off the odd feeling twisting viciously inside me. But I can't. Not with the room closing in and the air alarmingly hot and dry.

I want to stay with her. Support her. But my instincts tell me to run.

“Even beautiful things don't last forever.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, gently pressing my lips to her cheek. “But I gotta go.”

I don't give her a chance to respond before turning and walking away.

Isitonawooden bench somewhere in a botanical garden I didn't even know existed on campus. Feels right to drown myself in shame and regret.

My sisters routinely called me an "arrogant jackass" during arguments when we were younger. I always believed they threw out those words to be mean, thinking they hurt my feelings. I never thought they actually meant it.

But I really am an arrogant jackass.

The chill of the evening and the fresh air make me breathe easier, but the sad ache in my chest remains.

The narrow cobblestone path weaving through the garden must be a shortcut as the sound of occasional footsteps tells me I'm not alone. I appreciate passersby leaving me alone in my pathetic state. My legs cocked open. My forearms resting on my knees. My head hanging with too many emotions to count.

That's why I love running so much. I felt absolutely nothing once my feet hit the ground. The world sort of faded. I couldn't hear my parents screaming at each other. Or my sisters crying in fear. My struggles in school didn't matter. Or my girlfriend's delusions of our futures.

Of course, all those issues patiently waited for me at the finish line, but for a brief time, I was happy to escape. To lose myself. To sweat under the blazing sun. To battle the unbroken winds. I was happy to run until I couldn't.

“Even beautiful things don't last forever.”

Even with all the other floral scents surrounding me, I immediately recognize hers. A soft and simple mix of jasmine and sweet lemon.

I don't lift my head when a pair of gray boots drops into view. She stands silently, gently weaving her fingers through my hair.

I sigh softly, wrapping my arms around her waist and burying my face in the softness of her belly.

How did she become my anchor? The one who soothes my soul?

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