Page 26 of Only When We Fall

He throws his piece of toast on the plate, groaning. “Man, it went from chilled, to messy, in minutes. I swear that never usually happens.”

“Someone mentioned an orgy?”

He grins wider. “I left the second shit got real. I’m all for sex but groups isn’t my thing. And where did you go?”

“Home. We’ve been partying since we got here,” I say, finally admitting it out loud. “I’m over it. I’m tired of pretending it’s still fun.”

Relief flashes across Seb’s face. “Thank God. If I have to do one more shot, I swear I’ll throw myself into traffic.”

I laugh hard, because I was bracing for him to mock me or ignore me and list the next event. But he gets it. And just likethat, the weight I’ve been carrying, of acting like someone I’m not, starts to lift. Now maybe I can be the man Emmie deserves.

It’s an early start, but Emmie’s class begins at nine and I know she runs beforehand. I had to flirt shamelessly with the office girl to get a copy of her timetable, just to put myself in her path.

When I finally spot her jogging toward me, I turn my back and start stretching like I’ve been at it for ages. I’m breathing as though I’ve run a marathon. As she passes, she doesn’t break stride. I sigh and break into a jog to catch up.

“Morning,” I say, trying to sound casual.

She glances over, tugging out one earbud. “What are you doing?”

I flash a grin. “Just enjoying a morning run.”

She checks her watch. “At half seven?”

“Yep. Trying to get healthy.”

“Good for you,” she mutters, then picks up her pace, trying to leave me in the dust.

I push harder until I’m beside her again. “I could really use a running partner.”

“There’s a running club. Student Union have a sign-up sheet.”

“I was actually thinking something more one-on-one.”

She gives me a look. “I run to clear my head, Kai. Not clutter it.”

Direct hit.I huff a breath, still jogging beside her. “Okay, fair. But what if I promised not to talk?”

She shoots me a dry look. “That’d be a first.”

I laugh, even though it stings. “You’re brutal this early in the morning.”

“I’m always brutal with people who play games.”

Her pace quickens again, and for a second, I consider letting her go. Just watching her disappear down the path like Iprobably deserve. But I don’t. I push myself to match her, my heart pounding.

“I’m not playing games anymore,” I say, quieter this time. She doesn’t look at me. Just keeps moving. But I see the slightest flicker in her jaw, she’s biting back a reply. “Look,” I say, breath ragged now, “you don’t have to forgive me. Hell, you don’t even have to talk to me. But I’ll keep showing up until you believe I’m serious.”

Emmie slows to a stop and finally turns to face me, sweat on her brow, her breath steady but sharp. “I don’t want to believe anything, Kai,” she says, her voice flat. “Believing you was a mistake the first time.”

And with that, she pops her earbud back in and takes off again. I watch her go, with my hands on my hips, and lungs burning.

The following day, I show up early again. It’s barely seven-thirty, and the air is sharp with that clean morning chill. I stretch like I’m some kind of fitness freak, even though my lungs still haven’t forgiven me for yesterday, but whatever. I’ve faced worse pain than shin splints and bruised pride.

I wait. And then I see her. Except she’s not alone.

Landon’s with her.

They jog side by side, as if it’s something they do every day. She’s laughing at something he says, hair tied back in that messy ponytail that somehow still makes my chest ache. He’s running close, too close, and there’s something about how he leans toward her, how natural it looks, that makes my stomach twist.

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