Page 27 of Only When We Fall

She doesn’t even notice me at first.

I stay still, hidden in plain sight, pretending to adjust my laces while trying to piece myself back together. She looks so at ease with him.

Then she spots me. And for half a second, her smile falters, but then she turns her attention straight back to Landon and keeps running.

“Morning,” I call, casually as I can manage.

Emmie slows just a touch, eyes narrowing. “You again,” Emmie says, pulling out one earbud. Landon clocks me and smirks.

“Yeah. Turns out I’m fully committed to this new healthy lifestyle,” I say, falling into pace beside them.

Landon raises a brow. “You run this early often?”

“Every day this week,” I lie smoothly. “Gotta keep the heart rate up.”

“I’m surprised you even have a heart,” Emmie mutters.

I smile at that. That’s the Emmie I know; sharp tongue, zero bullshit. “Mind if I tag along?” I ask, looking at her, not him.

She glances between us. “It’s a public path.”

“Perfect,” I say, picking up my stride to match hers. “I could use the motivation.”

Landon speeds up slightly, he’s turning this into a challenge.Cool.I’ve played worse games. I fall into step, ignoring the burn in my legs and the tension riding my shoulders.

Chapter Nine

Emmie

I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel. When I go into the bedroom, I notice my phone is lit up, so I pick it up and see the text from Kai.

Kai: Truth 2. There’s a video of me somewhere, age 6, doing an interpretive dance to a Celine Dion song. Arms flailing. It’s pure emotion because I put my all into that performance. My aunt still brings it out to ruin me at family gatherings.

I smile, even though I shouldn’t. But Kai is true to his word, this time at least. Because he keeps showing up to convince me he’s changed. Of course, I know he hasn’t. He’s resisted a party or two this week, but come tonight, Friday, I know without a doubt he’ll be half naked with some random, whilst drinking shots and smoking weed.

My phone vibrates and I smile as Ava’s name dances across the screen. I accept the video call and balance my phone on the nightstand whilst I get comfy on the bed.

“Oh my God, you look so tanned,” she announces with a bright smile.

I laugh. “I’ve been running every morning.”

“You look great, Emmie.”

“How’s things?” I ask.

“Same old.Obviously.But I want to know about Kai bloody Banks. What the hell are you both doing in York?”

I groan, dramatically. I haven’t had a chance to speak with her until now and so I’ve been texting updates. “Coincidence or stalker?” I ask and she laughs. I sigh, “He was just as surprised to see me, Ava. But I haven’t asked him what he’s doing here.”

“Who would have thought Kai would go to Uni. What’s he studying?”

“Sports science, or management, or something.”

“You mean you haven’t managed to ask him on all these runs?”

I laugh again, this time shaking my head. “I try not to speak to him.”

“Still, the boy’s committed if he’s meeting you every morning for that kind of punishment.”

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