Cherry Red Summer (Emely and Elyas Book 1) by Carina Bartsch Page B

to get me to date!”
    “No, you’re the one with the problem, not me!”
    “No, Alex doesn’t have a boyfriend either.”
    “Yes, she’s still alive.”
    “Mom! Stop, you’re driving me crazy!”
    “I couldn’t care less whose mother you ran into at the bake sale for African orphans!”
    “Ye s . . . I know . . . ”
    “Everything’s fine at school.”
    “No, you don’t need to send any money. How’s Dad?”
    “I see,” I said, smiling. “Tell him I said hi.”
    “Hey, don’t be mad, Mom, but I still need to fit in a jog today.”
    “Yes, I want to go jogging—”
    “It’s not that hot . . . ”
    “No, I won’t trip!”
    “All right then, take it easy, and I’ll talk to you soon.”
    “Yea h . . . bye.”
    “No, I definitely won’t be getting to know anyone there!”
    “Yes, I kno w . . . bye.”
    I hung up with a loud sigh. My mother was going to be the end of me one day. That much was sure.
    After our phone call, I lay on my bed for quite a while. Once I recovered and started to think about going for a jog, suddenly a thousand reasons popped in my head for putting it off until tomorrow. But, no, I thought, forcing myself to sit up. There was no getting out of finally doing something about the deplorable condition I was in. I had gotten up this morning determined to go for a jog, and, dammit, I was going through with it.
    Resolved, I struggled off the bed and walked over to the closet. After I changed, I pulled my hair back and grabbed my iPod. I slid it into the pocket of my running shorts, looked around one last time, and left my room as fast as possible before I could have second thoughts.
    When I hit the humidity, I hesitated again. It was way too hot to exercise outside, but who knew when I would feel inspired to try again. That’s why I wanted to carry through with it today, no matter what.
    I planned to start the jog in a nearby park, and I was already sweating profusely by the time I made it there. This was my first day jogging, so with steely determination I set aside any sign of lethargy, switched on my iPod, and stuck the earbuds into my ears. I picked Bob Marley because reggae was the perfect pace for my speed. While stretching, I sang softly along to “Redemption Song,” whose theme of emancipation from the limits of the mind fit the situation perfectly, and then I took a deep breath and started jogging in slow motion.
    A narrow gravel pathway wove all through the park, and even though the onlookers in the park were still too many for my tastes, I was glad the hot weather seemed to have diminished their numbers. I tried to block everything else out and focus solely on my feet. Just act like you know what you’re doing , I told myself, struggling onward.
    Easier said than done, of course. Before long, my legs started feeling like I’d run a marathon. Unfortunately, my watch confirmed that my perception had little to do with reality, because I’d been jogging for only seven minutes.
    Right, left, right, left, I thought, clenching my teeth and forcing my legs to stick to it. Could I be so out of shape that I was out of breath after only a few minutes? No. I wouldn’t allow it! I doggedly stared at the ground, and I refused to let my lack of vigor conquer me again. I had to at least show it who was boss. Today was the day!
    Unfortunately, my lack of vigor had a trump card up its sleeve, and it was all too happy to play it. Very soon I noticed an awful pain in my thighs. I cursed to myself. But when I looked up to see how far I had gotten toward my objective, I stopped dead in my tracks. I was looking right into two turquoise-green eyes, whose owner was casually jogging toward me.
    For God’s sake. I couldn’t believe it. Why was I always crossing paths with him?
    His lips were moving, but thanks to my music I couldn’t make out his undoubtedly glorious words. Elyas with the sound off was substantially more tolerable.
    I stubbornly walked on, ignoring his sign