the pantry and ran outside to meet him.
Jamie was standing at the door, his arm raised and poised to knock. He startled slightly when I opened the door so suddenly.
"Hey, Jace," Jamie greeted, a broad smile forming on his lips.
I put my finger to my lips to shush him. "Oma's sleeping."
"So's the rest of the world," Jamie whispered back, still smiling.
I smiled. He was a good friend to indulge me by coming over to run so early. He had black mesh shorts on and a bright green t-shirt. A white bandana covered his blond hair which was pulled back into a ponytail again. He still wasn't wearing his glasses and he held a stainless steel coffee mug.
"Nice shirt. Is it bright enough?" I teased.
"This?" he asked, pulling out the bottom hem in recognition. "I have one brighter, but I didn't want to overdo it."
"Yes, quite an understatement." I laughed and Jamie smiled broadly.
I started stretching, first my shins and calves and then my hamstrings and quadriceps. Jamie just sipped his coffee, watching me.
"It's going to be another beautiful day today," Jamie stated, nonchalantly taking another sip of coffee from his mug.
"Yeah, you're right," I agreed, looking up from my stretch. I didn't really want to make small talk right now. I just wanted to finish my stretching so we could start our run. When I was done stretching, I stood up. Placing my hands on my hips, I leaned back to stretch my back. Jamie was right. It was going to be another beautiful day. The sky was a pale blue with hints of pink and orange from the rising sun. The sky was completely cloudless. A slight breeze was blowing bringing goose bumps up and down my arms and legs. I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes. The cool air filled my lungs, burning slightly. Jamie laughed again, still sipping coffee.
Opening my eyes, I looked at Jamie. He was staring at me, a twinkle of humor and mischief sparkling in his eyes. I noticed their beautiful and unique color. They were smoky blue, a color that reminded me of the lake just after a rough storm. Cocking my head slightly to the side, I asked, "Where's your glasses, four-eyes?"
"You like?" Jamie said, striking a mock pose, both of his hands on his hips. "They're called contacts."
"I know what contacts are," I answered.
"I'm trying to get used to them. Thought they'd be easier for football."
"Well, they look nice. I mean, if you're going for the big goofball look," I joked in return.
With mock surprise on his face, Jamie replied, "Why yes, I am. So relived that I have achieved the look I'm going for."
We smiled at each other, enjoying a moment of silence. But this time, the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was a warm and soothing just to be with Jamie. He never required too much attention or expected too much from me. It was okay just to be me. And likewise, it was okay for him to just be him. I finally broke the silence. "Ready?" The word sounded so loud and obtrusive. Jamie just nodded in response, a smile still on his lips.
I took a couple gulps from the bottled water I had been holding. Jamie placed his mug on the steps of the front porch, and I followed his lead, placing my bottled water next to his mug.
"Aren't you going to stretch at all?" I asked.
Jamie flexed his arms in front of him stretching his back and shoulder muscles. "Ahhh," he groaned with exaggeration, "All done."
Rolling my eyes in response, I said, "Let's go, hotshot."
I led the two of us down the same path I had run the day before. Town was still pretty sleepy this Sunday morning. There were very few vehicles on the road and the only business open in the little downtown was the family-owned restaurant; Jameson's. As we ran past Jameson's, I could smell the delicious aroma of their homemade cinnamon rolls. My mouth watered at the smell and my stomach growled with hunger. Jamie must have felt the same thing. "We are definitely stopping there after our run. My treat," he added.
"You're on," I panted back, my voice acknowledging the
Jamie was standing at the door, his arm raised and poised to knock. He startled slightly when I opened the door so suddenly.
"Hey, Jace," Jamie greeted, a broad smile forming on his lips.
I put my finger to my lips to shush him. "Oma's sleeping."
"So's the rest of the world," Jamie whispered back, still smiling.
I smiled. He was a good friend to indulge me by coming over to run so early. He had black mesh shorts on and a bright green t-shirt. A white bandana covered his blond hair which was pulled back into a ponytail again. He still wasn't wearing his glasses and he held a stainless steel coffee mug.
"Nice shirt. Is it bright enough?" I teased.
"This?" he asked, pulling out the bottom hem in recognition. "I have one brighter, but I didn't want to overdo it."
"Yes, quite an understatement." I laughed and Jamie smiled broadly.
I started stretching, first my shins and calves and then my hamstrings and quadriceps. Jamie just sipped his coffee, watching me.
"It's going to be another beautiful day today," Jamie stated, nonchalantly taking another sip of coffee from his mug.
"Yeah, you're right," I agreed, looking up from my stretch. I didn't really want to make small talk right now. I just wanted to finish my stretching so we could start our run. When I was done stretching, I stood up. Placing my hands on my hips, I leaned back to stretch my back. Jamie was right. It was going to be another beautiful day. The sky was a pale blue with hints of pink and orange from the rising sun. The sky was completely cloudless. A slight breeze was blowing bringing goose bumps up and down my arms and legs. I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes. The cool air filled my lungs, burning slightly. Jamie laughed again, still sipping coffee.
Opening my eyes, I looked at Jamie. He was staring at me, a twinkle of humor and mischief sparkling in his eyes. I noticed their beautiful and unique color. They were smoky blue, a color that reminded me of the lake just after a rough storm. Cocking my head slightly to the side, I asked, "Where's your glasses, four-eyes?"
"You like?" Jamie said, striking a mock pose, both of his hands on his hips. "They're called contacts."
"I know what contacts are," I answered.
"I'm trying to get used to them. Thought they'd be easier for football."
"Well, they look nice. I mean, if you're going for the big goofball look," I joked in return.
With mock surprise on his face, Jamie replied, "Why yes, I am. So relived that I have achieved the look I'm going for."
We smiled at each other, enjoying a moment of silence. But this time, the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was a warm and soothing just to be with Jamie. He never required too much attention or expected too much from me. It was okay just to be me. And likewise, it was okay for him to just be him. I finally broke the silence. "Ready?" The word sounded so loud and obtrusive. Jamie just nodded in response, a smile still on his lips.
I took a couple gulps from the bottled water I had been holding. Jamie placed his mug on the steps of the front porch, and I followed his lead, placing my bottled water next to his mug.
"Aren't you going to stretch at all?" I asked.
Jamie flexed his arms in front of him stretching his back and shoulder muscles. "Ahhh," he groaned with exaggeration, "All done."
Rolling my eyes in response, I said, "Let's go, hotshot."
I led the two of us down the same path I had run the day before. Town was still pretty sleepy this Sunday morning. There were very few vehicles on the road and the only business open in the little downtown was the family-owned restaurant; Jameson's. As we ran past Jameson's, I could smell the delicious aroma of their homemade cinnamon rolls. My mouth watered at the smell and my stomach growled with hunger. Jamie must have felt the same thing. "We are definitely stopping there after our run. My treat," he added.
"You're on," I panted back, my voice acknowledging the
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