Flee Read Online Free PDF

sad. “I haven’t had a running partner in a while. It was nice to not be alone.”
    â€œAnytime,” I replied, wondering at her statement. “I enjoyed it as well. I’m used to running by myself or being trailed by Hector.”
    Too. Much. Information. So far I was really failing to follow my own guidelines. Why was I finding that so hard around her? I had once kept from my father for over a year the fact that I was the one who had wrecked his jeep, despite multiple questionings and having to wear long sleeves in the summer for a month to hide my bruises. Why did I fight to filter my words around Blake?
    â€œI’m guessing Hector's a dog?” She turned to look at me, eyes wary, but otherwise calm. Much more relaxed than before her run.
    â€œYeah, something like that.” Hector was the unfortunate bodyguard assigned to protect me. He had been my shadow since I was ten, and for several years I had made it my duty to ditch him. But he was unditchable and I had finally given up, growing used to him being in the background of so many of my memories or trailing behind me on my runs. Somewhere along the line, he had even become a good friend. He was also one of my soccer team’s biggest fans. I owed him for keeping me safe, and he owed me for introducing him to exercise and helping him shed twenty pounds. Now that we were here, I realized that I missed him. And worried about him. What had he been reassigned to do? Blake reached up to tighten her ponytail, and the rising sun shone on her head, accentuating her blond highlights. And just like that, I forgot all about Hector.
    â€œHow often do you run before school?” The morning was peaceful and filled with Blake’s beauty. I didn’t want it to end. I’ve lived a sheltered life . Of course I already knew that, but I hadn’t realized how it set me up to fall for the first girl willing to talk with me. I resolved to talk with many girls that day, as well as getting to know the guys. I obviously needed some balance.
    Blake bent to stretch her legs before she replied, her pony-tail now flopping down and obscuring her face. But I didn’t need to see it to know she was sad. Her voice gave her away. “I used to run with my dad almost every morning before school, either here on this track or on the Town Lake trails. Now I usually run in the afternoon or evenings in my neighborhood. Today was my first morning run since…” she stopped. Stood. Her lips trembled until she bit her lower one to stop it. I waited as she worked to regain her calm demeanor. After a few seconds, she continued.
    â€œAnyway, it was sort of a goal of mine to do this for a while now, and when I woke up this morning it just seemed like the right time. Then I arrived and chickened out, so I started juggling instead. I’d probably be there still if you hadn’t shown up. I guess it was serendipitous.”
    I raised my eyebrows. “Serendipitous?”
    â€œYeah, it’s a big word. You can look it up later.” Her eyes twinkled for a moment, then darkened again with sorrow.
    â€œYour dad’s gone?” I guessed softly, carefully watching her reaction and hoping I wasn’t probing too much. I knew what it was like to bear painful memories. Sometimes it helped to share them and sometimes it didn’t.
    â€œBoth of my parents died in February,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible. Tears filled her beautiful green eyes, making them almost glow. “I think that’s the first time I’ve admitted that out loud since it happened. I suppose that’s what Mary would call progress.” Big tears now steadily rolled down her face. I couldn’t just stand there. I pulled her into my arms in a tight hug and held her as she began to sob. So that was the source of her pain. I didn’t know how to make that better, so I just held on and gently rubbed her back, wishing my strength on