Chapter 10
Iyawned, my jaw cracking as I sat in the back of the SUV. Bellamy and Texas sat up front, but Bellamy seemed to be the only one even half awake. I was pretty sure I could hear Texas snoring from his seat. The haze of the early morning dawn was a blur to my eyes as I stared, unblinking, out the window at the passing cars andbuildings.
“No one ever told me we’d be getting up at the asscrack of dawn,” Icommented.
Bellamy flicked a gaze up at the rearview mirror. “You must really be tired,” hesaid.
“Why do you say that?” I asked. I couldn’t dispute it. Right then, another yawn swept through me nearly breaking my face in half. It left me blinking furiously through clumped lashes and teary, tired eyes. I sniffed and turned to face him through the mirror aswell.
He shrugged. “You nevercuss.”
“I cuss sometimes,” I said. “It’s not like I think it’s a badthing.”
“No, I guess not,” hereplied.
Texas snorted and shifted in his seat and I shook my head, returning my gaze to the window. I had no clue where my “extra training” would be held, but Bellamy had shown up at my door that morning with a cup of coffee in hand and told me to dress comfortably. The coffee hadn’t done much, but at least I had heeded him. I was dressed down in a pair of slimming nylon running pants and a soft, dark green t-shirt. Both Bellamy and Texas were dressed in dark gray sweatpants and matching black t-shirts that simply read,Staff.
Soon enough we pulled up to what looked like a large soccer field. My eyes scrunched down in confusion, but I didn’t say anything as Bellamy parked in a gravel lot next to several other cars. I couldn’t even tell what we were doing based on the rest of the cars. There were beaten up pick-up trucks, but there were also a few expensive looking convertibles and classic impalas. I got out next to Texas’ door and realized he was stillsleeping.
I shook my head and, with a sigh, gently opened his door. He started when his head slipped off of the window. “Are we there?” He asked around ayawn.
“Yea.” I looked around. “Whereverthereis.”
Texas didn’t reply. Instead, he unclipped his seatbelt and rolled out of the SUV. I turned away and headed towards the back of the SUV where Bellamy waited. I could hear Texas stretching out the kinks in his muscles behind us. I checked my phone and it told me that it was just nearing 8am.
“You won’t need that while you’re here,” Bellamy said, holding his hand out. “If you want, I’ll takeit.”
“Uh, can I just put it in the car?” Iasked.
Texas or Knix I wouldn’t mind holding my phone, but because I knew there were still texts from Grayson on there, I didn’t want Bellamy to get mad if he saw them. Not that he would go looking through my phone. Oh geez. I hoped he didn’t think that I thought that. But he onlyshrugged.
I slipped my phone into the pocket on the back of the front passenger seat and shut the door as Bellamy locked it with the key fob. Texas rushed by, his hand coming out and slapping my ass as he passed by. I whirled around and glowered at him. He laughed and ran straight around Bellamy. I walked at a slower pace, continuing my seethingglare.
“Looks like he’s awake,” I grumbled as I stepped up next toBellamy.
Bellamy laughed. “Looks like it.” He looked down at me. “Come on,” he said, “let’s getgoing.”
“Going?” Iasked.
He turned me so that I faced the same direction that Texas had gone. “Start running,” hesaid.
I groaned but did as he told me to. I followed after Texas, and Bellamy kept pace with me. I didn’t know where we were running to, but eventually we found an actual running trail in the woods alongside the soccer field. The guys didn’t letup.
I didn’t know how long we had been at it when Texas finally slowed enough that we were all running alongside each other. Bellamy cut a glance over at Texas. “How much further do you think?” Bellamyasked.
Texas huffed. “Probably not much further. We’ve already bypassed the first stopping point. We should catch up to themsoon.”
“Catch up to who?” Ipanted.
Sweat beaded on my temples and rolled down my face. I was glad I had managed to put my hair up in a ponytail before we left. I could feel the sticky strands on my nape plastered to myskin.
“You’ll see,” Bellamy said with asmirk.
I huffed but was too out of breath to really argue. I could have stopped and demanded they tell me where we were going and who we were catching up to, but I had a feeling that if I stopped, they wouldn’t stop with me. So, I keptgoing.
Around another bend in the running trail, the woods opened up to another field without soccer goals or much of anything other than flat land and a large group of people in exercise gear, just standing around. When the guys suddenly slowed, I followed suit. We came to a full stop not more than a couple of yards from the group and Bellamy took my hand, leading me around the center mass ofpeople.
“Max!” Bellamy called out, waving to someone I couldn’t see. I tried to push up on my toes to see over the heads of the others, but it was no use. I scrunched up my nose and Bellamynoticed.