Page 60 - In Five Years

Chapter Nine

“Hi. Wow.” I scramble to my feet, shoving my sandwich back into the bag.
“What are you doing down here?”
He’s wearing a blue T-shirt and khaki pants, a brown leather messenger bag

slung over his chest.
“It’s my weekend bike route.” He gestures to his bag, shakes his head. “No,
Bella actually sent me on an errand this morning.”

“Oh yeah?”
Aaron unclips his helmet. The line of his hair is wet and matted down with
sweat. “You seem to be feeling better.”

I put my hands on my hips. “I am.”
He smiles. “Good. You want to come?”
“Where?”

He scoots himself closer. “I’m looking at an apartment.”
Of course he is. I didn’t need a Google search. I just needed Aaron to show

up, right now, and lead me there.
“Let me guess,” I say. “Plymouth Street?”
“Close,” he says. “Bridge.”
This is insane. This is not happening. “Yes,” I say. “I’ll come.”

“Great.”
He loops his helmet over his handlebars and we start walking.

“You’re a runner?” he asks me.
“I used to be,” I say. I can feel the sting in my left knee and hip as we walk, a
product of not enough stretching, and no squats before taking off.
“I know. I don’t get on my bike as much as I’d like anymore, either.”

“Why isn’t Bella here?” I ask.