"So, how was it?"
It was four in the morning, and Geo was already up and about, asking me how my short date went. He was sounding more like Jazz each passing day. It wasn't a wonder they got along so well.
"It's four AM, Geo. Please tell me we're not having breakfast this early."
"We are. It's Drill Day. Did you forget?"
"Drill Day?" I asked. I couldn't remember…Oh, fuck.
BRIS held an annual Drill Day. It was a whole day of training the athletes – collectively at first, and then separately for appropriateness. Jazz had mentioned it to me a few days ago and it slipped my mind.
I sat up slowly and yawned, mumbling as I asked him where I was to meet him.
"You there?"
"Where am I gonna meet you?" I asked, getting off the bed and scratching my head. I hadn't been getting enough sleep lately. If I wasn't working on that photo wall with my laptop, I was in bed, thinking about that same photo wall. Kinda exhausting, actually.
"Out your window."
At first I thought he was kidding, but when nothing came after that statement, I froze. "You're serious?"
"I'm always serious."
I ran to check if he was where he said he was, and found him leaning against a tree, waving at me with a grin. He was bringing a brown paper bag with him. I smiled, and when he burst into a laugh, I kind of laughed with him and waved my hand.
"Breakfast in ten minutes, lazy head," he said, and then hung up on me.
For the first time in a lot of years, I actually liked being woken up this early.
* * * *
I wore a pair of running shoes, a pair of black sweat pants and a white shirt. I wasn't going to train with the athletes, but Geo looked stunning in his white active wear. It wasn't so we'd be matchy-matchy and everything, but it was so I wouldn't be out of place. Not that I cared about fitting in, but sometimes, it felt like the world called for me to.
Geo was already eating his share when I arrived less than twenty minutes later at World Park – our usual spot, of course. I liked it there for the reason that it seemed the quietest. It was overlooking the manmade lagoon and the trees were nearer to each other that shade wasn't really a problem.
Geo's hair was still wet from his morning shower and he smelled of musk. I hadn't had the privilege of being around that many guys, especially ones who had just gone out of the shower, but I was certain that he was by far the most attractive. Smell wise. Did that even make sense?
What I did know, though, was that he was a beauty like his brother. I would normally attribute my attraction to Geo most to the fact that I still had some feelings left for Matt. But even if they were identical-looking, I still found them completely different in so many features. Or perhaps it was their presence that were different.
Matt kept a mystery to him, which always caught Reagan girls off-guard. That was how he caught me. Being around him was like being near a vortex, sucking you in, while leaving you in a trance.
Geo, on the other hand, was an exploding ball of endorphins. He sucked you in, the same way that Matt did, but he always left you feeling great. Like your day had turned a little brighter and your problem, a little lighter. That was him.
"What are we having?" I sat, taking my cup of coffee from him.
I was getting used to this kind of friendship. It was different. Even my past two relationships weren't as spontaneous as this; weren't as sweet.
"Crackers."
"What?" I complained. I was hungry! I barely ate at dinner with Matt last night. Well, that wasn't Geo's fault since he had prepared a lot for us, but I expected breakfast to be as hearty.
He handed me a pack of white crackers. "We're going for a jog. I just don't want you to be there with an empty stomach."
"I'm not jogging with you guys. I'll be taking pictures of those who'll pass by." I took a sip of the coffee. "I'll move from time to time."
"You know, I'm going to practice biking today, so I figured…"
He sat up and turned his attention to something from behind me, his smile becoming a bit wider. I turned to my back, curious, and widened my eyes at the most unlikely surprise.
Detention with him wasn't really like detention. It was better. It was like going out with him, but never really dating. Like having him, without really giving myself in return. And I wanted it that way, no matter how selfish that sounded, because I knew that I could enjoy his company, that we could be in some kind of rhythm that didn't involve an ending where I'd get hurt.
Hans and Greg were coming on mountain bikes. It didn't look like they'd be using those during the morning drills, so I figured immediately that they were for us.
I turned to Geo, and he wiggled his eyebrows at me, grinning like this was one great idea on top of his crazy head. I laughed. I couldn't remember the last time I rode a mountain bike. I sure hoped I wouldn't fall off of it, or I wouldn't be able to live up to it.
"I can't believe you're letting her ride on her own," Greg said. He stopped right by us, while Hans did a few simple tricks with his bike.
Geo took the bike from Greg. "Zoey can handle herself."
Hans rode toward us and stopped by my side. He helped me on my feet and handed me the beautiful machine, grinning as he watched me touch the handlebars.
"This is amazing," I whispered, slinging a leg over the seat.
"Yes, and that's not mine. That's my sister's. So please take care of it," Hans said.
I slung my backpack to my shoulders and stepped on the pedal. It appeared to fit me well. It was just a matter of having the courage to ride it.
Greg took a cracker from the paper bag and turned to Geo, almost whispering, "Have they called you?"
Geo shook his head and looked at me. "We'll talk about that later."
The way Geo turned to me that moment told me there was something he wasn't telling me. Sure, I had no right to always know what went on in his life, but the way he glanced at me also told me that I shouldn't know a thing. Like it should be kept, no matter the cost. Now, whether or not I wanted to find it out, I had yet to decide.
"Shall we go?" Geo threw me a half-genuine smile.
I nodded, smiled the same way, and pedalled off to the BRIS Sports Complex, where many of the athletes had already began stretching.
Geo was using me; that had been clear from the very beginning. But why did I have the feeling that there was more to the story than he chose to tell me?