Travis and Rhonda walked quietly through the park, their conversation light and filled with random topics. Eventually, they reached an empty bench shaded by a tall oak tree. They sat down, the early morning sun casting soft rays through the branches, illuminating Rhonda's face as she wiped a bit of sweat from her brow. Travis stole a glance at her, an idea forming in his mind.
Seeing her dedication to working out sparked a plan—something that might help him get closer to her. The pool idea wasn't much of a guarantee anymore, especially considering how tentative their current relationship was.
He leaned back on the bench, his posture casual but his tone sincere. "Why don't we run together every morning? Maybe even at night if you feel like it?"
Rhonda turned toward him, her expression caught between confusion and surprise. "Huh? Are you serious right now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, of course I am," he replied, flashing her an easy smile. "I mean, you don't have to agree or anything. I was just thinking it'd be nice, you know? We don't spend that much time together, and I figured this could be something fun."
Her heart skipped for a moment, his words catching her off guard. '' He wants to spend time with me?'' she thought, unsure how to interpret his offer.
Rhonda had never really considered that Travis might have an interest in her, not even as a friend, let alone something more.
"Umm," she started hesitantly, her cheeks warming slightly. "Let me think about it first. I'll get back to you."
Travis nodded easily, his smile unwavering. "Alright, no pressure. Well, I better get going. I'll see you later, Rhonda," he said, standing up and stretching his arms.
She watched him walk away, his steps confident and relaxed, and sighed softly. '' What's his deal? Is he really into me, or is this just friendly?'' she wondered, her thoughts swirling.
"I should probably head back too," she murmured, standing up and stretching out her legs before heading in the opposite direction.
Travis arrived back home, the house quiet in the early morning. He went straight to the bathroom, turning on the shower. The steam rose quickly as he stepped under the hot water, letting it relax his muscles after the run.
Afterward, he dried off, changed into some comfortable clothes, and sat at his desk. He pulled up his trading platform, reviewing charts and executing trades for the next hour with focused determination. Once satisfied, he set the laptop aside and began getting ready for school.
Dressed and prepared, he headed downstairs, where the scent of freshly brewed coffee and toast greeted him.
When he arrived, Travis spotted Jenny sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of oats. The sight caught him off guard since she wasn't usually up this early. Curious, he strolled over and slid into the chair next to her.
"Yo," he greeted casually.
Jenny glanced at him briefly, nodded, then turned her focus back to her phone.
"Fuck! What's wrong with these fuckers?!" she muttered under her breath, her frustration palpable as she tossed her phone onto the table with a huff.
Travis arched an eyebrow at her. "What's got your feathers ruffled this fine morning?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.
Jenny turned to him with an irritated scowl. "Mind your damn business, twerp," she snapped.
Travis rolled his eyes and stood, ready to leave her to whatever drama she was tangled in. But before he could step away, Jenny reached out and tugged him back into his seat.
"Wait. Tell me this isn't hot," she said, unlocking her phone and shoving the screen in his face.
Travis blinked, startled, as he realized he was staring at explicit pictures of her. He leaned back, giving her a dubious look.
"Why the hell are you showing me this?" he asked, his tone a mix of confusion and irritation.
Jenny folded her arms and leaned closer, her frown deepening. "Just answer the damn question. Am I hot or not?"
Travis let out a sigh, already annoyed. "Jenny—what? Why are you doing this? You woke up this morning and decided to use me as your personal rating system?" He got up again, ready to leave, but Jenny grabbed his arm, this time with a pleading look.
"Okay, okay, sorry for yelling," she said quickly. "Just—please, sit back down for a second."
Travis eyed her skeptically but sat again. "Alright, fine. What's going on with you this morning?"
Jenny sighed dramatically, placing her phone face down on the table. "I've been using this app to make money by posting my pictures," she admitted, her voice softer now. "It was going great for a while, but the last few days, my income's dropped. I don't get it. I'm the hottest girl alive!"
Travis resisted the urge to laugh at her bold statement and instead raised an eyebrow. "Okay... so, what exactly do you need me to do?"
Jenny glanced around as if ensuring they were alone before continuing. "I need you to rate my pictures—honestly. Compare me to the other hoes on this dumb app and tell me why my numbers are tanking."
Travis groaned internally, rubbing his temples. "Jenny, you really think I'm the guy for this?"
"You're a dude, aren't you?" she retorted. "You know what guys like, right?"
He sighed again, resigned to the absurdity of the situation. "Fine. But you owe me for this."
Jenny smirked, shoving her phone back into his hands. "Deal. Now, get to work."
Travis swiped through the pictures on Jenny's phone, analyzing each one closely. After a few minutes, he sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Oh, so basically, you're not slutty enough," he said, setting the phone down casually.
Jenny's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? What does that even mean?" she snapped, her tone a mix of confusion and annoyance.
"You're not revealing a lot in your pictures," Travis explained, gesturing to the phone. "Compared to everyone else on that app, you look... basic. Like, no offense, but you're not standing out."
Jenny frowned, grabbing the phone and scrolling through the pictures herself. "Huh. I guess that makes sense," she muttered, her tone shifting as the realization hit.
She sat quietly for a moment, contemplating her next move. 'Do I really want money that much? ' she wondered. After a beat, she nodded firmly to herself. ' Fuck yeah, I do.'
Turning toward Travis, she found him just about to take a bite of the toast Debbie had placed in front of him moments ago.
"Hey," Jenny called, grabbing his arm suddenly. "Could you help me for a second?"
Before he could even respond, she yanked him to his feet, dragging him toward the stairs.
Travis turned his head back, staring longingly at his untouched toast as it sat on the table.
' I'll miss you, ' he thought somberly as he was whisked away.
Travis followed Jenny upstairs, his footsteps slow and deliberate as she led him to her bedroom. The soft click of the door locking behind them echoed in the otherwise silent house. Jenny immediately went to her drawer, rummaging through until she pulled out a sleek camera. She held it up, inspecting it for a moment before turning to face him.
'It shouldn't be that hard to take decent pictures,' she thought. 'Or, well, slutty pictures, since that's what those perverts want.'
Jenny handed him the camera without hesitation. "You're taking the pictures. Stand over there while I get ready," she instructed, climbing onto the bed with an air of confidence.
"When did you even get a camera?" Travis asked, turning the device over in his hands, checking its weight and buttons.
"Shut up and do your job," Jenny shot back, shifting into a pose that instantly made Travis's pulse quicken. Her smirk widened as she leaned back, arching her body just enough to emphasize her curves.
Travis tried to focus on the task. The camera clicked as he took the first photo, then another, and another. Jenny moved fluidly between poses, each one more daring than the last, her confidence growing with every flash of the camera. Travis, meanwhile, struggled to keep himself composed.
'As much as I hate her attitude, there's no denying... she's hot,' he thought, feeling his body betray him. He adjusted his stance subtly, trying to hide the growing problem beneath his jeans.
When the photoshoot was over, Jenny hopped off the bed and snatched the camera from him. Her fingers quickly flipped through the images. A satisfied smile crept across her face as she nodded in approval.
"Not bad," she said, her tone unusually calm.
Travis turned, relieved to be free of her antics, but just as he reached for the door, Jenny's voice stopped him.
"Wait."
He turned back, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "What now?"
Jenny's expression wasn't its usual smug self. It was softer, almost... grateful?
"Thanks, okay?" she muttered, her eyes darting away from his.
For a moment, Travis was too stunned to speak. He nodded, deciding not to ruin whatever rare mood she was in.
'Jenny being grateful... didn't think I'd live to see the day,' he thought as he descended the stairs.
Once back in the kitchen, he quickly finished the breakfast Debbie had prepared for him. His mind drifted back to Jenny's sudden shift in demeanor as he wolfed down the last of his toast. Shrugging it off, he grabbed his backpack from his room and headed out the door, the crisp morning air hitting him as he began his walk to school.
TO BE CONTINUED