Chapter 22: Monday Jogging
Monday arrived and it's finally time to showcase their dance. During Sunday, Aria and her groupmates honed their dancing skills. Aria practiced a bit until she totally got the choreo down. Emily, Marcus and the other members, on the other hand, practiced in front of their bedroom mirror, rehearsing the steps repeatedly until they felt natural.
Even though he already got the steps down, Aiden still practiced as he refined his dancing technique.
It's already 5 am and Orion messaged Aria to get down as they are going to jog.
"Nandito na ako sa ground floor, tara jog na tayo," ---- Orion
Minutes passed and seeing that Aria still hadn't read the message, Orion called her. Aria woke up abruptly due to the ringing of her phone, groggily reaching for it on her bedside table.
"....Hello?", Aria answered, her voice still thick with sleep.
"Halatang tulog pa ah, gising na Aria! It's time to jog," Orion's voice came through the line, filled with energy.
Aria rubbed her eyes, glancing at the clock beside her bed. "Hala, sorry kuya Orion. I overslept," she muttered, feeling a rush of panic and embarrassment as she realized she had missed Orion's earlier message.
"It's alright, dalian mo lang. Kanina pa ako rito sa baba eh," Orion teasingly replied, even though he just waited for 5 minutes sa ground floor.
"Okay, kuya. Give me a few minutes," Aria said quickly, throwing off her blankets and scrambling to change into her jogging clothes.
Orion chuckled lightly. "Take your time lang, but not too long."
Aria hurriedly changed into her jogging outfit, her movements quick as she prepared to join Orion outside. She dashed down the stairs, feeling a mix of relief as she saw Orion waiting downstairs.
As she reached the ground floor, Orion was waiting with a grin. "Ready kana?" he asked, his energy infectious.
"Yeah, sorry again for making you wait kuya," Aria replied, slightly out of breath from her haste.
"No worries Aria, tara jog na tayo," Orion said, starting off at a brisk pace.
Together, they jogged through the quiet streets. Aria quickly found her stride, her initial rush of panic and embarrassment fading as the rhythm of their footsteps and the fresh air cleared her mind.
About halfway through their route, just as they passed a serene neighborhood park, Orion suddenly stopped in his tracks. Aria, caught off guard, slowed to a halt beside him, a question forming on her lips. Before she could speak, Orion knelt down in front of her, his expression earnest and focused.
"Wait muna, Aria," he said softly, reaching for her foot.
Confused yet intrigued, Aria watched as Orion carefully inspected her shoe. It was then she realized her shoelace had come undone, despite her efforts to tie it securely earlier.
'Hala, I thought I tied that securely earlier.' Aria thought, slightly embarrassed at her oversight.
As Aria watched Orion kneel down in front of her, her heart skipped a beat. His focused demeanor and gentle touch as he inspected her shoelace sent a rush of warmth through her. She felt a flutter in her chest due to his kindness.
"Sorry na naman kuya Orion, sa pagamamadali ko yan kanina," Aria said sheepishly.
"Same ka parin noon noh? Palaging na undone ang shoelace mo eh then ako ang mag-tie ulit," Orion said as he focused on tying the shoelace. His tone was light, teasing but affectionate, adding a touch of playfulness to the moment.
Aria rolled her eyes playfully. "Alam ko naman kung paano na ngayon, kuya. You're just quick to tie now," she defended herself.
Orion chuckled softly, his eyes meeting Aria's with a warm gaze. "There, all done," he said, looking up with a smile.
Aria couldn't help but return the smile, grateful for Orion's help.
"Thanks, kuya," she said sincerely, her voice carrying a warmth that matched the morning sun filtering through the trees of the park.
The wind suddenly picked up, rustling through the leaves and causing Aria's hair to dance around her face in a gentle flurry.
Orion found himself momentarily captivated by the sight, the sunlight catching in Aria's hair and highlighting her features in a way that made him pause.
Badump*
'....Huh?' Orion thought as the sound of his own heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears.
He shook his head slightly, trying to dispel the sudden rush of emotion. "Must be the morning air," he muttered to himself, though he couldn't deny the warmth that spread through him as he looked at Aria.
Regaining his composure, Orion cleared his throat lightly and stood up abruptly.
"Alright, let's get going," he said, his tone more brisk than before, though his gaze lingered on Aria for a fleeting second longer than usual.
Aria, caught up in the moment, didn't notice the slight shift in Orion's demeanor. She smiled back at him, her own thoughts still filled with gratitude for his earlier kindness.
"Yeah, jog na tayo ulit," Aria replied cheerfully, starting to jog again as Orion fell into step beside her.
=============