Chapter 73

We arrived at my little school secret with a wide grin on my face, and a confused and panting Clay. It seems I have worked out all my fat in my early years in this school, and so even if I eat like a donkey at any time of the day, I can't seem to ever get fat.

It also seems I can't get tired of walking around the school grounds, as I seem to have developed some sort of immunity to the tiredness that would confront other people from taking on such an ordeal.

I find the little iron bench which has served as a seat for two, for at least three years now. I sit on it with what I hope is my most confident and intimidating smile, as I look at the panting figure who's bent over just a few paces ahead of me.

He seems to be at war with the effort of working through his tiredness, and his hair hangs limply at his side, I have to resist the urge to reach out and tousle it.

He watches me with some sort of weird fascination in his eyes, as I'm pretty sure he's also wondering what sort of a beast I am. I'm sure we would have walked at least the whole school grounds a total of six times now, and I don't think even the best athlete can do that.

His breathing makes mine catch in my throat, as he takes very deep breaths, and I almost feel sorry for him at the sort of stress I have put him through.

Well, he decided to follow even after our third round around the same poles, and that seems to make me have some sort of reprieve from the guilt that is so heavily assailng me.  

We stay there like that for about five minutes, with me marveling at how someone can look so perfect and so imperfect at the same time, and he always trying to catch his breath and to still the little quaking in his legs. I can see the look of surprise in his eyes as he can't seem to fathom how I am not even in a worse situation than he is.

I'm sure it will damage his sense of manly entitlement if he shows even the slightest weakness in front of a girl, a girl who seems to have taken him round and round and yet he seems more tired than she is.

I wonder at the sort of pride some boys carry as they always seem to have that air of superiority to them, the same that makes you feel inferior the moment you walk past them. They always seem to be able to do everything better than you should, and I feel a small sense of satisfaction knowing that at least if there was any of that stupid notion in Clay I'd have managed to expunge it.

In this little spot of mine, he looks at me with a fascinated expression in his eyes. Those same eyes that had once made me feel insecure, now make me feel an emotion that allows me feel like I am on fire.