Page 18 of The Run Back Home

The next few minutes pass the same way—her running like I'm not even there. Singing, scanning the park, dodging the occasional low branch—while I actively remind myself to shorten every stride just to stay beside her.

I start to think this was all a mistake—maybe Lenny doesn't feel the same way. That she doesn't want more.

Maybe she doesn't count down the seconds until she rounds that corner. Doesn't dread the sound of the timer on her phone that tells us both she better head home before her brothers come looking for her—or for me. That she doesn't leave each night wishing our post-run conversations were longer.

By hours. By minutes.

By at least three miles.

But then… the music fades ever so slightly.

"So, how's your mom?"

I inhale deeply, as if I can finally fill my lungs for the first time all night, and relish in the burn of the crisp fall air that makes me feel alive.

"The same," I say. "But I think she might have a boyfriend."

I glance over just in time to see her reaction.

"Yeah, I don't know," I say in response.

"Wow." She pulls at the collar of her sweatshirt. "What makes you say that?"

"I heard her talking to someone on the phone. She claims it was her divorce lawyer—and maybe it was. But I don't know. Shit seemed weird."

Lenny nods. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Honestly?" I ask as we make our way back to the bench for the first time. "Not really."

She offers me a sympathetic smile, and surprisingly… I don't hate it.

"How's your brother?"

She rolls her eyes. "The same. He got cleared by his doctor yesterday."

"So… not the same?" I ask, confused.

A laugh escapes her lips, and I almost trip over that damn crack in the sidewalk.

"Well, his concussion's better. But he's back on the ice already, so I'm not sure the damage hasn't already been done."

"What do you mean?"

"That was like his third this year alone. At this point, I'm not sure if he has a dream or a death wish."

I stare straight ahead. "Maybe he just thinks that's his ticket out of here."

She doesn't say anything for too long, and when I look over, I see the tension in her face.

"Come on, Lenny," I say, as gently as possible. "You can't possibly want to stay in Mage Hollow forever."

Her eyes dart to mine, her brow furrowed. "Well, no," she agrees, her tone less convincing. "I mean… yeah, of course not."

She starts brushing her thumb and forefinger together as her arms pump by her sides.

I don't know Lenny all that well—Nora, I guess, to most of Mage. But I do know she seems to have this love-hate relationship with her family's closeness. Like how she claims they're all tight, but has also mentioned that they don't really even know her. Or how she doesn't want to leave, and yet, she's most at peace here.

Alone.