Chapter Four

Getting up early, on my first full day in Beta Beta, the entire house was still asleep. I checked my clock, it was only just gone six. I had always been an early riser, and I never saw the point of sleeping away half the day.

So I got up and dressed into my work out clothes. I didn't know where the nearest gym was, but a morning run would do me fine. I loved to run, had since I was a child and my school had entered me in competitions for it – including once running for Vancouver Island under fifteens.

However, I didn't know a route in LA. So I planned one on my mobile first, so I wouldn't get lost, before slipping out the house. I plugged my headphones in, and began with a gentle pace to warm my muscles up.

Running was the one time I had escaped. Since the incident with my ex-boyfriend, I had done a lot of running around the Island. I could end up running around Nanaimo for hours on end, not even realising I was still going, until I realised my feet were screaming out in pain from over use.

I always liked to start my day with some sort of workout, so I could fully appreciate the day. However, even though I had expected LA's hot weather, I was not used to running in it. On Vancouver Island, we could get hot rainforest style humidity but usually that was paired with rain or at least cloudy skies.

However, in LA, the sun beat down on me like I had personally done her wrong. I was sweaty, and a headache started, so I pushed myself faster. Whereas some people would slow their run, I sped mine up. The quicker I could get home, the quicker I could get showered and a drink.

By the time I got back to the fraternity – glad for google maps so I didn't get lost on my run – I was soaked through. Dark wisps of hair, that had escaped my tie, stuck to my face. My dark skin was flustered, with a tinge of red on my cheeks, and my slim figure was being shaken by my heavy breathing.

I walked around the back of the house, and slipped in through the kitchen. Grabbing a cup, I instantly filled it with cold water, and drank it all down. I gulped it down quickly; my body screaming for hydration. I then refilled it, and drank another glass.

It was only just coming up to seven in the morning, and I could hear the house beginning to stir. As I headed up the stairs, I pulled my shirt over my head – leaving me with just a sports bra and pants. It was a bad choice on my part, because just as I reached the top of the stairs, a familiar flirt stepped out of his room.

Corey was standing in the doorway; chest bare, with only sweat pants on. His large, and muscled chest, was something he obviously worked hard for. I checked it out for a split second, before I moved my eyes away.

Corey's eyes were droopy, because he was still half-asleep, and his hair was tousled and slept on. However, the moment his eyes took in my state of undress, they lit up as if he had been awake for hours.

"Good morning beautiful" he purred, not bothering to hide his roaming eyes.

"Morning Corey" I nodded politely, moving around him and down the corridor. I could feel his eyes on my back, as I walked away. I didn't even bother to comment or turn, I just silently headed back to my room.

Once showered, and dressed, I snuck into Selson's – where he was just waking – and stole his car keys. He gave me a grunt of permission, before I leant over and kissed his check. He grunted again, second time of annoyance as he still had three minutes and twenty nine seconds to sleep before his alarm went off. I giggled, before leaving him to enjoy those meaningless seconds.

I ran into Corey again as I was heading out Selson's bedroom. He smiled lazily at me – pink lips tilting up like a pleased cat who'd caught a mouse. "Good morning, beautiful" he said once more.

"Good morning, Corey" I sighed, walking straight past him. He boomed a laugh, and jogged down the corridor to catch up with me.

"Is that all I get? A polite 'good morning'. Not even a cute nickname?" he held his hand over his heart mockingly, faking a look of hurt. I rolled my eyes at him. "Can I suggest some nicknames that I would like?"

"I'm pretty sure you don't get to pick your own nickname. That is opposite to the point of a nickname" I replied, heading down the stairs. Corey so close behind me, his breath blew over my neck when he spoke.

"Details, details" he waved his hand dismissively. "Now, you can either go for the classics. Such as; Sexy Ass, Sex God, Beef Cake. You get the idea. Or you can go for a more exotic nickname. Possibly, Love Of My Life, Future Husband--"

"Giant Dick?" I suggested.

"Well I have one of those, so that would work" he nodded, as I reached the bottom of the stairs. I glared at him, as he walked in step with me. "Anyway, beautiful, why are you up so early in the morning? Not that I'm complaining, there is nothing better than seeing your beautiful face in the morning". He shot me a smile full of mockery.

"I've been up for hours; I've been for a run and everything. The sweaty running gear you saw me in wasn't a hint enough?"

"I thought I just imagined the sweat. I mean in my mind you're always sweaty and breathing heavy. Guess you still just look too beautiful even after exercising".

"You still can't sleep with me" I stated deadpanned.

"I don't want to just sleep with you, Alora. I want to fall in love with you, and marry you and hold you tenderly when you're cold at night and--"

"You're going to be late for class if you don't stop this incessant bullshit" I shot at him, walking into the garage. He stopped in the doorway, holding his hand on his heart again.

"Alora, why must you deny our love?" he gave a dramatic gasp, wiping fake tears from his eyes.

"Have a good day, Corey" I sighed, shaking my head as I walked away.

"How can I have a good day, knowing you don't reciprocate my undying love?" he yelled after me. I flipped him off over my shoulder, as I unlocked Selson's car. I heard Corey chuckling in the distance – I couldn't help but smirk myself.

Selson drove a Prius hybrid, because my father was very into saving the ozone layer, and would only buy us all electric cars. Deminick and I had never argued; liking that he was so passionate about the planet. Selson was a different matter.

Yes, he owned the Prius. And, yes, he wanted to save the planet. But, no, he never drove it. He stated women wouldn't have sex with him if he drove a Prius – I told him that if a girl wouldn't have sex with you, because of the car you drove, that she probably wasn't wife material. He told me he didn't plan to marry any of them, so I gave up.

Getting into the Prius, I was shocked to see it that it had been driven recently. An empty coffee cup was in the drinks holder, and a college text book was on the passenger's seat. My brother wasn't taking Sports Science, so I knew it wasn't his book.

However, I was annoyed, because whoever did drive the Prius last didn't charge it up. I decided I had enough to get to the shops and back. So I kicked the car into drive, and headed in the direction I had seen the shops that morning. I had been clever enough to plan my run around getting a good look at the neighbourhood.

Parking up outside the supermarket, I hear my phone going off. I know it is my father before I even look – I have personalised his ringing tone, so the music from the Omen plays every time. He hated it, but I found it thoroughly amusing. "Hey Daddy" I chirped, placing the phone to my ear as I got out the car.

"Was that a car door? Where are you?"

"Yeah the best thing happened. This guy came past, with a big bushy moustache, and told me there was loads of candy in his van. He just shut the van door on me, but I can't see any candy".

"You're not funny, Alora" my father grumbled.

"I beg to differ" I smirked, heading into the shop and grabbing a basket. "And I'm sure you know exactly what I'm doing. No doubt your spy friends are watching me from some crappy high-tech van".

"How many times do I need to tell you that I am not Liam Neeson, and this is not Taken?" he sighed heavily – I could practically hear his eyes rolling from the other side of the country.

"You're right, you not as good looking as Liam Neeson. And the Scottish accent makes it all a bit like that shitty movie; Highlander".

"Hey, Highlander is a great movie. You've watched it five times".

"No you made me watch it five times".

"Well Deminick loves it. That's why he's the favourite child" my father joked. I laughed, as I looked through the aisles of food. "So what are you actually doing?"

"Food shopping. Selson has no food in, as usual. So I took the Prius and am just looking through food. What times your flight?"

"Forty minutes. I'm just waiting in the airport now".

"Does Charlene know you're going out the country for a month?" I blurted, and I could picture the deep frown on his face.

"No" he scoffed, "why would Charlene need to know?" He was playing coy with me, and that was fine. My mother had been dead for almost nineteen years – when she died in childbirth with me – yet my father had never remarried, or even dated. Until Charlene came along.

Charlene was a nice women, his age, averagely pretty and a waitress. She was nice enough that no one ever had a problem with her, but not nice enough that people took too much notice. However, she had taken notice of my father the moment she had met him. But at the time, he was happily married with young children.

Years past, and they remained friendly, but recently that had shifted. He was pretending it hadn't, but I wasn't blind. The way they looked at each other, the way they spoke with one another – my father secret late night 'work' meetings. But if he wasn't ready to tell his kids, then I wouldn't push him.

"I thought you asked her to house sit?" I helped him out.

"Oh, right, yes. Of course I did. I will call her now, I mean text. I'll text her now" he rambled.

"Uh-huh. Well, say hi to her from me. Anyway, Dad, I have to go. Because I have been standing in front of the fruit aisle for about ten minutes, not buying anything. So I need to go before people start getting freaked out by the Native girl eyeing the fruit up" I joked.

"Alright, speak to you soon" my father said, "love you".

"You too Dad" I smiled before hanging up.