Chapter 91 - Persistence (1)

December 2—Sunday at 6 a.m.

Angela typically jogged three to five times a week and did brisk walking on other days. A tank top and shorts were her usual attire, but she chose to wear grey long sleeves and black pants today because it was already getting colder in December.

Casually stepping out of the building, she stretched her arms and legs to get ready for a thirty-minute jog. The streets weren't crowded yet, but early birds in Mayne City were already up—either working out or going to work. Rolling her neck from side to side, Angela put on her wireless earphones and began to walk towards the park.

Over the years, she improved on her writing by reading more books. Sometimes, if she wasn't listening to an audiobook while jogging, she would be listening to her favorite podcasts. However, that morning, she was listening to one of her favorite songs—Power Over Me by Dermot Kennedy.

~I wanna be king in your story, I wanna know who you are, I want your heart to beat for me. Oh I...~

And when she felt that she was ready, she started jogging. 

Just as she entered the park, someone decided to join her. She flinched in surprise upon laying her eyes on those familiar grey eyes that were looking at her. Compared to yesterday's formal clothing, he wore an appropriate outfit for a morning run—a delicious black sleeveless shirt as if he wasn't bothered by the cold air and grey shorts. 

The bastard was smiling—and she hated that she didn't hate it.

~You've got that power over me, my my. Everything I hold dear resides in those eyes.~

"Go away," Angela said under gritted teeth and decided to ignore him, so she increased her pace.

But that didn't stop Gael from keeping up with her. "Good morning," he greeted.

She knitted her brows at him, wondering why he was still hanging around her after what happened last night. He was in great shape—like he always had been. Although he had gotten slimmer, he appeared to be more ripped than the last she saw him. She watched as he turned around and jogged backward while still keeping up with her, the smile never leaving his face as he tried to make small talk.

"Great weather today, huh?"

Angela kept her eyes straight, determined to ignore him—it was better not to say anything, rather than say hurtful things and end up regretting it later. There was no need to get all worked up when she could just mind her own business. So she turned up the volume of her earphones and jogged like usual.

But obviously, even though she was ignoring him, that didn't stop Gael from exercising with her around the park where she usually jogged. The 300-acre park was a popular destination for those who want to do outdoor exercises or just want to chill and have a picnic with friends and family. Going here whenever she went for an outdoor run or a walk helped calm her mind.

He stopped asking her questions and decided to follow wherever she went. When Angela was done with her jog, he thought that she would go back home already. So he followed her out towards a block near the park. It looked like a shady residential area, but she seemed as though she knew where she was going.

"Where are you going?" he asked, but she didn't hear him.

Angela stopped in front of a red-bricked townhouse and rang the doorbell. It only took a few seconds before the door opened, and a man came out and handed her a thick rolled-up mat. She quickly inspected it and gave him a few bills after making sure that the item was brand new and in good condition. The man was one of the trainers in the gym that she and Nina went to, and the mat was a spare one that he had, in which she decided to buy.

Once she was done, she slung the strap over her shoulder and headed home.

The way that the man handed her the mat, and the way that she gave him the money looked like a drug hand-off—only the item was too huge to ignore that it looked silly to Gael. "Was that some kind of a yoga mat black market or something?" he questioned when she passed by him and then followed her again. 

"Yes," she answered in a flat tone. "I trade illegal stuff in my spare time."

And then she ignored him again. But this time, his smile widened at her response. He knew she was kidding, but her answer amused him. The urge to tell her that they have a lot in common was at the tip of his tongue, just waiting to be spat out.

The walk back to her apartment building was short. Angela glanced at him when he waved and bid farewell as she entered the building. But she could only look at him, turning around and sighing—thinking that her morning started with a surprise when he decided to join her uninvited.

Gael didn't just join her for a jog once or twice, though. It happened every morning until days later, and Gael was still there. Every. Friggin' time. 

She would exit her building, and he would be there right outside—ready and waiting to jog or walk with her. He would greet her and talk about the weather or random stuff. He would smile and ask her how her sleep was, and she would mostly keep her mouth shut and nod once or twice. There were times that she wanted to respond with some witty comments, but she decided that it was better to stay quiet.

The two would jog together—rather, Gael would jog with her as if they went together—going to spots, avoiding specific locations, and then turning corners like they were on a jogging date.

Angela briefly thought that she was somehow getting the hang of him being around, but she refused to fall for his tricks anymore. His charms wouldn't work so fast on her this time.

Not again.

But how long could she keep this up—if this man was exceptionally persistent?