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"So your failing math?" Gunner pulls his headphones through his shirt and loops the earbuds around his neck.

He just can't seem to come to terms with me failing. It's not like I did it on purpose. I can't help but laugh at his confusion. I mean I have explained everything to him, including the tutoring to him like ten times since we got here.

There is no baseball practice on Thursdays as coach has some family thing, so Gunner and I hit the local gym. There is something about the burn of muscles as they're stretched and worked, that I find relaxing.

"Yes, Gunner, but I have a tutor and she's giving me a chance so I don't miss the season." I laugh, strapping my phone on my arm.

I pull up my workout playlist as Gunner and I step onto the treadmills for a warm up. Mostly, the playlist is a bunch of fast-paced songs that get my blood pumping.

The sound of my feet moving along with the machine mixes with my music and the perfect soundtrack is born. It's actually part of the reason Gunner and I get along so well. We don't feel the need to fill the silence that is created by running.

Running to me has always been therapeutic. You don't have to think about running, you just run. I try to clear my mind, to think about nothing but my heart pounding and the blood flowing. Nine times out of ten, I come back from the run feeling refreshed or clear headed.

This is not one of those times. I can't stop the flow of thoughts that filter into my head against my will.

Miles and Bridget looking so cozy at the party. Lucy intertwining our fingers together at the carnival. The way Levi looked at me like he could see my secret buried underneath everything.

In fact, Levi is the most confusing of them all. I can handle my unrequited crush on Miles. I practically expect it, he's straight for crying out loud. Why can't I get it through my head that he and I will never happen?

Everyone has crushes but does everyone else find them this hard to get over? When other people see their crush happy with someone else, do they get a pang in their chest?

And Lucy, why wouldn't she have held my hand? she is technically my girlfriend. It's just a weird feeling having her next to me; one that I am still trying to get used to.

It's possible that I am just thinking too much, but her hand just felt wrong against my own. It was just two palms pressed together, slowly sweating until one of us got grossed out enough to let go.

I like Lucy, I do, but I think I rushed into this whole girlfriend-to-hide-the-truth thing. For the life of me, I can't even remember why I thought it would be a good idea.

"B, you planning to run all day?" I nearly stumble when Gunner's hand touches my shoulder, pulling my earbud out.

Sweat is trailing down my face as I glance at the distance count. How had I run four miles and not even known it?

I grab the towel that Gunner tosses me, wiping my face as I follow him to the bench press. Neither of us speaks, as he stretches his arms and I load on the one hundred fifty pound weights to start with.

"So I asked out Chaney Walker again," a Cheshire cat grin spreads across Gunner's face as he begins to lift the weight.

Gunner has had a crush on Chaney since third grade when he declared she had the prettiest yellow hair he'd ever seen. He started asking her out randomly in freshman year, but every time Chaney has turned him down.

I always thought she liked him though. I have caught her staring at him, but when she sees me looking, she rolls her eyes and looks away.

"She said and I quote, 'if I wanted a dog, I would go to the pound'," he grunts under the weight after using the over exaggerated girly voice.

I can't help the small laugh that escapes my lips. I don't know what it is about Chaney, but this is the umpteenth rejection and he still has the look on his face that tells me he will try again.

"I still have time though, and I'm not a dog," He grunts out as he sets the bar back in place.

I shake my head at him, handing him his water bottle with a grin. If Gunner was anything, it's not a quitter. Once he sets his mind to it, he isn't going to stop. I venture to say the only thing that will stop his pursuit of Chaney will be if they go to different colleges.

"Maybe she heard about what happened at -"

"Mind spotting me next?" my heart speeds up without permission at the deep voice that cut me off.

I don't even remember what it was I had been planning to say to Gunner as I turn to face Levi. He stands in front of us in nothing but basketball shorts and he has a small towel draped over one shoulder.

I want to glance down to see the abs I know he's rocking. I have seen them before but my mind is begging me to see them again but I fight against it. Especially with Gunner watching me and Levi as carefully as he is.

I know that proper manners would have me introduce the two of them, but I can't. A part of me wants to keep Levi to myself which is utterly ridiculous because he isn't mine to keep.

Still, I can't stop the thoughts running through my head that tells me not to share Levi with Gunner.

"Hey, I'm Levi," his hand shoots out towards Gunner with the same devilish smirk that seems to haunt me.

Gunner looks confused as he glances between me and Levi, before offering his hand cautiously.

"Gunner," His free hand gestures between Levi and me, raising an eyebrow, "Do you guys know each other?"

I need to say something. Why haven't I said anything!?

Between the sweat glistening off of a shirtless Levi and the way his smile aims at me, the familiar butterflies swarm my stomach and my mouth runs dry.

Gunner and Levi both stare at me and I feel like a deer in headlights. What are they looking at me -

Oh!

"Levi is Lucy's brother!" I wince a little when I realized I shouted at them.

God, I'm an idiot.

"Oh, right on," Gunner nods his head in understanding before pointing at something behind him, "I wanted to hit the Stairmaster anyway. The baseball uniform can only do so much with a butt."

Levi and I both crack a smile at the joke Gunner made as he starts to cross the gyIm. We both stand there watching him walk away, unsure of what to do. I look to the ground to see that it will probably not be swallowing me whole today and I pray that I don't embarrass myself any further.

"How much do you press?" I ask, moving to the weights.

Levi tosses his towel and water bottle to the floor before sitting down on the red bench. There is a stark contrast to when Gunner sat on the bench, to Levi. But I'll chalk it up to Levi's tanned skin.

"I'll start at one seventy-five if you don't mind." Levi rubs the back of his neck before lying on his back, looking up at me.

His hands grip the bar, and with a quick push, he begins bringing the bar to his chest and back up. My hands hover around in case he needs help, but my eyes focus on the veins in his arms that become prominent with the muscle exertion.

"So I'm just your girlfriend's brother, huh?" Levi says as he continues lifting the weights.

My eyes snap away from his arms and I realize that he is looking at me. His hazel eyes light with something I don't recognize and as a whole, this image is definitely one that will haunt me later.

Not now, later. Because right now would be an awkward time for a boner. Please don't get a boner, Brandon.

"You caught me off guard." I give an awkward laugh, mostly because I am begging my body not to react to the sight before me.

Levi makes a noise in the back of his throat almost like he is disappointed in my answer. His eyebrows scrunching together as he focuses on the weights, the sight of him in such concentration leaves me almost breathless as I look down at him in awe.

"Why do you ask?" the words hit my brain and the filter that was supposed to stop them, blurted them out instead.

Levi's grip on the bar slips and I am quick to help him lift it back into place. He sits up quickly, grabbing his towel from where he left it.

It could have been from the weights, but I swear his cheeks are tinted pink, almost like he was blushing.

"I just thought that we were becoming friends." Levi rubs a hand through his hair, avoiding my eyes.

I can't explain the jolt of excitement that runs through me at the idea of being Levi's friend.

There is no rule that says I can't be friends with my girlfriends brother. Besides it's not like Lucy and I are going to last anyway.

Although when we do break up, will Levi still want to be friends with Lucy's ex?

All this over thinking is making my head hurt so I just nod and agree that were are friends.

<3 <3 <3 <3

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