Bright mind

It is quiet this early, my breath making clouds in air as the mornings are still quite cold this high up the hill. The air smells of morning dew and cut grass and I breath in the fresh air, remembering the fact I can't experience this in the city. Spring is almost here, hiding round the corner and I can't wait for warmer mornings.

I pass a few houses but there are not many people living in this area. The houses that are built here are rather large and have well trimmed yards and long driveways. Some even have a large gate shielding the property from the outside world.

The only neighbors I know are an older couple living not far from my parents house. I used to go there for tea and biscuits as Mr. and Mrs. Hallow adored me. They were like grandparents to me. I don't see them that often now days but I try to visit them from time to time.

I turn right at a corner, almost falling over, slipping on some loose gravel.

"Fuck!" I mutter under my breath and speed up as I quickly find my balance. I know it's just a few hundred metres left and try to run even faster. My legs feel like every muscle in them are on fire but I don't mind, somehow I kind of like this feeling. I know I'm almost at my limit and try to push even more out of me as I turn left and see my father standing in front of their house at the end of the road.

As I reach him, I lean over, my hands on my knees, gasping for air as my vision is filled with black spots. My dad folds his arms in front of his chest, not looking pleased. I wave my hand in the air, trying to gather myself in some way to communicate with him.

"Hi-h dad-h, hold-hh....on-h a-h sec." I don't know if he can understand what I'm saying as I am panting pretty heavily.

"Morning to you too." His voice is full of irritation as he clenches his jaws. I look at him from the corner of my eye. He looks tired, yeat I still think he is one of the most handsome men I've ever seen. He has the bluest eyes and light brown hair cut to perfection. His full beard was starting to turn grey. He is very tall, almost 6,5ft, lean yeat muscular. My parents had me quite young, so he is only in his mid forties.

I straiten up and peck a haste kiss on his cheek before I start to walk towards the front door of their large, beautiful house. It is a two and a half story house with a front porch and a large sky windows on the top floor bedrooms.

"What was your time?" I hear Dad's voice is now a bit less tense.

I check my tracker on my wrist and sigh. "I almost tripped on one of the corners, messed up the time. I have to go on the treadmill, dad."

I don't turn to look at him as I stomp through the front door inside the house and open a door along the corridor to my left and quickly run down a flight of stairs. I come to the lower floor and walk in front of the floor to sealing windows. I start the treadmill and hop on, jogging in a slow pace.

The view is calming in front of me as I admire the vast forest scenery. My parents had built the house rather high up on the side of the hill since they wanted a grand view in a quiet place near nature. You could see buildings in the distance, indicating the yeat close proximity of a city.

I love this place. I spent my whole childhood and youth here, going on nature walks with my dad and cooking and baking with my mom. I had the whole lower level to myself, a large tv-room with the dreadmill and a perfect scenery. And a nice bedroom with a large bed, a walk-in closet and an ensuite. I know I can come back here whenever I want.

I have had an apartment in the city for a year now that I loved too, on the 22th floor of a beautiful modern building, but every time I came back here I found myself wondering if I should move away from the city.

"Sanai?" my dad holleres from top of the stairs.

"What dad, I'm running?" I shout back, trying not to sound irritated.

"Come up, I have coffee and toast for you."

"In a minute, dad. I have to shower." I answer and decrease the speed of the dreadmill as I keep on, walking now in a slow and steady pace. I take off my running jacket and reach for my phone. No messages, no surprise there. Perks of being a social outcast.

Few minutes later I climb off the dreadmill and make my way to the bathroom. When I get the water running as I wait for it to heat up, I peel off the rest of my running gear and start to untangle my hair from the tight braid I had put it in prior to my morning run. I look as the hair cascades down my back and shoulders in waves and it almost looks like I have a halo around my head.

I hop in the shower and wash my hair and body hastily and just as I get out, the smell of waffles and coffee makes my stomach rumble. I pull on some joggers and a large hoodie and make my way upstairs. I try not to think of the upcoming Saturday as I don't want to loose my appetite. It feels like I'm not ready for the day to come just yeat.