Chapter 31 - A Morning Clash (1/2)
Bright and early in the next morning, Nora entered the apartment after her morning run in the nearby park. Clad in grey sweatpants and a matching trendy tank top, she pulled out her ear pods and took a towel to wipe off the beads of perspiration.
Stretching her body, she strode towards the open kitchen to get herself a water bottle. But while passing through the sitting area, she thought she saw something in the open balcony from her peripheral vision. She thought she was hallucinating and for that, she took a couple of steps back to take another look and was stunned still.
The cool morning air was flooding through the balcony's French doors making the white sheer curtains to dance at its soft rhythm. The dazzling sunlight was slowly about to rise in the horizon to shine upon this glorious world.
However, what stunned Nora rooted to her place was something else entirely. Or we should say, it was rather a someone.
On the balcony, Xiu looked to be in great concentration as she was trying to keep her balance in doing planks on the yoga mat. Her face was red from trying to hard to hold her position while beads of sweat were palpable on her face. She was wearing high-waist leggings with trendy mesh details along with a cropped seamless tank top.
Nora almost lost her balance at this sight. While Nora was a morning person, Xiu was not one to put it lightly. Seeing Xiu out of her bed before her alarm buzzed was almost impossible.
Perhaps that's why Nora got a shock when she saw Xiu working out.
With a grunt, Xiu laid down on the yoga mat with her face down while panting, like a bird that had often flapped his wings against his cage. She looked beat but seeing her like that, Nora was certainly amused.
”Baby Xiu'er, are you alright?” Hearing Nora's concerned voice, Xiu turned her face sideways and looked at her.
”I'm good.” Xiu even gave her a thumbs up to say she was just peachy. Pushing her body off of the floor, Xiu managed to sit up and said, ”I took the liberty of rummaging through your closet. Hope you don't mind me using these.” She was talking about the clothes she wore which weren't hers. If she wasn't even a fitness conscious person, there was no need to have tons of fitness wears as well.
It would be waste of money and a stingy person like her would never allow herself to do that.
”I don't mind at all,” Nora replied in a daze and went to bring two bottles of sparkling water. She passed one to Xiu who thanked her in return and took a sip of refreshing water from her own.
Sitting in the balcony, they both stayed silent. Not daring to break the tranquility in the air. That fresh morning air was calming and relaxing. Finally feeling the discomfort because of the stickiness caused by sweat, Nora went to take a shower.