Nicola Jameson went on her usual jog down the trail near her house, engrossed in the world of music that was formed from Ed Sheeran's voice blasting through her headphones. 

Her turquoise iPod sixth generation was snaked around her arm in an iPod arm case, the wire swinging with each step she took. 

Chris Evers was further away, on the opposite end of the trail when he spotted her and smiled. He stopped and thought he was in her line of sight so he waved, but she just kept her head high and ran.

Chris was perplexed at the fact that she didn't acknowledge him at all and decided that she just didn't see him, even though she had on glasses, so he began to run alongside her.

She glanced over at him with a raised brow, but said nothing, just continued to run. 

Chris, not one for quiet, said, "Hi, I'm Chris. May I ask why you are running? You don't look like you need it to me." 

Ugh, does he really have to be here right now? I just wanted to jog like normal, Nicola thought.

She decided to entertain him so she replied with, "And why is that?" 

Chris smirked in victory, thinking he won because she answered.

"Well I mean you look pretty fit and lean." 

Nicola rolled her eyes. 

"Then obviously I jog to maintain my figure." 

In response, Chris rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right! Unless you eat fatty foods everyday, there is basically no chance of that ever happening." 

Can't he just leave? Nicola thought to herself, irritated that she couldn't jog in peace.

"Fine!" she exclaimed. "I jog because I've always liked running. As a child I'd run all over the place. I even did it through my teenage years, racing my dog until he started getting too old..."

She paused and let out a burdened sigh. "It's just something for me to escape to. Jogging allows me to prep for the day or just lose myself in the music and the rhythm of my footsteps." 

Chris stayed quiet, which caused Nicola to peek at him and ask, "Why do you ask? Why do you run then?" 

Chris shrugged. "I stumbled upon this place yesterday when I was checking out the area and decided it'd be my new jog spot. It seems pretty isolated and peaceful, just like it was when I ran with my dad.

He passed away three years ago, and I stopped jogging completely, but this past year I decided to continue it. I dunno, I guess I just feel like if I continue on, I can still have a piece of him with me." 

Nicola looked at him for a moment, then looked away, unsure of what to say. A comfortable silence washed over them as they continued to jog, rushing past bushes and trees. 

Chris followed closely beside the girl, marveling at how fast she could sprint without seeming to be trying or breaking concentration. 

As they ran, he glanced at her through the corner of his eye and noticed that her mouth moved as if she was singing, but no words came out. 

Huh, Chris thought. Maybe she's lip-syncing for my benefit. Her voice probably isn't bad, she probably just doesn't want to sing in front of me considering the fact that I am pretty much a stranger. Seems like something she'd do, at least to me. 

He subtly glanced at her through the corner of his eye once more, taking in her seemingly natural beauty. 

Her almond shaped brown eyes looked daunting and playful, but an edge of sadness was the most dominant emotion held in them. 

He wondered what happened. 

Her curly brown hair framed her small head, giving off a cute little puppy look, and her lips that seemed perfectly symmetrical were pursed slightly as if in concentration. 

A second later and the girl stopped, causing Chris to stop as well. 

"What's wrong?" 

Nicola turned to him and simply stated, "This is where I stop." 

Chris nodded, a bit disappointed that their jog together was at its end.

"Oh." 

Nicola nodded slowly and turned to walk back home, but something makes her look back and say, "Try not to get lost, okay?" 

Chris just chuckles. 

"Yeah right! I have no clue where I am going but I am sure I will figure it out." 

Nicola laughed and shook her head. 

What a magical sound, that laugh of hers, Chris thought to himself. 

"Is that really a guy thing? Where guys never want to ask for directions? How in the world did you even stumble across this place? Were you lost then too? Because this place is extremely difficult to find," Nicola asked in one breath.

"Yeah, pretty much. I got lost, had no one to ask for help, and just kept going until I saw you. Plus, I left my phone in my house so...yeah I was screwed from the very beginning." 

"Yet," Nicola started. "You didn't ask for help. when you saw me." 

Chris nodded agreement to her claim, only then realizing that he could've asked for help.

Nicola rolled her eyes playfully as a small smile formed on her lips. 

"Well I am offering my help to you, either take it or leave it because I do not have time to be wasting." 

Chris quirked a brow and said, "I think I'll be fine. I'll probably get lost a couple of times but—" 

Nicola cut him off.

"Where do you live?"

"A little forward, are we?" 

She playfully punched his arm and rolled her eyes.

Chris tried to play off the pain of her punch and slowly massaged his arm, but made it seem as though he was just scratching it.

Gamn that woman packed a hard punch, he thought to himself as pain shot up through his tricep.

"Shut up! I am helping you find your way out! I don't need to know your address or anything, just tell me your street or a nearby street. Even a landmark or something close to your house could help me pinpoint where you need to go." 

Chris told her she in turn told him the directions to his house in detail. He thanked her and she nodded before swiveling on her heel and starting to jog away. 

"Wait!" Chris called. 

Nicola stopped and turned, her foot tapping the ground impatiently. She hated to be stopped when she got into the jogging mood.

"What?" she yelled back impatiently. 

"I never got your name!"

Nicola shot him a funny look. 

"That's because I didn't give it to you," she reminded him before she ran off in the direction of her apartment. 

Chris shook his head and ran off with the directions she gave him imprinted in his mind.

All he could think of as he jogged in the opposite direction was how much fun tomorrow would be once he ran to meet the mysterious woman on the trail again.

A/N

This would be book one of a series. Also, this book would be in third person POV.

Dedicated to HHAskingWhy for checking out all of my excerpts and giving thoughts on them.

Fun fact: Nicola was simply girl when I first wrote this and Chris was guy. For example, I'd be like- guy said: "I never got your name!" girl shot guy a funny look before saying: "That's because I never gave it to you!" 

Song: Shape of You - Ed Sheeran (THIS SONG IS STUCK IN MY HEAD LOL)