Falling in Reverse (The Seasons Change)

by Julia Wolf

Finn chased me through the park like an out-of-control stalker. He called it training, as in he was training me to evade my real-life enemies, but I thought he was just getting tired of slowing his pace for me and had been itching to run flat out. If he were my real stalker, I’d be on the ground with a knife through my heart. I was in pretty damn good shape, but Finn was nine feet tall, so he could have captured me without even trying. “I’m gettin’ close to you, love. You better move those wee legs or else!” He gnashed his teeth as his toes nipped at my heels. There was exactly zero scary about this man, but the chase had my adrenaline pumping and I squealed, my sneakers pounding the pavement. “Fuck off, leprechaun!” I held up my middle finger, laughing and panting. I had almost made it back to the bench Finn had designated as home base—and I refused to be caught. Just as the bench was in reach, he grabbed me by the middle and lifted me right off the ground. He walked me to the bench and deposited me on my bottom. Bending in half, he braced his hands on his knees and panted in my face. “Jaysus, Iris, you’re outta shape.” I laughed and fell to my side. My heart hammered away in my chest. I should have gotten up to cool off, but now that I was down, I wasn’t eager to hop back up. “Didn’t I hire LSS to keep the stalkers away? In what scenario am I running from one?” Long Shimmering Satin Finn paced in front of the bench, his hands on his hips. “I’m preparing you for the unexp...