RUNAWAY
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE...!

❝ A TEXT MESSAGE , SEASON
SEVEN ❞

       IT WAS A NEW WEEKEND, and Jennie came back to Quantico to visit once again. Weekends in New York weren't always her favorite, due to her barley knowing many people there.

Aaron didn't mind it, especially since Jennie often took a train, ultimately making the expenses cheaper. Not to mention,
her student discount.

Jennie decided to spend her weekend in town with her father, helping him train for his upcoming triathlon.

"When—" Aaron began, before stopping his run to take a break, "When did you get so fast at running?"

Jennie, who remained running in place in the spot in front of him, shrugged, "Soccer for seven years, and track for two. Not to mention, all those times I had to chase Jack because he wouldn't stop running off when he needed to get his flu shot."

Aaron chuckled softly, before wincing, placing a hand on his stomach, "Don't make me laugh. Cramps."

Jennie laughed, taking a sip from her water bottle. The two just stood there, catching their breath, before Aaron looked at Jennie's face, which held a familiar look on it. With that, he sighed.

"You want to race, don't you?"

"So bad."

"You're just preparing yourself for failure. You do understand that, right?" He joked, causing Jennie to let out a dry chuckle.

"You know, you're confident for someone who hasn't chased a little boy around a 300,000 square foot hospital."

Aaron shook his head, a small smile on his face, before pointing ahead, "Let's race to the pole over there."

Before Jennie could say anything, the man started running again. The teen girl let out a scoff, throwing her hands in the air.

"We didn't even do a countdown!" Jennie whined, before starting to run after him.

She was a bit far away from the man, when she could see him stop near the pole. Jennie was about to run up to the man, before seeing a woman walk up to him.

The sight caused Jennie to slow down. Before Aaron could begin to wonder why Jennie wasn't near him by this point, the woman came up to him, introducing herself as Beth.

Jennie watched the interaction from afar, only running in place so she wouldn't interrupt. A huge grin broke out on her face when she could see the woman pull out her personal card, giving it to Aaron.

After Beth walked away, Jennie immediately ran up to her father, hitting his arm in excitement.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Jennie squealed, unable to get over what had just happened, "That woman is like— one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever laid my eyes on. A-And she gave you— you her number. How are you not freaking out right now?!"

"Were you just running in place back there until she left?" Aaron asked his daughter, avoiding her question.

"Wh— no. I was— I was stretching." Jennie lied to her father, stretching her triceps to try and convince him, "But, that's not the point!"

Aaron only shook his head at his daughter, beginning to walk forward. The teen girl followed him, still with a variety of questions.

"What'd you guys talk about? Is she nice? She looks nice. Is she training for the triathlon too? Is she an agent? Are you walking faster on purpose? Are you trying to get away from me right now? Dad, wait up!"

—

IT WAS A NEW DAY, when Jennie stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner for her family. Her father had texted her he'd be home soon, so she cooked spaghetti for him, her, and her brother, using the recipe Rossi taught her.

"You wash your hands yet, Jack?" Jennie asked the boy, pouring pasta sauce onto his noodles.

Jack sat nearby, at the dining table, looking over at his sister, "I'm not going to eat with my hands."

"So, that means no." Jennie shook her head at her brother, placing down the bowls of spaghetti on the table, before picking up Jack, and setting him on the ground, "Go wash your hands. 20 seconds."

The boy sighed, walking over to the bathroom to wash his hands, as Aaron came home. Jennie looked up from the table she was setting, giving her dad a smile, "Hey."

"It smells amazing in here." He smiled at his daughter, placing his coat on the couch.

"Uncle Rossi's famous recipe." Jennie told him, placing a bowl on his spot at the table, "By the way, if he seemed like he was in a bad mood tonight, it was probably my fault. I had to call him four times to ask about the sauce."

Aaron shook his head at his daughter, pecking a kiss on her head, before Jack had come out, running up to his father.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, buddy!" Aaron held Jack in his arms, "What'd you do today?"

"Me and JenJen played soccer." Jack told his father, a smile on his face, before being sat at the table. Aaron sat next to the boy.

"You did?"

"Yup." Jennie placed her phone next to her bowl, before sitting in her chair, "We ran a lot today. Speaking of running—"

As Jennie's mouth cracked into a smile, placing propping her chin on the palm of her hand, Aaron sighed, knowing where she was going with this.

"How's things with you and Bethy-Boo." The teen couldn't contain her playful grin, watching her father annoyance towards her increase.

"Beth." He corrected her, " This is why I don't tell you things."

"You tell me things. Everyone tells me things." Jennie spoke, "I'm like a walking burn book."

Jack giggled at his sister's comment, as Aaron tried stifling his chuckle. The family continued eating their dinner, until they could hear Jennie's phone go off.

Jennie furrowed her eyebrows, taking her phone in her hand, seeing she got a notification.

It took her a second, but once realizing what the notification said, her eyes widened, accidentally dropped her phone on the table.

"Jesus H. Christ!"

She accidentally blurted, causing her father to look over at her, confused.

"...You okay, Jennie?"

The girl looked at her father, "Uh— yes. Yes, completely okay."

"You don't look like it." Her little brother told her, causing the girl to give him a glare. Jennie then looked over at her father, holding her phone in her hands.

"Um— can I be excused for a moment?"

Aaron's confusion didn't fade, but decided he'd question it once dinner finished.

"Of course."

"Thank you." Jennie swiftly got out of her seat, "I'll be back in two minutes. Or— five minutes. It depends. Don't time me."

With that, Jennie quickly moved into her bedroom, going on her bed, before staring at the notification again.

Maybe her reaction was a bit dramatic, and maybe it would've been better if she hadn't checked her phone until later that night.

But it was too late for any of that now.

After staring at her screen for an extended moment, Jennie fall back, her back hitting the mattress.

Sometimes, she really— really wanted to throw her phone across the room.

TO GRAYSON F. : FROM JENNIE H.

hey. it's jennie.

Hey. Can we talk?

—

AUTHOR'S NOTE |

this is how i can imagine jennie freaking out ^

word count.
1237.