I had counted fourteen cars so far, half an hour into my run. The first four cars were Teslas, a low probability occurrence. Though I didn't pay attention to the exact models of the other nine cars, their lack of that characteristic electric car hum prevented them from contributing to the initial probabilistic miracle of the consecutive Teslas. I did wonder what all these cars were doing on the roads at this ungodly hour. I had begun my run at 3:53 AM, technically violating the town's curfew, though I doubted anyone would be awake to enforce curfew at this hours. Most of the cars that passed seemed to be leaving home as they were traveling north, away from the nearby southern terminus of Lupine Boulevard and toward more urbanized, non-residential areas. There were, however, a few cars that appeared to be returning home. I wondered what those people were doing out so late - having midnight rendezvous with lovers, perhaps? Partying at some nightclub? There weren't any nightclubs in this area, none that I knew of, anyway.

I continued running, not that I had stopped while internally spewing forth thoughts about cars, drivers, and their potential motives. I loved bathing in the cool, early morning breeze - well, breeze might not be the best descriptor; today, it was more of a blizzard wind minus the snow and below-freezing temperatures. I loved the solitude, that wonderful feeling of having the entire town to myself as the sole pedestrian. Car number fifteen whizzed by. A minute later, I reached the end of the block. There stood the town's singular eucalyptus tree, which looked obnoxiously incongruous even in the pre-sunrise darkness. I stared for a moment at the eerie, alien sight, a silvery trunk with sickle-shaped leaves shivering in the wind. I turned back to head home, leaving the eucalyptus to its lonely vigil.

I dodged the drooping branch of a bougainvillea and almost tripped over a slightly elevated sidewalk tile. I suppose I could have run on the asphalt - a more consistent surface with less impact on my legs - but I couldn't abandon my childhood conditioning that emphasized "road = dangerous, will get hit by car and die". Pat, pap, pat, pap, pat, pap, pat, pap, pat, pap. My footfalls danced to the iambic pentameter of a Shakespearean sonnet, specifically Sonnet 30. My breath waltzed, two inhales followed by one exhale, again and again and again. I glimpsed the twin pinpricks of light announcing an approaching car and prepared myself for that whoosh of air accompanied by that familiar Doppler whine. It didn't come. Instead, the car, which I now identified as a Hyundai Santa Fe, slowed, pulled over, and came to a stop - right in front of me. I held my breath as the driver's side window slowly rolled down.

"Leah. Long time no see, eh?"

Long time no see, indeed. It had been five years since I had spoken to this man. Seven years of a complicated mess of academic competition and collaboration culminated in a joint valedictorian speech before we went our separate ways: he to Palo Alto to study chemical engineering, I to Boston to study molecular biology. I never expected to speak to him again. But here I was, spending Christmas break in my hometown, face-to-face with Ethan Woo.

"Mmhm...by the way, what are you doing driving down Lupine at -" I glanced at my watch. "4:32 in the morning?" I raised my eyebrow to give him my best quizzical expression.

"I could ask the same of you", he chuckled. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm just going for an early morning run. You?"

"Just heading to the gym..." He started to smirk. "What did you think I was doing?"

What did I think he was doing? Commuting to a top-secret research facility to develop chemical weapons on behalf of the United States military, perhaps? Nah, that would be totally insane.

"Uhh...I dunno", I mumbled. "Anyway, nice seeing you", I finished in my polite, not-at-all annoyed voice, turning to go.

"Wait. Leah."

"Yeah?" I swiveled back to face Ethan, confused.

"We should grab lunch sometime, if you're free, I mean. There's something I want to talk to you about."

I hesitated. What in the world could this guy I hadn't seen in five years, who I never really knew that well in the first place, want with me? He stared into my eyes with that soft, vulnerable look.

"Please?" From experience, I knew I wouldn't (or couldn't) say no to that look. That look had forced me to proofread way too many essays and share way too many notes back in high school.

"Okay..." I finally uttered, feigning reluctance.

"Great. I assume your number's still the name?", he responded with a little too much confidence.

"Yup."

"I'll text you."

"Alright. I should really get going now. See you, I guess?"

"See you, Leah." We exchanged another look, then he sped off. I just stood there for a good fifteen seconds, watching the car shrink into the distance.

What in the actual hell (pardon my French) just happened?