Woman Tires of Admirer Who Joins Her Jog Every Morning but Desperately Searches for Him When He Doesn’t Show Up
Every morning at sunrise, Natalie laced up her running shoes and hit the familiar path through Riverside Park. It was her time—her escape from work stress, endless notifications, and the noise of city life. But for the past three weeks, her peaceful routine had been disrupted by an overly eager companion.
“Good morning, Natalie!”
There he was again. Ethan. Same navy hoodie, same easy smile. He had first joined her on a random Tuesday, chatting about the weather and marathon tips. She’d been polite, assuming it was a one-time encounter. It wasn’t.
Day after day, Ethan appeared like clockwork, falling into stride beside her. He was charming, sure—bright green eyes, unruly brown hair—but Natalie wasn’t looking for a running buddy, let alone an admirer who clearly found excuses to see her.
“Do you always run this early?” he asked one morning, barely winded.
“Yep,” she said curtly, hoping her tone would discourage him. It didn’t.
Eventually, Natalie stopped engaging, offering only nods and short answers. Ethan got the hint and spoke less, but he never stopped showing up. It annoyed her, how he inserted himself into her solitude.
Then, one Thursday, he wasn’t there.
Natalie didn’t notice at first. In fact, she enjoyed the quiet. No chatter, no sidelong glances. But when Friday passed without Ethan, she found herself glancing toward the park entrance. By Saturday, her jog felt incomplete.
Why do I care? she wondered, frustrated with herself.
By Sunday, concern gnawed at her. Ethan had become part of her routine, like it or not. She asked the old man who fed pigeons near the bench.
“Haven’t seen the boy in a few days,” he said, shrugging.
Natalie’s worry deepened. She barely knew Ethan—just his first name and the fact that he loved to run. But his absence felt wrong.
That afternoon, she found herself searching local social media pages. Nothing. On a whim, she stopped by the small coffee shop near the park where Ethan had once mentioned grabbing a post-run espresso.
“Ethan?” The barista frowned. “Oh, you mean the guy always in the hoodie? He collapsed outside Tuesday morning. Ambulance took him.”
Natalie’s heart sank. She thanked the barista and rushed to the nearest hospital. It took some pleading, but she found his room. Ethan lay there, pale but awake, scrolling through his phone.
“Natalie?” His eyes widened in disbelief.
“I—I didn’t know what happened. You just… disappeared.”
He smiled weakly. “Dehydration. Stupid, right? I pushed too hard trying to keep up with you.”
Natalie laughed, more relieved than she expected. “Well, don’t be stupid again. Who else is going to annoy me every morning?”
From that day on, they ran together—not out of habit, but by choice.
