"Ok now super slow, four down four up."
I squatted down, straining under the barbell pushing hard into my shoulder blades. I stared straight ahead into the mirror lining the far wall: beads of sweat lingered across my forehead snaking slowly down to my black polyester Nike vest.
"And four more reps come on just a few more guys!"
I glanced over at the teacher. Her name was Katy, she was petite and mousy, one might say even unnoticeable. But there was something in that anonymity that attracted me. As she squatted down, her strappy red vest revealed a line of cleavage and her small breasts pushed uncomfortably against the fabric.
"Ok lets warm down guys."
Huh?! Everyone in the room had begun to stretch their quads and here I was still squatting. Wake up Alex! I pushed the bar up and deadlifted it to the floor. Katy smiled over at me and I returned it awkwardly.
"Ok that's it guys. Matt will probably be here next week so er...yes um...hope you enjoyed it and well have a great weekend!"
Her voice was lost in the cacophony of clattering barbells and weight-plates. Katy busied herself around the CD player but I could see she was deflated. Whenever she covered the class nobody gave her any encouragement, it was a long hard slog. And then they shuffled out the room with no thank you or any show of appreciation whatsoever. Back to their selfish hovels of existence.
I picked my bar up and looked over at Katy. She was crouched over her bag and as she bent over her black lycra leggings slid down showing a glimpse of the line of her bum crack. It was hard to tell whether she was wearing underwear or not. I hurriedly put my bar away yanking the plates off clumsily. I had a sudden urge to ask Katy for a drink just so I could see more of her. But as I returned to my step she was gone. Where'd she go? Fuck! Oh pull yourself together Alex she's a married woman, what was your plan, huh? I left the room dispiritedly although I'm not sure why. It was a bit perverted to spy on her but she always seemed so helpless and I knew her husband anyway: A total dick. Every time I saw the guy he was flirting with other members of the gym, usually in front of Katy. I'd never even seen him speak a word to her.
I needed a slash. I didn't really want to bump into anyone from the class down in the showers – no, better to just delay it a bit. I headed right down past a row of lockers into another corridor. I approached the toilets:
CLOSED FOR CLEANING PLEASE USE LOWER GROUND TOILETS APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.
Fuck it. I needed a slash. I pushed the door open and entered the dimly lit room. Three urinals clung to the far wall; to the left two toilets sat behind faded blue doors and to the right were two white sinks under a large mirror. I was just about to move over to the urinals when I spotted a purple handbag next to the wall, a thin grey jumper lay to the side of it. I could have sworn that was Katy's stuff. But why would she be in the out of order men's toilets? The toilet to the right was open but the one to the left was shut. I crouched down and saw two white trainers underneath the door. I held my breath and heard scratchy breathing behind the door as if she knew she had been caught.
"Uh Katy is that you in there?"
The door clicked open and she hovered awkwardly unsure what to say. She was clearly flustered but the red in her cheeks gave her delicately featured face a cute innocence. Her frizzy red hair that had been tied into a bow on top of her head hung limply with sweat. It struck me how extremely petite she was, she had a button nose and thin lips and must be in her forties but she carried a weariness about her making her look bedraggled somewhat. Saying that she was in great shape, her strappy red top exposed her pale defined shoulders and the leggings clung perfectly to her cute bum. She was obviously about to get changed – her shoelaces were untied and an overly complicated frilly skirt was halfway up her legs – and I had barged in on her at the worst possible time.
"I...I'm sorry...I'll..."
Her voice shook. Her eyes were red and blotchy, she had been crying. I could have smacked myself: clearly she had been upset by the class and wanted to get away from everyone so seeing this toilet was out of order she must have thought she could get some privacy and then I busted in like a dick. I needed to save this situation and fast.
"Hey Katy I'm sorry, I shouldn't have intruded...but you know I wouldn't bother about those people in the class you know, it was a good class Katy, seriously I mean it."
She looked up gratefully at me.
"Really?"
"Yeah man I really wanted to do weights today and that was a tough class. You moved it along well..."
She visibly brightened.
"Thank you Alex that means a lot."
"You should tell Matt or someone about how rude they were just now though Katy or maybe I should, it's not on."
"I know..."
She bit her lip.
"Can you just look away for a second?"
"Huh? Oh yeah sure, sorry."
I cursed myself for being so stupid. What was I doing?
"Ok Alex it's fine now."
I turned back around. She had removed the skirt and hitched up her leggings. We both looked at the floor awkwardly. This was awful; say something Alex for fuck sake!
"You really -"
I was broken off by the sound of voices outside. I reacted first grabbing Katy's bag motioning to her to get back into the cubicle. We stumbled in together locking the door just in time. The main door swung open and what I could only assume to be one of the cleaners walked in whistling to Sympathy For The Devil. Shit. That was a close call. How on earth would either of us explained why we were in the out of order men's toilets? I just hoped whoever was on the other side of the door wouldn't hear our breathing or see our feet underneath the door.
"Aaaahhhh!"
The cleaner was clearly taking a piss. That reminded me of why I came to the toilet in the first place. Well that would have to wait. I finally turned my gaze and took in my surroundings. Katy stood against the edge of the toilet stock still her face a tense fixed expression of fear. Her stuff lay on the floor and I saw her lipstick had rolled out. I didn't dare pick it up.
"Come on oh come onnnnn!"
I shot my head round. What the fuck was that?
"Oh yes fuck yes...ahhhhhhh!"
It couldn't be.
"Mmmm ahhhhhh yessssss!"
Oh yes it could! A faint slapping sound echoed eerily off the pristine white marble. My first reaction was to burst out laughing but I held it in remembering the precarious situation I – no we – were in. I looked at Katy and saw her mouth slightly agape as if not daring to believe. I nodded at her. She looked horrified unable to move, her eyes wide open trying to comprehend, to accept that whoever was on the other side of that door was masturbating over goodness knows what whilst she was stuck in a tight cubicle with a guy in an out of order men's toilet.
"Nnnnnnnhhhhhhh oohhh ahhhh fuckkkk!"
Was he finally finished?
"Nnnnhhh!"
No.
"Nnnmmmm uh uh arrrrr!"
Finally he seemed to finish, his footsteps scraping against the linoleum floor to the sink. But the tap did not turn on. What was this guy doing? Katy moved slightly her foot kicking the lipstick against the wall with a faint clap. She opened her mouth in terror I grabbed her shoulder and put my finger to my lips. We both stood stock still, not daring to breathe out loud. Whoever was outside wasn't moving. Shit. How the fuck were we going to get out of this? Suddenly the scrape of feet approached the cubicle. Fuck fuck fuck fuck! But just as I thought we were busted the main door swung open and he was gone leaving the room in eerie silence.
I breathed out with relief and Katy followed suit. That was a close shave! I looked at Katy; her face was bright red, her brow furrowed with anxiety. I tried to catch her eyes but they were turned to the floor as if in a shocked reverie. Wow this was awkward.
"Katy are you ok?"
She looked up at me with her soft sad brown eyes.
"Yes...yes I'm fine Alex sorry I um..."
"I'm sorry about what just happened I shouldn't have come in here."
"Don't be silly Alex it's not your fault I shouldn't have come in here in the first place..."
"It's just that this coupled with what happened with the class...I'm really sorry Katy...I..."
I trailed off unable to express the extent of the sadness and frustration I felt at being so helpless. She smiled sadly her eyes glistening.
"Thank you Alex..."
"I can have a word with Matt you know."
"No it's fine Alex, really, it's happened before..."
"That class is so dead Katy nobody can turn it around."
"What about Milla?"
"Milla? I can't stand her class the CD she plays is unlistenable. I left last time."
"You did?"
"To be honest Katy I was pleased when I saw your name on the board as cover I don't think I could take another one of Milla's classes."
"So you think it worked? I tried to follow Brigitte's routine but I messed it up a few times...was the music loud enough?"
"Katy relax you did a good job, it was a proper weight's class I wish Milla had been in so she could copy it!"
An embarrassed smile crossed her lips. We both went silent. I tried to think of something else to say but nothing came. It was only now that I realised we were still in the cubicle together. Man what was I doing? She clearly wanted to change and get out of here as soon as possible and here I was busy making small talk.
