Author's Note: All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
I know that gym stories are pretty common in the Interracial category, but I thought I'd give one a go. Hope everyone enjoys the adventures of Cassie and the team of trainers that work at her gym.
All comments and feedback are welcomed.
HF
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Cassie pushed through the heavy glass door of Pulse Fitness Center, the faint, but lingering, scent of sweat, rubber mats, and industrial cleaner rushing to greet her. She paused just inside the doorway, both literally and metaphorically shaking off the tension from her day as the faint hum of workout machines and clinking weights filled the air. I can't believe we just spent three hours talking about a compliance model and framework... and still didn't agree on it... she thought irritably to herself, doing her best to try and rid herself of the stress from her job.
As a corporate compliance officer for a medium-sized financial services firm, Cassie had no illusions about the enjoyment she derived from her job -- it was a paycheck, nothing more, nothing less. A decent enough one, she reflected as she closed the door behind her. At least for LA.
An Arizona native, Cassie had moved to California after she'd finished college several years earlier. It had seemed like a great idea at the time, a way of putting her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Arizona to use. And for the most part, it had been. She'd managed to land an entry-level job, a small, but comfortable apartment, and, best yet, a handsome boyfriend.
Of the three, she only retained her apartment. Building on the internship experience she'd gained at a bank back home in Phoenix whilst at college, she'd been able to secure an entry-level job at a bank in Los Angeles as a junior analyst. Two years later, she'd moved across to the financial services firm where she now worked, slowly moving up the ladder in the corporate compliance division. It wasn't what she wanted to do long-term, but it was good enough for the time being, while she got her life back in order.
Ethan had moved in with her eighteen months ago after they'd met and hit it off at a party three years earlier. Three long years. Three long years before she'd finally had enough of his dismissive attitude towards her career and her life in general. Of course, it had started perfectly, but soon things started to creep in -- the subtle references, the little demands. With his high-flying career as a commercial real estate agent, Ethan had considered her career to be "just glorified paperwork" he'd once told her. Cassie had been fairly certain that if he'd had his way, she would be sitting at home popping out babies for him.
She'd finally had enough of his attitude -- the fact that he'd belittled the stress she felt from her job had been the last straw. The heated argument hadn't been a memorable experience; in fact, she wanted to forget it ever happened. She'd broken up with him on the spot -- telling him that she'd had enough. Unfortunately, it seemed that this had brought out his true colors and he'd refused to leave. Or, it seemed, to accept that their relationship was over.
She'd given him an ultimatum; get out of her apartment, and her life, or she would call the cops and have him thrown out. Wisely, Ethan had chosen the former, lest the whiff of scandal mar his impeccable reputation in the real-estate industry. Fortunately, they'd never gotten around to putting his name on the lease and, although Cassie felt the sting in her wallet from him leaving her life, she felt better about it in the end.
Now it's about me... not his stupid ideas about how I should behave, she thought. One of the first things she had done after dumping Ethan was to decide to get serious about her fitness again. She'd been toying with the idea of getting back to exercising for several months, even before she'd broken up with Ethan. She'd realized after the breakup that for the last couple of years it had been too easy to focus on work, on her relationship and on trying to please Ethan.
She'd been a runner at school and had represented the state in diving. Now she wanted to rediscover her previous joy that she had found in exercising. It wasn't as if she was unfit or overweight but, living in such an image conscious place like Los Angeles, there had always been a little voice in the back of her head comparing herself to the legions of perfectly groomed women that surrounded her.
No, I'm doing this for myself, not for anyone else, she decided as she did a search for gyms near her apartment, pushing the negative thoughts from her mind. Cassie was pleased to see there were several to choose from and she had selected Pulse Fitness Center as she had recalled passing by it several times and it was an easy walk from her apartment, meaning she could work out on the way home from work in the late afternoons and early evenings.
She'd signed up online a few days earlier, the confirmation email had told her to collect her pass at the front desk for her first visit. Coming directly from work, she was still dressed in her normal corporate attire, but with her athletic gear in the small bag slung over her shoulder. Time to get into it, she thought to herself. She hoped this would be the tonic to revive her -- a way of getting rid of some of the tension from work and the lingering anxiety from her breakup with Ethan.
Cassie's heels clicked softly on the tiled floor as she made her way to the front desk, where a young receptionist was working. The Latina woman looked up from the computer and gave Cassie a friendly little smile as she approached. "Hey there," she said. "Can I help you?"
Cassie returned the smile. "Hi, my name's Cassandra Landry. I signed up online the other day. The confirmation email said I should collect my pass from the front desk on my first visit."
The young woman glanced down at the computer screen and started to tap at the keys. As she did, Cassie's eyes glanced around the reception area. Everything seemed new and clean; it was clear that the staff ran a tight ship. She glanced over the staff name board on the nearby wall, seeing rows of fit young men and women, all smiling at the camera. Hmm, a couple of are pretty cute, she thought to herself before she turned her attention back to the receptionist who was rummaging in a small box on the counter.
"Here you go," she said, handing over Cassie's laminated pass. She quickly explained that once she had changed, she just needed to go see one of the gym's trainers who would run her through the correct and safe use of all the equipment as part of her induction. The receptionist pointed to the small desk further into the gym where the trainers worked. Cassie gave her a polite smile and nodded as the young Latina finished explaining the rest of the gym's rules and moved away towards the change room to get changed out of her clothes and start her induction and workout.
As she made her way into the center, she passed the other counter, clearly where the trainers worked from. Behind the counter, two fitness trainers -- one, a slim but toned White man with blonde hair, and the other, a shorter, stockier Latino man with dark brown skin. Both had broad shoulders and matching scowls -- they were muttering to each other while gesturing discreetly toward a group of women near the squat racks.
Cassie followed their gaze.
The influencers.
The latest curse of the social media generation. It wasn't hard to spot them -- three women, two White and one Black, all with unnaturally perfect faces, their gym clothes coordinated down to the precise colors and exact locations of the seams. Every detail flawless, ready for the next picture-perfect shot or video to be uploaded to their social media accounts. Each one of them had a phone propped on a small tripod, filming as they posed more than lifted, their exaggerated smiles faltering between takes.
Cassie grimaced, her lips pressing into a thin line. They're not even sweating. Although attractive in a 'girl-next-door' way, she'd always felt a touch insecure about her appearance since moving to LA and living amongst all the perfect looking people she saw every day. She pushed the thoughts of the fake women from her mind. Fuck 'em, she thought to herself. She adjusted her shoulder bag and walked briskly past the scene, the clack of her heels swallowed by the sound of thudding treadmills and pounding music.
As she moved further into the gym, her gaze flickered to another group of trainers. There were three of them, all Black men, all gathered near the weightlifting platform. She caught their eyes -- dark, sharp, and observant. They were watching the influencers too, their expressions similar to the other trainers at the front counter. The oldest-looking of the group, a towering man with close cut black hair on his head, crossed his tattooed arms over his chest and smirked faintly as he leaned against the wall.
Another, with long cornrows tied neatly back, looked her way and gave her a friendly nod, his expression less intimidating than the others, before turning back to what was evidently an ongoing conversation with the other two men.
The third, shorter but just as muscular, grinned widely when their eyes met, his energy practically radiating across the room.
Cassie gave a quick smile and nod in return as she passed by them, unsure why their attention unsettled her. They weren't doing anything wrong; they weren't even looking at her inappropriately. If anything, their expressions were polite -- friendly even. But there was something about the three of them that made her pulse quicken. Maybe it was their relaxed confidence, or the fact that they didn't seem to care about the influencers in their gym.
She adjusted her bag again and continued towards the changing rooms, weaving through the maze of machines and other patrons. Before she entered the changing room, she quickly glanced back briefly at the three Black trainers. As she did, she had a subtle feeling that things were about to change in her life.
Inside the change room, the fluorescent lighting was too bright, washing out the dull grays of the benches and lockers. Cassie chose an empty corner, setting her bag down with a sigh. It had been too long since she'd seen the inside of a gym. She'd maintained a reasonable figure but had spent too much time sitting at her desk, too much time walking on eggshells around Ethan over the past few months, all of it had added up and she knew she wasn't where she wanted to be physically or emotionally. Hell, I might as well add sexually to the list too, she though as she unzipped her bag.
