"Come on man harder! Harder!"
My face contorted as I strained to lift the bar up one last time. Sweat poured down my face as I forced it gradually upwards. My mate John is grinning at me like a dick but I am pretty fucking happy. Benching 180kg had been the target for a month now ever since John had started pushing me harder. The guy was Army material, hulking great shoulders, rock hard abs and thighs like traffic bollards. The guy was 195cm and weighed over 100kg: a human tank.
"Look dude I gotta dash I'm meeting Sara for drinks"
"You still working on that? How long's it gonna take man?!"
"Just you wait and see dude, I'm a patient predator but when I pounce I'm deadly"
"Still yet to be seen. Clocks ticking"
"I'll see you later dude"
"Alright mate catch you tomorrow and remember don't do anything I wouldn't do"
He laughed as he left the now empty weights room. It was getting late: I'd been there for like three hours. I mopped my brow with a towel and headed for the showers.
Most of the lights had been switched off. The gym closed at 10pm and it was 9.30 now. The week before Christmas was always deserted and they usually just left the back exit open for members staying late. I heard brief laughter upstairs at reception so there was still someone there. I'd been shut in darkness in the gym before but it was an elaborate practical joke orchestrated by John. I ended up completely lost in the second floor cycle room. I didn't live that one down for quite some time.
As I walked toward the changing room I heard someone call out
"Excuse me is anyone there?"
The direction of the voice was coming from down the hall past the changing rooms. I jogged down past the cardiovascular area and turned into the Mind and Body studio where people did Yoga and Pilates. It was a dimly lit room with spotlights emitting beams of blue and green light onto the dark brown wooden floor. I saw her reflection in the mirror across the room before I clocked who had called out.
"Oh Hi Katie what's up?"
"Oh Hi Steven erm sorry if I startled you I just needed someone to help put the Swiss Balls away."
"Sure no problem."
"I hope I didn't interrupt your workout. I was practising for tomorrow, we have a showcase and well I wanted to rehearse the moves one more time but I accidentally knocked all of the Pilates balls off the stand and --"
She cut off. Man she was babbling. Katie was one of those excessively nervous people who you just end up being irritated by whilst feeling guilty for doing so. She must have been late forties but was in impressive shape. Petite but strong. She had red frizzy hair that was tied in an untidy bow, it resembled a bird's nest in all honesty but her face was cute, thin lips, button nose and sad tragic eyes. She was wearing a pea green top that showed off a plunging neckline whenever she bent over which was kind of odd considering she was so shy and repressed. She wore black tights and an ill-fitting red skirt underneath that again made her look a lot younger but seemed out of character. She had two kids with some posh loser who refused to marry her thinking he was the big man or something. A guy that drank too much beer and ate too much pizza but also would only watch French Cinema and talk fine wines. You'd never believe they were together: a chalk and cheese pairing if there ever was one.
I felt my black gym vest cling to me as I finished putting the Swiss balls back on their racks. I needed a shower and something to eat pronto.
"Is there anything else you need help with?"
"Er - - What - - Sorry?"
Wow she was jittery.
"Can I hep you with anything else?"
"Erm no it's fine -- it's"
She was trying to reach something on the top shelf in the cupboard. I walked over and leaned over her to help retrieve what turned out to be her phone.
"Got it"
She seemed startled by my presence jumping back slightly into my chest her petite little bum brushing my crotch.
"Thank you -- er -- I'm sorry"
She was blushing. Why I had no idea but it was kind of cute.
"Hey why don't you show me a bit of the showcase, you know it might be good to do it for an audience."
"You wouldn't mind?"
"No it's cool. Go for it. I'll be nice I promise"