KICK IT | JENLISA

13

Lisa

I appreciated the weird, stinky shit from the lobby not being in the windowless room. Dark lighting and a warmer temperature contrasted the studio, stuck in the back corner of some remote strip mall. Jackson was right; it was low-key. Clean and minimal shit hung on the walls. A sea of light purple mats lay on the floor, all pointed to a space. My feet carried me straight to the back row. With my height, the last thing I wanted was...

"Hey!" a shrill voice chirped. An older, not-in-shape woman peered up at me with wide eyes. Her grey hair was twisted into a high bun. "Don't tread on my mat."

My shoe pressed an imprint into a pink flower-patterned mat. "Sorry." I stepped off, bumping into a warm body behind me. "This is my first time."

"I'm Yuh-jung." The irritation in her eyes dissolved, and she shook my extended hand. "You're Lisa."

"How..."

Her smile cut me off, bracing me for a compliment, and her eyes sparkled. "Front desk made us sign NDAs. And Jennie asked me to check if you need help. She's so considerate. Do you need help?"

'Is it obvious' died on my tongue. A quick look around showed others removed the purple mats, put theirs down, and hung the old ones on a wall rack. Set spots. Smart. I was the only person present and wearing loose shorts. So many brought additions like water bottles, towels, and even sleep masks. I didn't recognise the gear taken out of a corner cabinet, more purple shit.

"Blocks and straps are optional." Yuh-jung pointed to my feet. "But shoes and water aren't."

Water? I wouldn't be sweating much. "Right." I kicked my shoes into the back wall.

I stood on an empty mat. A few bodies were already engaged in nap mode. Yuh-jung sat with her back on the wall, thumbing through her phone with a smile. A few women held hushed conversations in the corners, eyes gazing as if I was the local menu special.

Whether my height or recognition, I always grabbed attention. Here was no different, from shocked eyes and polite smiles to head-to-toe eye-fucking. The room had no mirrors, but I was 'People Magazine's Sexiest Person of the Year' for a reason. Twice.

Uncertainty subdued my usual aura of confidence. My skin crawled, raising the hairs on my forearms. The air hung thick. My racing heart pumped so hard that the veins bulged in my hands. I heaved a breath and ran my hand down my face.

Relax. It was stretching and sleeping. If I was single, I would've commented that I'd never seen so many beautiful women clustered in one space. And they wore revealing, and skin-tight clothes.

Wait.. thanks to Kendall, I was single. A week of dirty underwear on the bedroom floor, used tissues in the bathroom sink, sleeping alone, and battling the urge to drink myself numb but settling for bingeing on movies Kendall hated reflected that singlehood. And yet, surrounded by women, I had no...

"Good evening." a woman called. Her sharp edge on an even tone was soothing and authoritative. Its impact was immediate. Rustled movements, followed by a collective silence, sounded as girls roach-scattered to their mats.

Carrying an armful of shit, our instructor's eyes met mine. Her feet, stuffed in the ugliest shoe imaginable - Crocs, skidded to a stop. My heart dropped into my stomach, and dryness coated my tongue. The air thickened to suffocation, and I swallowed.

Oh fuck. It's her. My parking lot tease. How could it be her? What were those odds? I needed a lottery ticket. There was a liquor store next door.

In hurried movements, she set up her mat, kicked off her shoes, and hooked her phone to the front cabinet. Yup, it was her. Like in our previous exchanges, my eyes appreciated the view. Black yoga clothes did me a favour showcasing her superb muscle tone and stacked tits.

"I'm Jennie." She flashed a bright smile with a glance around the room. "Welcome to Beginning Vinyasa class. Anyone or any injuries new to me?"

Nineteen heads turned to me, twenty including Jennie's. The longer her lips pursed, the more her gaze darkened. Meeting her silent challenge, I smirked and raised a hand.