Abigail's Journey

Old and New Friends

Abby

I walk in the gym and some of the guys look at me like I'm lost but the all to familiar face smiles at me. Then Oliver walks over leaving another guy he's talking to and reaching to hug me. I step back and he looks at me like he's offended so I grin.

Sorry Oliver some things have happened so I don't allow people to touch me. It's habit to pull away now. I know you won't hurt me.

I say then go ahead and hug him. He takes my bag and we walk over to the other men but they look at him like he's crazy when he loads the weights. I lay back and do the reps he asks.

You've been working out while you've been away.

He ups me to one fifty and I push myself to lift it but it's harder since I just did the others. The guys root me on then he tells me he wants my usual twenty pull-ups and straps the weights on my ankles. I jump up and grab the bar spreading my arms and pulling myself. I do the twenty then keep going doing ten more and drop to the floor. I bend over and take the weights off but he clears his throat as I stand up with the weights and tells me it's time to do my sit-ups and asks if I've improved them.

Well I was at eighty two when I got to Ohio but I think I can do more now but we'll see.

I use my shirt to wipe off the sweat then start but he tells me to keep my back straight. But I get hot as I finish the eighty but I keep going reaching ninety but now I'm sweating again. He writes it down and I lay back wiping my forehead as the other guys chuckle and harass me telling me he kicked my ass.

Who Oliver kick my ass? No he wishes he could do anything to my ass.

I joke then I pull off my over shirt and running pants leaving my gym shirts and sports bra on but one of the guys chuckles.

He's not the only one that wants to do things to your ass honey.

Oliver huffs and tells me it's time to do my push-ups. He says I was at sixty last time so I tell him I can do more and I do seventy. Then we walk to the boxing ring and I put on my gloves as he gets his but I've actually been fighting since I've left so now I know a few really good moves. Some of the guys watch as I jab a couple times the he tries to swat at me so I dodge and swing knocking him back. He chuckles and we tussle. I hit him a few times then he swats at me again so I swing them sweep my foot knocking him down and jumping on him ready to punch him while the guys laugh and clap harassing him.

So where have you been practicing?

He asks as I pull off my gloves and slip my clothes back on and the guys walk off.

In your office. I can't talk about it here.

We walk to his office and the guys whistle when he closes the door but I've known him for over two years so I do trust him to an extent.

I went to Ohio. I met my father's family but learned my father died during the war. I inherited a lot of money but I met a guy and we dated and things were great but then he cheated on me so I left him. I started dating another guy who also cheated but he doesn't matter. Andy the first guy he was my first and he came back. He... He raped me. We went to the same school together were we worked out together. I moved to another school were I exercised and dated another guy who was great. But after Andy I've had trouble trusting. Kevin was my one and he broke me by telling me we wouldn't be there if I came to save my mom. So I'm not going back. There's to much hurt there. I've worked out at school and pushed myself trying to keep myself conditioned. I know that wasn't what you asked but I wanted you to know.

I knew something was wrong when you hesitated to hug me. You're always so warm and friendly. I'm sorry about you dad and I hope your mom gets better but if the Kevin guy wouldn't wait for you he never really cared in the first place. He made the choice to walk away so now you have the choice to move on or suffer. I say you move on. Don't give him another choice. There's to many good men out there for a couple bad ones to ruin your life.