RUSH

Ch. 1: Wandering Eyes

-Four Years Later-

-Bennett-

"You're early today," my co-worker, Jonah, pointed out while scanning my ID card, flashing a sly smirk. "Did you ditch class again?"

"It was canceled, actually," I retorted before heading off to the staff's locker room. I tiredly nodded along to his subsequent chatter while changing and stuffing everything into my locker, occasionally inserting half-hearted murmurs of agreement. Then, we headed back out to the lobby.

"Wait, isn't this the third time in a month?" Jonah finally pointed out, as if he hadn't shifted through multiple other topics during the prior five minutes. "That he's canceled class, I mean."

I just nodded in agreement. That was one of the few pros of gen ed courses; usually, the professors wanted to be there even less than the students themselves.

"You're here so early, though," he added, scrunching his nose in confusion. "You should have gone back home in the meantime."

I shrugged. I still had a few hours until my shift started, which meant I could get in some cardio beforehand. It was just less of a hassle, all things considered. "I don't mind."

My job was alright, if not a bit lackluster. I taught small children about exercise through an interactive class. It was glorified babysitting, but it also paid surprisingly well and meant free access to the equipment, so I couldn't really complain.

Perhaps it was selfish, but it was pretty easy to teach when the children were young enough to thrive in friendliness, not yet apt in judgment and rebellion. It'd probably change in just a few short years; but, for now, they were quite pleasant to be around. They all looked up to me like I was a god, never questioning or criticizing me. It was pathetically safe, in many ways, but so what? Being around so many people was usually suffocating. At least this way, it was somewhat bearable.

Plus, the schedule worked out pretty well for me. By the time my shift was over, it was late enough that the gym was somewhat empty. And it was always more comfortable to get in a workout at that time, when all the gym junkies and machine-hoggers had packed up and headed home.

By then, there was only the occasional elder working it like a boss—a slow boss, but a boss nevertheless—and the occasional heavy lifter that seemingly fed off the building's raw energy.

It also meant I could effectively waste the whole day away and get back home by the time all the lights were turned off and both my parents were asleep.

And this gym's membership was a tad bit too expensive for my father's liking, who usually headed down to the same seedy gym a few blocks from our house that he'd always frequented. He'd considered switching to mine when he first found out I got hired, but that plan quickly fell through since, as far as he knew, staff members did not get free memberships for family. It was also far enough to be inconvenient, which is how I found myself willingly taking the bus nearly an hour out of town every day.

We did offer memberships for family members, of course, but he didn't need to know that. This was my dominion, much like that shitty gym was his. It was better this way.

"My lunch break's in like fifteen minutes. Come get lunch with me," Jonah pleaded once I walked back into the lobby, the tall blond nudging me insistently. "We can get whatever you want."

"From the cafeteria?" I offered.

He grimaced.

"How about the burger joint across the street?"