Zora

Chapter Thirty

"So he agreed to give you two a try?" Zora gasped.

"Yeah. He didn't tell you anything?"

"No. When we got home, he just went to his room and slept." She smirked. "He was smiling a lot."

Tyler threw his head back and laughed. "Well that's good. I've wanted this for so long. I never thought I'd have a chance with him, but now that I do, I don't want to screw it up."

"Hey, guys," Terrance greeted as he walked into the school's workout facility with Spencer. "What are you two doing in here? Shouldn't you be dancing?"

"We decided to work out in here today," Zora explained. "We need to remain in shape for our upcoming dance competition."

"What do you get if you win?" Spencer asked as he stood beside Zora's bench.

"Dance scholarship money. It looks good on applications and resumes," Tyler replied. He faced Terrance with excitement. "It's always been my dream to go to Julliard. I think I might have an actual shot if we place."

"How much would you win?"

"The higher you place, the more you get. Only the top three get one, though. Everyone else gets one of those dumb participation ribbons. As long as we crack the top three, we'll be good."

"You two will do great," Spencer said. "I know it." As Terrance walked over to his gym friends to work out, Spencer lingered by Tyler and Zora. "Mind if I work out with you guys?"

"Sure," Tyler agreed. "But fair warning, we go all out. It might be suicide if you aren't used to working out."

"Really?" Spencer asked Zora.

"I almost died my first time."

Facing the mirror, Zora lifted her 150lb dumbbells from the ground and flexed in the mirror. Spencer was left staring at her flabbergasted. Her muscles were large and strong, showing off how toned she truly was. He couldn't help but stare.

"You good?" she questioned.

"I wish I had muscles like yours."

Frowning, she dropped the weights.

"What's wrong?"

"While I do enjoy being strong, I don't like them." Spencer walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "They make me look more masculine than feminine."

"There are plenty of masculine women."

"Like who?"

Spencer was silent.

"See?"

"Just because I can't name any at the top of my head doesn't mean they don't exist." Kissing her cheek, he nuzzled his way into her neck. "You are strong and beautiful, like Serena Williams. I mean, have you seen how toned she is."

"But-"

"I like your muscles," Spencer cooed as he ran his hands down her arms. "They make you tough, a force not to be reckoned with. Besides, your muscles don't make you look masculine. You still look as feminine as ever."

Turning in his arms, she gave his lips a small kiss. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Spencer smiled as he kissed her once again.

"If the world kissed the way the two of you did, there would be no more babies," Tyler snickered, earning a smack in the back of the head from Terrance. Tyler glared back at him, and Terrance flashed him a warning look before following his friends out of the work out facility.

"If working out with you two will help me to get muscles, then count me in. I want to look like Terry Crews," Spencer announced.

"Then you should work out with Tyler."

"Why not you?" he pouted.

"He won't go easy on you. I would hate to see you in pain, but he won't mind," she responded, patting his shoulder as she exited the room. "I'm going to grab a drink."

"Get me one too?" Tyler asked. Once Zora was out of ear shot, he smirked at Spencer. "What's the real reason you want to work out with us?"

"I want to be strong enough to carry her in my arms," he stated without hesitation. "When I caught her in a dip, I was struggling to hold her up. I just want to hold her. Whether it be bridal style, on my back or my hip, front, shoulders, whatever! I want to carry her because she can carry me right now. I want to make her feel feminine in that sense."

Patting Spencer's shoulder, Tyler smiled. "You're a good man, Spencer. If you want to be strong like me, you will have to meet with me every day for ninety minutes. You decide whether you want it to be in the morning or evening, but we will go hardcore each day. You have to follow my diet regime, my sleep schedule-"

"I just want to carry her, not become you," Spencer deadpanned.

"Sixty to ninety minutes each day," he stated. "Also, you will need to balance your calorie intake. It will take some time."

"It will be worth it in the end," Spencer stated.

Clapping his hands, Tyler smirked. "Then let's get to work."

"I told you, you would die," Zora chuckled as she helped Spencer out of his car.

"I'm just glad you've been taking Driver's Ed," he chuckled before doubling over in pain. "That was suicide."

"I know the feeling. Trust me, it gets better over time." Leading him into her house, she laid his body out on the couch. "Do you need anything?" she whispered, hovering over his body.

"Just a kiss," he teased, and she obliged. "I'm gonna take a nap," he yawned as he closed his eyes, nuzzling his face into the pillow.

Chuckling at his antics, she sat down on the floor and turned on the TV. His hand fell over the side of the couch, and she grabbed hold of his hand. They were slightly sweaty, but it didn't bother her. She had a feeling he was working out because of her. Terrance once mentioned how he hated to work out, but since she enjoyed it because of her dancing, she assumed he wanted to do something she enjoyed doing too.

As she flipped through various channels, she landed on one with a girl crying hysterically and winced. Before she could change the channel, Spencer shot up from the couch, and Zora jumped back before laughing softly. "Are you alright?'

He hummed as he ran his hand over his face and laid back down. "No, yeah. I just thought you were the one crying."

"You woke up because you thought I was crying?" she bashfully asked.

"Of course," he mumbled before falling back asleep.

Taking his hand in hers, her heart soared as he felt his hand squeeze hers back.