The gym was the aroma of sweat, dirt, and a musty stench. The low yet echoing music in the background was a mixture of rock, pop, and alternative melodies. The pounding of mats echoed around the gym, the hammering and blows to punching bags sounded about the area.
Shirtless men who were drenched in sweat appeared everywhere, their hair marinated in sweat, and their dirty yet careless stench went along with the body odor. These men weren't scrawny men, either. They were burly built with years of practice and triumph in bulking. These guys were bodybuilders.
Jo and I walked around numerous wrestling mats, getting out of the way of the men wrestling around on the mats. Plenty of tap outs were heard as the loser patted the mat loud enough for the referee, or the trainer to hear. I spotted Aiden on the last vast wrestling mat that was at the back of the gym. He had a whistle hanging out of his mouth - enough to where he could shout at the two fighting bodies rolling in agony and wheezing for a desperate breath that Aiden wasn't allowing.
Once passed all the small mats, I finally approached Aiden's mat. His head turned from the brawling boys and towards us. Aiden turned his consideration back to the boys and blew his whistle. The two boys discontinued and heaved for a breath of air.
"Working them to death?" I quizzed, referring to the two boys who mutually were running for their water bottles. While Aiden, Jo, and I were walking towards each other, Aiden turned his attention back to the boys, smirked, and stopped in front of me.
"They're training and that's part of the plan. How'd you get here?" Aiden asked and scoped out Jo.
"Jo drives," I paused.
"Jo, this is my older brother, Aiden." I turned to Jo, and she smiled at Aiden. "And Aiden, this is my friend, Jo." Aiden nodded at her and mumbled a "hey" beneath his breath and grinned his signature smile.
"So, this is what you've been doing in the past, what? Weeks? Months?" I inquired. This is where my brother spends his time at. This gym is his second home.
"Yup, pretty much. This or tournaments which is at the end of every ten weeks: for me, my own tournament is next week. The competitions I've been going to are only for the kids I coach." With that, I nodded my head once. He's never notified me of this before.
"Baylor's around here somewhere. He said he was going to lift or some shit. I haven't seen him in about an hour," Aiden announced, searching for his best friend.
"So, you both met at school?" Aiden asked, glancing between Jo and me. He kept a steady gaze on Jo.
"No, Aiden, we met on the side of the road," I sarcastically added. Aiden looked at me dumbfounded.
"I always knew you were a hobo," Aiden sneered, earning a giggle from Jo. I glowered at both, which reasoned them both to laugh audibly. Currently, a silent streak had fallen upon us three, and glancing at Jo because I thought she was looking at me, Jo was watching wrestlers instead. I looked at Aiden, and he was gawking at Jo, like he was a carnivore, and she was the only meat present.
Two strong arms locked around my chest and a burly torso was compressed against my backside. I examined the dark, immense hands that had prominent knuckles and veins. Reek filled my senses and sweat absorbed onto my back.
"Ew, Baylor, get off of me. You stink," I cringed. A deep chuckle was heard closely by my ear, and I glanced at Jo, who had a powerful grin prominent on her lips. 'I told you so' her expression interpreted.
"Squeeze her tighter, Baylor. She might throw up on you," Aiden teased.
"Shut up, Aiden," I pressed.
"Well, I must not stink that bad if you're not pushing me off of you. Or am I just too strong to do so?" Baylor boasted, his voice full of glee. I wasn't going to feed his ego.
"You just don't stink that bad," I falsely admitted.
He unwrapped his arms from around me and stood close to me. I glimpsed Aiden who had a grin spread across his pale lips. I turned my head a little to see if I could get a glimpse of his tall posture.
"Can Aiden take you down?" Aiden snorted brashly and Baylor laughed loud enough for me to hear.
"No," Baylor countered suddenly, not hesitant and was sure of his answer.
Aiden bowed slightly and I added, "He can't take me down either." Instead of speaking to Baylor, Aiden looked dead at me and inserted, "If we weren't here, I'd totally win in a match against you," Aiden boasted. I gave him a deadly look, trying to seem dangerous.
"I'd like to see that happen," I scoffed.
"Jo," Aiden called and she turned her attention to him. "If Adalynne and I were to have a match, who would you think would win?" he asked.
Jo looked at me and smiled, "I don't know."
"No, I'd win because Aiden can't fight if it were to save his life!"
"Adalynne would definitely win," Baylor said. I stuck my tongue out at Aiden, and Aiden half frowned, half glowered.
"Look what you've done Adalynne. You've got my best friend turning against me," Aiden frowned once again. His grimace turned into a glare, and we knew he was joking. Well, I did. Whistles were heard all over the fitness center, yelling and shrieking, along with broad, profound voices from hired coaches screaming at the top of their lungs to their trainers: bossing them around, advising them what and what not to do. It seems miserable to train; one is either being shouted out or told what to do at all times. Another session of perceive sound came from the constant banging of the lifting area. The area where bodybuilders habituated to and gritted their teeth in competition.
"Boston, who you got your hands on this time?" I heard a masculine voice.
Aiden and Jo rotated their heads at the same time, glancing over at the located voice seeping through the reeking gymnasium.
"It's not a slut this time, dick," Aiden announced. I felt a presence joining our group. He was standing between Aiden and me. By the look of Aiden's face, the stranger wasn't an enemy, he was an acquaintance, or yet a friend of Aiden's. Via his appearance, he looked like he lived at the gym. His arms were the size of four arms put together. He was powered and constructed in a strong frame.
"Wait, your little sister and Baylor?" The guy asked.
"Yeah, my little sister. You're so clueless, dumbass," Aiden joked. This was very discomforting, and I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
"They're not dating; well at least I don't think they are." Aiden glanced between Baylor and me, and I shook my head 'no' as Baylor answered, "Nah."
"And who is this?" the outsider inquired, gesturing to Jo. I looked at my brother once more, kind of mentally chuckling because Aiden indirectly called dibs on her, and his face held an envious expression. Aiden has possibly grown a sudden liking towards Jo's appearance, and it was amusing to see him get worked up.
The stranger must have perceived Aiden's expression. "Don't get too angry, man. I have my own girl." He patted Aiden on the back reassuring his promise.
***
Back at home with just Aiden and me, we were cleaning up the apartment a bit. Washing dishes and clothes, dusting and the whole nine yards. Aiden had his iPod plugged in his speaker, blaring the music through the apartment. Different melodies came on shuffle, and I sung to the songs I knew.
"Brantley wanted me to go on a double date with him and his girlfriend next week before our tournament," Aiden noated. Brantley must have been the guy Aiden and Baylor were talking to at the gym. I cocked an eyebrow, impressed, yet curious with who my brother would attend that date with.
"Who did you have in mind?" I asked, wiping the entertainment's shelf with a dust feather.
"Your friend, Jo," he admitted, and I smiled brightly.
"Jo? Really? So, you do like her!" I exclaimed in excitement. Now the teasing can commence with Jo and Aiden.
"She's hot, yeah. How old is she?" Aiden posed and rested a bowl along with some mugs in the far cupboard.
"She's a senior, so she's eighteen," I answered, although I was a bit unsure. "If she isn't eighteen, she will be soon."
He cocked an eyebrow at me. "You don't know how old your friend is, Addy?" he asked. "Do you even think she'll go out with me?"
"You need to ask her yourself. And this is the first time I've ever seen you get so worked up about a girl. I don't even think you've had a proper girlfriend in ages, have you?" Aiden shrugged his shoulders, not desiring to answer my question because he knows I'm right.
I think it'll be good for him to date someone who's a decent person. I know Jo likes to party but she's not the one to go to a party every weekend. It'll do Aiden some good by being taught how to treat a lady - not that he already knows how - but just knowing how to settle down and possibly change his attitude. Aiden can be a bit bipolar, though he's change a lot over the past few years.
"What's the deal with you and Baylor? You've both gotten closer. I know you used to hate his presence," Aiden asked with a faint chuckle.
I never hated his presence; I just wasn't fond of him like the rest were. A tug at the corner of his lips occurred, making a smile appear on his mouth.
"Well, there's no deal, we're just friends like Jo and I are friends," I answered. Baylor and I don't have a finger-crossed friendship like Jo and I have begun, but we're friends at least.
"I don't know about you both being friends. That's never really seemed quite assuring in my head. I mean - Baylor and Adalynne are friends - that just doesn't seem to make sense to me," Aiden walked into the dining room and began sorting through the tousled mail on the dining table. He sorted out the mail of bills from letters. Letters from extended family members that we haven't spoken to in years. Extended family members of ours consisted of our aunts and uncles on my mom and dad's side of the family; our first and second cousins that live in Philly.
"It's not a big deal, really. We're friends," I shrugged my shoulders. "Why doesn't it make any sense?" I glanced at Aiden. He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.
"If Jo agrees to go on this date with you, don't ruin it. I mean, you've got anger issues that you need to manage, and I know how you can get," I demanded. My brother's anger problems have gotten a little bit better, but when something goes wrong or he gets frustrated (which happens a lot), he'll turn into a demon, and he'll destroy numerous things in a matter of seconds.
"Whatever, at least I'm not always on my period," he laughed. I launched a TV remote at him, and it hit his knee.
"Are you on your period again, Adalynne?!" he exclaimed. "I told you, you're always on you period!" Aiden shouted over the music.
"Shut up or I'll tell Jo how big of a jerk you are and convince her not to go on a date with you."
His face turned serious, "You wouldn't," he challenged. I laughed. This is hilarious, and when Aiden and Jo begin dating, I'll remind them how many times Aiden blushed at the sound of Jo's name.