Faith's POV
Catching the reflection of a young woman in the doors of FitNow I feel as if I am pulled magnetically to a standstill, unable to step inside. Dark bags underneath her eyes are in stark contrast to her pale skin and a wrinkled pant-suit, which has seen better days, hangs loosely at the hips and legs. Exhaustion is her only companion and a lonely one at that.
It would be so simple to pretend it's just the distortion of the glass which casts such a bleak image. That there really is a beautiful, fun, successful woman starting back at me. But reality, although perhaps not as palatable, is what lingers while the distortion of a dream bursts as the first ray of daylight peaks over the horizon.
A tap on the glass pulls me away from my own morose thoughts. Instead of my reflection glowering back at me I'm met with a bright toothy smile which puts my frown to shame.
"What ya doin' Miss Faith? You were starin' an awful long while," Asher Brown, grandson of the owner and self-proclaimed 'Towel Boy,' inquires with his refreshing candid take on life. He stares through the panes of glass, puzzlement creasing squiggly lines across his forehead, small hands gripping the handle as he opens the door to let me inside. "I don't see nothin'."
"Just thinking too hard Awesome Asher." Holding a fondness for a certain energetic eight year old, my mood instantly shifts from somber to content. I hold out my left hand to complete our secret fist bump-firework-finger snap-handshake. Sticky knuckles bash into my fingers, leaving remnants of peppermint and orange. Internally I chuckle. Asher has been sneaking candy out of Sally's desk again.
Skipping alongside me through the foyer, Asher maintains his puzzled expression. "Thinking too hard will hurt your brain Funny Faith. Try laughing more." At this he nods his head decisively, sure he has found the definitive answer to all of life's problems.
"Come up with some gym jokes for me and I will." Even as I say the words I'm grinning. Asher returns my grin before bolting down the hall to pick up a towel another gym patron has dropped. "Next time I see you I'll have a bucket load of 'em" he shouts, waving to me as I duck into the woman's locker room to change.
Chlorine, a floral perfume, and the stench of sweat envelop me all at once. Despite the odd combination of smells, I'ld bet my favorite necklace that the men's locker room has an odor that's ten times worse.
Quickly I change into an azure colored tank and short ensemble, pulling my hair up in a messy side ponytail, ready for whatever Tossie wants to throw at me. An aquatic center and all-purpose gym, it offers a variety of aerobics classes. I've spent many hours acting as a model of what not to do in Tossie's classes. Tonight is Latin Night so Zumba is on tap. Try as I might to hide in the back, miraculously I always end up standing front and center.
Exiting the locker room, I'm ambushed by a flurry of pink, black, and green. "Hey Cuz, so glad you made it." Tossie takes hold of my left arm and leads me in the opposite direction of the aerobics studio. "There's been a change of plans. Caleigh is teaching my class tonight."
"Oh." I shrug one shoulder in acceptance; undeterred by the change in plans. I'll get a work out one way or another. At least this way I'm not in the spotlight.
"I have a private hour-long personal training session scheduled and the client is amicable to the idea of you both sharing the time." Glee radiates off Tossie in waves, her mega-watt smile bursting at the seams. She should be in one of those dental commercials; her teeth are so white they make snow appear dull.
"Wait a minute." Gently, I slow my footsteps until she is forced to come to a halt in the middle of the corridor. "I think I'll just hit the elliptical tonight. It was a frustrating day at work and I don't have the will to play 'happy client' in front of your new torture victim." I take two hesitant steps backward toward the cardio-centered portion of the gym.
"Please Faith, this client is very important to me. If tonight goes well I could be looking at paying for the whole Maui vacation: your part too!" Clasping her hands together she pulls them into her chest and lasers me with a puppy dog gaze, pouting out her lower lip and widening those big eyes.
Her attempt to bribe me won't work but it does elicit the smile she is hoping for. "I'm not Andre, the pouty lip doesn't affect me."
Fluttering her hands up in the air before placing them on her hips, she drops the act. "Look, Faith, if you won't do it for vacation then maybe..." Tossie's attempt to convince me a grueling hour of personal training is a treasure in disguise is squelched when a male voice from behind me pierces the air.
"Natasha, there you are. I'm ready for our session." Smooth as velvet, the melodic voice conveys a hint of Southern twang.
Abruptly, as if someone has turned on a vacuum, all of the air is sucked out of my lungs. My entire body stiffens, fingernails digging painfully into my palms. Closing my eyes, I refuse to turn around because that would mean I'm acknowledging that this is no dream. No, I am very much awake.
Fuming, I contemplate an untimely demise for my cousin. I can't believe she set this up knowing how I feel about him.
"Great! I was just telling Faith how generous it is of you to allow her to be your workout partner today." An elbow shoved into my ribs is enough to force my eyes to spring open. Tossie threatens me with a glacier gaze not to mess this up. Unwilling to look like a complete fool or come off as a royal witch, I paste on the artificial smile that most people can't recognize as a forgery. Swinging around, I face the one person I can't seem to escape: Zade Parks.
"Faith." The smile he spares in my direction has probably made legions of women buckle at the knees, waiting to be carried off into the sunset by Cowboy Charming. Not me though. Nope, absolutely not interested.
"Mr. Parks" I reply, relieved to find my voice steady, not one ounce breathless.
"So you know who I am. Couldn't resist looking me up could you?" Having the audacity to wink at me before walking side-by-side with Tossie toward the smaller weight room, Zade struts around as if he owns the place.
Growling under my breath, I drag my feet, my temporary calm snuffed out like a fire doused with water. Moving up beside me, a ginger-haired man whom I can only describe as the Hulk II, flashes me his own drool-worthy grin. "You'll have to excuse my man Zade. Stars in one measly movie and all of the sudden he believe he's irresistible to everyone."
A small chuckle escapes without my permission. "I think we should call a doctor to prescribe one dose humility and two doses reality. Maybe that would fix the symptoms of over-inflated egotism."
"Ouch, one deflated ego courtesy of nurse Faith coming stat. Any follow-up for that prescription?" This easy banter is comfortable, reminding me of the jokes my older brother Shane and I traded during late night camp outs.
"Monthly check-ups until the ego is deflated and stable."
"Man, this is going to be good. Should have brought some popcorn for the show" he murmurs before holding the door open for me as we follow my cousin and Zade into the long mirrored room. Suddenly I am thankful we are the only ones using the weight room for the hour. Less people to embarrass myself in front of.
Directing us to set down our bottles and towels, Natasha jumps right into a 5 minute warm-up before explaining that we will be doing some weight training combined with HIIT training. "These high intensity intervals will help blast fat, protect your heart, and build up stamina. We will also be completing a round of partner exercises." Clapping her hands eagerly, she blasts some pop music through the speakers and starts us off with some weighted exercises followed by some rapid ballistic moves.
No fitness model, I am acutely aware of who the 'odd man out' is in this grouping of four. Surrounded by three gorgeous people, every imperfection I can pick out in myself is magnified by ten in those long floor to ceiling mirrors. My thighs look like chunky logs, my hair frizzes as if I touched my hand to an electrical socket, and my face is as plain as the cream walls enclosing us.
Yanking my sleeveless top down further, I curse the Nike designers who create women's active wear. Tight and Short must be their motto.
Managing to avoid conversation with Zade turns out easier than I had imagined. His tunnel vision focus when it comes to a training session is actually admirable. Every rep is precise, each contraction elegant. As Tossie makes some slight modifications to his form, I finish up my tricep kickbacks and move into a chest press with hip drop.
Occasionally I'll pause to rest but Tossie catches me every time and sends me the evil eye. Finally, as I am dying from suicides, I cast my gaze over to where Zade's buddy stands. He hasn't moved from his position near the door, his unwavering stare never leaving Zade and I.
A bit disconcerted, I glance over to Zade who powers through the suicides at twice my speed, seemingly oblivious to the hawk-like gaze of his friend. Collapsing at the sound of the stopwatch indicating the end of Round 1, my curiosity leads me to break my vow of silence and speak to Zade. Barely perceptible, I nudge him in the arm once he is sprawled out next to me. "Why is the Hulk's brother staring at us? It's kind of creepy."
Cocking his head toward his friend, I'm provided an excellent view of his profile. Strong jaw, perfectly narrow nose, long eye lashes gracing sculpted cheek bones. Ugh, I sound like another love-sick sucker. Pinching my leg in self-recrimination does nothing for me but to leave a red mark on my thigh.
"Well, that's a new one I haven't heard: the Hulk's brother. He'll get a kick out of that when I tell him."
Roughly I poke Zade in his bicep, a concrete block of muscle. "Don't you dare. That's private."
"How's it private if you told me?"
Disgruntled, I refuse to give him the satisfaction that he is right. "It just is." My legs no longer feel like jelly and I am able to move into a seated position. I take several gulps of water, hoping the liquid will cool down my heated limbs.
Zade glances between his buddy and I twice before smiling, reminding me of a little kid who got to eat his cake and ice cream too. "That's my man Kason; we go everywhere together. Wouldn't know what to do without him."
A shrill whistle breaks up our little chat. Zade leaps to his feet as Tossie calls out to us to begin Round 2. I trudge after them over to the bench press, wondering how I am so curious about someone I want to banish from my mind.
Fifteen minutes later, I'm drenched in more sweat than peanut butter on a jelly sandwich. As Tossie announces it's time for partner exercises, a long-suffering groan escapes accompanied by a whine "why can't Kason and Zade be partners?"
Slapping me in the leg with a clean towel, Tossie points at me and then motions to Zade. Speaking to me in short sentences as if I am a recalcitrant child, she tells me in no uncertain terms "you two are partners. Get over it. Just. Get. Moving."
Sulking as my cheeks and ears fire up, I ignore the male laughter I hear from Kason's corner of the room. Stomping over to Zade, I allow Tossie to position us with a medicine ball placed on the floor between us.
"Cheer up partner. At least there are no hills to trip on here." Zade's glib remark burns like acid and my irritation morphs into deadly aggravation.
Narrowing my eyes to slits, I pull my shoulders back and raise on my tiptoes to poke him in the chest. "If you mention that day one more time you aren't going to be making any movies for quite a while."
Covering the the hand poking his chest with his own calloused one, the hairs on my arms instantly stand on end as I feel small electric zaps where our skin comes in contact. "Sassafras, you're as harmless as those stuffed bears my sisters always begged for when we went to the county fair."
Ripping my hand from his, I step back and pick up the medicine ball. "That's what you think" I mutter. Squatting, I complete an overhead press before chucking the ball at Zade.
"Pass the ball Faith. This isn't dodgeball." Tossie's reprimand, though gentle, feels like a betrayal. She meets Zade twice and she is already part of his fan club. Ridiculous.
Valiantly, I make every attempt to avoid contact with his fingers while passing the ball back and forth. Zade on the other hand purposely grazes my hand with his, character smirk never falling from his lips. The sparks continue to burst forth like small fireworks with each touch. Fearing I'm going to die from humiliation, my eyes never leave the black medicine ball.
After 20 minutes of too close contact, Tossie sends us upstairs to run one mile then complete cool down stretches. Kason follows us, leaning in to whisper softly to Zade before taking off running full speed down the indoor track. It's in that moment, with the shared smiles and secrets passed silently, that I realize the best and worst possible thing: Zade and Kason, Kason and Zade. Zade likes...men?
All my dreaming about his perfect face, the flirty comments he threw my way, feeling burned by his touch...all one-sided.
The satisfaction I should feel welling up in my chest is absent. Disappointment, combined with rueful acceptance of my ignorance, crowns me like a jeweled tiara. I want to feel happy, overjoyed, ecstatic that he's off limits. So why am I staring at his backside while his long strides take him father and farther away from me, wishing to see that infuriating smile cast in my direction once more?
I'm sleep-deprived, over-worked, and hormonal. Yep, that explains it.
Jogging slowly, I eventually pass the half mile point, my face no longer flooded with color. I watch as Kason steps off the track to stretch, always keeping his gaze squarely on Zade who is now running to catch up with me.
Striding along side me, barely breaking a sweat, he appears as if he's jogged straight out of a running magazine. "Hey Partner. How's your run going?" He levels me with a grin before taking a swig from his water bottle.
"Just peachy. Almost done." Gasping for air, my labored breathing betrays me.
"Not a runner Sassafras?" Maintaining the same pace Zade continues to jog with me providing a steady stream of jokes to take my mind off of my noodle legs.
"What happens when a tomato and lettuce race?"
I shrug and grunt "I don't know. They get eaten?"
His deep contagious laughter fills my ears. "Nope. The lettuce gets 'a head' and the tomato has to 'ketchup.'"
Grudgingly, I allow amusement to reign over exhaustion. "That joke's so corny it's cute."
We round a bend in the track and pass Kason who is set in tree pose. We both wave at him before Zade tries another joke. "What do you call a free treadmill?"
"Broken?" My guess seems logical to me but apparently amusing to Zade who is laughing at me.
"Nope, wrong again. 'Outside' is the answer."
I frown for a moment before it clicks in my brain. "Oh, outside. Because you can run outside anywhere for free." My explanation rings out loudly. Two older ladies riding on stationary bikes glare in our direction. I avert my gaze to a few feet in front of me, ashamed.
"Don't worry about them Sassafras; they don't know what fun is." His attempt to cheer me up is sweet and I cast him a small smile.
"Ok, last one and my favorite. If runners get athlete's foot what do astronauts get?"
Taking my time to answer, I ponder the possibilities until I strike gold. "Mistletoe."
Sharing a high five, it hits me that we've reached the last quarter mile of the run. Mustering up all of my energy, I take off sprinting before Zade has a clue.
My left foot touches the 1 mile line just as Zade bolts past, slowing down to a walk just a few yards ahead. Turning around he meets me on the gray mats to stretch. Kason walks over, asking if Zade wants him to stay or wait downstairs. Zade motions for him to leave us. "It's cool. I'll meet you in the locker room in 15."
Kason nods his head at me, winking. "I don't know. Maybe Faith doesn't want to be stuck looking at your ugly face for the next 15 minutes."
Zade punches Kason in the arm but it's harmless. Kason winks once more in my direction before taking the stairs two at a time down to the lower level. Zade scoots over until he is sitting less than an arm's length away. I try to inch backwards but there is no mat left for me to use. Sighing, I lean over my right leg, grateful for the weekly yoga classes I take.
Finally, one aspect of fitness where I excel.
Zade's appreciative gaze burns into me. Despite knowing he has zero interest in me, I can't quite squelch the butterflies which take flight, dancing around my belly of their own accord.
We cool-down quietly, moving from floor to standing. Zade pulls his left leg up into a quad stretch, reaching out to balance himself by placing a hand on my shoulder. Despite the height difference, it's not awkward at all. For the tenth time that night I find myself hating and liking the man. Both emotions are indistinguishable from each other, creating havoc in my mind.
Finally, my misery ends and we walk together downstairs. I see Kason waiting expectantly outside of the men's locker room and I smile at the absurdity of it all.
Reaching the door to the women's lockers, I angle my body towards Zade, wanting to express my appreciation for his kindness tonight. "Thank you for being my partner. It turns out I needed this today and it was fun to have someone to sweat with."
Zade takes two steps closer and braces his left hand against the wall next to my head. Leaning in, our faces are mere inches apart. "If this is your idea of fun then I think it's my duty to prove you otherwise. There are so many more interesting ways we could spend time together."
My breath hitches in my chest, my brain foggy. Is he flirting with me? No, he could't be, not in front of his partner.
I press my back up against the wall, trying to create much needed space between us. "I, um, well, I think that you've left your partner waiting long enough. I won't keep you two from the rest of your evening."
An indecipherable look flashes in his eyes, indecision or perhaps confusion. Slowly he leans down and brushes a stray lock of hair out of my face.
"Last time I checked you were my partner." Leaning in closer, he whispers in my ear, "Does that mean we have plans tonight?"
Gulping, my ears ring with the sound of my frantic heart beating out of my chest. Involuntarily I lick my lips which catches Zade's attention. His eyes zero in on them before searing me with a heated gaze.
Before I catch myself doing anything stupid, I place both hands on his chest and push him away. He steps backward, smirking devilishly.
Catching the door handle, I swing around pulling it open, thereby placing more distance between us. Unable to retreat without saying goodbye I throw over my shoulder, "Your boyfriend's waiting and I have a hot bath calling my name. Good night."
I disappear into the sanctuary of the locker room, pressing my back against the first set of lockers. My legs barely support me and I slide down, the locks digging into my back. Physical pain I can handle. It's a welcome sensation that reminds me that life isn't all roses and fairy tales. Leaning my head against the cool metal, I realize its imperative to find a way to snuff out the emotions which are tempting my cold heart to beat hot once again.
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Many thanks to all for sticking with my story. It is my first stab at writing romance with a twist of suspense so it is a work in progress. All comments are always greatly appreciated!
So, were you hoping for Zade to be a love interest for Faith?
Why do you think Faith has hardened her heart to love?