JAX
What a dickhead. Fuck. I'm not doing this. Maybe I should just leave now - it's not like anyone had high expectations of me and my ability to commit to anything.
"No," said Denver. "No. No way. "
For once, I agreed with him.
Coach raised his eyebrows at Denver and he opened his mouth.
"I mean - Coach. No way, Coach. "
Wow, this was the most I've ever seen Denver stand up to a teacher.
"C'mon boys. This is your own doing. If you two weren't so focused on being bullheads with each other all the time, I might not have to do this. " Coach folded his arms.
"But, Coach - " Denver was stammering with anger. "What about Jones? Jones was my workout buddy - "
"Jones - is dead. " Coach looked gravely at us. "Just kidding. But Rio wanted to be his partner - which I guess is the same thing as being dead. "
I pushed my tongue into my cheek and looked away, also folding my arms. I couldn't believe it. However, I wasn't going to make a fool of myself like Denver. Our school had a stupid rule that you couldn't go the gym without a partner - for safety or whatever.
Coach stared Denver down. "You will do this. Or I will reconsider your position as Captain. After all, we need a Captain who is a team player above all else. "
Denver was speechless - in shock or rage I didn't know. I guess being Captain was important to him - probably got him all the girls. Huh. I didn't need to be a football Captain to do that -
" And you - " Coach turned to me. "Consider this . . . initiation."
With a wink at Denver - he sauntered off, hands behind his back. We stood beside each other in silence. Then Denver sighed. He walked forward and shoved open the doors to the gym - no one else was there considering how late it was.
"Are you coming or what - " I heard him say before the door slammed shut behind him.
"Charming," I murmured, pushing open the doors more calmly.
Denver was already changed - but I wasn't. I took my time, making him wait. After about ten minutes, he came around the doorway, his stance defensive.
"Are you finished doing your hair? Can we start, now? " he growled.
I grinned at him. "Maybe you should spend some more time doing your hair, Denver. "
He slapped the doorframe in irritation and left. I stood up and stretched, taking time to not show how nervous I was. I hate it. I hate myself - but I can't help but think about what happened the last time we were alone together.
I came around the doorframe. Denver was already warming up on a treadmill. I chose the one right beside him - despite having a whole role to choose from. I wondered if I imagined the side look he gives me. I start running beside him. My eyes trailed over to him - I told myself it was just because I was gauging his speed as I watched his calf muscles flex and relax. Then I realise he was watching me watch him through the reflection on the glass window. I gave him my biggest shit-eating grin in the reflection - pretending I was watching him on purpose to piss him off. His face darkened and he looked away. He was so easy to read - it's pathetic. The only sound in the room was our breathing. Surprisingly, I was kind of fit. Running was easier than I thought it would be, and I began to enjoy the feeling of pushing myself. I turned the speed up a few notches. And up a few more.
Denver was fit too - but he was beginning to get tired. I could hear it in his breathing, in his heavy step. I tried to hold my smile back - he was looking at me, surprised as well I guess. He turned his speed up. So did I. It was a silent competition, each of us going faster and faster until -
Denver stopped and let the treadmill push him back. He doubled over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
I slowed my machine down as well, fighting to keep my grin off my face.
After a few moments, I got off, wiping my face with a towel. Denver sat on an immobile treadmill. The shine of sweat gleamed on his throat.
"What next? " I asked jauntily, the first words either of us had said in a while.
He looked up, maybe surprised that I was asking him. "Uh, um. Weights, I guess. "
We went over to the weights, and he stood there awkwardly. "Um, do you wanna - ?" He says curtly.
Again I fought a cruel smile at his nervousness. "You go first, " I said. "I don't know if you'll be strong enough to spot me. "
That was a lie - he was almost definitely stronger than me. He glared at me - I liked how easy it was to rile him up. Despite that, he started loading up the bench press with weights. I had to tear my eyes away from his arms as he expertly tightened and adjusted.
Jesus fuck, what was wrong with me. I was disgusting.
He lay down on the bench, his head near my legs. I tried not to notice how close I had to stand to him, or his thighs on either side of the bench. I felt like I was going crazy.
He unhooked the barbell, and began his reps. I stood over him, my hands above and below the bar. I felt like I could feel his eyes looking up at me - after all, where else was there to look?
His mouth moved as he counted silently - after a while his breathing began to get laboured. He blew out air hard from his mouth as he shoved the barbell back into place with a clang. His warm breath past my forearms sent a tremor through me. I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry.
He sat up and pushed himself off the bench, and we silently swapped places. I lay down on my back, staring up at him. It seemed like my whole life was just trying to not notice things about him, like the muscles on his chest under his shirt, or his cross around his neck hanging over me -
I grabbed the barbell hard.
"Don't you want to take a few weights off, dude? I mean you're just starting . . . "
"Nah, " I said, and lifted the barbell off of its stand, taking its whole weight over me. Denver's hands shot out quickly to spot me. I bet he didn't actually care - he was just trying to patronise me.
Shit, it was fucking heavy. I completed the reps though - I wasn't going to let Denver get the better of me - ever.
-----
ROCCO
I nearly sprinted out of the gym once we had finished. My head was spinning - I was shaken. Just being near him caused tension. Every nerve in my body was vibrating - every second he was there I wondered if he was going to stab me.
And the humiliation. Every look he gave me was an insult - he didn't even need to say anything. He beat me in running. He lifted as much as I did - and with ease. Fuck, I hated him. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, remembering the way his eyes had drifted to my legs. Always - always making fun of me. I wanted to break something.
When I pulled up to my house no one was home - I ran up the stairs to my darkened room, flinging my bag at the bed. Mallory caught it and I jumped against the wall in fright.
She observed me like an owl. I bent over, pulling air into my lungs.
"Jesus fuck, you scared the shit out of me! " I coughed, reaching for the light.
"Who's gotten your pickle in a tickle, young man? " She said slowly and menacingly. "And that's not very Catholic of you. "
I turned my head to the side and looked at her quizzically. "You - you did not use that saying right - "
She opened her eyes very wide.
"Ok, I'll tell you. Oh, it's nothing - fucking COACH made me GYM BUDDIES with fucking WILSON! " I exploded.
She cackled, falling backwards. "That is great! Oh, can I swap? "
"Please. " I huff, flopping down beside her.
"Anyway, enough about your boring life. I met a boy, " she said.
My eyebrows shot up. "Hey, good for you! I ... I mean, how dare you cheat on me!"
She laughed. "Actually, I met him because I hooked up with his sister - "
"What! Wow, you are getting around. "
"You aren't, " she said.
"Mallory, I know - "
"Anyway, his sister's really annoying so I hooked up with him - "
I listen to her babble on, staring at the roof. I breathed in and out slowly. I closed my eyes, sinking into blackness. The sound of Mallory's voice eventually lulled me to into sleep. The last thing I thought was that she was going to be mad.
-----
Mallory stormed up to me in school the next day. I had woken up rumpled, uncomfortable, and alone - not surprising since I had slept until morning.
"I'm mad!" she hollered, fists clenched at her sides as she came at me.
My eyes widened and I slipped away into my usual crowd of football meatheads before she could reach me.
Zed thumped me on the back. "It's gonna be Wilson's first practice today! Better watch out, Cap'n!"
The guys around me laughed. I turned to Zed suddenly, grabbing his shoulder, eyes wide.
"Fuck, man! I fucking forgot we had practice today. " I checked my phone, already turning away from them. I had forty minutes to get home, grab my gear, and get back before the end of lunch. The only thing I got in trouble for was fighting and I intended to keep it that way. Plus - I couldn't miss Wilson's first practice.
The streets were reasonably empty as I drove home, figuring as everyone was still at work. This was the best time to skip school, when the city was reasonably quiet. I'd done it many times before - teachers didn't care because everyone was scared of my mother, and also because I maintained good grades in all my classes.
My dad's car and a motorbike were in the driveway when I pulled up in front of my house.
No one in my family except me owned a motorbike.