You Are My Protagonist

Chapter 9

An opportunity to drag Chen to the gym arises about a week later. During that week I discover that Josh is right, Chen is pretty quiet and well behaved. However, sometimes he's too quiet. Whenever he doesn't have a class or event for the literary club, he's holed up in his room typing away. Even I, finishing up my business analyses and papers, get out of the house more than him.

It's Tuesday and my final class of the day ends at 3:30. I groan. The semester's almost over and the professor still decided to assign us a pile of homework. Furthermore, I left my gym clothes at home so I have to waste 30 minutes making a trip there and back. I get into my car and head out, honking at everything that moves. The minute I arrive, I open the door and...fall short. Chen is perched on the countertop munching away at a bag of Fritos with his eyes closed.

"Um...Chen?" His lashes flicker and his eyes open, his gaze slowly coming to rest on me.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He blinks.

"I don't know." I scratch the back of my head.

"Why are you up there?"

"I don't know." His gaze is sleepy and dazed. I feel my scalp prickle with irritation.

"Dude, what the heck are you doing on the counter? Get down from there." He blinks at me, then sluggishly hops down before grabbing another ship. Crunch. My head throbs. I close my eyes. Crunch, crunch, crun-

"Okay that's it."

"Huh?"

"Do you have any other classes today? Any signing events? Anything?" He thinks for a moment.

"No."

"Okay, you're coming with me to the gym."

"Wha-" I grab him and drag him along to his room. Seven minutes later we're all geared up and in the car. Chen is still blinking his sleepy eyes.

As we drive he yawns widely. Several moments later he yawns again. Then again.

"Hey, what's going on with you?" I inquire, glancing to the side. 

"...sleepy."

"I can see that." He blinks, no doubt trying to gain his bearings.

"I pulled an all nighter."

"Why?"

"Three chapters."

"You wrote three chapters?"

"Yeah." I glance at him yawning for the nth time.

"Well, this should wake you up. We're here."

I park then we head inside where I scan my card at the desk. The lady sitting there seems even sleepier than Chen. After checking in, we head up to the fitness area and I make for the weights, pulling Chen along with me. 

"Let's see...you want to start with 25 pounds?" I grab a pair of dumbbells and hand them to him. He blinks, still looking completely bewildered about how he ended up here. He subconsciously reaches out to accept the dumbbell...then pitches forward, nearly dropping it. I snicker. 

"Hey!" 

"Sorry-haha, sorry, sorry. I guess that was too heavy for you-haha."

"No! I just wasn't prepared!" Chen pouts. 

"Alright here, let's switch it out." I reach towards him to take it back.

"No way! I'll use this. I can use this, I just wasn't prepared!"

"Alright, alright, if you say so...but if it's really too heavy for you it could cause an injury."

"It's not!"