Princess

Princess chap.7

CHAPTER 7 

I lay slumped against the black front counter in the entryway of Planet Fitness. Even though I had just gotten here an hour ago, I was already bored. Usually I don’t mind working here; the pay is good, the environment is upbeat, music is fresh, and I have come to like most of the people that come here, so I could always talk to someone. But Mondays didn’t really get busy until after dinner.

I made my constant rounds through the many aisles of treadmills, ellipticals, and different weight stations checking to make sure everything was in working order. Scanning the black floors for any loose towels or trash dropped on the ground, I spotted a dumbbell out of its rack. Walking over to it, I took in my appearance in the large mirror plastered down the descending wall. I tied the back of my oversized employee shirt into a knot and bent down to pick up the loose dumbbell. As I was standing up, I feel someone’s slightly warm palms over my eyelids. A tightening in my stomach occurred, as my thoughts involuntarily recaptured Jake‘s image.

I let out a relieved huff when I turned around and instead saw Dean. 

“Hey, you!” he smiled. I playfully slapped him on his toned bicep.

“Dean, you scared me! I thought you were… someone else.”

“Nope, just me. Sorry to disappoint.” he winked.

Dean was one of my best friends, besides Alaina of course. I had met him in the ninth grade when he was in my math class. We weren’t very fond of each other at first, but soon became those giggling assholes in the back of the classroom everyone was always hushing. We got even closer when he started going to Planet Fitness two years ago, right as I started working there. His naturally cheerful nature and twinkly smile made it hard to be in a bad mood around him, which was refreshing. But don’t you bitches be getting any ideas, there’s nothing romantic between us…

“Soooo, what’re you gonna do today?” I asked, casually leaning up against the side of a lifting rack.

“Oh I was just going to do a couple hundred pushups, maybe run 50 miles, maybe do both at the same time. Yanno, the usual light stuff.” he joked while pretending to brush dust off his shoulders. 

“Of course, of course.” I played along. “When you get tired, stop by the drink bar; power juices on me.”

Giving me a thumbs up and lightly patting my shoulder, he stalked off to one of the many free weight machines.

I continued inspecting the machines and wiped down some sweaty handprints here and there. I went around to the front counter and bent down, rearranging some protein shake jars. The high-pitched “ding” of the gym doors opening sounded throughout the area and I stood up to greet whoever just arrived. A large male was standing at the door, rummaging through a workout backpack. He was wearing a blue halter, clearly cut off at the sleeves by hand, black basketball shorts and large sneakers. The mess of dark chocolate tousles of hair bobbed as the face was buried in his knapsack, presumably searching for his sign in card. Wait. That mass of long dark hair was much too familiar. I ducked down behind the desk. When did he start going here? I heard his feet shuffle toward the counter and the “beep” of when he scanned his card. Then I saw a shadow cast over my body on the floor beneath me. 

“You alright there, love?” a deep gravelly voice quizzed. I guess I did look a little silly with my face practically in a cabinet and my body crouched on the floor.

With my head still down, face out of view, I answered, “Yep, just uh… dropped something!” in a voice an octave higher than my natural smooth tone.

“Alright…” he responded. By the way he was talking without any hint of desire or intimidating nature told me he didn’t have a clue it was me. I wasn’t used to hearing him talking normally, and he was cute when he was talking like a normal human being.