Roommates with Benefits [COMPLETED]

Chapter 46 - Making amends

Emma

It's a bitchy thing to do.

I stand at the entrance to the gym and look around. There are people there using machines that look like they belong on space ships. One guy is taking pictures of himself in a mirror. Someone drops a heavy weight and I flinch.

It's a bitchy thing to do, but it was my bitchy actions that got me here.

I choose the least scary option and walk up to the treadmill and punch some buttons. Running I can do. I set an easy pace and keep my eyes on the people.

I see a woman fasten a heavy-looking plate to her waist and grip a bar. With barely any effort, she pulls herself up. Herself and the weight. I stare at her back muscles, glad I chose to wear a t-shirt over my top.

I keep running for a while, looking at every person that enters. I play with the speed and the incline and pretend I know what I'm doing.

When I'm warm, I slow down and walk for a bit, biting my lip as I study one machine after the other. What the hell am I doing here? I've never been to a gym in my life. But I might as well get the most out of it.

I pick a machine I just saw someone use. It reminds me a bit of being at a gynecologist as I sit down and put my legs on the outside of the padded things. I try to replicate the movement I saw the man doing, but the machine doesn't move.

I look around to see if there's a button or lever. I spot the weights and lean over to move the pin up. When I try again, it moves. I adjust the weight until it's difficult but not impossible and do a few reps.

Bored, I get up and look around again. I pick another machine at random and stare at it.

Hannah is at a different gym, and from what I can tell, this should be the right time. He should be here. I sigh and wonder if I'm supposed to sit on one of the padded areas.

"It's for your glutes," a gruff voice says next to me and I jump.

"Blue."

"You remember." He nods in greeting and crosses his arms. His tattoos are on full display.

"Yes. I'm surprised you remember me."

"I've seen you around campus."

"Right." I glance at the machine again. "So, anyway. Are you seeing anyone?" I groan internally. That was smooth. Way to get straight to the point.

He huffs and drops his arms. "You can't be serious. Did you come here to hit on me?"

My mouth falls open and my eyes go wide as I take in his anger.
"What? No."
"Because you're not my type. I don't go for controlling bitches."

I inhale. Maybe I shouldn't have come here.

"Look. I want to apologize for trying to dissuade Hannah from going out with you."

He raises a pierced eyebrow. "Dissuade her? Is that what you did? Because I got the feeling you did more than that."

"Right." I clear my throat. "I've learned that I sometimes butt into people's lives too much."
"So you thought you'd fix it by butting in some more?"
My cheeks flush.

"You know she changed gyms, right? She stopped answering my texts. She made it pretty clear she wants nothing to do with me."

Is that regret flashing across his face? Could he still be feeling something for her?

"And that's my fault, but maybe you could try again?" I try a tentative smile.
"You want me to put myself out there again? After she turned me down?"
I nod. "I think she might say yes."

"You want me to go after a woman who has clearly and decisively turned me down? What kind of creep do you think I am?"

"I think," I stutter a bit. How do I explain this? "If you try again..."

Shaking his head, he takes a step closer and I back up a bit, almost stumbling over the machine.

"I saw the way you looked at me. Like you're better than me. When she turned me down, I knew you were behind it. Because you could never be friends with anyone like me. So you made sure I didn't stand a chance."

"That's not..." My objection dies on my lips. It was true. I had judged him without even knowing him.

"And now you're going behind her back again. Why? What do you get out of this? Why do you want her to hook up with someone like me?"
He cocks his head, revealing the tattoos on his neck as he stares at me.

"Who's this, babe?" A fit woman in a tight black sports bra and just as many tattoos come up to him and put a hand on his arm. A sign of possession.

"No one," he says and puts his arm around her shoulder. "Just some stuck up UNI student who wandered into the wrong gym."
The woman turns her blue eyes at me. She does an excellent impression of a predator, sizing up her prey.

"Right," I say. "I should leave."
"I think you should," Blue says.

I quickly grab my things and go. It was a stupid idea. What on earth made me think Blue would just sit around pining for Hannah for months? I was stupid to think this plan ever had a shot at working. I think my lucky stars I didn't say anything to Hannah about this. She'd probably never trust a guy again if she gets rejected a third time.