"You're late." Jocelyn's boss, Randy, grumbles as he grabs his phone from the counter to leave.
"Yeah well it's not like there's any classes going and I'm only late by five minutes." She retorts as she walks straight to the employee locker room to put her backpack in.
Randy rolls his eyes and says, "don't forget to wipe down EVERYTHING before you leave tonight."
With that, Jocelyn slams her locker shut and goes back to the counter to say something but he's already walking out the door. Jocelyn groans, sits behind the counter and puts one of her Beats wireless earbuds in. She turns on her favorite band, Motionless in White, and plays around on her phone.
She doesn't notice when someone walks in and walks up to the counter. When she doesn't look up, she hears someone clear their throat. Jocelyn peels her eyes from her phone and looks up at the woman before her.
Her breath almost catches in her throat at the sight. The woman is wearing black pants with a purple bandana hanging from one of her back pockets, a sports bra and a silk button down shirt (that isn't buttoned). She has a slit in one of her eyebrows, many piercings in her nose, and her hair is cut short, half pulled up into a tiny bun. She also has a duffle bag slung over her shoulder.
"How may I help you?" Jocelyn says.
"Is there a way to join for just a week or do I need to pay for the month?" She asks.
"Sorry miss, it's by month only."
"Alright then. How much do I owe you?"
"$25 plus a $20 sign up fee. And it has to be by card." Jocelyn replies as she sets her phone down.
She starts a new file in the computer as the woman pulls out a debit card.
"Name please?" Jocelyn asks.
"You can use either of my names."
Jocelyn looks up from her computer in confusion. Is she supposed to just guess?
"I don't understand." She replies.
The woman chuckles, making Jocelyn frown some more.
"You really don't know who I am?"
"Should I?" Jocelyn asks.
"I'm on TV every Monday night at the least. You have to know me." She says.
"Ma'am. I don't watch TV. I spend most of my time here. I can assure you, I have no idea who you are. Now there's a line forming behind you so please, may I have your name?"
The woman raises her split eyebrow and replies, "Rhea Ripley."
"How do you spell your first name?" Jocelyn asks as she turns back to typing.
"Oh come on. Now you're just pulling my chain." Rhea chuckles.
"Is it R-E-A?"
Rhea's chuckle turns into a frown as she studies Jocelyn a moment.
"R-H-E-A." She replies.
Jocelyn types in her name, fills out the rest of the registration, runs Rhea's card and hands her a membership keycard.
"You'll use this to enter after staffing hours and to enter the pool area and sauna. Women's showers and locker rooms are down the hall to the right. Please wipe down the equipment after use. You're good to go." Jocelyn recites and turns her attention to the person next in line.
Rhea doesn't move. She just stares at Jocelyn for a minute, making the woman behind the counter shrink down a little in worry.
"Is there something else you need, Miss Ripley?"
"Rhea." Is all she says before she makes her way to the women's locker room.
Jocelyn lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding and shakes her head.
"Some people are just a little crazy, huh?" The next person says.
"Tell me about it." Jocelyn replies as she scans their membership card.
There's something about the whole encounter that makes her feel a little uneasy. She tries to shake off the feeling but can't. Once she finishes helping the people in line, Jocelyn stands from her seat and makes her way to the bathroom.
As she sits on the toilet to do her business, Jocelyn hears the door slowly creak open. She watches the floor as someone wearing white high-top converse with white socks coming up from inside them walks across the floor. Her heart catches in her throat, though she couldn't say why.
Trying to wait for the person to leave, Jocelyn realizes she's been gone from the front for too long. She takes a deep breath and flushes the toilet before opening the stall door and walking out.
She freezes when she sees Rhea leaning back against the sink counter, her ankles crossed and her arms folded across her chest.
"May I..help you?" Jocelyn asks again.
"You can tell me why you're pretending not to know me." Rhea retorts.
"Nobody's pretending. I just don't keep my nose stuck in a TV screen like most people and I don't care about celebrities." Jocelyn rolls her eyes as she goes towards another sink.
Rhea beats her to it. She stands in front of it and is inches from Jocelyn's face.
"Don't ever compare me to a celebrity. I'm an athlete. Get the difference?" She practically growls.
"Get out of my face. And anyone acting like you are may as well be a celebrity with that cocky ass attitude you have." Jocelyn replies.
Rhea grins sinisterly, even though Jocelyn's heart is racing and she's terrified of what will happen next.
"You act like you don't care. But you will care." Rhea replies before turning and leaving the bathroom.
Jocelyn lets out a breath and pants as her heart tries to slow its rapid beating. She washes her hands before splashing water on her face. Regardless of how she feels, she still has a job to do.
She leaves the bathroom and walks through the main area as she returns to the front desk. Rhea is towards the front, lifting weights. Jocelyn fights the urge to look but loses. Rhea is staring right at her as she lifts. Her arms muscles bulging with each lift. She winks at Jocelyn who rolls her eyes before sitting back down behind the desk.
Regardless of who this woman may be, Jocelyn simply doesn't care about her, nor her ego. Nothing will change that.
YOU ARE READING
Flirting With Chaos
FanfictionWhen working her shift at a local gym, Jocelyn Bridle meets an unusual woman named Rhea Ripley. She doesn't know who she is and she also doesn't care. Rhea can't stand the thought. How will this play out?
