Learning How to Drown

Gyms & Thieves

I went to work today feeling a little frustrated. My laptop was getting agitating and I hadn't been able to get another part time job yet. I think my boss noticed too, since I spent most of the time quieter than normal. As I was getting to leave he stopped me.

"Hey Kat, I wanted to talk" he said standing by the door. "Yes sir" I smiled at him trying to be polite. "I was thinking about ideas for paying you more" he said and took a breath. He raised his eyebrow for a moment and continued "I want to make sure anyone working for me is staying good and healthy. I know your eating a good dinner at least but I think we could do more."

I raised my eyebrow now feeling a little confused. Where was this going? "So I thought of something a tad bit unconventional" he continued. "Why don't you get a gym membership and for every time you go to the gym for at least an hour and send me a selfie, I'll pay you an extra twenty five dollars. You don't have to of course, but I'll leave the option open to you."

He finished as he began walking away though before he did I notice him look me up and down real quick. I could feel myself pouting the whole way to my dorm. I texted Angela and Lucia to meet me at my dorm and they were already there, along with May by the time I arrived.

"Did you do it" all three asked at the same time though each with a different emotion behind the question.

"No" I said as I sat down on my bed "do you think I'm fat?" I asked the question that was most on my mind. I would never call myself fat, hell I would say I was pretty skinny! Something about the way he looked at me at the end bothered me though.

"No! You look beautiful" May said a little too quickly. I noticed Angela and Lucia give each other a quick glance. "Well, she is right. You look great and you know it" Lucia smiled at me. "Where did this suddenly come from" Angela asked and I explained the whole situation to them.

"Sounds to me like he's not calling you fat. He just wants the best view possible while your working around the house. After all there is a difference between having a nice body and having a nice and fit body." Lucia's words made sense, I knew that. But still, it bothered me a bit.

"Well I for one think this is a good thing" Angela said and everyone turned to look at her like she was crazy. "Um isn't that Lucia's line" May asked and I chuckled at that. She had only known them a short time and already seemed to understand them so well.

"Exercise is good for the body" Angela elaborated. "You are not fat, you look great. But staying fit and healthy is always a good idea and it will help you with continuing to look great. Hell, you can even join me in the mornings so you don't have to do it alone!"

"Well if you are going to do it" May chimed in "he said twenty five dollars per time. So why not once in the morning before classes and once before work. I mean if you do it twice a day for five days that's an extra two hundred and fifty bucks. We could get that new laptop in a week!"

I sat up a little straighter, yea that was right. Plus even after getting the laptop I could always do with more money so things weren't so darn tight. Besides Angela would probably make a good gym buddy.

"Well I wont be able to join you for the night gym but the morning I am all yours!" Angela smiled. I looked at Lucia as I considered she also went pretty frequently to the gym. She didn't offer to take me though and I knew Angela didn't go with her, which likely meant she was getting more of a workout than what the gym membership actually included. Or she used the gym as a place to meet people for later. Either way it seemed I would be on my own for that time frame.

"Um also I don't have any gym clothing" I mentioned feeling a little awkward about it. I used to have some for high school PE, but I threw them out as soon as school ended. Besides I never liked the uniforms we got at school.

"Leave that to me!" Lucia said springing up with excitement. "Oh no" muttered Angela. Lucia bent over and got right in her face "Don't you sweat it Angel. Tomorrow morning I'll have Katherine all ready to go at your gym. Trust me!"

"I do trust you" Angela replied "that's what worries me." Lucia laughed and pulled me up by the arm. She quickly ran out with me before Angela could protest and I could hear May giggle as we left. My poor roommate must think we're all crazy, although maybe she wasn't that far off.

Lucia had me put on a jacket she pulled out of seemingly nowhere and then took me to a sports store and we looked around for a bit. I collected some clothing I liked, but Lucia grabbed them and mixed them up with clothing she liked as we went into the changing room.

I changed into a few outfits deciding which ones I liked. "Cool, now only pick your favorites" she said not changing into any that she got for herself. "Um why" I asked as I then also began to mentally question how I was going to pay for all of this.

"Just pick them!" Lucia insisted and I picked one pair of shorts, a sports bra and a shirt that I really liked. "Cool put them on and put your clothes over it, they won't notice such a small amount missing with how much random shit we grabbed.

"Hey! I liked some of that shit." Lucia patted the air "yes, yes but you don't have money. So I'm teaching you how to really go shopping. Tonight we go on a shopping spree! But your only getting a little from each place. Understood?"

This felt wrong, I could see why Lucia grabbed me before Angela could argue. She would definitely not approve. "Ok but just tonight" I said not really wanting to cause too much trouble. Lucia practically squealed with excitement as I finished changing.

"Remember to focus on me and keep talking" Lucia said before we stepped out "you aren't that great at lying yet." I would normally take offense but somehow that felt more like a compliment. We stepped out talking and laughing which wasn't hard. Lucia gave back all the items and we left with no real difficulties.

And so we spent the night going from one place to the next until I had plenty to wear. Lucia then took me back to the dorm and I showed May my new outfits. The next day Lucia kept her promise and took me to the Angela's gym.

Angela didn't bother asking how we got the new clothing, opting to simply compliment the outfit and walk me inside to get started. I took a mirror selfie before starting and sent it to the boss. "Cute" he responded back quickly. I did the same after an hour and he responded back the same.

Luckily Angela wasn't crazy and didn't have me doing anything that left me dying the rest of the day. "We should work on keeping your stomach toned, strength in your legs and in your arms, plus some flexibility" she had said.

"Um flexibility" I questioned. Angela just laughed though "if your stiff when your young, your body is going to strain when your older. That's how you end up with knee aches and back aches in your thirties."

I wasn't certain that was fully accurate but I trusted Angela, besides she seemed so excited to work out with me. I did make sure to also follow her example and kept my hair in a bun. Angela was apparently paranoid her hair would get caught in a workout machine and she would die? Which was weird but not the weirdest thing she's ever said so there's that.

Her hair looked pretty cool in a bun. Her hair was blonde though brighter than mine. Also only about half her hair was blonde. The blonde hair faded to white the further down it went. Meaning now that it was in a bun you could see the white and blonde all mixed together, it was rather pretty.

I always did question Angela's hair. One time I dared her to cut her hair the point where the blonde stopped, next morning it was only about half blonde again. Super strange, but either way it still looked cute.

Before we left the Angela went ahead and wrote out a workout sheet for me for after classes, which was great because I really didn't want to burn out on day one. Luckily I didn't, I went through the day easy with only a little strain on my body and the next day I did it all again.

When I got paid for the week I saw the extra two hundred and fifty and immediately met up with May at her job to get myself a nice new laptop. I made sure to show it my boss too, as I was super excited and this was thanks to him.

"Seems your really excited about this" he said as I showed him the new laptop. "Oh yes sir! Thank you for everything sir!" I looked at him and he placed a hand on my chin, his smiling eyes met mine "your welcome Kat, I'm glad your happy" he said before pulling away and I paused seeming frozen for a moment before snapping back too and continuing with my work.