Gym Bae

Part 5

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🎶
You right I got my guy but I,
I can't help it I want you.
ʸᵒᵘ ᴿⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵇʸ ᴰᵒʲᵃ ᶜᵃᵗ
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• 2 Weeks Later •

"Deep breath."
"Good. Aight, that's good for today, Jen." I said helping the elder woman to rack the weights. "Woo! You really put me to work today! If I hurt your feelings just say that." The woman joked. "Nah, nothing like that. You've just been doing well, so I had to challenge you." "Mhmmm" the woman said unconvinced. I chuckled handing her, her water. "Go ahead and do your cool down and I'll see you next week."

"Alright! Don't hurt nobody out here."

"I'll try." As the woman walked away I began to spray and wipe down the equipment we had used and place things back. I glanced at my watch to check the time as I continued to work and frowned. The new hire that was supposed to come in was now 30 minutes late and my patience was beginning to wear thin. I sighed grumbling in frustration as I finished my task. As the slide of the door sounded I plastered smile onto my worn face shouting a greeting towards the customer. "Welcome in! Give me just a minute and I'll be right there to check you in!" "No need" said the familiar voice. I turned, my face conveying shock as a smirking John gave me a wave. Without another word John clocked in and took care of the client before I even made it over to the front desk. "Long time no see!" He said as I neared. "W-What, uh, are you doing here?" I asked, still caught off guard by his sudden presence. He scoffed as he leaned onto the counter. "Nice to see you too" he chuckled. "And to answer your question, that new guy Jack had an emergency so I came in to cover for him." "Oh." I said as I stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do or say. "Yeah, that was my reaction when you dipped for the last two weeks... again." He snorted. "I, um, was sick so my schedule ended up changing again." I said as I pretended to busy myself with straightening out the desk area. "Hmm." He hummed, crossing his arms as he watched. "I guess that would explain why you dipped on those dance classes too." I paused at his comment, letting his words register. For a moment I wondered how he knew that before the very obvious answer dawned on me, causing my cheeks to flush. "You been keeping tabs on me?" I half-joked.

"Somebody has to since you keep going AWOL on us." "Sorry about that." He shrugged. "I mean if don't bother me none, I know you've got a life but...I feel bad cause Chris had been asking me about you. Trying to see if you'd be willing to help her out in class since you caught on so quick and Vic's been too busy to. But I hadn't really seen you much nor do you like to act like like your phone works." I rubbed at the back of my neck, easing the feeling of warmth that seemed to crawl up the span of my cheeks making itself at home along side a dash of guilt.

Though I had no real obligation to the woman, the last time I'd seen her I did promise I'd help out if she needed, especially after seeing how packed her sessions were. "W-well, now that I'm feeling better I'll check and see if she still needs a hand or something." I said trying to keep up my previous lie. "I'm sure she does. At least until Vic's workload eases up. Plus, I think she got a little crush on you!" John snickered. My head snapped to John in complete and utter alarm. My heart began to beat rapidly in my chest as I stared at John with wide eyes, a feeling of pending horror and a bit of bile rising in my throat. "W-wha-how-?!"

John laughed interrupting my nervous stammering. "Why you look so shocked? You didn't know Chris liked girls too? Ms. Suave" he teased "What? Your radar broken?" John asked with a laugh. My eyes briefly closed in calming realization as I turned back to organizing the stack of paperwork I'd occupied myself with. "N-nah, I didn't know." I said trying to play off the absolute panic attack that ensued thinking he'd meant Victoria. "It would be cool if y'all got along though. Then we could double date or something." John continued to say. "Yeah... that'd be cool." I murmured mindlessly. "I told Vic and she was all like 'You can't just force people together, John' or some shit" he said in a slightly mocking tone. "And I ain't even say all that I just thought it'd be fun. I thought girls liked stuff like that."