Whispers of us

Chapter 10: Workouts.

Liam

I've been running on the treadmill for twenty minutes now and she has been sitting infront of me on a machine, kicking her legs, looking around the place as if it's her first time in a gym. She's been following me around for a few days now, talking and smiling at anything and everything. It's annoying as hell, yet, somehow I can't bring myself to hate it.

I watch her being completely oblivious to the glances and smiles thrown her way, getting more and more annoyed every minute, making me run even faster.

I keep running, working on my breathing until I see a guy approaching her with a mischievous grin.

"Hi, you're new here?"

She nods slightly looking away, but he keeps talking anyway.

What is it about guys not getting hints?

"Are you alone. I can help you."

Before she can respond, I was already off the treadmill and standing infront of her.

What was I doing?

My fists clenched and my blood was boiling at the thought of him trying to flirt with her.

"No she's not and she doesn't need help. You can go on with your workout." I say giving him a pointed look.

He scoffs, walking away. I let out a sigh and look at her.

"Have you ever been to a gym?" I ask the stupid question. It can't be her first time she's 23 for fvck's sake.

She looks at me with a sheepish smile shaking her head.

It is her first time.

Wow. Just wow.

"Never worked out?"

"I did..sometimes. Just not too often. I'm not all into sports and fitness and stuff." She grins and I just roll my eyes.

"Suz." I call for the coach, dragging a hand down my face.

She makes her way to us with a smile on her face.

"Can you lend her something to wear and help her around. It's her first time. Not so fit. Don't go so hard on her."

"Sure, your girlfriend?"

"No!" We both respond at the same time earning a chuckle from suz, clearly amused at our synchronised denial.

"Yeah. Right. Of course." She says giving me a wink before taking Jas with her.

Suzy is about ten years older than us. She has been here for as long as I remember and I've been doing my workouts here for more than seven years. She's more of a friend now. And I hate to say it, but she really knows much about me. That wink she just gave me?! It made me question myself.

A few moments later they come out of the changing room. Jasmine was chuckling shyly at something suzy just told her. When they get to where I was sitting on the chest press, Jas takes a step forward, coming just in front of me.

Interlocking her hands behind her back, she asks. "How do I look?"

I look her up and down, studying her outfit. It was tight, too tight, hugging her body at the right places. That can't be right. And it's too revealing too. Showing her arms and a little of her chest and stomach. Do women workout clothes always look like that?

"She must've lied to you, buddy. That body ain't of someone who never had worked out." Suz says catching me off gaurd, cutting off my thoughts, spinning her around, while she chuckles lightly, waving her off.

"I really have never. All of that.. is new to me. It's... It's cool." She says looking around with a smile.

"Come on, I already have a program in mind for you. You don't need to change anything about your body, but we need to keep it like that." Suz says walking away and she just follows her.

Her hands reach for her hair, gracefully pulling it up in a ponytail while suz is explaining for her how to do the workout. I catch myself staring at her a couple of times. Of course it wasn't only me staring at her. I couldn't focus on my workouts because I had to glare daggers at every single guy that checked her out. If looks could kill, half of the dudes in this gym would have been dead already.

Again, taking me out of my thoughts Suz walks up to me holding a laugh.

"Yes, she definitely didn't lie. This girl have never worked out. She couldn't even do ten seconds of planks."

Following her was a tired sweaty Jas. she stopped behind her, bending over with a towel, rubbing it against her neck.

"That... was something." She says, out of breath. "I really need to work on my fitness."

Suzy lets out a loud chuckle, lightly patting her shoulders. "You did a great job, girl."

After I was done with my work out, we both get changed and start heading out, suzy was walking by Jasmine clutching her arm whispering and giggling. When we reach the door they stop. Suzy holds both her hands in hers.

"Come again soon. We will catch up. We're going to be best friends. I feel it." She says.

I look at Jasmine to see her looking at her with a soft smile. Her smile widened. Her eyes flashed with surprise, excitement and happiness all at the same time, before she concealed them nodding shyly. Only her smile could tell people that she thought the same. That she finally made a friend.

We start walking away. After a few moments of silence she starts talking.

" that was fun." She says and I keep walking not breaking my silence.

"She told me that you used to be very short when you were younger. Is that true? I wanna see a photo." She says, all bubbly and excited.

"No, it's not." I say firmly.

"Well, we're going to see." She says holding her hands behind her back as she sways a little bit in her walk.

"What?"

She just shrugs, playing on my nerves.

"Don't play with me, little kitten."

"She said she's got a photo of some kind of a group you worked with."

My eyes widen as I realize what photo she's talking about. I was 16, and when I tell you that puberty hit me super hard, I'm not exaggerating. Before I was super short, so skinny, used to wear braces. And I'm telling you that wasn't how a boy in that age supposed to look.

"Oh, we're walking on the way to campus. Are you walking me to the dorms?" She says quirking a brow, Her voice cutting me off my thoughts.

"No I'm not. My house is in that way." I say, looking in the other direction, avoiding her eyes.

"Ohhh, how gentlemanly of you!" She says playfully, ignoring my statement, earning an eye roll and a scoff.

_______________

As soon as we reach the dorms and she gets in, I let out a sigh. I turn around and start walking in the opposite direction.

That was so stupid.

My house is actually two blocks away from the gym. I lied to walk her back. It's not like it's anything weird. It was just... I don't know, me being a gentle man? I mean it was getting late. I can't let a girl walk all the way home, alone at night, Right?

On my way home I find myself replaying the day events. I catch myself smiling stupidly at the image of her struggling to keep up with suzy's program. And then her words at the library start playing back in my head.

"You helped me, I know you did, I remember."