London Changed My Life

Three - The Gym

I had been living in London for a month and I hadn't done much at all. Lots of procrastination...as per usual. I was finally cleared by a doctor here to go to the gym so I had changed into a bright orange sports bra, black shorts and blue and orange runners. I pulled on a black cardigan, put my phone, keys, wallet and instant ice pack in my colourful backpack, slung it over my shoulder and exited my room.

"Emma, I'm going to the gym. See you later!" I waved at her and headed out. I hailed a taxi sat in the passenger seat.

"All right, miss, where ya headed?" He had such a cockney accent, it was unbelievable. I told him the gym name, plugged my earphones in and waited for the trip to be over. I could feel this 50-year-old's eyes on my legs and I wished I was wearing trackydacks (tracksuit pants).

"Thanks," I said as I paid him £30 and something pence. In the gym (after I paid for a year membership) were a whole bunch of stick-thin girls trying to lose the weight they needed to keep on and workout jocks with arm muscles the size of my leg.

It was a very painful 10km run but I was super upset as I normally got to do more. Going over to a seat on the side I put the instant ice-pack on my thigh. I hissed in pain but I knew that if I wanted to get back up to my normal standards I'd have to endure it. I closed my eyes and leant my head against the wall.

I must have been out for a few minutes as I saw 2 guys near my face, one looking extremely worried. I blinked a couple of times and saw, again, Dan and Phil. To see them once was amazing but twice?! This must be a dream.

"Are you okay, miss?" Phil asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm okay." I looked at Dan but he was looking around at the other people in the gym. Did he recognise me? That thought plagued my thoughts for the rest of the night but he didn't show hide nor hair of remembering.

"You sure? I mean, you just passed out?"

"Well, I'm sure if you tried to get back into working out after a year off because you were in a car crash you wouldn't be feeling too good." Goddammit, I shouted at Phil and he was being so sweet. Hurt lurked in his eyes and I tried my best to ignore it. A hand covered his mouth.

"Oh God, I didn't know. Sorry."

"No, I'm the one that should be sorry. I mean, I just chewed your head off and you're just being so nice to me and you don't even know me, yet you're making sure I'm okay.." He smiled.

"So, if you were in a car crash, why's you rleg sore?" I sighed and adjusted my leg.

"You know, I don't really know you so I don't feel comfortable telling a stranger my problem." Phil nodded.

"Well, you won't be able to tell him since you're not going to get to know us." Dan said in a horrible tone. "Phil, we need to finish making the video so, bye random girl." God, Dan was being a bit of a dick today. I wondered what got his knickers in a twist.

"Dan. Don't be so rude. This poor girl passed out and you're being a real poohead." I giggled at Phil's choice of words and he smiled at me.

"It's all right. He's just manstruating." I said and Phil laughed whilst Dan just looked at me. Geez, what's wrong with him today?

"Seriously Phil? A poohead?" Dan asked.

"Okay, since Dan's being rude why don't we make it up to you by buying you something at the café?"

"No, you don't have to do that." I said, shaking my head.

"No, I- we insist." Phil took my arm and pulled me up, all but dragging me to the café. "All right, Dan. Sit down next to...um, what's your name?"