Mr. Personal Trainer (#The2017 Awards)

Butts up!!

Dedicated to Sathya

"That's ten...keep going...."

Just like any other day, Arjun kept boosting my morale . I was giving my best. I had a role to play in our victory against the imaginary opponents.

"butts up....butts up...ma'am...you are falling down..."

I struggled to lift my body and finish the last few mountain climbs. My speed dropped with every subsequent climb. Yet, I focused on lifting my behind and pulling my knees up to touch my elbows with all my strength. At one point, I felt my arms didn't have the strength to hold my body and that any moment I would fall.

"keep going ma'am...just five more to go..giving up is not a choice ..not when you are this close...."

I went for another one...

"that's nice..open your mouth and breathe...open your mouth, ma'am..."

I inhaled and exhaled from mouth as I made another climb...just then my arms fumbled and I struggled to hold myself falling.

"Recall your mission..Die!! but don't surrender!! And you should have to die, then I say die beyond the finish line.." he roared like my commander in a war.

His words fuelled me with aggression. And I don't know how , but I landed up quickly finishing my set and dropped my body on the floor in order to relax... by the end of the first circuit, my face and T-shirt both drenched in sweat.. my heartbeats had gone up. I was panting heavily. I continued to breath in and out from my mouth. When Arjun extended his hand for a high-five, I couldn't even lift my arm,

I just smiled...a satisfied smile...a smile of having achieved something and making Arjun proud..

He brought his palm down, closer to my hand. With his other hand he opened my palm and then high-fived.

That was so damn cute!!

That tap was as if I passed out our challenged to him. It was his turn now. As I watched him perform the circuit, he pulled himself up and moved to the next exercise. I focused on his posture and his temperament. I derived motivation from him. I wanted to perform the way he performed. I noticed his chiseled body, full of muscle, without any fat, as it began to glow with swat under the white gym lights..

"You have to boost me up too...I need motivation!!" he demanded the moment his favorite song ended.

I could clearly see he didn't need any motivation and he was doing very good without it..but by asking me for it I reminded that he wasn't my coach at that moment, but my team mate.. yet thought of boosting his morale tickled me.

"come on boy!! Five more to go..." I roared imitating Arjun at the same time trying to control my laughter.

It was funny that I was calling a guy elder my age "boy" , while he would call me madam. But , hell, I enjoyed calling him this way!!

I noticed his posture when he was doing the mountain climb. Precisely, his 'butts' ..how easily he mentioned my 'butts'..i smiled. It was easy to say all this in the gym.

As I watched Arjun's butts I realized he too would have watched mine!! I bit my lower lip. I suddenly shouted, "butts up, Arjun..butts up!!"

He looked at the side mirror to verify his posture as he continued with his repetations.

"ma'am ...huh..the law of gravity...huh..would not allow..huh..me to take my butts up any more...huh..." he said gasping for breath..

I burst into laughter...