Salzburg Stories

Chapter 7: Gym Class Part One

Chapter 7: Gym Class (Part One)

The gym was relatively large. Rick was never a very compliant student at his old school. He didn't participate in gym class. Instead he would practice his rapping and escape in his words. This gym was much brighter with a entirely glass ceiling and a mountain range was painted on the walls all around the gym floor.

"Nice gym." Rick shrugged.

"I love this gym! I practice here everyday!" Zippy spewed.

"Practice what?" Rick asked.

"Running! Duh." Zippy rolled her eyes.

"Oh, guess I should of guessed by the way you ran into me in the hall." Rick grinned at his joke.

Zippy punched him in the arm. Rick put his hands in his hoodie pockets and put his head down as more students entered the gym.

First was a blue haired boy in a white suit outfit. He was laughing for some unknown reason.

"Hey Zeph!" Zippy shouted as she ran over and hugged him.

Rick wasn't sure why but seeing her hug him made him feel strange, almost sad.

"Hey Zippy. It's only been five minutes since last class." Zephier didn't hug her back.

"Oh, hi Zippy." Fern said as she walked in and saw Zippy hugging Zephier.

Rick noticed Fern looking oddly at Zippy. He decided to step over to the bleachers and sit by himself. People were never his thing. He took a pair of ear buds out of his pocket and stuck them into his ears. Eminem's Legacy was playing in a matter of seconds.

"Nice to see your getting settled in and making friends." John said sitting down beside Rick.

"Whatever man. I don't like people."

"You seamed to like Zippy." Rick's heart dropped. "Now, I think you have feelings for that girl."

"I can't have feelings for "her"." Rick sighed.

"Why not?"

"It's complicated."

"Oh I'm sure it is." John relaxed himself. "You should talk to her more. I think she might like you." John got up, put headphones on and strolled away.

Rick watched John walk over to the men's change room. He removed his purple sweater and tank top to reveal his badly scarred back before walking through the door. Rick wondered how he got the scars.

"He's a piece of work isn't he." Zippy was sitting behind Rick.

"How did you?"

"I'm not called Zippy for nothing. Ha ha."

Rick found her laugh really comforting.

"Anyway, whatever he said to you. Listen to it. Trust me, he's helped me more times than I can remember. He always wants to help." Zippy paused before slowly speaking. "Even if it hurts him in the end."

...

Fern walked into the women's change room and found a place to get changed. She removed her leggings and put on a pair of tight shorts. Abel was limbering up wearing a sports bra and tights. Most of the girls were wearing tee shirts and shorts. Fern quickly left the change room as two girls got into a shower together.

...

Zephier stopped John as he walked in to the Men's change room. "You don't want to go in there man."

"Why not?"

" "He's" in there."

John ignored him and walked in anyway. Xeno was standing there naked talking to one of John's band students.