The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

18

Two weeks of freedom. No student council meetings, no exams, and no endless to-do lists. I decided to spend my break wisely—by hitting the gym. Lately, I’ve been slacking off with my workouts, kaya I needed to build my athletic body back up. I found a nearby gym na maganda ang reviews, and I figured it would be a good place to focus.

I arrived at the gym around noon, feeling excited to get back into my routine. The place looked clean, professional, and had a decent crowd. I walked to the reception to sign up for a membership.

“First time, bro?” tanong ng receptionist. She looked friendly enough.

“Yeah, gusto ko sana mag-try dito,” I replied, handing her my ID.

As I was filling out the form, I felt like someone was watching me. Napalingon ako and, to my surprise, I saw a familiar face leaning casually against the gym wall—Renz.

"Oh, great," I muttered under my breath.

Renz, shirtless as always, stood there with his signature smirk, flexing his abs like it was some kind of show. His six-pack glistened with sweat, and I rolled my eyes. Seriously, does this guy ever wear a full shirt?

“Drakon! Welcome to my gym!” he called out, walking toward me like he owned the place—which, apparently, he did.

I groaned inwardly. Of course this gym was his. Just my luck.

“Your gym?” I asked, already knowing the answer but hoping to keep things neutral.

“Yup,” he said proudly, slapping a hand on his abs. “Sayo ko nga gustong i-flex ‘to, pero mukhang mas interested ka sa ibang bagay,” he teased, flashing that irritating grin of his.

“Wow, congrats,” I said flatly, trying to ignore him as I handed back the form to the receptionist.

He laughed, clearly amused by my lack of enthusiasm. “Akala ko ba gusto mo magpabuff? This is the best place to do it, tol,” he said, stepping closer and giving me a playful nudge. “Pero kung gusto mo, we can start with some ab workouts, like mine,” he added, flexing again, this time in my face.

I shot him a glare. “Hindi ako pumunta dito para makipaglandian sa'yo, Renz. I'm here to work out, okay? Not to deal with whatever weird flirting game you're playing."

He chuckled. “Ayaw mo niyan? Free coaching tips from me,” he said, pointing to his abs again like they were some kind of masterpiece. “Hindi lahat ng tao, may opportunity to work out alongside me, Pres,” he said with a wink.

“Wow, what a privilege,” I said sarcastically, heading toward the weightlifting area. Pero, syempre, hindi niya ako tinantanan.

Renz followed me, of course. “Bro, masyado kang seryoso. Lighten up. Dito ka nga sa gym ko, might as well enjoy it.”

I grabbed a dumbbell and started my reps, doing my best to ignore him. “Bakit mo ba ako sinusundan?” I asked, getting annoyed. "Aren’t you supposed to be busy managing this place or something?"

Renz shrugged, casually picking up heavier weights. “Eh, I like to keep my eyes on certain people. Like you.”

I rolled my eyes again. This guy was unbelievable.

He started doing his own set, lifting weights that were heavier than mine, and of course, he made a big show of it. “Alam mo, Drakon,” he said between reps, “if you stick around more, baka magkaroon ka na rin ng abs tulad ng akin.”

I shot him a deadpan look. “Hindi ako interesado sa abs mo, Renz.”

“Liar,” he teased, then smirked again. “Pero seryoso, tol, kung gusto mo ng extra help, I’m here. Alam ko busy ka sa council, pero it wouldn’t hurt to have someone guide you, right?”

I finished my set and placed the weights down, taking a deep breath. “Renz, seriously, I’m good. Hindi ako pumunta dito para makipag-bonding. I came here to focus.”

He chuckled, clearly not taking me seriously. “Okay, fine. Pero tandaan mo, I'm always around. Pati locker room, kung gusto mo ng private—”

“Saadvera, tumigil ka na nga,” I interrupted, feeling my face heat up. He was relentless, and it was driving me crazy.

“Okay, okay. Chill,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Pero if you change your mind, alam mo kung nasaan ako."

He winked again and then finally walked off to another part of the gym. I exhaled, relieved that he’d finally given me space. Pero kahit na wala na siya sa tabi ko, I couldn’t shake off the thought of him and his ridiculous abs.

I resumed my workout, trying to push Renz out of my mind. I focused on my routine, trying to block out all distractions. But it wasn’t easy, lalo na't kahit saan ako magpunta, naroon din si Renz, nagbubuhat o di kaya'y nagpapa-cute sa tapat ng salamin. There was no escaping him.

After finishing my leg day routine, I headed over to the treadmill for some cardio. I thought I’d finally get some peace, but guess who decided to use the treadmill right next to me?

“Hindi ka pa rin ba nagsasawa?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as Renz jogged beside me.

“Bakit naman ako magsasawa? You’re too fun to pester,” he said, not even breaking a sweat.

I sighed. “Seriously, Renz. Can’t you just work out without bothering me for once?”

“Eh, sino bang pumunta sa gym ko?” He grinned. “Magsama ka na rin sa kasiyahan, Drakon. Life’s too short to be so serious all the time.”

I increased the speed on the treadmill, hoping that maybe I could outrun him. But no, Renz just matched my pace effortlessly, like he was waiting for me to crack.

“Alam mo, Pres,” he started, his voice light and teasing, “if you smiled a bit more, baka mas bumagay sa’yo yung gym atmosphere. People might even mistake you for being friendly.”

“I am friendly,” I snapped. “Just not to you.”

“Wow, harsh,” he said, feigning a hurt expression. “Pero fine, I’ll take it. At least I get to see you here. Kahit na nagpapanggap ka na hindi mo ako gusto, I know you enjoy our little interactions.”

I turned off the treadmill, deciding I’d had enough for today. "Renz, I’m done. I came here to work out, not to deal with your ego."

“Aww, tapos ka na agad?” he pouted. “Baka naman next time, mag-stay ka longer? Para naman mas enjoy ang workout mo.”

I rolled my eyes one last time and grabbed my towel. “I’ll think about it. Just stop flexing your abs at me. It’s not gonna work.”

Renz laughed. “We’ll see, Pres. We’ll see.”

As I walked out of the gym, I couldn't help but shake my head at how ridiculous the whole thing was. But deep down, I knew that somehow, Renz would find a way to bother me again. He always did.