Bulletproof [Sneak Peek]

3

"FINALLY!" QB SAID AS they entered the gym. "You guys were gone for an eternity."

PK rolled her eyes. "Shut up, it was barely fifteen minutes." She glanced over at OV. "And something tells me it was important."

"Fine," QB scoffed. "But can we please get started? I've been waiting all morning for this!"

"Well, have you set up the weights yet?" AZ asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't know how we were gonna sort them out, so the weights are there, but they're not on the bar."

"Then why don't you start with that," AZ chuckled. He turned to OV. "I'm gonna go help him out, if that's alright."

OV nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll be fine."

He smiled before jogging off after QB.

"So..."

OV turned to PK. "Sorry for taking so long."

The girl shook her head. "Oh, don't worry about that. I just want to make sure you're alright. You didn't look so good after coming out of your exam, but I thought it'd be better for you and AZ to talk about it before bringing it up."

OV nodded. "Thanks. Yeah, I'm alright. Something just happened in my exam that I wasn't used to, but AZ says he doesn't think it's anything to worry about. I probably just overreacted because of the stress of finals."

"Right." PK smiled, but OV couldn't tell whether she'd bought it or not. She didn't want to distract her friends before they took their exams; it was better not to tell them about what happened until later.

She looked over at the squat cages where the guys had wheeled two benches and were stacked the bars with weights. "Do you really think you can bench more than him?"

PK shrugged. "I don't know. But it's funny to see him get all up in arms over it."

OV chuckled. "True."

AZ stood back from placing a large weight on the end of one of the bars. He looked over at the girls. "PK, you can bench ninety, right?"

She nodded. "I've done ninety-five before," she said, crossing her arms.

The number sent another spike of anxiety through OV, but she ignored it. What happened in REALM wasn't real; it was only a distraction to make her stall. She let out a deep breath and focused on the competition.

"Okay, we'll start with ninety to get you guys warmed up, and we'll increase it by five for each set, sound good?" he asked.

"Sure." PK turned to OV. "And you'll spot me?"

OV nodded. "Yup." She headed over to one of the benches and stood behind the bar. "I'm ready when you are."

PK nodded and turned her attention to QB. "Alright then, are you ready to lose?" she asked with a smirk.

QB laughed. "I should ask you the same question!"

"Take it out on the bar you two!" AZ chuckled. "Get to your benches!"

QB rolled his eyes and laid on the bench before spreading his hands apart on the bar. PK did the same. She tied up her dirty-blond hair in a ponytail.

"Okay, here's how this is going to work," AZ instructed. "Try to get as many reps as you can for each weight, up to ten. After ten, we put another five pounds on and try for another ten. Whoever holds out the longest gets bragging rights, got it?"

"AZ, c'mon man, quit with the rules! I want to lift!" QB said, pulling himself up on the bar. "I've waited too long for you, let's go!"

"Thank you, AZ, for making this fair." PK shot a look at QB, but he ignored her. "I think we're ready."