“Now what were you going to say?” he asks, placing the last weight back.
“I am going to the college down the road, and––”
“Me too,” he interrupts.
“Oh. Cool. Okay, I hate the campus gym there.” His eyes widen, agreeing. “I only work out here, so if you want, I could train you.”
“Train me?”
I nod. “Yeah, I want to be a personal trainer as a side hustle one day. I’m working to get my certification as we speak. You don’t have to pay me.” I wave my hands. “It’s not like that. I need someone who will take me seriously, so if you’re down––”
“I’m down. I could use some accountability and discipline. Plus, if you know what you’re doing––”
I nod. “I know what I’m doing. It would be a solid three days a week. You need to get enough rest, get enough sleep, not partytoo hard, and listen to daily motivational talks. I’ll give you some time to think about it.”
His eyes glisten as he listens to me. “I’m in.”
“Really?” I question, perking up. “That simple? You don’t need to think about it?”
He shakes his head. “I just did, and I need accountability. It’s funny that we’re talking about this because I just told myself this morning that I’m done with hookups and wasting my time doing dumb shit. If it doesn’t matter in ten years, then does it even matter now?”
I nod. “Very insightful.”
He doesn’t smile. He stares, but he catches himself before it awkwardly lingers and looks down at his shoes. “Okay. Should I get your number?”
I shake my head. “Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Can you stick to it?”
He thinks to himself. “Not Fridays.”
“Okay. Thursdays.”
He nods. “Okay, but my schedule is all over the place, so I can’t make promises.”
I shake my head. “Then this isn’t going to work. I need your word that you will show up and not waste my time. There will be no texting me ten minutes before meeting time to cancel unless you are dying. I have strict rules, and if you want my true effort, I’m going to need yours.”
He takes a moment to think. “Okay, yeah. Sure. Understood, Coach.”
I smile. “Okay, so I’ll see you on Monday?”
He nods. “Monday at four works for me.”
“Bring your demons,” I joke. “And YouTube search Tony Robbins. Watch his latest video. It’ll probably be less than ten minutes.” I wink. “Watch it before you come on Monday. I’m excited for this.”
He smiles, throwing his head back. “Did you just wink at me?”
I start blinking, searching the ceiling for the answer. “Did I?”
He purses his lips. “You just winked at me.” He points at me while I shake my head. Then he scrunches his face. “Pretty sure you just winked at me like an old man would.”
I hold back my smile and shrug. “When you hang out with them all day every day, I mean…”
He chuckles. “See you on Monday, Cecily.”
I nod, pointing at him. “Four sharp. Don’t be late.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I hide my smile as I watch him walk off. I’ve been a study-freak gym-rat entrepreneur for far too long, and I feel like such a loser for asking a guy my age to be my friend like we’re five years old, but damn, am I impressed with myself sometimes. He waves goodbye to the front desk, and I turn back to the mirror and look at myself. Someone who acknowledges the world around them is important. I’m not for the one-person show. The selfish, self-centered people of the world are not my tribe, so the fact that he waved goodbye to the front staff is a good thing.
