Christy’s beautiful brown skin looks silky smooth under the overhead lights and reminds me I need to ask what moisturizer she uses. She pulls her long braids back with an elastic and I do the same. We don’t want our hair getting in our faces as we swing around a pole. Pretty sure that constantly spitting hair out of our mouths would make us feel the opposite of sexy
"Welcome everyone!” A young woman struts between the waiting customers, clapping her hands. “You’re all here today for beginner’s pole dancing and I am so excited for you to start this journey!” She glances around the room, smiling at all of us. “Pole dancing isn’t just about feeling the strength of your body, it’s about freeing yourself to realize that your body issexy.” Several people clap and whoop at her statement. “Alright, everyone, let’s get started! Choose your pole.”
There are dozens of poles stationed throughout the studio, secured by both ceiling and floor. Christy and I exchange nervous glances and pick two poles towards the back of the room. I don’t know about her, but I’m not confident enough right now to be front and center in the mirrored wall in front of us.
The instructor, whose name I now know is Jasmine, leads us through some warm-up exercises, all while telling us the importance of a proper warm-up. We gently stretch our arms, neck, and shoulders. She then has us running in place, making circles with our arms, warming our joints up.
After we’re finished with our warm up exercises, Jasmine explains some important basics before we begin. She emphasizes and explains how to properly grip the pole with both hands in different positions in what she calls a “baseball grip.” She walks around, monitoring our holds and correcting us if needed.
“Now that everyone has their grips correct, we’re going to start with our first move. This one is called ‘the Fireman’.”
Sudden giggles threaten to leave my mouth and I quickly slap a hand over it as a picture of Gabe at the station doing this move with his buddies pops into my head.
She takes us through the steps to this move. First, we grip the pole with our dominant hand as high as we can reach. She walks around adjusting our posture, making sure our shoulders are down and back. Once we have that down, she tells us to take three steps around the pole, focusing our weight on the outside so that we get a good spin for the move.
Jasmine’s an expert, explaining the steps and demonstrating them, and helping us when we are struggling. By the time the hour-long session is over, my muscles are quaking with exhaustion.
The fireman was the only movement we were able to learn today, but it was so much fun that Christy and I quickly planned to do it again.
Before having to change, I try the fireman one last time. Grabbing the bar as high up as I can reach, focusing my weight on the outside and taking three steps. On the fourth, I swing my left arm and leg out, letting my momentum spin me around the pole. Once the spin starts, I grab the pole with my left hand to stabilize my lower body and gently wrap my ankles around the pole as I spin gracefully to the ground.
“Bravo!” Christy cheers, clapping animatedly for me, regardless of the looks we’re getting.
Pulling myself up, laughing the entire way, I theatrically bow for my friend.
We leave the studio sore and hungry, deciding to stop at a place nearby for dinner before heading home. We order hamburgers with fries and of course a chocolate milkshake.
“So, tell me what all went down with Kyle,” Christy mutters around a bite of her hamburger, mustard catching on the side of her mouth before she quickly wipes it away.
“Well,” I say, shoving ketchup-covered fries into my mouth, “he’s a massive dick. The end.”
My friend though, is not going to let me get away that easily. “No, no, no. You were head-over-heels for this guy and then he just dumps you out of the blue? Nah, something fishy is going on.” She emphasizes her point by jabbing a fry in my face.
“You really think so?” I wonder. “He was gone for work a lot, but I never felt like he was intentionally dodging me.”
“Girl, yes you did. Remember when he was supposed to have dinner with your parents, but he ‘bailed’ because his ‘meeting ran long’. You have to know that was bullshit.” She held up both hands inserting air quotes as she went. “So what exactly did he say to you on Friday?”
Slurping up the thick chocolate shake, I prepared myself. “He said I was ‘too much’ for him.” Sighing into my hamburger I continue to stuff my face, not wanting to look up and see Christy’s expression.
“The fuck he did!” She yells. “That asshole has another thing coming for him.” Christy leans in close, her voice lowering in seriousness. “Mel, look at me.” Her tone has me dragging my eyes to her face, her dark eyes blazing. “You are not too much. You’re just the right amount. This just shows that he’s not the man for you. For the man you’re meant to be with, you’ll never be too much.”
If only I had her amount of resolve, I might have actually believed her.
Chapter 4
Gabriel
Working twenty-four-hour shifts isn't bad. Working slow twenty-four-hour shifts are a different story.
There are six of us on duty tonight at the station: James, Brian, Paul, Jonah, Logan, and me. We started our shift at 7 am and would finish our shift Friday at 7 in the morning. Our rotation matches up so that I could follow through with taking Mel out for Valentine’s Day.
We’ve been on duty for twelve hours and very little has happened. We go through our routine checks of equipment, clean around the station, complete inspections of the firetruck, and fill out paperwork for calls that come in. We responded early this morning to a car crash that happened on the interstate that runs through town. Thankfully the accident was minor and no immediate medical care was needed.
Now, James and I are using the weight room while Brian runs to the grocery store since it’s his turn to make dinner for the crew. It’s been a couple of days since I last got to catch up with James since he wasn’t able to come to poker night.
We’ve been friends since high school when he moved to town my senior year. He was a quiet kid like me, and we became quick friends when he joined our group. We went through Firefighter training together and have been working in the same crew since joining the station.
Finishing my round of squats, I carefully place the bar back on the rack. Removing the weight plates from the bar, my mind is distracted. I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow night.
