“I was just trying to make her laugh. I didn’t mean anything by it,” he says softly. “I’m sorry, man. Really. I wasn’t thinking.”
“You always say that,” you spit out before you can stop yourself.
And if Brody looked hurt before, he looks full-on sad now. Likehemight be the one to cry.
All the anger from earlier dissipates.
You know what it’s like to speak without thinking.
“Sorry,” you say. “I just really like her.”
“I know, man.” Brody straightens up. “I’ll make it up to you. Promise.”
“Bet.” You glance down at the table. HisStar Warsnovel took the brunt of the latte. “Sorry about your book.”
“All good. I can get another one.”
You’re glad for that at least.
But how are you going to get another chance with Mariana?
18FARSHID
“Come on, Energizer Bunny,” Coach Nico says. “Three more.”
You breathe, engage your core, and lower the bar to your chest. Your arms are burning, your chest feels like it’s being ripped in two, but you exhale and push the bar back up. Your left arm wobbles a bit, and Coach Nico almost grabs it, but you steady yourself.
“Eight,” he says. “Two more. You can do it.”
You can’t. Sweat stains your shirt, runs down your temples to the black leather of the weight bench. You have a vision of dropping the bar onto yourself, crushing your windpipe, your body thrashing and going still as you suffocate.
You can’t do two more.
You have to.
You grit your teeth and pump out another. “Nine. Last one, come on, Farshid.”
Coach Nico says your name right. It took him months of practice, practice he insisted on doing, asking you over and over to say your name the way it’s supposed to be said.
So, yeah, he can say it right, but still, he usually calls you Energizer Bunny.
You lower the bar, rest it on your chest, press back up, but you can’t.
You can’t.
You breathe deep and try again, but your arms have turned to spaghetti. There’s nothing.
Coach Nico gets his hands under the bar to spot you.
“I’ll help you. Last one. Together now.”
You’re not sure how much of the weight he’s taking, but it’s enough for you to get the bar off your chest. You press up with a grunt.
“Ten! Back down easy.”
You try, arms wobbling, but then they give out. Thankfully Coach Nico catches it, taking all the weight and racking it. Your arms fall to your sides as you groan.
Coach Nico pats your chest, which feels like it’s permanently cramped. You flinch.
