Chapter 2
Cecily
Marina is bulging her eyes when I make my way to her. She grabs my arm, and it is so apparent that she knows exactly who that guy is and thinks he’s majorly hot. Like on fire hot. Like stop, drop, roll hot.
“Please tell me you know who he is?” she squeaks like we’re suddenly best friends. Truth is, we barely talk.
I shake my head. “I have no idea. But you just finished your workout, aren’t you leaving?”
“Cecily. He’s like one of the hottest guys on campus,” she whispers. “Okay, maybe not the hottest one out of the group, but definitely like top five.”
I shrug. “That’s who he is?” I laugh. “Fifth hottest guy on campus?”
She’s a year younger than me, but younger in maturity by much more.
“Yeah,” she begins to explain, stuttering. “Well, no. But yeah. You know, he’s just––”
I stop her right there. “I get it. Why don’t you go ask him out?”
Her jaw drops for a moment. “What? Why would I do that?”
I shrug. This girl knows nothing about me, and by the looks of it, she would never be my friend.
I’m too forthcoming, and it’s not everyone’s style.
I’m not for everyone, but onward I go. “He’s never in here, and it’s the perfect time to put yourself out there.
Why not? The worst that can happen is he says no, and you never have to see him again. ”
She exhales dramatically. “You live in Cecily’s world, where it’s perfect. You can get any guy you want, but for girls like me who look like me? It’s not like that.”
I give her a long look because I’m so tired of hearing that fucking story.
Do you know what happens when you’re born beautiful?
Sure, people stare. Sure, people put you on a pedestal.
Sure, it comes with perks. But… and that’s a big butt…
bigger than the Kardashians… but it comes with many downsides.
People use you. People expect more. People are not themselves around you.
People can be fucking rude and brutal. People are jealous. I can go on and on.
She continues, “And if we’re standing side by side, he’s going to choose you.”
I shake my head. “I tried to be friends with him, but he brushed me off.”
Her mouth hangs open again, so I bop her nose and say, “Stop comparing yourself to me. You’re just as worthy and deserving and beautiful, okay? We’re all only human.”
She grumbles under her breath but looks over at him and shrugs. “I’m not approaching him.” She exhales. “I’m going to go, but I call dibs on him then, Missy Miss. I’ll shoot my shot if he keeps coming around, okay?”
I nod and shrug. “Okay. It’s fine with me. I’m not that girl, Marina.” I force my lips together. “See ya later, alligator.”
She leaves, and I finally feel like I can breathe. This conversation was the most I’ve ever had with her, and I can’t let her insecurities make me feel bad. I’m so tired of feeling bad all the time. I’ll hide from the world if I do, and I’ve done that before. Never again.
I grab a dumbbell and push myself into squats, watching myself in the mirror. There’s only one way I know how to burn off frustration, and it’s this.
My sets are squats, Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, and now I’m on the floor to do band exercises when a shadow looms over me.
I fear that it’s Cory, waiting to talk my ear off about his last construction job. He’s a middle-aged man, single as a Pringle, and wants a gym mommy. I know this because he told me this.
I finish my set and sit on my heels, trying to catch my breath. But the shoes near me are not Cory’s. They’re actually pretty big feet.
“What’s your name again?” Dylan asks when I look up. I offer a quick smile. He holds out a hand, and I take it to stand.
“I’m Cecily.”
“Like the island?”
I try to catch my breath, nodding. Maybe he’s not a complete idiot with that God awful haircut. Most people think Sicily is a country. “Like the island, yes, but spelled with C-E.”
“That’s unique,” he says, like every other person I’ve met.
“Thanks,” I wave him off. “Yeah.” I place my hands on my hips and look up at the ceiling.
“We can be friends,” he says, and I meet his gaze. He points at the treadmill. “You kind of caught me off guard back there, and now that I’ve had time to think… I think, sure, why not?”
I huff out a laugh. “You mean, you had an endorphin rush, and now you’ve come to your senses?”
He shrugs. “Don’t come at me before I’ve had my workout or before I’ve had something to eat. I don’t make the rules.”
I smile. Finally, I have my breath. “Well, yeah. I need friends my age. That girl back there earlier? That’s the most she’s ever talked to me, and Cory? Just stares at my ass.” I crinkle my nose. “Do you have any friends, because it would be great to have a friend group?”
He watches me closely as I wipe down the weights. “Yeah, no. My friends will definitely talk your ear off and stare at your ass, so you’re out of luck.”
That makes a bubble of laughter rise, and finally his smile reaches his eyes.
“I’ll tell you what,” I say, putting the weights back. Then he grabs the rest and helps me. “Oh. Thank you.”
“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 party too 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.
I take a few selfies in the mirror, then step back to look out the window. Dylan gets into his truck and drives off. Having his own vehicle is another good sign.
Nice. This is nice.
“You replacing me, Cecily?” Cory asks, sneaking up behind me.
I chuckle. “You’re irreplaceable, Cory.”
“When are you going to let me take you out for a drink?” he asks, and my heart sinks.
“You’re about ten years too old for me, old man.”
“Come on,” he jokes. “I’m barely thirty. I’m not old. Age ain’t nothing but a number, honey.”
Says the fucking creep. I pat his shoulder, looking into his eyes. And then I walk away, pointing at the front counter.
“Go Detroit!” I say to catch their attention.
“Go Chargers!” a guy calls back, and now Cory will leave me be.