CHAPTER FIVE
LEVI
I turn to groan into my pillow.
Today’s the day. First session. Fuck my life.
Once again, I’ve woken up feeling the god-awful throbbing pain through my shoulder – basically my life for the past two weeks.
I can’t wait to work on getting it better, except it’s Pilates. Could Coach have even chosen a worse recovery plan? Actually, he could have because at least it’s not fucking hydrotherapy or some dumb shit like that. But… Now that I think about it, that might be a better option.
I sit up, flexing my shoulder slightly – a mistake. A sharp pain shoots up my shoulder. Seriously, how am I even supposed to start Pilates today with this?
Fucking useless.
I reach for my sling, securing my arm in it before getting out of bed to trudge to the kitchen.
Soft light greets me as I enter. My apartment is a mess right now.
Unopened mail sprawled across the granite counter, coats and sweaters thrown over the island chairs, dishes piled up in the sink.
I’ve had no energy to worry about any of that stuff since my shoulder.
And I honestly couldn’t give a fuck about anything else right now, anyway.
Shaking off the thought of my injury again, I brew my coffee, pouring into the mug with my left hand, half of it missing the cup and splattering over the counter.
My head tips down in frustration, my eyes welling up as I will myself to have patience, but it really is difficult – feeling so inadequate. After being independent for as long as I can remember I don’t know how to rely on anyone else. I don’t want to rely on anyone else.
Taking a sip of the coffee that I actually managed to get into the mug, I grimace. It’s not even good. Just as disappointing as the rest of my life right now.
I heat some leftovers Gigi brought me, quickly eating before heading back to my room to get ready. I pick up my phone to check the time and freeze. It’s one o’clock. Shit. Coach is going to have my ass, and if I read Scarlett properly, so will she.
I try to quickly pull on my hoodie, only for it to get stuck halfway. This fucking shoulder is going to be the death of me.
I wrestle it on the rest of the way, before grabbing my keys. Heading to the door, I slip my shoes on and grab my gym bag. I close the door behind me making my way to my car.
I slide in, the custom brown leather interior making me relax immediately. I love this car. Turning the key in the ignition before grabbing the wheel with my good hand and pulling out onto the street.
The city traffic is merciless – like, seriously, why is the road so backed up? It’s so overcast today anyway, there is nowhere to go.
I’m thirty minutes late by the time I make it to the studio, and I’m just hoping she doesn’t tear me a new one.
Sighing, I hurry to the studio, strolling inside to take note of Scarlett behind the counter – and she does not look happy.
Her head snaps to the door at the sound of me entering.
“Finally decided to grace me with your presence, Carter?”
So, this is how it’s going to be, I guess. “Yeah, sorry about that."
To be honest, I’m not really sorry. I’d rather not be here at all.
She rolls her eyes, walking further into the studio, not turning around as she says, “Shoes off, put your stuff by the bench there and come into the Pilates room.”
I remove my shoes, putting my things where she instructed before following her into the studio. I take note of the faint scent of eucalyptus in the air which is… surprisingly calming?
I spot a mat and some resistance bands, which is all pink. My eyes continue to move throughout the space, the multiple machines, baskets filled with weights and props. The green of the plants a pop of colour against the off-white walls.
“Alright, let’s begin.” Scarlett speaks, clapping her hands together once.
I glance at the mat before meeting her eyes again, “Are you sure this counts as training?”
I notice her jaw clench slightly, her eyes narrowing before she responds, “Oh, it absolutely does, Levi. I need to test your current mobility before I plan any further, so,” She clicks her fingers pointing down at the mat, “Get down there so we can stop wasting time.”
Ambling down onto the mat, I sit with my legs crossed.
“Alright,” She starts, “Grab your band, it’s time to warm up.”
I pick up the pink band from beside me, eyeing it, my face scrunching involuntarily. I scoff, “Really? Pink?”
She rolls her eyes, “Different colours for different tension. This is the tension I have assigned for you so stop being a baby. Now, wrap the band around your wrists, keeping your wrists shoulder width apart, we want to have slight tension on your shoulders here.”
I wrap the band around my wrists accordingly, before awaiting her next instructions.
“Perfect, now pull your hands apart, slow, and steady. Focus on the control, focus on the tension, Carter.”
I start to pull the band, rotating my hands out, feeling the back of my shoulders starting to engage.
Scarlett starts to walk around behind me before speaking, “Good, do we feel it here?” She brushes her fingers across the back of my right shoulder causing my breath to hitch at the contact.
Her touch feels so good. Why does it feel so good? I can’t remember the last time I’ve received intimacy, so that has to be the reason for my reaction… Right?
We stay quiet as I get through a few more reps, feeling the stretch, my shoulder starting to open up to slightly more movement. Thank God for that, it’s been driving me insane.
“Alright, Carter. How’s that shoulder of yours feeling?”
“Fine, I guess.” Though, it’s not really fine, nor is this situation but I’m not gonna say that.
She shoots me a look like she knows I’m lying, but she doesn’t push me.
Instead, she just instructs me on the next exercise.
“You’re ready for a lying band press now to focus on that shoulder control.
” She instructs me to place the band down across the mat, “Lie down on your back, shoulders resting against the band.” I do as she says before awaiting my next instruction.
Walking over she lifts the sides of the band, placing them in either hand before giving me my next cue. “Basically, think of this like a bench press. Pelvis in neutral position, keep that core engaged, yeah? Belly button to spine.”
Belly button to spine? The fuck does that even mean?
Slowly, I start to press my hands up toward the sky, simulating a bench press. My shoulder is screaming in discomfort. My face twists as I try to push through it. Obviously, Scarlett being the observant little thing that she is, notices.
“Easy, Carter. Let your body tell you when the range of motion is enough. Don’t overextend yourself.”
That’s easy for her to say. She doesn’t have her entire life relying on this. I need to get better quick.
Slowly, I release the band to bring my hands back down toward my chest.
“Good, another one now, press up.” Scarlett says as she kneels propping her hands under my elbows to assist the tension as I press into the next rep. I jolt away from her touch, hating that her hands on me feel this good.
My jaw clenches as, once again, I feel my shoulder shift, my body telling me that it hates this. But what else can I do?
“Good, Levi. You got this, keep going.” Her praise soothes me. Why?
After a few more silent reps, she speaks again, “Alright, Carter. Time to integrate the core. We’re going to move into some dead bugs. Lift from the mat slightly, I’ll grab the band out from under you.”
Leaning up slightly, using my good hand to support me, I feel Scarlett angle herself in, removing the band before placing it back into my hands.
“So, anyway, what’s a dead bug?”
“That’s just what I’m going to show you. Patience, Carter.” She smirks before moving into explaining the exercise. “Now, wrap your hands in the band again,” I do as she says, “Legs up in tabletop, hands reach toward the sky.” I get into position.
She adjusts my legs slightly. “Perfect, just like that. From here, we extend the opposite arm and leg away from each other slowly.” I look at her, confusion marring my expression. I genuinely have no idea what the fuck that means.
She sighs lightly before moving to help lead me into the exercise.
“Extend your left leg,” She assists with the motion, “Then, we extend the right arm at the same time.” She lightly grasps my arm pulling it back, so it moves toward being over my head.
My shoulder is killing me, but I just need to keep going.
“Perfect, just like that. Then they return at the same time.” I move my left leg back to tabletop and my arm back in line with my shoulder.
“Now swap sides. Extend the right leg and left arm.” I do as she says. I fucking hate this already. This kind of coordination is not my strong suit, and it’s even harder for me when I’m trying to concentrate on my shoulder.
“Amazing, Levi. Really, really good. Keep this one going here, nice and slow. And remember, belly button to spine.”
I keep going as she cues me. Every now and then she pipes in, to say things like “Keep breathing.” Of course I’m breathing. I feel a slight pinch in my shoulder, and I scrunch my eyes, trying to keep pushing forward. I will be back on the ice, come October.
I’m practically sweating when she finally lets up. Fuck that was harder than I thought it’d be.
“Alright, Carter, you ready for your last exercise of the day?”
I sigh, definitely ready for the day to be over. “Yeah, let’s just get it over with.”
“Come up and kneel on the mat.” I struggle as I attempt to get all the way into a kneeling position.
“Do you need a hand?” Scarlett asks, reaching a hand toward me.
I jolt away. Fuck that. I don’t want to lose any more of my independence.
She snatches her hand back, watching as I only just manage to get myself into position. If I was sweating before, that’s nothing compared to now.
She’s silent for a second before she speaks, “Wrap both your hands around that band again,” And I do, “From here we go into some alternating rows. Reach both hands out in front. Perfect. We bend through one elbow, stretching that band back but keep the other hand reaching straight out in front to keep the tension. Feel the back of your shoulder start to work.” Oh yeah, I feel it alright.
I’m going to be in so much pain after this.
“Good. Alternate to the other side now.” Her soothing voice calming my inner turmoil. I hate her having this kind of… power over me. I don’t even know her. Why am I having this reaction toward her?
After what feels like eternity, her voice echoes into the room again. “All done for today, Levi. Your damage isn’t as bad as I expected, you should make a quick recovery. Only a couple months. That is a good thing. Just stick with it. Next session, I’ll have you on the machine.”
Great. That torture device.
She holds a towel out to me, and I take it. It feels like it just came out of a freezer, and I immediately wipe my face and neck, trying to remove any trace of sweat.
She gives me a small smile. “Same time on Wednesday?”
I give her a slight nod, not willing to speak with all these thoughts going through my head, then she turns to strut back to the counter, her hips moving in such a hypnotizing way, her ass looking so peachy in those grey leggings.
I tip my head back, scrunching my eyes closed. Fuck this is going to be such a long few months.