Never Saw This Coming

Mind Blowing Nights.

Maddy

The fifteen-pound weights on the bench stare at me as I take another unnecessarily long break. I almost cuss them out until I remember they are inanimate objects. I take a deep breath and set my phone down on the bench. I pick both weights up and start doing bicep curls again. I'm starting to regret adding 'go to the gym!' to my vision board this year. After promising myself I would these past couple of years, I'd say I'm quite proud of myself right now. I've been coming to the gym for 21 days straight now.

After doing 4 sets of 15 bicep curls, I set the weights back on the bench and take a seat right next to them. My bony arms weren't made for lifting weights. I uncap my water and take a long swig, a drop falling down my chest. I'd flinch at the cold liquid on my warm skin, but the sensation feels amazing right now. I've never sweated this much in my whole life.

"I didn't know you were a gym rat, Madison."

Can the roof fall through this whole building right now, please? I'd rather much die than have to talk to this person right now. I shift my ass on the bench so that I'm facing him. He's standing over me with a stupid grin on his face. I stand up, not wanting to feel below him. He's taller than my 5'7 self but I rather not feel like a complete minion. He follows my every move, looking me up and down once I'm standing.

"Don't look at me," I say. His eyes shift back to my face at this. "I've never seen you here before." He crosses his muscly arms over his chest. "Good. Why would I want to see you when I'm trying to enjoy my workout?" I furrow my brows. He chuckles at this. I've known Xander for a good amount of time to know that he isn't fazed by me and my attitude. It pisses me off and so does he.

"I'm sure this was one of your little 'New Years resolutions' right?" He uses air quotes and I almost want to smack his fingers away. He looks me up and down again. "Don't even bother, Maddy. Your bony ass isn't making any progress," he adds. I clench my jaw. I have to stay unfazed. I don't want him thinking he can get to me even if he already knows that he can. "See I knew you were a piece of shit, but body shaming me? You've reached a new low, Xander," I retort, flipping him off.

He rolls his eyes quickly. "I'm not body shaming you. You're bony," he reaches over trying to grab my arm to show me, but I flinch back "it's a fact, not body shaming," he finishes. How does this man even have any friends? I genuinely ask myself this question every time we have an interaction. "And you're a waste of space. Don't ever come over and talk to me again. Clearly, you're not wanted here," I say, picking up my phone from the bench and walking to the other side of the gym. I don't look back, but I know he's looking at me.

When it comes to Xander Williamson, I don't care how mean I am. He's one of the worst people I've ever met. I'll stand by that until the end of time.

I've been at the gym for a little over an hour but I feel like I've gotten nothing done, so I step onto a treadmill. Maybe walking will get rid of some of the irritation that's taken over my body. I press on speed 4 and the treadmill starts. I put my AirPods back on and blast some music.

+

"Where even are you?" I ask Novalee over the phone. I get into my car and turn on the air. The January air is cold, but I'm sweating like crazy. "At Chris'," She says. I roll my eyes as my Bluetooth connects to the car. "You?" she asks me. "I'm leaving the gym. Tell me why I unluckily go to the same gym as the devil incarnate," I tell her as I pull out of the parking lot. A small chuckle comes from her end. She doesn't need to ask who I'm talking about. "Really? Did you see him there or what?" she asks.

"Am I on speaker?" I don't really care if Christian hears me talk bad about his best friend, but I ask anyway. "No," she says. "Yes, I saw him there. Dude had the audacity to come up to me and try starting a conversation," I scoff. I turn right as I make my way back to campus. "He's trying to be nice, Maddy, see! You guys could be friends." I immediately let out a forced laugh at my best friend's delusion. I will never be friends with that guy.