wife-beater and gym shorts. He’s got a fairly good build so he must workout. He walks straight over to us with a serious look on his face, one I’ve seen and worn many times. “Can I help you?” Jolie almost stutters, and I turn my head to her quickly. I’ve never seen her this way. Her calmness and rough exterior tucked away, and I wonder what’s up with that.
“Yeah, I uh…..” He looks around and then back at her. “I’m new in town and saw the gym. I’d like to buy a membership.” Hmmm, I’m not sure I like the way he’s so nervous, like maybe he’s hiding.
“Don’t you want a tour first? See if you like it? I can give you a pass for today, to try it out,” she asks, with a confused look on her face.
“Nope. I’m good.”
She looks at me, and I shrug. Why the hell not. If he doesn’t like it, I’ll give him a refund for being stupid. “Well, okay then.” She bends down and stands back up with the paperwork, and he walks closer to the counter. “Just fill this out and I’ll need to see your ID.” I push away from the counter and leave her to do her work. Confident guy but still. I shrug to myself and walk across the room and into my office. Time to get some work done.
By the time I’ve done all my work, worked out and taken my shower, I can hear the storm outside. There’s been so much rain lately, but we need it. I end up staying until closing, letting Jolie leave early. She’s like here twenty four/seven most of the time. The girl has no life, I swear. I try to get her to go do things away from here. Sometimes we do go out to dinner or go to Danny’s for a few drinks and let Marlie, my other employee, take over. But it’s like fucking pulling teeth. From what I know about Jolie, she has no family, and I’m pretty much her only friend. She does seem to like Hailey. Probably because Hailey is such a fucking stubborn and direct woman, like her.
I make a light dinner and then flip through some channels on the TV. Boring. Once I’m in bed, I lay there and think about Alena. She’s pretty much all I’ve thought about since she’s been back.
“Whaddya want to be when you grow up?” We’re laying in the field in the vacant lot. I’m on my back and Alena on her side. I’ve been playing with some strands of her long hair, so soft. She flips over onto her stomach and smacks my arm.
“What?” I chuckle.
“Jase. Be serious. What do you want to be when you grow up?”
I look up at the blue sky, not a cloud around, and scrunch up my face. “Shit, I dunno.” I flip over onto my side and look into her eyes. “We’re only sixteen, Al, not like we have to know now.”
She moves up, resting her arms on the grass, and starts playing with some blades. “I know but don’t you ever think about it? I mean, won’t it be weird to go to college, leave Liv and your parents and be on your own? Do you think about what you want to do after college?” She sighs and now she’s got me thinking about all that. “I want to be a graphic designer, own my own business. Web sites, architect, and creative stuff, unique that can be only mine.” Her green eyes sparkle from the sun and feelings that I’ve had for a while now start stirring.
“Well, I’d like to do something with my running. Coach says I’m a natural and can really go the distance. Maybe I’ll get a scholarship. Maybe one day I’ll even be in the Olympics.” I roll again until I am on my back and look up into the sky. “Yeah, I’d really love that.” Then my emotions are all over the place. Fuck, it would be so hard to leave Liv behind. She’s been stuck to me like glue all our lives. She’s gonna be so upset.
I feel a punch to my arm, hard, and turn my head. Alena’s smiling as she winks at me, which makes another emotion hit me. “Quit thinking so hard. There’s still a little time. Don’t worry about Liv. She’ll be older then and will understand.” How in the hell does she do that? She’s always been able to
“Yeah, I uh…..” He looks around and then back at her. “I’m new in town and saw the gym. I’d like to buy a membership.” Hmmm, I’m not sure I like the way he’s so nervous, like maybe he’s hiding.
“Don’t you want a tour first? See if you like it? I can give you a pass for today, to try it out,” she asks, with a confused look on her face.
“Nope. I’m good.”
She looks at me, and I shrug. Why the hell not. If he doesn’t like it, I’ll give him a refund for being stupid. “Well, okay then.” She bends down and stands back up with the paperwork, and he walks closer to the counter. “Just fill this out and I’ll need to see your ID.” I push away from the counter and leave her to do her work. Confident guy but still. I shrug to myself and walk across the room and into my office. Time to get some work done.
By the time I’ve done all my work, worked out and taken my shower, I can hear the storm outside. There’s been so much rain lately, but we need it. I end up staying until closing, letting Jolie leave early. She’s like here twenty four/seven most of the time. The girl has no life, I swear. I try to get her to go do things away from here. Sometimes we do go out to dinner or go to Danny’s for a few drinks and let Marlie, my other employee, take over. But it’s like fucking pulling teeth. From what I know about Jolie, she has no family, and I’m pretty much her only friend. She does seem to like Hailey. Probably because Hailey is such a fucking stubborn and direct woman, like her.
I make a light dinner and then flip through some channels on the TV. Boring. Once I’m in bed, I lay there and think about Alena. She’s pretty much all I’ve thought about since she’s been back.
“Whaddya want to be when you grow up?” We’re laying in the field in the vacant lot. I’m on my back and Alena on her side. I’ve been playing with some strands of her long hair, so soft. She flips over onto her stomach and smacks my arm.
“What?” I chuckle.
“Jase. Be serious. What do you want to be when you grow up?”
I look up at the blue sky, not a cloud around, and scrunch up my face. “Shit, I dunno.” I flip over onto my side and look into her eyes. “We’re only sixteen, Al, not like we have to know now.”
She moves up, resting her arms on the grass, and starts playing with some blades. “I know but don’t you ever think about it? I mean, won’t it be weird to go to college, leave Liv and your parents and be on your own? Do you think about what you want to do after college?” She sighs and now she’s got me thinking about all that. “I want to be a graphic designer, own my own business. Web sites, architect, and creative stuff, unique that can be only mine.” Her green eyes sparkle from the sun and feelings that I’ve had for a while now start stirring.
“Well, I’d like to do something with my running. Coach says I’m a natural and can really go the distance. Maybe I’ll get a scholarship. Maybe one day I’ll even be in the Olympics.” I roll again until I am on my back and look up into the sky. “Yeah, I’d really love that.” Then my emotions are all over the place. Fuck, it would be so hard to leave Liv behind. She’s been stuck to me like glue all our lives. She’s gonna be so upset.
I feel a punch to my arm, hard, and turn my head. Alena’s smiling as she winks at me, which makes another emotion hit me. “Quit thinking so hard. There’s still a little time. Don’t worry about Liv. She’ll be older then and will understand.” How in the hell does she do that? She’s always been able to
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