Exercise

Held open is the glass door to a future. The smell of sweat and chalk fill the space between free weights. Everyone is dressed in tight fitting clothes. Shirts that grip the arms and chest. Pants that emphasize the legs and ass. The clanking of weights and the hum of treadmills orchestrate this moment of determined fatigue. Jake and Tay embrace their surroundings, embarking on their journey to a better life.

“It looks like the hardest part is already over. That first step. Feels like we’re shaking the earth in here” says Tay.

“Those fans feel like they're about to lift me off my feet. You’re gonna be real cold in here once you start sweating” replies Jake.

“Try to stay on those feet,” says Tay, “it’ll be pretty embarrassing if you fall over and start floating away.”

“Funny. I can say the same for you. Don’t cause an earthquake by tripping over something right under your belly” says Jake with a smirk.

Tays eyes narrow as he looks at Jake. The energy of competition fuels his stride to the treadmill. They wonder if anyone can tell that it's their first day.

“Do you think people will judge us if we ask how to use the machines?” Says Tay, stepping onto the treadmill.

“They will judge us no more than we can judge ourselves. I'll make sure nobody judges you more than me. Gotta make sure we use all the meat on those bones. If we don't, I'll be dropping you off without stopping for food.” replies Jake with a laugh.

As he hops on the machine next to Tay, he looks at the assortment of buttons surrounding the dark screen. There is no on button, just a start button. Beside him, he hears the whirring of the treadmill. Tay has begun his journey.

His eyes peek above the machine as he stares into the room of souls. All are working towards a common goal. The energy of unity fills him with excellence. He clasps the dangling clip to his shirt collar and presses the start button.

“That's a lot of heavy breathing” says Jake, turning his head so Tay hears him. “I guess all that weed has really done its damage”.

“Oh shut it” Tay replies between breaths, “I got a lot more to move than you. Don't be surprised if you’re winded before we get to the weights.”

The two keep pace beside each other. People pass by and their outfits collect their attention. Everyone looks like they’ve made a second home of the gym. The stretched Superman shirt on Tay makes him as self conscious as the noodles in Jake's sleeves.

Two minutes have gone by, and Jake ramps up his speed. He feels the lust for achievement, the zeal to become someone. Tay remains at his steady jogging pace. Each step hitting the treadmill floor shakes the sweat off his face. He can't help but notice the competition from Jake.

“Looks like I'm leaving you in the dust, Tay boy. At this pace, I won't have to worry about a bear chasing us as long as I'm running with you!” Says Jake without restraint.

Tay can sense the flurry of energy coming from that pile of bones. He opts not to reply, instead choosing to maintain his own pace. He is playing the long game. Ten more minutes, then two hours of weights. All he wants is to make it without giving up.

Several minutes have gone by without a word between the two. The sweat from Tay is collecting at the collar of his black shirt. He made a point to wear his black shirt. He knows too well how easily sweat makes its appearance.

Jake has been steadily upping his speed on the treadmill. He’s obsessed with turning that fraction into a whole. Staring into the number of his first mile, his focus is in his breath. The single digit fraction that started at zero and moved to nine, returns to a zero. The first zero changes into a one, and the satisfaction of the first mile puts a smile on his face. He looks over to Tay to see the sweat pouring from his scalp.

“Looks like I'm done, “ he says in chorus with the beep of the machine, “Guess I can start moving weights.”

Jake gets off the treadmill and looks to his unflinching friend. Tay has been running for ten minutes now, and has only reached half a mile.

“I remember when I made it to that halfway mark. Keep up the good work pal! I'll be over by the water fountain, restoring my vitality with some cold H2O.” He walks away before turning around, “Don't keep me waiting too long. Once I see a free bench, I'll be too busy pumping iron to teach you how to use it”

Tay turns to Jake only when he knows he wont turn back around. He watches him walk to the water fountain and bend to take a sip. He watches the people as they walk by him, noticing how nobody pays him any attention. He wonders if anybody cares enough to judge him...His lanky body contorting to the height of the water fountain.

Without so much as a half minute to wait for Tay, Jake heads over to the first bench press he sees. He drops his phone and keys beside the bench and analyzes the structure carefully. He looks over to the person beside him, watching as he slowly lowers the metal bar and pushes it up and away. They have two, big circular weights on each side of the bar, and he’s moving it with little struggle.

Jake finds the biggest weight on his rack, and moves to pick it up. As his fingers wrap around the plate, he realizes it's stuck. He pulls the plate, and it doesn't budge. Moving behind it, he uses both hands to push it free from the other weights. As he grips with both hands, using his legs to force the weight from its rack, it separates from the weights and slides off. Before he realizes that he can't lift the weight, his hands get pulled to the floor and the metal slams against the rubber with a smack. He tries lowering into a squat to maintain his grip, but the weight tips over and closes in on his fingers.

He manages to remove one hand, but his left hand is unable to free itself. The black plate speeds in its fall and both his middle and ring finger are pinched at the nail.

“FUCK” he yells, yanking his fingers into the palm of his other hand.

The denizens of the gym are not used to hearing screams, so they turn to look at the commotion. Jake is gripping his two pinched fingers and holding back tears. Looking to the ground, he senses that he is being watched. Perhaps judged.

In a quick effort to regain his pride, Jake puts away his pain and tries putting the weight back. He crouches beside it, weasels his fingers into a grip, and pulls with all his power. His back feels like it's being torn off as his legs push away from the ground. The weight is upright, and he wheels it over to the rack. Unable to put it back, he rests it against the metal frame.

Unflinching, he finds the next smallest weight and plans to use that instead. He grabs the weight, half the the size of the first one, and lifts it up with both hands. Shoulders to ears, he brings the weight to the bar and slides it into place. He grabs another weight, and slides it on the other side.

Finally looking up, he sees two people he knows from high-school. They're standing diagonally to him, and laughing. They saw his failure, and are trying to be discreet in their gossip. He chooses to focus on himself.

Before Jake even knows what to do, Tay walks up and taps him on the shoulder.

“So are you gonna lift that or not?”

Jake turns around with a red face and snaps at him, “Lift it?? I just lifted double that weight. Gimme a break before you start your yelping. You do it if you're so eager.”

“Good one,” Tay laughs, “Double this weight is double YOUR weight.”

Tay looks to the nearest example of someone bench pressing and follows their lead. He plops onto the bench and lays on his back. The bottom of his shirt lifts up to expose his stomach. He pulls it back down.

His two arms outstretch to the middle of the bar, and he lifts it off the rack. Holding it midair, he struggles to keep it steady. Jake watches with intent.

The bar slams down into Tay's chest and bounces back up.

“One” says Tay.

It slams back down, the weights slide off slightly as he pushes it up.

“Two” says Tay.

“Keep it steady dude!” says Jake

The bar comes down and rests on Tay's chest.

“It's harder than it looks”

The bar flies back up.

“Three.” Says Tay.

Jake stands there, still catching his breath. He feels a heat in his face, a tingling burn to remind him of failure. He stares deeply at the bar, trying to forget. He wears the eyes of a man devoid of all sensation.

“Five… Six.. Seven.” Grunts Tay.

On the eighth rep, the bar stalls. Tay’s arms shake as his force leaves him, and the bar creeps down to his chest.

“Help” he mutters

Jake is still staring at the floor, wide eyed beside the bench, when he realizes he’s needed. He rushes to the bar, and from one side, he pushes it up. The bar tips over and a weight falls onto the ground. Before he can correct himself, the bar tips over to the other side. The remaining weight falls directly on Jake's foot. He lets out another yelp as Tay racks the bar and rushes to his feet.

“Are you good bro!?” Tay asks, astonished.

Jake looks at him with brutal eyes and says, “No BRO im not good. You couldnt keep the fucking bar steady so now I gotta pay.”

“Im sorry dude” Tay says panicked, “But that wouldn't have happened if you knew how gravity works.”

“OKAY big guy” Jake says bitterly, “too bad i don't feel the crushing weight of gravity all the time to remind me of my physics class”

Tay looks at him blankly. “Speaking of gravity… Do you want me to put those weights back on.” His face grows a smirk.

“No bro, just leave them. I got it. Or actually, you can get the weight on the other side.”

Tay turns around quickly and moves to replace the fallen weight. Jake looks to his feet and sees the two weights that have crushed him so bitterly. He notices how quiet the gym has gotten.

Before picking up the weight, he turns around and sees the people at all the machines looking at him. He doesn't have his glasses on, but he knows they're looking at him. He looks to the ground, red in the face, and lifts the weight onto the bar. Sliding into the bench, the energy of redemption reduces his pain.

Jake's outstretched arms grasp the bar and lift it off the rack. They shake as he holds it up. It is harder than it looks. He brings the weight down slowly, but at the moment his arms bend, it slams onto his chest. Unlike Tay, the bar does not bounce. It sits stagnant on his chest as his scrunched face huffs and puffs the air he needs to breathe. Tay is standing behind him, looking down with a malicious grin.

“I remember that halfway mark.” He says ironically, “Good work. Now just push it up and complete it.”

The bar moved a total of two inches since it slammed into Jake's chest. He struggled for ten seconds before letting it rest on his torso.

“Help” he says defeated.

Tay grabs the bar with both hands and pulls it up to the rack. Jake remains on his back, panting to the ceiling. Tay awaits an excuse.

When reality strikes him again, Jake gets up and walks away. He walks past the water fountain, past the people he knew from highschool, past the treadmills and right out the front door. Tay was standing there with a smile, watching as Jake left. He gets back on the bench and carefully starts his next set. He wonders where Jake could be going. Not too far, he decides, considering he needs his keys and phone to go anywhere.