Dear Jessica Thompson,
We’d like to invite you to interview for a spot as a trainer on the upcoming season of Ultimate Body Battle!
The interview will be held on Tuesday, May 14th at 10:00 AM at our Los Angeles studios. During the interview, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with our production team and discuss your training philosophy and experience.
We’re excited to learn more about you!
Sincerely,
The Ultimate Body Battle Team
“Holy Moly!” Jess breathed, a mixture of shock and exhilaration coursing through her.
Isa snatched the phone from her hand, their eyes scanning the email with amusement.
“Well, well, well. Look who stirred up a little too much trouble online. Seems like your internet brawl caught the right attention,” they said with a smile.
“You think this is because of that whole yoga-versus-boot-camp thing?”
“Bingo!” Isa said, snapping their fingers. “Did you think that after stirring up all that trouble online, you wouldn’t get noticed? Looks like your troublemaking has paid off, Jess! You totally deserve to be on that show.”
Excitement bubbled in Jess’ chest, threatening to overflow. “I know, right?” she said, grabbing Isa in a spontaneous hug. “This is huge! This is a big reality tv show! Drinks are definitely on me. How about we head over to the bar? My treat to celebrate... and maybe strategize for this interview?”
Isa raised an eyebrow playfully. “Strategize, huh? Sounds like you’re already planning to win.”
“Well, someone’s gotta bring the heat.”
They laughed.
7
JAMIE
Stepping out of her car, Jamie stretched luxuriously, feeling the satisfying pops in her lower back after a killer yoga session.
As she headed towards her apartment building, Mr. Fred, her ever-cheerful neighbor from across the street, waved her over with his trusty lawnmower.
Gotta hand it to the guy, at 75, he still kept his lawn looking like a putting green. His shock of white hair, as wild as a windblown dandelion, framed a wrinkled face that spoke of a life well-lived.
His lanky build belied surprising strength, evident in the way he maneuvered the heavy lawnmower with practiced ease. Weathered skin, thanks to years spent outdoors, crinkled around his eyes as he smiled.
A faded baseball cap, perched precariously on his head, cast a shadow over his twinkling blue eyes. His clothes, a mismatched assortment of worn jeans and a paint-splattered T-shirt, spoke of a life less concerned with fashion and more focused on getting the job done.
“Morning, Jamie! Saw that little dust-up you had online with that boot camp trainer yesterday. Quite a show, that was!”
Her stomach clenched. Jess Thompson. The name itself sent a jolt of irritation through her. Honestly, who did she think she was? Couldn’t she just stick to her barbells and burpees without trying to discredit the power of yoga? Sure, a good sweat session had its place, but there was so much more to fitness than just physical exertion.
Mr. Fred seemed oblivious to her internal grumbling. “But hey, all that attention can’t be bad for business, right?” He winked, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Easy for him to say. He was on the sidelines, watching the popcorn fly.
She forced a smile. “Oh, you saw that?”
“Sure did!” Mr. Fred beamed. “Keeps things interesting, doesn’t it?”
But she hated to admit Mr. Fred might be right. Thanks to their online tirade, her post about the benefits of yoga versus Jess’ barbaric boot camp torture sessions had exploded. Over two million views on TikTok! Two million! She couldn’t believe it!
Seems there was a silver lining to all this. A little online sparring might be exactly what her business needed. After all, any publicity was good publicity, right?