Page 39 of Unstoppable You

She let out a long breath. “Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like with different parents. You know, since I’ve had a few disagreements with mine.”

“No, do you have some family issues?” I asked, pretending I was in the dark and trying to lighten the mood.

James laughed. “I feel like you probably know a lot more about my family than you ever wanted to.” That was the truth, and not just because Connor walked all over them. His mom was a spiteful bitch and his dad would always hug me for too long.

I shuddered at the memory.

“You could say that.”

She smiled sadly. “Yeah, it’s…they’re the reason I moved away, you know?”

“But then you came back.”

She nodded, picking at the edge of her mat as more people filed into the room and set up their mats around us.

“I did. And…I don’t regret that I did, I guess. But it’s a change after being away for so long. I got used to just being on my own. And now they can call me and I don’t have geography as an excuse anymore.” Her smile was razor sharp.

“Mmmm, I know what you mean.” My parents loved to call me to come over for silly things. Most of the time I didn’t mind.

“If you ever want to take your mind off things though, I’m available,” she said, her face going a little red as she pulled off a tiny bit of her mat and rolled it between her fingers. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to shred a hole right into it.

“Available for what?” I asked and she looked up at me.

“I mean, if you wanted to go out or do something. I’m not doing anything. I’m free. Tonight.” I’d never seen James this fumblingly awkward and it made me smile. Seeing my former bully stumble over her words with a red face was healing.

I almost wanted to take her up on that, but I had my own plans tonight and I didn’t want to explain my Fuckit List to James. Hell no. Absolutely not.

“I’ve got plans already, but thanks. Maybe next weekend?” There. That was something.

“Deal,” she said, and our instructor Lea started class.

* * *

“Am I dead?”James asked while we both lay on our mats an hour later.

“If you can talk, you’re not dead,” I said, sitting up slowly so I could have some water. Lea had not taken it easy on us and I knew my abs were going to be screaming for the rest of the day, but in a good way.

I looked down at James and she gave me a tired smile and a weak thumbs up. “Okay. I’m going to move. In a few minutes.”

James had thrown herself completely into the class and I hadn’t been able to stop seeing her perfectly pointed feet and flexibility. Pilates usually made me feel like I didn’t have a handle on correctly moving my body, but James had looked like a professional Pilates doer. It just wasn’t fair.

“Dammit, now I’m starving,” she said, putting her hand on her stomach. Her yoga pants had ridden down a little bit and her belly was peaking out. Another piercing winked at me from her belly button.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m starving. Do you want to go get something with me? I’m thinking a burger. With bacon. And fries.” That did sound amazing. The protein bar I’d had before class wasn’t cutting it for me. I could definitely use a burger and fries.

“Sure,” I found myself saying. “Uh, I’m going to take a quick shower and then meet you in the front?”

“Yup. I’m on my way. Look at me go.” She hadn’t moved.

I cleaned off my mat and put everything away and James hadn’t moved.

“They’re going to kick you out,” I called as I left the room. I didn’t hang around to hear if she responded.

* * *

The locker room was busy,and I kept my eyes down as I had a quick shower, changed, and twisted my hair back in a clip so I didn’t have wet hair hanging on my shoulders.

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