Page 45 of Gym Bros
“How’s she doing?” I ask, sensing an opening and leaping at it.
“Good,” he says, shutting himself down immediately.
Not ready to give up yet, I ask, “What would her freaking out look like?”
“Going to her crate and ignoring me.”
“Has she done that?”
“She pouts when I’m gone more than an hour.”
“Really?” I ask. “My cat is like that when I’m gone for more than a night, but I didn’t realize dogs did that, too.”
“I mean, I’ve never had a dog, so I don’t know what’s normal for all of them.”
God, I’m still fucking this up. Or maybe it’s not me. Maybe he’s just a man of few words. I need to keep reminding myself he showed up. He can’t possiblyhateme if he’s here, right?
Finally, I see Rachel and Priya straggling up the hill.
In their defense, they both look better than they normally do when they show up at the gym after a late night, but the hangover effect is obvious. Sunglasses on, green smoothies in hand, they walk slowly through the grass, occasionally bumping up against each other as they make their way over to us.
“Saber,” I say, having decided to use his fighter name out of respect for his personal choices, “This is my friend Rachel, and this is my other friend Priya. They had a late night.”
Rachel’s sunglasses aren’t dark enough that I don’t catch the look she shoots me. She holds out her hand, and Samuel shakes it, softly saying, “Nice to meet you.” He does the same with Pri who’s lowered her glasses and is giving him a full appraisal.
“Saber totally fits,” she says.
“He doesn’t usually call me that,” Samuel says.
Pri shoots a disapproving glance my way. “Have you told himyourname?”
“Yes,” I smile sweetly. “It’s the same one you know.”
“Uh-huh.” Pri turns back to Samuel. “We don’t know it either. I have my guesses though.”
“Calvin is not my name,” I tell her.
Samuel huffs a surprised laugh. “That was actually my guess, too.”
“You all can keep guessing, but you’ll never get it. You’re wasting your time.”
“Is it that bad?” he asks.
“No,” I say simply. “It’s just not me. Let’s find some spots.”
We venture into the space where people are spreading outand sitting on yoga mats, placing the four of ours in a row. I’m on one end, Samuel is next to me, and Rachel is on his other side next to Priya.
Rachel’s already got him talking about how he got into fighting and what his goals are. She knows how to flirt, even hungover, I’ll give her that.
This morning, Samuel is a weird combination of nervous talking and clamming up. I have my legs crossed beneath me, and I’m folding forward, stretching my back with my arms extended into the grass. I’m resting my head on the mat, facing them while I listen.
Samuel glances at me from time to time, and I keep a faint smile on my face. The goats come out as the instructor takes her place at the edge of the area we’re gathered in. We’re several rows back, so the goats are a ways away.
Samuel turns to me and asks quietly, “You’re not gonna correct me out here, are you?”
“What?” I ask. “No. We’re just taking a yoga class.”
His jaw tenses, and he nods. “Okay.”
