"Oh you came back!" Sandra smiled. She was standing behind the counter of the gym. "I was a bit worried you were scared off."
Neil felt his face burn red. "Nah," he forced himself not to look at the floor. A woman was actually talking to him. And not just calling him weird or gay. "I figured I should try it a little bit more. You know?"
"I think so. Can't really make a complete change in only one session," Sandra said. There was a tone in the way she spoke that felt a bit ominous, but Neil couldn't quite place it. Something hidden behind the pleasant smile that was meant to welcome the customers.
"R-right," Neil nodded. "Rome wasn't built in a day." Then added an uncomfortable laugh afterwards. He wasn't sure what to say. Or why he was still wanting to talk to her. But at the same time he didn't want to be rude. His mind was running wild as girls like this usually weren't this nice to him.
"Exactly!" Sandra said. But her face went sour as she saw who came in next.
"Yo! Sandra," Matt came in. He was with a couple of the guys from his posse. Neil recognized them, but really didn't know any of their names. "You weren't at the diner today. What the hell?"
Sandra rolled her eyes. "I wasn't? Oh. I must have just forgotten."
"For--Forgotten?" Matt was taken aback. "How's that?"
"Slipped my mind," Sandra said. The pleasant air in her voice flattened to an almost sarcastic tone. "You know. Being a crazy slut and all."
"Oh come on babe. I'm sorry. Alright? I'll make it up to you. Promise," Matt said.
"Ask again later," Sandra stared daggers. Her flat voice made it all the more threatening. Even if she was clearly in shape, she wouldn't be able to handle a guy like this if he wanted to be aggressive with her. He had at least 70 or 80 pounds on her and several inches taller.
"But--!"
Bradley walked into view. His tall imposing demeanor changed the situation completely. "There a problem?" he asked.
Matt sunk in on himself. Just as he was bigger than Sandra, Bradley was bigger than him. He knew there was almost no way he could stop a train like that from knocking him on his ass, and Coach had specifically said no more injuries, from parties or otherwise. "No," Matt said under his breath.
"Good," Bradley said. The confidence in his eased the tension in the area. He turned to Sandra and started talking to her about the numbers from the week. Matt pushed past Neil, giving the nerdier guy a mean glare. It sounded like he said something under his breath, but Neil couldn't quite make it out. Suddenly those nerves from the day prior had returned 10 fold and he couldn't even move.
"--eil. Neil," Sandra repeated. Suddenly he came to. Both Bradley and Sandra were looking at him. "You alright?"
"Uh... Yeah," he lied.
Sandra shook her head. "Look, Matt's an asshole, but he's not going to do anything. Okay?"
"Okay," Neil repeated, but the thousand yard stare he was giving off told a completely different story.
"Bradley," Sandra said. Her voice was almost sickeningly sweet. "Would you mind giving Neil a lesson?" Bradley frowned. "Ppppplllleeeasse." She cooed. Her hand ran up and down his thick arm. "It'd be wonderful to me if you would."
"Hmph," Bradley snorted. "Only for you."
"OH THANK YOU!" Sandra gave him a big hug, squeezing with all her might.
"Uh-huh," Bradley nodded dismissively. He turned his attention to Neil. "C'mon. Let's get this over with."
"R-right!" Neil hopped to once Bradley started walking. He could have sworn he heard Sandra say, 'Have fun,' but when he turned around she wasn't looking at him anymore. Neil had to almost jog to keep up with the other man. His confident and purposeful stride made him keep a couple paces ahead. But at the same time Neil couldn't help but compare himself either. He had to be at least 120 pounds more than him. Bradley's muscles weren't only big, but dense as well. The tight fabric may have helped show them off, but that didn't mean the size themselves weren't already huge. Neil found himself measuring the size of the man's back, thinking about just how wide it was. Especially compared to his waist.
"Alright," Bradley stopped suddenly in front of the hand weights. "Let's just start you off simple. We'll do 3 sets of 10. 30 second rests. Pick up a weight that feels comfortable. Oh. And no whining. You're getting a free lesson so don't make me regret it."
"Yes sir!" Neil said.
Bradley shook his head, but a tiny bit of a smile was peaking out of the corner of his mouth. He walked Neil through several of the exercises, but was surprised just how easy it was going. If anything, he almost felt like the guy should have picked up a 15 pound weight instead of the 10. But even Neil seemed a bit surprised by how easy it was going. Bradley shook his head, not wanting to push his luck and then have the guy pass out on him. This guy was obviously new to the gym and needed to work on form over anything else. Just because he might be able to lift some of the heavier weight didn't mean he should as injury was very easy to come by.
It also didn't help that Matt seemed to be stalking him as well. Almost like he was waiting for Bradley to leave to pounce on the new guy. He knew all about him and Sandra dating for a bit and the messy break up that ensued. Jealously seemed to run through him like crazy. Her just talking to another man would sometimes set him off, which could make working at the gym very messy. Luckily she ended it. But that didn't stop him from coming by from time to time.
"So... How'd you get so big?" Neil asked during the workout.
"That a trick question," Bradley scowled. People always had an obvious implication behind it. He was pretty much a giant among men and the obvious answer usually wasn't good enough. But the earnest way Neil asked it, it seemed to have small talk. "Working out."
"Right," Neil said. "How long have you been working out?"
Bradley paused. "Uhh... I don't know. Like 14 or 15 years? I started pretty young. Dad had bought some weights when I was 10 and then had me start training. Said I could read a book or work out. I chose working out." Then added a flex. The sleeve of his shirt stretched over the sudden growth.
"Jesus..." Neil stared, mouth agape. "You're massive!"
"Still trying to get bigger," Bradley gave his bicep a slap.
"Don't know how much more is possible," Neil said. His arm had to almost be 20 inches round and being at least 6'3" that was beyond impressive. "Wish I could be that big."
"You could be," Bradley said. "Just gotta make sure to train often."
"For 14 or 15 years..." Neil muttered.
"Consistency. It's about consistency," Bradley said. "Those years will fly by if you keep at it. Alright?"
"Yeah..."
"Besides," Bradley turned Neil to look in the mirror, "it looks like you've already got a bit of a body going. Give me a flex." Neil lifted his arms up and flexed them. There was the ever so slight bulge from his bicep. His 130 pound body always felt beyond small, but right now, it didn't. "See?" one Bradley's big hands could have still easily wrapped around it. "You're already starting to see some changes. Stick with it and it'll be different before you know it."
"Right!" Neil said. A surge of confidence suddenly hit him. Somehow he was almost excited for his next trip to the gym.