The weight stack of the gym machine Alexander was working out on slamed down with a thud as he struggled to get his breath back.
A gym like this wasn't the kind of place you'd expect to find a guy like Alexander. Sure, gyms are supposed to whip people into peak physical condition but nearly all of the muscular studs and skinny babes currently working out looked like they'd already been going there for years.
This was Alexander's first time at the magical gym and it showed.
Alexander wasn't muscular or skinny. He was fat and frumpy. He wasn't a stud either. He was pretty openly gay but had barely even kissed another guy and was hardly what you'd describe as a catch. Aside from being overweight, Alexander had bad skin and hair and very little confidence.
It was his friend Vicki who had persuaded Alexander to accompany her to the gym that afternoon. Vicki and Alexander has grown up together and although she had turned into one of the most popular and pretty girls in school, she had always remained loyal to her oldest friend. In truth, her bringing Alexander along to the gym had served a kind of dual purpose for Vicki, allowing her to improve her friend's fitness levels, confidence and looks and get in front of Rob, one of the hottest guys at school and a regular gym-goer.
As Alexander struggled alone on the machine while in the distance Vicki and Rob flirted away, he suddenly became aware of a shadow looming over him. Looking up, he came into contact with a tall, buff looking stud leering over the fat, unfit nerd.
"Get your fucking pansy ass off this machine" the stud ordered. "Some of us have real work to do". The words had barely come out of his before Alexander started scrambling off the machine.
In fact, he was so desperate not to make eye contact by looking in every other direction he could, Alexander didn't notice the girl he ran into before it was too late. She was blonde and busty and obviously appalled at the fat, sweaty nerd suddenly invading her public space - "Ew, gross".
His cheeks now a dark red, Alexander spotted the bathroom signs and made as quick an exit as he could. Once inside, with the door locked, he attempted to calm down his fast breathing by gripping the sides of the sink in front of him and staring into the big mirror opposite.
As Alexander looked he saw that his big frame was squeezed into a pink t-shirt that was several sizes too small, even though it was an extra large. His hair was even greasier than usual because of all the sweating and his complexion as spotty and uneven as ever. In an attempt to cool down, he pulled off the t-shirt and his big belly and moobs flopped out in front of him. An ugly sight.
Alexander attempted to get his breathing under control by taking deeper breaths and as he continued to watch his reflection in the mirror, he realised that it was kind of like his body was changing with every breath. Fat and overall size disappeared making him look under-nourished for the first time in his life. But as his breath began increasing in panic at the sight in front of him, it brought with it increased definition, muscle and height. Before long, his large flabby belly had been replaced by a six pack stomach which became more obvious and defined at each breath. His arms, chest and shoulders too looked bigger and broader and soon the taller figure reflected before him had an enviable v-shape to his torso, going in and out at just the right places.
Astonished at what he saw, Alexander shook his head and with water from the tap, attempted to splash his face and bring him out of whatever weird exercise-induced hallucination he was going through. But as the water slid off Alexander's face, it took with it his acne and chubiness, revealing behind them a thicker jaw and stronger features - a larger and more defined nose, and cheekbones, deeper eyes and a sexy jaw and chin that jutted out slightly. As water hit his teeth they seemed to shift and whiten until they were perfectly straight and almost shiny. In a last ditch attempt to either shake himself out of it or just increase the improved changes, Alex dipped his entire head into the small amount of water that was now waiting in the sink, his bigger meatier hands clinging onto the side of the basin as he did so.
When he emerged, his transformation was almost complete. As water seeped through his hair it became straighter, blonder and glossier, retracting into his skull until it was a perfectly styled jock cut. For the first time in his life, a cocky grin emerged on Alex's face and as if from nowhere he pulled out a snap back which he wore backwards to complete the look in front of him.