Max was sure there wasn't a tomato out there that could rival his current flush. No one had ever… was this flirting? No one had ever been so forward before. Rusty wrapped herself around his arm pulling him… somewhere.
"I'm teasing, really, you are super handsome Max. It's your first time here right? You're dressed like you're ready for a run, track or treadmill?" Rusty asked leading him pass the weights.
"Uhh, track? I guess… I uh, don't, it's been a while." Max looked over his shoulder for help. Jake was jogging to catch up while Jack was rolling his eyes.
"Give in, it's easier." Jack sighed as his shoulders relaxed.
Rusty pulled him all the way to the track, glaring at anyone who even started to side eye them. Max wasn't used to so much… physical touch from the opposite sex. Even Arianna only held his hand or gave him pecks in public. "Uhh, I can. I can follow…" He tried to gently dislodge himself. Rusty blinked up at him.
"Do you not like me?" Rusty asked drawing them to a stop.
"I didn't mean that! I just uh… we just met… and…" Max wasn't even sure what to say, he felt like her giant blue eyes were staring into his soul.
"You're not dating anyone right?" Rusty asked.
"Uh… no." Max almost said he yes, was in a relationship… but… he wasn't, not anymore. Max really didn't want to get into his failed engagement.
Rusty narrowed her eyes, "Hmm, recent break up?"
At least this time Max wasn't flushing from embarrassment, "Yeah, barely a month ago." Max was relieved when she let go, walking off.
"Come on Max, that track won't run itself." She called glancing over her shoulder.
Max's attention was drawn to the swaying tail… was it a clip on? Jack bumped him with his shoulder drawing his attention away.
"Let's go work up a sweat, but not from panic, yeah?" Jack half joked as they continued to follow Rusty out a double set of doors.
Max stared in awe… how had he not noticed when he was walking past? There were four tracks, three tennis courts, four basketball courts, a pool, a rock climbing wall, pull up bars… he'd never seen such a huge gym… at least not outside of tv dramas. There was no way he was going to be able to afford a membership…
Jack pushed Max toward Rusty, who started stretching beside a set of bleachers. "Lets warm up yeah?"
Max nodded as he started to copy Rusty's movements. Jack and Jack helped each other stretch, then Rusty helped him. He was sure if Jack pushed on his back… he'd be turned into a taco…
"We'll walk the first lap, then start jogging, Max did you bring flats?" Rusty asked as they started walking.
Max hesitated… flats… flat… what? "Uhh… no?"
Rusty grinned, "No worries, I prefer cardio anyway. Though…" she looked him up and down again, "I like morning swims too. Have swimming trunks?"
Max flushed despite the morning chill. "Uhh, no, didn't… I didn't know there was a pool." Max pretended to not hear the tisk of disappointment.
"Next time! Or, when you come out to the lake, though that's more of a summer swim." Rusty grinned.
"Uh, sure." Max listened to her talk about her favorite parts of the Lake, how the pool was heated, that the smoothie bar needed to have more flavors available… It was nice. Then they started jogging… Rusty was able to keep chatting, but he could barely answer through his desperate need to inhale more oxygen… Jesus Christ… what happened to catching a second wind?
Max could tell they were keeping to his pace, that was barely more than a walk by their second loop. He was ready to crawl back into bed…
For a moment Max thought he was hallucinating… in the middle of the field… was a man in bear pajamas… curled up asleep like it was perfectly normal…
Max glanced around… no one was paying attention or even acknowledging him. Max couldn't get a good look, but there were two dozen men running with truck tires tied to them… right past the guy.
Max distractedly watched as six of the men pulling tires ran… right by him.
"Let's walk the next loop, then jog, then walk. Cardio is all about the long haul." Rusty offered as she took a swig of her water.
Max nodded as his attention was pulled form the man. If no one was going to say anything, he wouldn't stick his nose in. Rusty offered to share her water but… he was too self conscious to accept. He didn't really like to share food or drinks after a huge outbreak of herpes back in middle school… He'd luckily avoided catching it but seeing the outbreak on a few friends had kept him from sharing soda ever since.
Inhale. Max really had to go buy a water bottle, and water filter for the apartment. Exhale, coffee flask wouldn't hurt for work, inhale, exhale. Pant pant pant. "Yeah, pant, pant, long haul. Pant pant." Hopefully he'd be better at weights… They half walked, half jogged for two miles. Max eyed the man still sleeping… that was actually looking like a really good idea right about now.
"To stretch out our calves lets walk the last quarter mile backwards, that cool Max?" Rusty asked.
Max just nodded along, too exhausted to think of words. Words were hard… it took him a moment to turn around, right, walking backwards. He was paying attention. He stumbled a few times, his wobbly legs unused to so much strain.
"For a first day, you did great Max, we usually meet up Tuesdays and Fridays, are there better days for you?" Rusty asked, her breath as easy as if they were chatting over coffee.
Max took a moment to respond, "Uh, I work Sunday through Thursday… uh, I'll be seeing my family tonight, staying until tomorrow…"
Rusty pouted her lip at him, "Makes sense, so next Friday is good? Have you signed up for a membership yet?"
"Uh, not yet… um, how much is the membership?" Max asked as he finally started to catch his breath.
"Family pays like $10 monthly, Jack?" Rusty asked glancing at the duo.
"If sponsored $15 a month, no sponsorship $85 a month." Jack reported dutifully.
Max felt a little bad, he'd mostly been talking with Rusty this whole time, "What's a sponsor?" Hopefully someone could sponsor him in because $85 was a lot…
Jake patted Max's shoulder, "We'll sponsor you, after a year you get the family rate."
Max tried to not let his relief show, "Thanks guys," as the lap finished they stretched again. Max wasn't sure if he ever stretched after a walk… because really, that's all he'd really done.
"We usually meet up at 8, but there are events going on starting at ten so they clear everyone out to help set up. Next week 8 Max?" Rusty asked moving her arms in circles to help stretch out her shoulders.
"Uh, sure, sounds good." Max agreed, he glanced past her to see… that guy… in the bear pajamas… he was gone. Max looked around, he'd only lost sight of him for a moment.
Jack glanced around, "What are you looking for?"
Max tried to see if maybe the guy had walked toward the gym… "Uh, that guy… who was sleeping…"
Jake raised a brow also looking around, "What guy?"
Max stared at the three of them, all looking around confused. "The guy, in the bear pajamas? He was in the field, you know, where those guys are pulling tires?" Max asked staring at the tires that were being tied to a new set of six guys.
Jack stared at the grassy area isolated by the tracks, then slowly glanced around. "I didn't see him."
"How could he sleep with the foot ball players pulling those tires? What did he look like Max?" Rusty asked making a circle to check their surroundings.
Max just stared… then rubbed his eyes, "Uh, maybe… I saw wrong."