Chapter 1: Introduction
With a grunt, Jake slammed another iron plate onto the bench, letting it clatter down as he pushed himself up. Chugging the last of his protein shake, he wiped down the gym equipment with more enthusiasm than necessary. Tight abs bulged beneath the sweat-soaked fabric of his tank top as he stood up, casting a backward glance over the room to ensure it was clean enough for anyone to use. Today's workout had been a doozy, and he felt the satisfaction of a job well done.
The gym was packed with sweating bodies, every machine full, every mat claimed by some jacked up dude or his equally-sculpted counterpart in spandex. He loved the energy flowing through the room like electricity, the smell of sweat co-mingled with the scent of deodorant, the bass vibrating through the floor as he pressed and pushed.
"Hey, bro!" A swarthy man in a muscle shirt clapped a hand on his shoulder, beaming at him with a chummy smile. "Crushed it out there, didn't you?
You deserve a break," said the guy, with a gleaming smile that revealed pearly whites and a dimple.
Jake grinned back, stretching out his muscles. "Yeah, I really did. Been a while since I felt this good. Hey, have you met Zara yet? She's new at the gym, started coming in recently."
The guy's smile faded a little, and he glanced around the gym before shaking his head. "No, man. I haven't seen her.
I would have remembered, I think. She's different, ya know? But I've never been one to just talk to a girl without a reason. Gotta have a hook." Jake chuckled, rolling his eyes.
The guy's name was Tony, the personal trainer Jake had met the day before. Jake had approached him to get some advice on how to break through a plateau in his workout routine. The two had hit it off instantly, finding common ground in their love of fitness and their competitive spirit.
Tony genuinely seemed like a nice guy, and they spent the next hour catching up, discussing training regimes, progress, and potential competitors at the upcoming fitness show.
Jake felt a twinge of unease when Tony asked when he would see him next.
The whole conversation about Zara had felt weird, and he didn't know why. Sure, she was a pretty fascinating person, and he felt compelled to learn more about her. But it wasn't like him to be so concerned about someone who was practically a stranger.
"I'll see ya around, Tony. I'm gonna grab some water from the fountain," Jake said quickly, before the uneasiness could show on his face.
He wound his way past the machines, heading to the back of the gym.
The farther he got from Tony, the easier it was to shake off the odd feeling. Zara was just a girl he had talked to the night before. Sure, she was mysterious, and something about her intrigued him. He had promised to meet her later that evening to learn more about her unique ability. It wasn't like Jake to make such promises to someone he didn't know, but there was something about Zara that made it impossible to resist.
Jake reached the water fountain and downed a few gulps before feeling refreshed.
Sliding his gym towel over one shoulder, he took a deep breath and headed toward the gym entrance. He needed to get this meeting with Zara over with, figure out what she wanted, and move on.
As he walked through the gym doors into the cool night air, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He peered around the parking lot, but there was no one in sight. Shrugging it off as paranoia, Jake headed to his car.
Sliding his gym towel over one shoulder, he took a deep breath and headed toward the gym entrance. He needed to get this meeting with Zara over with, figure out what she wanted, and move on.
As he walked through the gym doors into the cool night air, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He peered around the parking lot, but there was no one in sight. Shrugging it off as paranoia, Jake headed to his car.