Lethner's Service

Chapter 12 - Rear View

Quinn's POV

My pupils dilated the moment I saw that guy coming from that door. After a week of not seeing him, here I am again –crossing paths with him.

What a small world it is!

I can see the shock on his face upon seeing me. He then gives me a smile but I nonchalantly turn my back and head back to the bench. I feel nothing but absolute disgust every time I see his face because of that prank.

“Mr. Lethner!”

“Jamie boy!”

Enid and Phil calls Jabes in chorus. So, Phil knows this guy?

“Man! Where have you been?” he asks him while Enid’s eyes are glued to her crush.

I’m afraid she might be using all the gym equipments inside this place because she just saw Mr. Lethner and that gives her a mountain of inspiration.

I grab my bag and hold my water bottle. I need to get out of this place because I don’t like the idea of Jabes breathing the same air with me. I’m sure Enid will not stop me from leaving because a new gym buddy and inspiration just came in.

“Bree, wait up! Where are you going? Hey!”

I stop walking towards the door when I hear her shouting. She grabs my arm and pulls me back.

“Hey! Where are you going?” she asks.

“I need to go home Enid. I still need to fix myself. Remember? I’ll be going to aunt Jelly’s dinner with my family tonight?”

“It’s just eight in the morning for goodness sake. How dare you leave without even calling me?”

“I really need to go Enid.” I try to pull my arm from her but she has the strength of a man. She pulls my arm and pushes me back to the bench.

“What’s wrong with you?” I roll my eyes and try to stand up but she pushes me back. I sigh in frustration and disgust.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but Enid is right, Briella. It’s just eight in the morning. Why are you leaving so soon? She’s not yet finished with her leg exercise and besides I haven’t seen you touched any of the gym equipments here nor do basic exercise since you stepped inside this place.” Phil politely approaches and interrupts us from arguing. We look like siblings fighting over a doll.

“I know but…” I stop and take a quick glance at Jabes who’s staring at me. I avert my gaze away from him and look at Phil again. “My stomach is aching. I need to –”

I hear his soft laugh when Enid pulls my arms which are hugging my stomach. I need to act like I have an upset stomach so I can get out of this place but my excuse is too obvious and lame.

“Stop these dramas before I punch you Bree. It isn’t working. If you don’t want to do some workouts then at least just stay as what you’ve promised me.”

I sigh in defeat and roll my eyes again. I promised Enid that I’ll stay until she finishes her workout.

“Fine. I’ll stay.” I answer marking my words with full irritation.

Enid and Phil smile upon hearing me and that guy, I saw him turning around while pulling his shirt off his body. It reveals how well-built he is.

Gosh!

I suddenly remember what happened that night. If it wasn’t a prank and if I let my inner-bitchy-evil thoughts win, I would have lost my virginity because of him.

I stare at him for a couple of seconds while he grabs those things from that gym equipment which I don’t know the name. I know it’s for the biceps but I don’t know what they call it. He slowly bends his elbows and curls the bar close to his wide and broad shoulders. He keeps on doing that for several times and he starts to sweat which makes him more hot... and sexy –no! Not sexy. Sexy is an understatement for him. I think he’s igniting this place.

Wait? Did I just say he’s igniting this place?

The sight of his muscled arms contracting while doing those biceps workout makes my throat dry. I think I need to refill my water bottle right now.

“Briella, why don’t you try doing some exercise while waiting for Enid? James will melt if you’ll stare at him like that.” I look away when I heard Phil.

“I’m not staring at him. I...I’m just curious about t-that thing he uses for his biceps.” I lied.

“It’s a biceps bar, obviously for biceps.” Then he flexes the hard muscles on his arms.

“Yeah?” I don’t know what to say.

“C’mon. I’ll teach you some basic workout.” I was not able to say a word when Phil grabs my arm and softly pulls me to stand.

“I’m not –”

“You should make use of your stay here. It’s not always like this that the gym owner offers free gym workouts.”

“Okay. W-what do we have?”

I think it’s not a bad idea. Let me try to do some exercise too to at least make my body energized. I think I had given enough heat to the bench using my butt while I’m sitting there, so okay... I will try to do some workouts with Phil. It’s a privilege according to him. He just didn’t tell it directly but that’s what he’s trying to imply a while ago.

“Let’s do some basic squats first. Are you familiar with that?” he asks me.

“Oh? Like this?” I try to bend my knees to show him how I do squats. He bends over trying to help me but my elbow accidentally hits his cheek.

"Oh my gosh! I’m sorry!” I laugh at the contact because I really saw how his face reacted.

“It’s okay.” Phil also laughs while massaging his cheek. Then he teaches me on how to do proper squats. “Your hips should go lower than your knees, like this.” he instructs and demonstrates it to me.

“Am I doing it right?” I ask after doing what he is showing to me. I bend down and try my best to lower my hips.

“I didn’t know you’re a fast learner, Briella. That’s right. You’re doing it good. And if you want a deep squat, it will require you an additional mobility. It’s great if you can do it with good form. Try your best to lower your hips as much as you can.”

“I think I can’t do it. My back aches.” I chuckle at the idea of that deep squat because I know I won’t be able to do that. I know I’m young but my back will surely ache when I’ll do it.

I know Jabes is staring at us because he’s visible to my peripheral view but I did not mind at all. I’ll just focus my attention to what Phil is asking me to do.

“It’s okay. If you cannot do it, just squat as low as you can while maintaining proper form and...” my body jerks and my back automatically archs as I felt Phil’s palm touching it.

Was it intentional?

“… you will know that you’re doing great because of this. A good indicator is the arch of your lower back.” I’m now starting to feel uncomfortable and awkward at the same time.

Phil probably noticed my reaction when he touched me because he got off his hand from me.

“Can you make 20 squats?” he challenges.

“Of course I can... uhmm, I mean I’ll try.”

I start to do squats in front of the gym instructor while counting in my mind. I don’t think I can do it up until twenty.

“Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen.. gosh! Phil, I can’t. My lower back really aches.”

We both laugh after I stop counting. I’m not fit to be inside this place.

“Grip it underhand! Go! Do it!” I turn my back when I heard his voice. He’s just like three meters away from us, just enough for me to hear him.

And when I look at his direction, oh? I’m surprised at the sight of Jabes assisting Enid with those biceps-thingy.

“Now, extend your arms fully. Your palms should face forward.” he instructs her and my bitchy friend willingly did. I bet my life, she’s enjoying it like really, really, really enjoying it.

“Now bend your elbows and curl the bar to your shoulder as close as you can.” I wonder if he also is a gym instructor here. He looks and sounds like one.

“There should be no movement from your upper arm. You can do it!” my eyebrows raise when I heard him raising his voice while helping my friend to curl the bar.

Enid feels so motivated. I can see it on her face. She’s blushing by the way. As soon as she did it correctly, Jabes move away from her and stand in front of her. He watches her do it by herself.

“Oh God! Mr. Lethner, I think the bar will give up.” He laughs upon hearing my friend’s reasons. He looks so cute while laughing because that little dimple is showing off his cheek. “I think I can’t do it further, Mr. Lethner. Should I stop now?” Enid is clamoring while catching her breath and I just smile and turn my back to face Phil.

“They’re enjoying each other’s company.”

“Yes. They look cute.” I agree with him.

“How will you achieve the body that you want? Don’t stop Enid. You can do it!” I smile again when I heard Jabes raise his voice. I think his trainee is quite stubborn.

Phil and I continue to do workouts while knowing each other. He told me that Jabes is a premium member of his gym that’s why they’re both close to each other and are like brothers. He also told me the history of this gym and many more.

“I want that freaking body! I want to be sexy!”

Phil and I laugh when we both heard Enid shouting.

“Your friend is really determined to be sexy. You know what? I’m a gym and fitness instructor but I believe that being sexy is not measured with muscles and curves. Even if you have those fats... if your personality is nice, I think that’s sexier.”

“Oh, I’ll freaking agree with that!”

We both turn our backs to those two who are now making a deal. I heard Jabes saying something to Enid.

“Think of something after this workout, like a prize you’ll get if you’ll do this successfully.”

“Oh my gosh! That sounds good but I think…” Enid stops curling the bar and catches her breath, “...it would be great if I can get a hug from you?”

Oh my God! My best female friend is really a thick-skinned b***h. I did not expect her asking that thing from Mr. Lethner. Is she really that infatuated to be like that?

“Okay let’s make a deal. If you’ll be able to do 50 curls without stopping, you’ll get a hug and kiss from me.”

I smirk when I heard Jabes teasing my friend while softly laughing. I even laugh harder with what Enid did after Mr. Lethner told her about the hug and kiss. Without second thoughts, she immediately grips and curls the bar as fast as she can—faster than what she did a while ago.

“One, two, three, four, five... f**k! I’ll do it for the hug and kiss. Eight, nine, ten, eleven.” She starts counting those curls and I swear to God, she was just so hilarious.

Heavens!

My friend is really out of her mind.

I stop laughing when I saw Jabes staring at me. There’s like an estimated ten seconds of eye contact before that smile plasters on his face.

I don’t know why but I think my lips suddenly have a life of its own that it smiles back at him too.

My heart literally is beating so fast when I see him approaching my direction. Why is it pounding hard and fast against my chests every time Jabes comes near me?

He’s looking at me intently while walking towards my direction. He really is approaching me and he’s just a meter away now.

“I…”

I was not able to say a word anymore when she walks passing me.

“Phil, bro!”

“Oh, Jamie boy!”

I don’t know why but I felt embarrassed when he did not even say a word. Did he look at me intentionally to make me feel like he’s approaching me or was it just me hoping?

“I noticed new spin and stationary bikes around.” he mutters.

“Yeah, I bought those about a week ago because I’m having a lot of customers availing the membership.”

“Is that a stationary bike too?”

“That one’s an orbitrac elliptical bike. Do you want to try?”

After hearing those bikes and all, I just went back to sitting on that bench again. I refill my water bottle and drink from it. Then I bend down the floor finding my towel inside my bag.

I can’t find it. I’m sure I put it inside my bag. Where is my freaking—

“Quinn,”

“Towel!” I suddenly utter when I heard him calling my name.

He’s talking to Phil a while ago and now he’s sitting right next to me. He’s like a mushroom popping out from nowhere.

“Hi,” he greets me while smiling.

“What?”

I nonchalantly ask him while wiping the sweat from my face using the back of my hand. I can’t believe I sweat this much just by doing basic squats.

“About that night –”

“That never happened. Just forget about it.”

“I’m sorry.”

I did not bother to say a word anymore. It’s not that I really, really hate him for doing that, it’s just that I don’t like the way my chests react whenever he’s near me. It’s always pounding so hard and fast. It feels like I have drunk a lot of coffee and my heart palpitates so fast.

Is this even normal?

“I hope we can still be friends? I promise...” he shows his right palm to me, “I will not do it again.”

“Fifty!” we both turn our heads to the owner of that voice.

It’s Enid catching her breath and panting so hard while trying her best to approach us.

“Mr. Lethner. I... just did it! I fucking...” she catches her breath like a swimmer resurfacing for air after diving into the waters for so long, “...nailed it! I f*****g finished fifty straight consecutive curls without stopping!”

I clap my hands while laughing. I also push Jabes towards Enid and he almost lost his balance when I did that.

“Now, get your prize from your instructor Enid. You deserve it! Go girl!” I happily shout while Enid is very happy pouting her lips to Jabes.

Everyone inside the gym laughs upon seeing Enid doing that while Jabes is trying his best to avoid those thick and pouty lips of my friend.

“I was just joking. Hey! Enid! Stop it!” I laugh even harder seeing Jabes’ reaction.

He’s trying his best to push her away while the latter is very eager to get that kiss from him. We were just laughing inside the gym while holding our stomachs.

Few moments later...

Enid and I bid farewell to Phil before we went out the gym together with Mr. Lethner. Yes, because the latter will drive us home—and why? My dear Enid Tonely immediately said yes when Jabes offered to drive us home.

It’s almost 11 AM.

We were on the back seat while Jabes is driving his car to the busy streets of the city.

“Would you please stop munching on that? It sounds annoying, I swear!” I roll my eyes because the sound of the fish crackers to Enid’s mouth is just so… ugh it’s gross.

I hate hearing it. She licks the cracker powders from her thumb and index finger before she throws the plastic to the mini trashcan on the floor. She then drinks water from her tumbler and burps as loud as an elephant.

“Excuse me.”

I hear Mr. Lethner chuckling and when I look at the rear view mirror, our eyes met. I quickly look away and focus my eyes on the street sides. I admit. The awkward feeling is still there every time our eyes meet. Is this even normal too?

“Mr. Lethner you got a tattoo?” Enid utters while her eyes turn chinky examining the arms of Jabes which are maneuvering the steering wheel.

Those veins… ugh! f*****g fetishes.

“Oh this? It’s just a small tat. It’s for Mary Elizabeth.” he answers still his eyes glued on the road.

As far as I can remember, Mary Elizabeth is her sister who has a stage two bone marrow cancer. I wonder how she’s doing right now.

I move my head to take a look at that tattoo that my friend is talking about. It’s very small that I have to lean forward to read it clearly. It’s tattooed right above his right elbow.

no te rindas ;

“What does that mean?” I curiously ask.

“It means do not give up. You know...shit happens,”

“Ohh...how I love the message of that tattoo. It has a lot of wisdom and the meaning is really deep. Unlike Quinn’s tattoo on her neck, it looks gross.”

I touch the side of my neck where I had my second name in small horizontal Greek fonts tinted on it. I had it tattooed for almost a year from now because I just want to. I wanted to look cool. That’s it.

“What’s your problem with my tattoo?”

“I just think that you put it somewhere in your arm like Mr. Lethner’s. It doesn’t look good on your neck. And the meaning of that, you told me it’s Quinn? So what? Quinn?” Enid teases me showing facial gestures that really are disgusting.

“It actually looks cool on her. That’s how I know her name the first time I saw her in South Grove.” Jabes interrupts.

I remembered that day he called me Quinn. And he’s the only living being who calls me using that name. It’s always ‘Briella’. Until now, I have no idea on how did he read my tattoo because it’s written in Greek fonts.

“So that explains why you’re calling Briella using her second name?” Enid asks and he just mumbles, “Hmm-mm,” while nodding.

“How did you... I mean, how come you read my tattoo that day? Do you happen to know—”

“I studied Foreign Language when I was in college but unfortunately, I stopped because of some personal reasons.”

And I know those reasons.

I wanted to tell that to him but Enid is beside me. I promise to myself not to tell anyone about his dark secret.

“That sounds pretty cool. Mr. Lethner –”

“Just call me by my name Enid, let’s drop the formality. Stop calling me Mister.”

“Oh...okay James or Jacob? What do you want?”

“Your choice.”

“I’ll call you James and I will call you Jacob if I want to. Would that be okay?”

“Sure why not?”

I know Enid’s little butterflies on her stomach are now huddling because it’s obvious that she is enjoying talking to her crush.

“Back to your tattoo Bree, what were you thinking when you had that tinted on your neck? Didn’t you at least think of something meaningful like James’ tattoo?”

“Why do you even care? I just wanted to look cool with the Greek fonts.”

“But you know what? Your name’s unique. I mean not that unique, it just sounds new. Where did your mom get your name?”

Enid suddenly gets curious of my tattoo. Her mouth really is non-stop but I still thank her for that because it will be really weird and the silence will be deafening if it’s just Jabes and I inside this car.

“Quinn is from Gaelic O’Quin. It means excellence and my mom believes that I’ll have that characteristic if I grow up. Dad also told me that my mom always wanted her baby’s name to be gender neutral.”

Enid just nods her head with that information. I hope she stops talking about tattoos and origins of names.

“But still, it’s just your second name. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

I turn to her and pull her hair.

“If you want to have a tattoo, just tell me. I’ll ask Jabes to park his car to the nearest tattoo shop and I’ll have that blabbering mouth of yours tattooed in order for you to shut up!”

She pushes me and fixes her hair.

“If I’m going to have a tattoo, I’ll have it tattooed on my butt cheeks.”

“What?!”

Jabes and I almost exclaim in chorus.

“Well...that sounds unique?” Jabes is laughing while looking at the rear view mirror, “What tattoo would you like to have on your butt cheeks then?”

“Of course, I’ll have a tattoo full of wisdom, motivation, encouragement, discernment, sagacity, and most importantly, it should be so unique that only people with high IQ and EQ can understand.” Enid exaggerates with facial gestures like she’s telling us some magic and fantasy stories.

I can even imagine sparkling glitters everywhere while she’s speaking.

“What’s that tattoo then?” Jabes and I anticipate to whatever that tattoo she’s talking about which according to her is for genius people only.

“I’ll have a big and bold letter ‘W’ tattooed on both of my butt cheeks.”

“W? What’s with W?” I ask her with furrowed eyebrows.

I really have no idea what is running into Enid’s mind right now but I’m praying that this will not make me disown her as my friend.

“My God? Briella? You’re such an i***t. You see? You didn’t get the meaning of my tattoo.” she rolls her eyes.

“That’s so deep for us to fathom. What does that mean anyway? Letter ‘W’ on both of your butt cheeks?” Jabes utters still laughing.

“Try to imagine. A letter ‘W’ on my left butt cheek…” she then forms ‘W’ on her left hand.

"…and another ‘W’ on my right butt cheek.” and forms another ‘W’ on her right hand.

I still can’t understand what she means.

“Someday, if my husband decides to f**k me from behind and see those letter ‘W’s on both of my butt cheeks, the first word that’ll come out from his mouth will be WoW.”

There was a total of five seconds of silence that fill the spaces of Jabes’ car before both of us finally got what Enid is trying to tell us. We both burst out in laughter, as in hard and loud laughter until our stomachs ache.

“What the f**k!” I hear Jabes cursing while also laughing so hard and manage to still drive us safely.

Enid is just so freaking hilarious! I can’t take her ideas anymore.

I start to imagine the facial reaction and how will Enid’s future husband say ‘WOW’ when he f***s her from behind. The car is literally shaking right now because I just can’t help but to slap Enid’s arms while laughing.

“So guys, remember the life’s greatest formula that will change how the Earth orbits. ‘W’ on the left butt cheek plus the butt hole that symbolizes the letter ‘O’ plus another ‘W’ on the right butt cheek equals?”

“WOW!!!” the three of us shout in chorus and burst out in laughter.

I didn’t know I’ll laugh this very hard with that pun.

“Oh my gosh! My stomach hurts already. Stop it!” I plead trying my best not to imagine that ‘WoW’ tattoo.

“Oh James! Just stop in front of that yellow gate.” Enid says pointing to their house and she kisses on my cheek before she goes out of the car.

Jabes lowers down the windows of his car and waves his hand too.

“Bye Ms. Wow! Take care!” he shouts while laughing and I swear to God, Enid’s face turns red before she turns around and opens the gate.

The black and tinted windows of Jabes’ car slowly close as he starts the engine. I wonder why he’s not stepping on the gas yet.

Is he waiting for something?

“Please transfer here in front Quinn.”

“H-huh? Me?” I ask, pointing my finger at myself, looking like a complete i***t.

“Yeah, move her at the shotgun seat.”

“But why?”

He turns his head to look at me.

“I cannot focus on my driving if my eyes keep on looking at the rear view mirror back to the road then to the mirror again just to have a glance of you.”

From that hyped up feeling we were sharing a while ago, the atmosphere inside the car starts to change. It goes back to being awkward and it makes me uncomfortable again followed by the fast thumping of my heart against my chests.

;