Love Bites

Stressed Out

After a few minutes, Zen and I reach the gym I like to go to. My buddy works here as a manager, and he gave me a key. He is pretty awesome that way. I would never mess the place up, plus he knows I like to lose myself in my workouts. When there are people around, I feel like I trip over them and I simply can’t focus. Usually I come in the middle of the night, enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

The gym is closed today. They had a pipe burst and are still having to fix the damaged wall. It’s only been a couple of days, but my friend is seriously miffed about the situation. They are losing some money not being open. I take Zen through the back entrance in the alley, so no one sees us going in. I know a few of the people who were walking down the street probable use this gym, since it is fairly popular. I really don’t want them trying to knock the door down thinking its open now.

Thwack, Thud, Phump! I stand back, and watch Zen show off her moves. She actually isn’t a show off at all, but it’s nice to sit back and watch someone else go beast mode. I haven’t met anyone, besides my college friend, do all they can to put every ounce of power they poses into a punch. It’s difficult. The fear of actually hurting someone is there, and people typically find a hard time getting around that mental barrier. Zen has been a part of this lifestyle ever since she was born, so she can let loose even more than I can. I take every opportunity I can to grow from her and her family, to remember what our goal is. We have to always be prepared to fight.

After about fifteen minutes she turns around to me, dragging an arm across her forehead to push the hair from her face. I smile. “Feeling good, I see. I don’t think I have ever seen you hit so hard.”

“You haven’t seen me in three years, so I would hope I would be stronger.” She gestures to me, “What’s up with all the brawn by the way? I never thought you would be the beef it up kind of guy.”

I laugh. “No, I never thought I would be either.” I was so skinny for so long. When I did finally start getting rather big, I like how it looked, and how it felt. Plus, it didn’t hurt that girls started talking to me more. I blush, thinking back about how I hoped it would draw more attention from Zen. I quickly step up to the heavy bag and throw a couple of punches. The bag moves more for me than it did for Zen, given my size and brute strength. She’s speedy, for sure, and she hits like lightening. That hurts too, I know from experience.

I turn back to her, hoping my little burst of energy would overshadow my burning cheeks. I didn’t think it would be possible for her to get prettier, but somehow… “What can I say? I got tired of all the jokes. Blowing away in the wind and such.” I grin and stick my tongue out at her.

She laughs at me. “I guess. You definitely achieved it any way, no way we’ll be able to lose our little twig in the woods now.”

I slug her arm, she stumbles back slightly, laughing her head off at me. More than likely loving that she can still make me feel bothered over such a small thing. “So, what are all these moves you are going on about any way?”

“I’m not going to get into it now. I will be showing the entire clave next week for a big get together, and I really don’t want to go over it twice. Besides, there is a lot of information to go along with it.”

I nod, “You mean about the status of the Vamp’s?”

“…Yea. Some interesting stuff is happening right now. I just don’t want to go over it with you, and end up forgetting parts that the clave needs to hear, ya know?” She looks up at me, looking like she thinks I have hurt feelings over it.

“Oh yea, I know. You are rather scattered brained, I wouldn’t want you to get all confused and embarrass yourself in front of the entire,” I spread my arms out gesturing as if there’s a large crowd, “clave, the first time you have to address a major situation.” Zen literally nocks my feet out from under me. I land on my behind, hard. I look up at her with a glare. She barrels out some laughter. “You never could take a joke!”

She stops laughing suddenly. With a frown she says, “Hey, that’s uncalled for.” Zen gets that look, and I know it’s on. I jump up and high tail it to the indoor running track, making a quick getaway before she attempts to grapple me. I reach the track, and make a tight turn around the fence that sections it off from the rest of the gym. I narrowly escape her outreached hand, her hand resembling claws sailing through the empty space. The miss slows her down causing her to steady herself again before turning after me. As soon as she is up and running, she’s like a damn cheetah. I don’t remember her being this fast before. I can tell she has vastly improved her training.

I honestly thought I might be able to out run her now, but she is on it. Instead of attempting to out run her, knowing it would be impossible, I turn around and jog backwards. I brace myself for an inevitable impact. A few feet away from me, she leaps into the air. She does a roll midair, and sticks her leg out, preparing to kick me down. I catch her by mid-calf instead, and swing her around. She quickly wraps her legs around my arm and shoulder, and manages to take me off balance. I fall to the ground landing flat on my back, and find myself in a tight hold. I lay there staring at the ceiling, incredibly dumbfounded.

I roll my head over to face her. “How did you get so fast!?”

Zen laughs at my surprise. “Leg weights.” She sticks her tongue out at me.

I shake my head and then tap her on the leg. She lets me go and I sit up. “You are unbelievably fast.” I can’t help but shake my head again. “I swore I would be faster than you by now.”

Zen moves in closer to me, sitting beside me while I stared of into space. She gently rubs my shoulder, which is a little strange for her. Zen is not the comforting or touchy-feely type. Zen is the badass chick who always pushes me to be stronger, braver, and confident. I sneak a look over my shoulder at her, hoping to catch her expression without her noticing. I succeed. For some reason she looks sad. I don’t have any idea why she would be, she’s doing what she has always done. Serving me up cold, and beating me as usual. To some, they would think that it is strange to be bested by a girl, since I’ve always been taller than her. I had never been as strong as I am now though. So, I guess I am a little stunned that I still can’t best her.

I have always felt that there was something off about the night she saved me. It was something that nagged, and never added up. I simply could never put the pieces together. It still doesn’t make sense to me. As soon as I start to think there really might be something going on with Zen, she looks me directly in the face with as serious an expression I had never seen her with. She tells me, “Not gonna happen champ!” Then jumps up and dashes off. My eyes go wide with the sudden change in disposition, shocking me out of my thoughts. Did she take acting classes at school or something? What was up with that? I sit there happy for one thing in that moment. No one is around to watch me be fooled.

I sit there, letting her wander off while I ponder all the changes that she has gone through, and to hopefully pick back up on my other thoughts I lost track of. I don’t get very far thought process, when she comes bumbling back onto the track. “Hey!” She shouts. “Isn’t today your initiation?”

I jump up suddenly. “What time is it?”

She looks behind me at the clock on the wall. “Man, you have like forty minutes to get there.”

I burst up from my place on the floor. I run towards Zen, grab her wrist and pull her on behind me. “Let’s get outta here! I still have to go get dressed, and now I smell like a gym. Terrific.” I roll my eyes and shake my head, silently cursing myself for getting all emotionally tied up in Zen that I forgot about my big ceremony. If I’m late, I am going to be dead.

I hear Zen laughing behind my back. “That’s what you get for being so distracted.” Despite my panic, the smile in here voice makes me smile. I would take being late for such an important event, just to spend some alone time with Zen…. Cue my panic, because that’s when I suddenly realize… I’m holding onto her hand. Ugh! I try not to over analyze it as I have a mini heart attack, and try not to let go, squeeze too tight, or let my palms get sweaty. I have never let Zen know how much I care about her, or at least in what way I care about her. I chastise myself for being such a wimp when it comes to her, and think to myself; I’m not going to let go, unless she pulls away. I swallow hard and continue on my path to the back door of the gym.

She doesn’t pull away. When we reach the back door to the gym I release her, trying not to figure out whether or not that was creepy to her. I fumble the keys out of my pocket as we walk out the door, and into the cool air of the alley. I take a sneaking look at her, but she still looks the same as ever. I wonder what that small smile hinting at the corner of her mouth is really about, though. I finish getting the locks in place, and turn to start out the alley and for home. I wonder, if now, would have been a good time to actually take her by the hand. I’ve always been too scared to mess up the dynamics of the family to try anything like that with Zen before. Yet, now we are both adults. Would it really cause many problems? I don’t have time to ponder over the whole thing now. I rush as quickly as I can to get home.

We take a bus that was already at the corner to the house. It is slow, but much faster than trying to hail a cab down. Besides, I don’t have the money to pay for one any way. I turn to look at Zen sitting in the seat beside me. She is staring out the window, being uncharacteristically quiet. I blame it on our rush to get the ceremony, simply because I don’t want to feel ashamed about pulling her along by the hand. I silently pray that she didn’t find it awkward or uncomfortable. At this point I think I would prefer her usual crass and abusive behavior, just to know that there would be no change in the relationship. I could take playing the adopted brother act, but not a feeling of her being uncomfortable with my feelings. I let out a sigh… instantly regretting it.