Just Me (You & Me 1)

“Her name is Talia—” Katherine’s words faded as she tried to remember her co-worker's last name. She knew she had seen it written somewhere at the bakery, a weekly schedule or trainee handbook, but now her mind was drawing a blank.

“Talia Soles?” Claire asked. When Katherine only squinted in response, she continued. “Red hair? Works at the bakery around the corner?”

“That’s her!” Katherine pointed excitedly.

“Everyone knows Talia, she’s so nice whenever she comes in. I’ll make sure to add her to your profile. Now, go ahead and sit tight for a moment. I’m going to input all this real quick, then I’ll come out and give you a tour of the gym,” Claire said.

“Okay, great.”

Sitting in the colorful lounge area, Katherine was beaming with pride. She had gone out of her comfort zone coming into the gym and it was all turning out to be a great idea. Claire was so friendly, she thought the two of them could even be friends.

Everyone felt like family in her new neighborhood, and everywhere she looked, new possibilities seemed to appear. Before long, Claire appeared with a laminated name tag. Katherine’s first and last names were printed in bold black letters, and beneath that was a barcode.

“This feels very official,” she noted, running her fingertips over the plastic.

“I was hoping if I went all out on the nametag you’d upgrade without even seeing the gym,” Claire joked, and the two women laughed as they made their way down the long tunnel of Fitness Planet.

Before you entered the glass doors leading to the gym, there was a smoothie station. Two women worked behind a counter with baskets overflowing with fresh fruits stacked on a back table. A line of people waited for their smoothies while Claire explained the benefits.

“Here at Fitness Planet, we’re serious about getting your health in order. The sad truth is, you can work out in our facilities seven days a week and still not be healthy, and that’s because what you put in your body is equally as important as what you do to it.

“We offer a team of nutritionists to help you best determine the right course for you, but almost all plans encourage you to implement smoothies and juicing into your diet. Here, all Fitness Planet members can enjoy one smoothie per day, included in their membership!”

Claire announced the perk of joining like a proud parent. It was pretty impressive to Katherine, especially since she could see the workers using nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables. Trying to keep her poker face, she nodded and smiled before following Claire inside.

As soon as she stepped inside, she understood the name of the gym. It was like another world with all the different machines, equipment, classes, and even a vegan restaurant. Unlike other gyms she had been to, Fitness Planet wasn’t overly crowded or stuffy. There was more than enough room for everything, and although she didn’t say it then, Katherine felt she would upgrade the membership.

“So, is there anything else I can show you? Any questions?” Claire asked, after she had shown Katherine everything there was to see.

“Well, which of these areas is for women only?” she asked, unsure of the rules. Tim had made sure her old gym had a gender-based separation so she wouldn’t be seen by men as she bent over or stretched into positions that could be seen as provocative.

“We have separate locker rooms, but all the workout areas are co-ed. Is that a problem for you? We have very low tolerance for any type of sexual harassment if that’s what you’re worried about,” Claire added quickly, feeling the sale beginning to slip away.

No, no. It’s not a problem,” Katherine lied. “Where is the women’s locker room?”

“Right down that hall,” Claire pointed to the right.

“Thanks so much for the tour,” Katherine smiled.

“No problem. I’ll see you around, Katherine.”

Now, alone in the massive gym, Katherine felt like the new kid in school as she entered the locker room as quietly as possible. To her surprise, it was empty and far too fancy for an ordinary gym. It resembled a spa bathroom more than a locker room, and she added it to her growing list of reasons to upgrade to a membership.

After securing her backpack in a locker, Katherine returned to the gym, ready to get started. Enthusiasm quickly turned to fear as she looked around the many rooms, intimidated by the options. Deciding to start where she felt most comfortable, she picked the room labeled ‘Cardio’ and picked a treadmill.

When she was younger, Katherine was the star of the track team in high school, so running had always held a special place in her heart. A smile swept across her face as she slipped one ear bud into each ear, starting her Cold Play album as the treadmill picked up pace.

Above the music, she could hear her feet hitting the rubber, and the rhythm was intoxicating. Nothing cleared her mind like a good run, and with each step she continued to dream of what a life in San Francisco could look like for her.

Talia had been so helpful pointing her in the direction of the gym, and now that she was liking her experience, Katherine wondered what other recommendations she might try out. Even without a car, there was so much to do and see in the few blocks that surrounded her new home, she was beginning to feel excited.

Lost to her thoughts, the speed continued to climb until Katherine was running at an all-out sprint. What was a fun and relaxing exercise had quickly shifted to panic as the same anxiety from the night before crept into her belly. Slowing the machine, she took one deep breath after another until she felt herself calm down.

She hated that an activity she had loved so much had been ruined by her constant state of fear. It was impossible for her to run without thinking about someone chasing her, and that was unfortunate.

Still, Katherine wanted to push forward and exercise, so she switched rooms instead. There were less people in the weights portion of the gym. A group of young guys in a corner turned to the door when she walked in, but she was grateful when they went on with their workout after a short wave.

Looking at the shelves of weights, she reminded herself that most of her fear was in her head, a side effect of paranoia. She didn’t need to worry about men trying to approach or attack her. It was all unwarranted fear.