Gym Junkie

“McDonald’s greasy enough for you?” he asks.

I nod. “Yep.”

We drive in silence to the parking lot. My phone pings a message, and I glance at the screen. Simon. I narrow my eyes and open the message.

SIMON: Hey, Tull

Sorry I missed your call last night.

I’m in Sydney for a conference.

I’m busy all day with work but I’ll call you tomorrow.

Hope you are well.

xoxo

I click out of the message angrily.

“Hope you are well,” I mimic in a snarky voice. “Asshole. Work conference, my ass.” I shake my head in disgust and turn to Rourke. “Simon is fucking someone while on a work conference this week.”

Rourke frowns as he drives. “How do you know that?”

“Callie and I saw him last night.”

He turns to stare at me. “With a girl?”

“Yes, with a girl.” I roll my eyes at his stupid questions. I’m so not in the mood for them today. “He wasn’t with a man, was he? We went down to the food and wine festival last night and seemed to see everyone we know.”

The car stops, and I get out, slamming the door hard behind me.

“What are you going to do?” Rourke asks as he runs to catch up with me.

I open the door to McDonalds with force. “Well, right now, I’m going to eat everything on the damn menu, followed by two hot fudge caramel sundae chasers.”

Rourke raises his eyebrows as he walks beside me, half scared to speak. “Okay then.” He looks up at the menu board with his hands in his pockets. “Let’s get started.”

I pull the tape through the dispenser and carefully seal the last box. I look around my living room at all the piled-up boxes. “I think we’re nearly done.” I smile.

“Thank fuck.” Rourke sighs. “There’s only one thing worse than moving.”

“What’s that?” Callie frowns as she licks the hot chocolate from her spoon. She gave up packing at least twenty minutes ago.

“Moving someone else,” he answers as he slides another box over to me for it to be taped up.

I smile, grateful for my beautiful friends. “Thanks so much, guys. I couldn’t have packed this house up without you.”

“Yeah, well...” Rourke pauses for a moment. “After the day you had, I thought we may have been out drinking tonight instead.”

Callie frowns, her attention bouncing back and forth between us.

“God, you should have seen her raging around and shit,” Rourke says.

Callie’s looks my way in question, and I roll my eyes. “I was stressed.”

“Because?” she asks.

I shrug but don’t answer.

“Hope you’re well,” Rourke mimics in a baby voice.

I tape the box up, ignoring Callie’s questioning stare.

“I think Simon is just…” I shake my head as I search for the right words. “Maybe trying to work out what he really wants. You know, find the difference between a girl he wants to marry and a girl who’s nothing more than a good time. There is a big difference between the two,” I say.

Callie rolls her eyes and waves her spoon around in the air. “Here we go.” She looks at me, deadpan. “Can you hear yourself right now, Tully?”

“No, hear me out. There are two types of people on Earth. The ones you love and want to marry.” I pause for a moment. “For me, I want to end up with Simon. But then there are the ones you just want to fuck.”

Rourke stops what he’s doing and frowns, as if he’s hearing this theory for the first time.

“Yeah, I get that. So?” Callie continues.

“What type of person am I?” Rourke asks.

“The kind you marry,” Callie and I both answer in unison.

Rourke screws up his face. “I fucking hate that kind of guy. Why am I that kind of guy?”

“You just are.” I sit on top of the box. “And, I was thinking about it. I’ve been on two dates since Simon and I didn’t like either of the guys.”

“That’s because you’re a fucking idiot,” Callie snaps. “If you really wanted Simon, you would be with Simon.”

I try to think of someone I know that I can use as an example between the two different types of guys. “Oh, I know, take the gym junkie, for example.”

Callie’s eyes light up. “Oh God. Him! If you don’t fuck him, I will.”

I giggle. “See, perfect example. He’s the kind of guy you would have fun with and fuck, but you could never dream of a future with him.”

“Why not?” Callie asks.

“Because of the way he is. He’s just so sexual.” I frown as I remember myself being all whoreish in the bathroom with him.

“And this is supposed to be his flaw?” Callie frowns. “You need fucking therapy.” She rolls her eyes.

“Even I have to admit this gym junkie sounds hot,” Rourke adds.

“Well, you fuck him, Rourke. He’s obviously a player who does this sort of thing all the time. He got me all hot for it in the gym bathroom, and you’d have to be an idiot to fall for a guy like that.”