Spellman Ch. 11

--------------------

The best way for me to work through my feelings had always been exercise, so I swung by my apartment to change and then headed to the gym. Just like last Saturday, I found myself hitting my workout at a much higher level of intensity than usual. My headphones were blasting my heavy rock workout playlist and I let the power and raw emotion of the music drive me forward.

Let the bodies hit the floor

Let the bodies hit the floor

Let the bodies hit the floor

Let the bodies hit the

FLOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRR

Guitars and drums paced my steps as I ran on the treadmill at a quick double-time.

One, nothing wrong with me

Two, nothing wrong with me

Three, nothing wrong with me

Four, nothing wrong with me

One, something's got to give

Two, something's got to give

Three, something's got to give

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW

I worked up a nice sweat with my warmup run, getting my blood pumping before hitting the weights.

Wait, I'm coming undone

Irate, I'm coming undone

Too late, I'm coming undone

What looks so strong, so delicate

Wait, I'm starting to suffocate

And soon I anticipate

I'm coming undone

What looks so strong so delicate

Down. Up. Down. Up

I'm trying to hold it together

Head is lighter than a feather

Looks like I'm not getting

Not getting better

Down. Up. Down. Up.

I finished a set and sat up on the bench, breathing heavily and dripping sweat. Grabbing my towel, I wiped my face and hair. When I looked up I found someone standing in front of me. Miss Triple G herself. I finished wiping myself and the bench down before taking out my headphones.

"Hey. Sorry if you were saying something, I was really blasting my music."

"I just wanted to apologize again for how I talked to you the other day."

"Like I said, it's no big deal," I gave a little wave of my hand as I stood up. "I get feeling a bit hostile to guys in general. I'm sure it's not the first time you've had to tell someone off like that, and I bet it can get exhausting."

She nodded. "Yeah, it can. I've even thought about switching gyms but this one is really convenient to my house and to work, so I just put up with it."

"What do you do for work?" I asked.

"I'm a nurse, but I'm only going to be working part-time for now. Most of my time I'm the primary caregiver for my dad. I moved out here a few months ago to take of him. None of my older siblings wanted to move, and neither did Dad, so as the only person in the family without any real commitments keeping me in place it landed on me to relocate."

"That's still very selfless of you. I don't think there are still a lot of people who would do that for their family these days. Seems like most would just throw them in a nursing home, or let them fend for themselves."

"I couldn't do that to Dad," she said, shaking her head. "Especially with Mom being gone. We're kind of scattered all over the place now, but family is really important. I'm the youngest of seven kids."

"Wow, that's a lot. I can't even imagine what that's like. I'm the only child of divorced parents."

"It was a little crazy growing up, and even more so now that I have fourteen nieces and nephews."

"Fourteen? Holy shit."

"Yup. My oldest brother Colin has three, two boys and a girl. Kevin has two, a boy and a girl. Brianna has two girls. Erin has three boys. Corey has a boy and a girl, and then Brendan has two boys."

"So I guess you're the cool aunt?"

She laughed. "I try to be! I'm not much older than some of them though so sometimes it's more like I'm a cousin or a big sister than an aunt. Colin is fifteen years older than me, I'm closer in age to his kids than I am to him."

"That's nuts, but it sounds like a lot of fun. I always wished I had siblings."

"Wouldn't trade them for the world, but it can be a lot sometimes."

I reached out to shake her hand. "I don't think I ever got your name. I'm Ryan."

"Claire, but my friends call me Cece, for Claire Cleary," she said, returning my handshake.

"So do I call you Claire or Cece?"

"I guess I can let you call me Cece, on a trial basis."

That put a smile on my face. "Well Cece, it was really nice to meet you. I'm going to hit the showers, but I'm sure I'll see you around."

"I'm sure you will. Have a good day, Ryan."

It took all of my willpower, but I resisted the urge to look back and try to steal a glimpse of her ass before I left the room. I knew her real name now, but the Triple G title still applied. Thinking about her made me wish I was showering at home so I could...take matters into my own hands. When I finished showering and changing I took one last glance into the main weight room but didn't see Cece anywhere. Either she had hit the lockers herself or had left already. Oh well. We'd had a very nice, positive interaction today—from what I knew far better than she'd had with any other guy at the gym—and there'd be plenty of time for more like it in the future. I couldn't wait to see the look on Paul's face on Monday when I greeted her by name.

My stomach was growling at me when I reached my car. It had been a rough day, so I decided to reward myself with some In N Out. Very few things in this world were more likely to improve my mood than a Double-Double, or even a Four-by-Four. Ten minutes later I was walking through the door and was greeted by the wonderful smell of fresh burgers and fries. I ordered myself the Four-by-Four and then took a seat at an open table by the window. Pulling out my phone, I found several texts from Tori waiting for me.

Ryan tell me the secret

Melissa won't tell meeeee

Pleeeeeassseeeeee

Ryannnnnnnn

I chuckled at her impatience.

Calm down. I'll tell you everything later. Don't worry too much about it.

They called my number so I stood up to go grab my food, nearly bumping into someone walking by with their tray of food.

"Sorry! Didn't see you there," I said. It took me a moment to realize who it was I had nearly knocked over. "Cece! Hey!" She had changed out of her workout clothes and was wearing a blue sundress, which really made her red hair pop.

"Well hello again, Ryan. Fancy meeting you here," she said with a laugh and a smile.

"Just needed to refuel a bit after my workout. I guess the same was true for you."

She nodded. "Yup. I have to say, I don't love everything about California, but you guys certainly do the fast-food burger pretty dang well."

"In N Out is one of the most important parts of our culture, it's true. You should join me, if you aren't just planning to take your food and run."

"That would be great, thanks!" She set her tray on the table and then plopped those gorgeous glutes down in the chair across from mine.

They called my number again. "Sorry, that's me, let me go grab that." I hurried over to grab my food and then returned to the table.

"What'd you get?" she asked, eyeing my food.

"A Four-by-Four. Four patties, four slices of cheese."

"I thought they only had singles and Double-Doubles."

I grinned. "Ah, my new, non-Californian friend, allow me to introduce you to the wonders of the 'Secret Menu." I dove into an explanation of In N Out's famously not-so-secret "Secret Menu" which included such staples as the Animal Style burgers and fries, their grilled cheese, the Flying Dutchman, and of course, my beloved Four-by-Four.

She laughed at my enthusiasm for all things In N Out as we both dug into our lunch. "So, Ryan," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "What do you like to do outside of the gym or In N Out?"

"Well, I'm sort of just getting settled in still, so I haven't had much time to get into anything. I just moved back down to San Diego a week ago. I've been up north in the Bay Area for the past seven years. I'm a sports guy, though, so I like catching a baseball or football game when I can. I sit around my apartment and read a lot of poetry."

"Interesting. You don't really give off a 'I read poetry' vibe."

"Why, because I don't wear a beret?"

"That's probably it, yeah," she said with a laugh. "What about the beach? Do you go surfing or anything like that?"

"No, I was never really a big beach guy, to be honest. I like going to hang out with people, maybe do a little bonfire at sunset, throw the football around, but I never got into surfing."

"That's too bad. I was hoping to find someone who could help me get into it. It seems like a lot of fun."

"It does. Wish I could help you out with that. I can ask around though. I'm sure I know someone who could show you the ropes."

"Don't worry about it too much. I can ask around at work when I start next week, I just haven't had much chance to meet new people yet. Dad takes up most of my time."

"You mentioned that you just moved out here to take care of him, but I don't think I ever caught where it was that you moved from?"

"I'm from Connecticut originally."

"I've never been. Did you like it there?"

She nodded. "I did. I lived in a small town, really tight-knit, everyone knew each other, that sort of thing. Beautiful seasons. I'm really going to miss all the colors of the leaves changing out here in the Land of Eternal Perfect Beach Weather."

"Not quite, but I admit we definitely lack a bit in seasonal variety compared to back east."

My phone vibrated a few times, probably more messages from Tori. "Is your girlfriend trying to reach you or something?" Cece asked.

"Unlikely, considering I don't have a girlfriend," I said. I thought Cece seemed to take special note of that, but I wasn't sure. "Just a friend pestering me over something." I realized that we had each been finished with our food for a while by now. "I should probably get going. It was great to bump into you again and get to know you a bit better, though."

"Likewise. Thanks for my In N Out education."

"Just spreading the good news. I assume I'll see you at the gym Monday morning?"

"You will."

"Well then I'm looking forward to it. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Cece."

"Thanks, Ryan. You too."

I had enjoyed my time talking with Cece, almost as much as I enjoyed stealing glances at her divine derrière. It would be nice getting to know her more and being able to interact with her at the gym without fear of getting my head bitten off. When I got back to my car I checked the new message from Tori.

I need to knowwwwwww.

Silly girl.

Fine. Can I come over to your place now so we can all talk about it?

YES! Hurry! I am going to explode in anticipation!

On my way.

About ten minutes later I was knocking on their apartment door. Tori opened it within seconds. "Finally! Come inside and tell me this damn secret!" She dragged me over to the couch where Melissa was already sitting. She gave me a smile and a small wave.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." I sat down next to Melissa and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Secret secret secret!" Tori said, bouncing in her chair.

"Okay, but this can't leave this room, understood?" Tori nodded. "I had a surprise visitor drop by my apartment this morning. Freaked out Melissa a bit since she answered the door wearing nothing but one of my shirts, expecting it to be you."

"So? Who was it? Your mom? Your dad? Mrs. Mitchell? Beth?"

I shook my head. "Nope, none of them."

"So just tell me already!"

"It was Miss Jackson."

"Miss Jackson? Riley Jackson?" I nodded. "Why the hell was she stopping by your apartment on a Saturday morning? How does she even know where you live?"

"She came by because we needed to talk and make sure things weren't going to be too hostile between us this year."

"Why would they be hostile? I didn't even realize you had met her yet. How could you two already be fighting? She's like, the quietest, most non-confrontational person ever."

"Because I hooked up with Riley the first night I moved back into town."

Tori sat there in stunned silence for several seconds, her only movement a few sporadic blinks. "Wait, what? You fucked Riley Jackson? How? Why? Doesn't she have a boyfriend?"

I spent the next several minutes explaining everything that had happened with Riley to Tori and Melissa. First I told them what had happened from my perspective starting with talking to her on the app on Friday night and then waking up alone on Saturday morning, to meeting her for the second time at the school on Thursday night. Then I filled in the extra context from Riley's side of things that I had learned from talking to her earlier.

"Wow...that's....wow. I never would have thought she'd be the type. She's always been so...buttoned-up and boring. I can't imagine her going out and doing something like that."

"Yeah, well, she did."

"So what are you going to do about it," Melissa asked.

I sighed. "Just move on and get over it, I guess. I don't think I really have any other choice. We have to work together. I'm sure there will still be some awkward moments, but there's no point in staying angry about it. I was probably just blowing everything out of proportion because it was the first time I had put myself out there after breaking up with Amanda."

"Are you sure I can't tell anyone else about this? Emma would absolutely die. She doesn't like Miss Jackson very much."

"Definitely not. And why doesn't she like Riley?"

"She's just jealous," Melissa interjected. "One of the few times Miss Jackson came out with us, Emma got pretty drunk. She was trying to get some guy's attention, but he kept trying to flirt with Riley. Emma could never let it go. She's so competitive about everything, but especially about guys."

"Emma sounds like trouble."

Tori laughed. "Oh, she is. You'll love her though, trust me."

"If you say so."

The conversation drifted away from Riley and towards the girls filling me in on various other bits of petty school drama between the teachers. Honestly, I started to tune most of it out pretty quickly. Unless there was some major landmine I needed to avoid stepping on, I didn't really care about that stuff. Eventually they ran out of steam and we just settled into a comfortable silence, with Melissa leaning on my shoulder and Tori sticking her bare feet into my lap for me to massage again.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Tori decided to throw another bomb into the conversation.

"So Ryan...how do you feel about threesomes?"