He came up to me, just as I was about to start my work-out.
"I know sometimes I come on a bit strong," he said. "It's just that I'd like to know you better."
"You were giving me the creeps."
"I knew it."
He started to walk away.
"Wait," I said. "You want to work out together?"
We began with a two mile run on the indoor track.
"Where you from?" I asked him.
"Illinois."
"Did you come here for school?"
"No," he said, starting to get out of breath. "I came here looking for an old friend."
"An old boyfriend?"
He didn't answer.
We ran the rest of the way in silence.
Next we hit the free weights.
He spotted for me and then I spotted for him.
I stood there and watched him lift the barbell, his muscles straining with the weight. The tank-top he wore slowly grew a shade darker from his perspiration.
"Two more," I said.
"You're getting some perverse thrill from this," Steve grunted, the bar going up over his head. "Aren't you?"
"You got that right. One more."
He lifted the weights over up, one last time.
Once they were over his head, they started to wobble.
Our hands touched as I helped him put the barbell on the ground.
"That could have been messy," I joked. "Good thing I was here to save you."
"I didn't need your help."
I went to my locker, got undressed and headed towards the showers.
I saw Steve in one of the shower stalls, rubbing his temples.
I went to him. "You okay?"
He grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me into his stall.
The jets of hot water hit my face like needle-pricks.
Steve whispered into my ear, "You can have it, if you want it."
I went down on my knees in front of him.
