something more to do and no time to be idle, so the days pass by quickly. My mind stays busy with tasks instead of thoughts. Too often when I’m alone, I replay everything that happened with Victoria. It’s at those times when the urge for revenge runs through me like poison, and I want her to pay for what she did. I want her to know what it was like to spend five years in prison. Drugs and weapons are not my forte. Even though I didn’t have a record, money can buy anything when the court system is corrupt as fuck. I admit, I have a chip on my shoulder, and I’m not sure anything can repair it.
After I clock out, my gaze drifts to Gemma. She notices, and her lips fall open to say something, but then her dad walks in. Instead of sticking around for a potentially awkward conversation, I head out.
Needing to blow off some pent-up aggression, I quickly walk home, change into workout clothes, and then go to the gym. It still smells the same as it did when I was a teen because getting buff to impress the ladies at school was the thing to do. Now, as I look around at all the kids in here, I laugh at the memory.
Old carpet covers the floors, and the walls have wood paneling. It’s looked this way over the past few decades. Sam, the owner, is getting older and moving a lot slower. He’s here every morning at five to open the doors, and then his granddaughter closes at nine p.m. I wonder what his plans are with the place when he decides to retire. I’d love to eventually be in a position to buy it, but that might be a pipe dream.
A few meat heads are lifting weights in front of the mirror. I hold back my laughter and walk to the area for kickboxing. Grabbing a set of gloves, I put them on, then pound my fists together.
I feel alive the moment I put them on, then take my frustrations out on the bags in fifteen-minute sprints. I punch and swing as hard as I fucking can, then I switch positions to stay light on my feet. It’s a relief to just let it out of my system and burn off the extra energy after working. Every once in a while, I throw in a few kicks, ducking and imagining Victoria’s sneer on the other side. It doesn’t take long before I’m exhausted, but I don’t stop until I’ve worked out for a full hour. Even though I’m completely worn down, I feel more calm with a sense of clarity.
As I head home, the sun hangs lazily in the sky over the old buildings in the town square. The warm breeze brushes against my sweaty skin, cooling me down even quicker. When I walk inside the house, Sassy sprints toward me, wagging her tail, so I quickly take her outside. We’ve been taking regular walks, and she can’t seem to get enough of me now. I bend down and pet her before grabbing some clothes and jumping in the shower. The stream falls over my body, and I think about my life. It feels like I’m living in an alternate universe. When my skin prunes, I get out and put on some joggers and a T-shirt, then place a frozen lasagna in the oven. It’ll take an hour, but Everleigh will be home by then, so it works out perfectly.
After grabbing a beer, I sit on the couch with Sassy, turn on the TV, and flip through the channels. Some survival show where the contestants run around naked catches my attention, and I’m oddly intrigued. Eventually, the timer goes off, and minutes later, Everleigh walks through the door, grinning as she smells the food. We load up our plates and settle in to eat in the living room.
“This is so good,” she says around a mouthful. “I only had time to eat a shitty protein bar for lunch, so I was starving. After I posted those pictures of Katie and Gemma, I sold out of those outfits in nearly three hours and had to order more before I left.” The bracelets on her wrist jingle as she brushes her hair out of her eyes, and though she’s smiling, she looks exhausted.
“That’s great. Just wait until you post the others. Bet you sell out every time.”
“I hope so! This summer is gonna be insane.