Bon Bons to Yoga Pants

Chapter 22-It's On.

Bradley: Hey Lex! I haven't seen you online for a day or two. Felt kind of weird not IMing with you. Are you enjoying your Sunday?

Lexie: Sorry! I had to work late last night (an Irish pub on Saturday night is insane) and slept in today because Sunday is my only day off from the gym.

Bradley: You work out?

Lexie: Uh . . . yeah! I'm not super good at it, but I go. Does that count?

Bradley: Awesome! How have we not talked about this before? What's your favorite thing to do when you work out? I love lifting. I kind of suck at running, but I do it because of practice. We should work out together after your sisters wedding!

My eyes widened. Work out with Bradley? In all my boob-stomach-bouncing-glory? I scrambled for something to say. "Divert," I whispered, frantically typing. "Divert, divert, divert!"

Lexie: Unless you're totally hammered. They're having an open bar.

Bradley: Nah. I'm not big on the alcohol scene to be honest.

Lexie: Of course not. Well, er, how do I say this? My run is more like . . . a wog.

Bradley: I just snorted Diet Dr. Pepper through my nose. A wog? What is that?

My eyes fell to the half-full plastic bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper next to my computer. "We are soul mates, Mr. Bradley."

The latest episode of my weight loss TV show played in the background, a constant reminder for me not to go upstairs and snack on the four slices of buttered wheat toast that I couldn't stop thinking about. It would be so easy, and yet . . .

I sighed and took another swig of pop, eyeing the plate of celery and bottle of water next to it. I'd get to them eventually.

Lexie: A wog is a walk/jog combo.

Bradley: Ha! I love it. Hey, I've been reading Frankenstein.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Ah, safety.

Lexie: Oh? What are you thinking so far?

Bradley: I have to say, the beginning is pretty intense. Not sure I'd want to go north on a voyage to the North Pole, so lonely.

I grinned, unable to help myself. He'd barely started the book!

Lexie: Is that as far as you've gotten? The letters at the beginning?

Bradley: . . . maybe . . . *sheepish smile*

Lexie: Just keep going. It's a great story.

Bradley: How is the internship thing going?

Lexie: Good. Slow work, but I work on a few things for it a little bit every day. My advisor is helping me out.

Bradley: Can I ask you a really random question?

Lexie: Sure.

Bradley: Do you have any recent pictures of yourself?

My brain seized in terror. Recent pictures? No! I never took pictures! The proportions my chins to the rest of my body drew far too much attention.

"Oh dear," I murmured. "Oh . . . dear."

How could I get him off this dangerous path? This had turned into walking through a field of land mines. Admitting I went to the gym six times a week frightened me enough; what if he found out that I worked out so much because I had so much weight to lose? He'd stop talking to me completely.