Surviving Summer // Baxter Radic x OC

Chapter Five - More Than Gym Partners

☼ Kai ☼

"It's way too early for this!" Summer groans as we walk into the gym. Poppy swore this was a bonding experience for the entire team....she failed too mention to everyone how early we were going to get up. Summer leans against me a pout on her face "coffee.....I need coffee." she begs as I pat her head and chuckle. "It will be okay my little gremlin. Soon the endorphins will kick in and you won't need coffee." She gives me an incredulous look her brows pinched together "Shame on you.....coffee is life Kai!"

As soon as Ari walks through the door, Summer trudges over to him. He pulls out a cup of coffee from behind his back. "I love you!" she grins before giving him a giant smooch on the lips. "Suck it endorphins!" she shouts at me winking, I roll my eyes laughing before I go into stretching. I already know today is going to be brutal, especially when Poppy is in captain mode.

"You're on time?" Poppy questions someone in surprise. I look up to see his messy pink hair. "I'm sorry do I need to come back later?" he smirks dropping his bag with the others and heading right for me. I see Poppy giving me a sly smile as I try to ignore her obnoxious thumbs up. Bax plops down next to me as he watches me continue to stretch my hamstrings. "Morning Longboard" he smiles leaning back on his arms. I tilt my head to look at him, both hands holding my foot as I stretch

"How's the view?" I wink, his eyes traveling my body appreciatively. "Glorious. It's the only reason I came early." I can't help my laugh "Bax you're literally on time." I switch to the other leg. "Exactly I'm early, Kai" he corrects me as I roll my eyes after a few moments I straightening out my body before coming to sit next to him. "I think you need to stretch a little longer. Want to make sure your hamstrings are good and warmed up."  he teases almost seriously. "You are insufferable" I say playfully. "Just say you like me" those blue eyes glued to mine. "and what if I do?" I question him. "Kai..." he begins but Poppy cuts him off.

"Comps are right around the corner and we have a strong team this year, I want to keep it that way. All of you bring something amazing to the group individually but we need to start acting as one! Let's find ways to spend time with one another outside of surfing to build up our relationships..." I take a small peak over to look at Bax, those ocean eyes already watching me. He doesn't even try to look away, that dimple popping smile gracing his lips as he leans in closer. "Let me come over tonight?" he whispers in my ear. There was no letting Bax do anything, he just needs to say the words and I would gladly let him ruin my life. It was embarrassing how much I was crushing on him. I turn my head to face him, our faces inches apart as I nod my head yes. "I've got the workout written on the board, go your own pace. I'll be walking around correcting...." Marlon interrupts Poppy "Giving everyone words of encouragement." he corrects her as she gives us a forced smile. "Exactly....Go on....get that blood pumping" she tells us as we all start to stand.

Bax picks me up over his shoulder as he walks us over to the weights, the squeal that came out of my lips was embarrassing. I could already feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "Bax what are you doing!" I shout at him. "You heard cap. We need to spend time together...build relationships and all that. You're my gym partner Longboard" he tells me before placing me back on the ground. "Who says I want you to be my gym partner?" that was a lie and he knows it. "Stop lying to yourself Kai. We both know this partnership is perfect." he winks with a cheeky smirk. "And here I thought we had a friendship?" I playfully scoff turning around to grab some weights.

He comes up right behind me, I look in the mirror to see him staring down at me a shiver running down my spine at the way he looks. "Friends...right" he answers leaning into me to grab the weights in front of me. My body felt like it was going to combust at the feel of his body pressed against mine. Those torturously slow seconds felt like it both lasted for eternity and ended too soon. I grab my weights turning to face him "show me what you got Pinkilicious." I say, he gives me a cheeky grin as he starts doing curls with some seriously heavy weights. I was trying to pick my jaw off the floor as I watched his biceps tense. This was a bad idea to be his gym partner, there was no way I was getting anything done if this was my view. I try to focus on my own reps while simultaneously watching Bax shamelessly.