Lean On Me #Wattys2016

Part 17

Mateo

I slept soundly for the first night in a long time. I had stood at my door and watched Ashlyn leave until I couldn't see her anymore. The protector in me hated that I couldn't walk her home, but she was in a hurry and it would have taken her at least three times as long to make the walk with me by her side. It's because if that, today I woke up early and increased my exercise routine. I'm going to get this leg back to normal so I can walk her home.

I open the door to physical therapy and immediately find myself scanning the room for her. I find her leaned over Levi again and I want to walk over and kiss her stupid right in front of him. It's going to be fucking torture to watch her help him when I know that guy only enjoys PT for the show she doesn't know she puts on. As I stretch, I can hear her laugh. It's interesting that I even like the sound of it as much as I do. A lot of girls I've been around try too hard and their laugh is forced, not light and flirty like hers.

I'm pushing myself hard, not that I wasn't before last night, but now I see there's a reason outside of my own selfishness to get better. I want to be worthy of her and to do that; I need to be the best I can. I take a short rest in between sets and she brings Levi over to help get him set up on a machine next to mine. She gives me a small wave and I smile back. I'm not her client, but I don't know if she's allowed to have any romantic relationships outside these doors with clients of this place.

"OK," she tells Levi, "Three sets of twenty this time."

"Sure thing," he answers. His eyes stay trained on her as she sets up the machine. I can't watch it so I turn my head away and press up to begin my set. "I'll be right back, Levi. I'm going to get another patient set up. You've got this, right?" He nods his head and starts his set. We both work in the quiet for a few minutes. The only sound is the clanking of metal as the weights tap each other.

"She makes coming here worth it," he finally says, turning his head in her direction. CLANK. My weights slam together as I release the resistance a bit too quickly. "She seems real young to be a therapist." I've known Levi for a while. We've been training here for months now and I've never had any problem with him before. I try to remind myself he doesn't know about us. No one does. Fuck, I don't even know about us. What the hell are we doing?

"You think she has a boyfriend?" he asks. Levi is older than I am probably by a few years. He's too old for her. Even if he's not, it's just not happening.

"Probably. She's too pretty not to," I answer as casually as possible.

"Maybe she's keeping her options open," he waggles his brows and I want to punch in in his mouth. "I'll ask her."

I rest my hands on my knees and stare at the wall. If I get up and walk away right now it will be awkward, but I'm not so sure I want to hear her answer or hear what Levi is going to ask in return. She's not mine, I get that, but I don't want her to be anyone else's either.

"How's it going?" she asks him when she returns.

"Good. A little sore but getting better." I chance a glance in her direction and catch her looking at me. She turns her eyes to Levi again when he asks, "Do you have a boyfriend? I know you don't have a husband. No ring." He's pretty proud of himself for that one. I shake my head and start my next set.

"No. I'm single. I don't really have a lot of time to date." She watches him to make sure he's using the right form. I feel the heat of anger in my chest for no good reason. What did I think she was going to do? Tell him we messed around and were planning on doing it again?