Dangerous Love

Chapter 9: Spicy Potatoes

Beads of sweat drip down the arch of my back as I hunch over onto the bench. I look back to see not a single soul in sight, my legs stumble towards the water fountain and I practically collapse on it lapping up the water like a dehydrated dog.

I stand back up and see that Loius finished as well and is no better shape than me, sweat falls down his chocolate skin and it looks like he was just out in the rain.
"Anybody else close?" I ask in between breathes. He places his hands ontop of his head and paces for a bit before answering, "I think I saw Sasha but it could've been someone else," he pants and I smile a bit that he's already accustomed to her new name.

The only reason I finished that 5k in 20 minutes and 25 seconds which must be some sort of record time for me, is because back in Amity I would run all day just to keep up with Angus. I didn't exactly have a steady job and I still lived with my parents, so Angus turned literally into my life, along with running and working out, and by working out I mean riding day an night and hauling myself onto a moving horse. My life used to consist of me running next to a horse and then pulling myself, which served me well today and will for the rest of training because I probably have twice as much muscle as the rest of the transfers. Now the reason Louis finished nearly 30 seconds after me was because his actual job was running back and forth herding cows, no joke that's been his job for 4 years since he was 16.

A metal door opening and slamming shut echoes throughout the lonely training room and I look up to see Four and Eric walking side by side. At least I think that's Four from what I remember, they seemed to be in a normal conversation until Eric's eyes settled on me and for a second it looks like he was going to question why I was back early and if I even did the run, that is until his eyes scan over my sweat soaked body and dog-like panting.

"You two," he calls out to me and Louis, "Let's see what you're made. Go over there and start doing pullups until I tell you to stop." I let out a deep breathe and side glare him as I push my muscles forward while they scream at me to stop, maybe I shouldn't have gone so fast on the 5k.

Forcing my legs to go forward towards the bars I head on over with Louis following behind, my eyes never leave Eric's and his never leave mine. Despite my determination to do the opposite of everything Eric says I knew that if I didn't do the exercise then I would appear to be weak so instead I settled on showing him up and working my ass off just to prove to him that Amity are strong.

I grip my hands tightly around the bar and hoist myself shakily up and then back down, Louis doing the same. I do two more reps before my arms feel like they're going to pop out of their sockets, clearly God's looking out for me because before I can collapse onto the ground, Louis does.

I know Louis is stronger than me by far, but he's also taller, like 6' 3" while I'm only 5' 2" and have way less weight to haul up.
"Did I tell you to stop?" Eric's voice cuts through the air towards Louis and I feel adrenaline pump through me giving me enough strength to do one more.
"Mercer stop," his voice commands and my arms freeze mid-pull up. Mercer. The way he said my new name seemed way to right, and I liked it way to much.

Letting go I fall to the ground and see that about half the transfers are back from their run, panting like dogs and gulping down water, Sasha being one of them.
"I never said stop," Eric's voice is deadly calm which seems to send more fear into me than when he's yelling which I'm now so accustomed to.

"I want you to do ten more, and if you don't you get to stay after for an extra hour with me, and you get to show me just how strong you really are," the hidden threat was not only found by me as Louis's eyes widen and his chest heaves. I glance over at Four to see his jaw clentched and figure rigid, he doesn't want this to happen but by the looks of it there's nothing he can do to stop him.