TORN

Chapter 8

Friday finally arrived and Zena woke up earlier than normal, jumping out of bed at around 8:00 am heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush teeth. She's been at the hotel for a week and hasn't been to the gym yet so she slipped on her Adidas running shorts, running top, and black New Balance running shoes. Pulling her hair into a messy ponytail and grabbing a small hand towel, a water bottle, her keycard, iPhone, and Beats headphones, she headed out the door. Jacob sat at the table sipping coffee from his mug while on his laptop editing the videos he took from the two concerts. "I'm headed to the gym, see you when I get back." He nodded not looking up from his laptop. She put my headphones on before walking out the door and blasting her workout playlist. While waiting for the elevator, she started jamming to Never Land by Andy Mineo. The door opened and she got on not noticing the other person, or shall I say, people, on the elevator until a hand taps her shoulder, startling her.

She jumped taking her headphones off with the music now blaring in the elevator. Turning, she found Hayden, Malichai, and Stephan staring at her trying to suppress their laughter. "Nice moves princess," Stephan said and Zena just laughed as the elevator opened up to the gym. "Your heading to the gym I presume?" She nodded. "You just want to see me shirtless. It's ok, I don't mind," he teased and Zena swatted his arm as they walked into the gym. She walked over to the treadmill in the back and set her stuff down. She turned to see three shirtless boys, chiseled and toned causing her to stare and unconsciously bite her lip, something she always did when she saw something she liked. Stephan noticed and winked at her. "Like what you see?" Stephan smirked and started flexing gaining laughs from the boys. Zena rolled her eyes but stayed silent.

Malichai walked to the water machine near his crush, filling his bottle while taking in her workout gear. Zena's shorts hugged her greatest asset causing Stephan and Hayden to also stare. "I'm fit. I know," Zena teased breaking all the boys' stares as the group laughed.

Zena hit the treadmill, placing on her headphones and setting the timer for thirty minutes. Malichai started benching one hundred eighty, Hayden was on the bike over in the other corner, and Stephan was doing pushups at the front of the room. The boys laugh as Zena rapped excessively loud making her blush when she realizes her fault. Zena finished her cardio workout drying the sweat off her face as Malichai sat up from one of the benches. His chest was glistening and his hair was slightly damp. Wow. He bit his lip as he took a selfie. She saw Hayden and Stephan taking selfies in the mirror while flexing as well. Why though? She hid her laughter as she walked over to the mat taking her stuff as she felt all six eyes on her. She began her workout with pushups, pushing up and looking over at them as they stood in a group watching. "Never saw a girl do a pushup before?" she teased and they just stared as she continued with her workout.

"Not more than ten. Challenge me," Stephan said in a demanding voice and she looked at him in confusion mid pushup. "Challenge me. Malichai, you count. Whoever gets to 30 first wins." Malichai nodded.

"What do we win?" Zena asked now intrigued.

"If I win, I get bragging rights." Zena laughed.

"Yeah, you get to say that you beat a girl in a push-up contest. Very manly Steph."

"Wait, change that. If I win, you owe me twenty pounds and a kiss. If you win, I owe you twenty pounds and a kiss," he said as if a light bulb clicked in his head.

"Okay but since money is involved let's make this harder. First to 50 wins the twenty pounds and the loser has to run around the lobby screaming 'I'm a big fat idiot.' And I'm not kissing you no matter who wins." Zena said laughing causing everyone else to laugh.

"You're going down Alexander. And I'm getting that kiss babe," Stephan said as he warmed up.

"In your dreams Hanes."