Extra Ordinary

19.

One day before the tournament Mom still hadn't changed her mind. My desk was empty when I came home from school and the other other option to practice I had, I didn't want to try. 

Couldn't try. 

Asa's aunt and uncle didn't like me, and I doubted they'd let me casually hang out at their place and hog the computer all day. 

I could try to hog Asa for the afternoon, however. 

For reasons that may or may not be related to me staring at his contact info more than I wanted to admit, I already knew Asa's number by heart. 

Come on, what's the worst that could happen?  I tried to pump myself up, phone in hand. He'll say no? 

Me: Hey, want to hang out now? 

I hit send before I could change my mind. The panic hit immediately after, and I jumped up from my bed to pace around.

My heart skipped several beats when Asa jumped online, the message was read... and he jumped offline again. 

I was wrong. The worst he could do wasn't say no. It was completely ignore me. I had never been in the habit of biting my fingernails, but Asa made me want to start. 

Ten minutes went by. I pretended to distract myself by watching Double Singularity videos on Youtube, while sweating buckets and navigating to the chat every two seconds. Even if I knew it'd notify me if Asa responded.

He finally did, two more nerve-wrecking minutes later.

Asa: I'm here.

Asa had attached a location a mile or so away to his message. He didn't mention what the place was, whether he was expecting me to step by, or if he wanted me to. 

His words were cryptic. Not a real, full invitation. I hated ambiguity like this, but got on my bike anyway. 

The place Asa had pointed out was a gym, according to maps. There was no sign on the building, however, and when I walked in the side door I almost felt like I was entering some random person's house. 

"Hello?" I called out in the narrow hallway and another door swung open. A older woman with grey hair in a knot peeked around the corner and smiled when she saw me. 

"Hi, you must be Gabriel. Come in," she invited me, pushing the door further open. 

"Oh, thanks?" 

I walked into a space which was equipped with a bar and several tables. The woman pointed at the staircase. 

"Asa's upstairs," she said with a kind smile, clasping her hands together. 

"Okay..." 

I wanted to ask her what kind of place this really was, but when I reached the top of the creaking wooden stairs, I already had my answer. 

One of the rooms had the door open and there were people all bent and folded into impossible pretzels on the floor. A yoga class. 

"Over here!" 

Asa's voice rang out from another one of the rooms with the door open. Another gym kinda space, except it was smaller and empty save for Asa.

"Hey," I greeted Asa, who was sitting on a mat in sweatpants and a t-shirt. "So, this is some sort of yoga studio then?" 

"Yes, but they give other classes too," Asa said. He scooted to the side, making space for me on his mat.

At that exact moment I realised how weird it was that I was just kinda hovering there in the door opening. My stomach lurched. Asa wanted me to sit next to him.