Her

***This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.***

I had seen her before, perhaps in a dream, but she looked familiar. She had fair skin with dark brown hair and a sincere smile, her eyes were the shape of almonds and were the color of the sky in some ethereal world. Confidence oozed off of her beautifully sculpted body and she walked without a care in the world, like she owned it. And I'm certain that one day, she will. I saw the immediate potential in her. Her actions needed no permission; she didn't need to explain herself to anyone. She was beyond the world of men, standing on the shoulders of an invisible giant and I was walking up to her right now.

She stared into my eyes as she told me her name, her gaze was indifferent, you could be a homeless person or the President of the United States and she would look at you the same way. By the little bit that I knew about her, she was everything I was looking for, but she was also involved with someone. It's a golden rule of mine to never do anything to someone that I wouldn't want done to myself. Instead, I would retreat and watch from afar. 

The opportunity sprung out at me; I'll ask her to be my trainer! The idea, I'm certain, has presented itself before for countless other people, but it seemed like a gift. Of course, she still had to agree, but I was confident that she would. "Wait a second, is she even a trainer or just a really fit girl who happens to work here?" I wondered.

As she fumbled to put on her big glasses, I stood there with a dumb smile on my face. "I had sent you a message on Facebook, inquiring whether you were a trainer or you just worked here."

She was on the stair climber and had reached into the compartment on the machine where you put your belongings. When she did, the water bottle that was standing right next to her glasses slipped out and took a dive towards the floor. Seeing this, I lunged forward to catch the bottle, but it slipped through my hands. "I'M SORRY!", they both exclaimed in unison, followed by a giggle.

She answered my question after I handed her back the bottle, "Both! I work here but I'm also a trainer." I wondered to myself how she could be drenched in sweat, but still look so beautiful. And more than beautiful, she was still cheery and enthusiastic. I had just glanced at her while she was teaching a class and now she was on the stair climber, still... going... strong. She was the kind of person that can't be normal, she was something else, something special.   

"I was wondering if you were available to train me during the week," I asked her. She had availability most afternoons and evenings, but new obligations had come into my life. I told her that I would message her on Facebook and stay in contact that way. So, as soon as I could, I sent her a message so that I wouldn't forget to do it later and so that she knew that I was serious. 

We began trying to arrange a good date and time to start training; however, we were never able to get on the same page. Anytime I was available, she had plans or was out of town, and anytime she could make it, I was tied up with his friends, family, or work. It wasn't until one magical day when we were both in the gym at the same time that I got a text message from her: "Hey, let's workout! I'll be here @ the gym until about 8 PM, so make it if you can!"  He was walking into the restroom when he got the text and smiled as he saw her standing by the stair climber looking down at her phone when he walked out. 

"Hey! Look up!", I had texted her. As she did, her smile met mine and we began our journey together. We worked on cardio during our first session together and while I was almost seeing stars midway through, I was proud of myself for sticking with it. I started thinking about how every time I wanted to see her, I was going to be put through hell, and it made me think twice, but in the end, I figured it was worth it. 

We continued training together at least once a week for six months. I was starting to see some very noticeable results and I could tell that she was seeing them too because for the first time since we had started, she asked, "So, how is your girlfriend liking your new body?"

"I don't have a girlfriend", I said as I wrinkled my nose. 

"I haven't had an opportunity to go out, I've been so busy. What do you think about it?", he replied with a wink and a half smile. 

She wasn't expecting that response from him and spit out the water that she was drinking, "You're looking great. Exactly the way I would want my man to look."

I was flattered, of course, but I was so focused on myself that I let the compliment collect with the rest that had been coming in since I began my transformation. I had made no time for anyone besides myself in the last six months and I was beginning to feel both my ego and my strength grow at a tremendous speed. It's like an intoxicating drug to feel this good; in fact, an endorphin high, also known as a "runner's high" was happening more frequently for me and would sometimes last for days at a time. Normally, if you're not feeling like yourself, you'll go to the doctors office and get a check-up; I wasn't feeling like my usual self, but that was a good thing. Previous to working on myself, I was in a brief relationship with someone who hadn't really been available and my self-esteem had slightly been affected when she called it off. So, to be feeling this great and this alive was a blessing that I wasn't going to take for granted. 

I had planned, earlier last year, to go to Oaxaca, Mexico for dark room therapy, but instead I had done a 10-day meditation retreat in Texas. Based on that experience, I was now ready for living in complete darkness for 4 straight days to experience enlightenment and everything else that came with it. I would finally be able to explore who I was, what I had become, and decide where I was going next...

I took a bus at 6:15 on a Saturday morning, it was windier than normal and I had arrived just in time to catch it. I was riding from McAllen, Texas to Reynosa, Mexico. From Reynosa, I would then have to catch a bus to Monterey, then a cab from the bus station to the airport and fly out to Oaxaca City at 11 in the morning; I would get to Oaxaca City at roughly 2:30 PM and get to my room by 3 PM. Getting to the hotel room, I checked in and immediately went for a shower. I was still buzzed from all the travel and excited to see what was happening in el centro (the center of the city); if you're not familiar with Mexican cities, they all have a center square where everyone congregates to celebrate. Celebrate what? Anything. Everything. Just being alive. 

There are street vendors selling raspas (flavored snow cones) with real fruit, artisanal ice cream, and various jewelry items that can only be found in the surrounding cities, but are brought to the city center where tourists normally go. The streets in the city are old, the buildings are older, and the churches are some of the longest standing in the world, but somehow, the citizens seem to keep it looking brand new with colorful homes and large holiday decorations. 

That night, I was able to visit some churches and cathedrals that were covered from entrance to end, from top to bottom, with painted religious carvings and images. There were statues hanging from pillars that ran down the sides of the massive monument, and everything seemed to shine like gold even though the lights were very dim. Outside, there were people congregated, taking pictures and celebrating a very colorful traditional Mexican wedding. Later, while walking through the busy town square, I ran into another procession for a wedding as it was leaving another church I was able to visit after they had cleared. The procession was like something out of a story-book, with two large puppets of the bride and the groom on large sticks that would be spun around to mimic dancing. There was a full band, with trumpets, trombones, snare drum, bass drum, and even a small string section in the middle of the procession and the real bride and groom followed by the rest of the entourage and random people following the celebration, because, why not? The ambiance was festive and everyone was celebrating in their own way. I was in a strange city, where I knew no one, and for the first time in a few weeks I was smiling. 

The following day, I visited three different locations around the city... (TBC)