After that she has done it correctly and I came back and continued my workouts. While leaving the gym, she gave me a small smile and I returned the same.
From that day onwards while doing some new exercise she will give me a look and if it is correct I will smile back and if it is wrong I will correct. 6 days passed since our first meeting.
The following day was my chest day at the gym. I arrived early and started my workout, and a few minutes later, she also arrived. She approached me and mentioned that it was also her chest day. So, we decided to take turns using the machine.
Every introvert on Earth becomes an extrovert, but only within their comfort zone. I could sense that I was getting closer to her comfort zone, as she started to open up.
She: Why did you join the gym? Your body didn’t seem to be overweight, so I was curious.
Me: I’m trying to establish a new routine for myself.
I completed 15 reps of the bench press, and then it was her turn.
She: Can you please help me with the barbell?
I assisted her with 10 reps. Then, it was my turn again.
She: So, was the previous routine a bad one?
Me: It seems like it. (with a gentle smile)
She: Alcohol?
Me: Yeah.
She: Smoking?
Me: Yeah, that too.
She: Ah, I see. How’s it going now?
Me: Thank you. It’s going well. I just started a month ago.
I finished my set of barbell presses.
Me: What about you?
She: Simple. I want to lose weight.
Me: Okay. How long do you plan to be here?
She: Just two weeks.
Me: Alright.
That was our first conversation. She wasn’t very dedicated in the gym. Unless you have immense motivation, it can be tough to work out alone. In her case, what she lacked was a good source of motivation.
For the next two days, I couldn’t make it to the gym due to a busy office schedule. The third day was Sunday, and I could only return to the gym on the following Monday.
I headed straight to the gym and began my workout. As I exercised, I couldn’t help but search for her in every corner of the gym, but she was nowhere to be found. After a while, she finally walked into the gym and a wide smile instantly appeared on her face when she saw me. She made her way over to me.
She: What happened? Why did you take leave?
Me: I had a busy schedule at the office, that’s why I couldn’t come.
She: Alright. Where do you work?
Me: I work at Cyber Park.
She: Oh, so you’re an IT professional.
Me: Yes.
She: Okay then, let’s continue with our workouts. We can talk later.
In the gym, everyone is focused on their own workout. People come, exercise, and leave without interacting much. It’s a busy environment where making friends and chatting is rare. However, I was lucky to meet someone who was willing to have a conversation. That’s how we became friends.
Chapter 2: Friendship is a Blessing
The person going through a breakup is someone who dislikes being alone and staying silent. So, her friendship was a great relief for me after Nithin. However, our friendship was strictly limited to the gym, and our conversations mostly revolved around workouts and gym-related topics.