When I first started working at the gym, I stood out right away, in a good way. People commented on how hard I worked. James once told me that members would stop him and comment on how great of a worker I was multiple times a day. James also told me that he liked when I was there because he never had to worry about what the club looked like (minus the ladies' locker room, of course).
A few months into the job, I was pretty comfortable with how things were going. I started working out regularly and with intensity, and my body showed the results.
I would come into the club, and people - co-workers and members alike - would come to talk to me. It really made me feel welcomed. For the first time since the good times with Tommy, I felt like I had a place where I belonged.
There were gorgeous men (and women) everywhere! Besides the belonging, the eye candy was the best part about the gym.
I remembered one day when I had gone upstairs during the midday lull to do some deep cleaning in cardio. I put each machine on its highest incline so that I could raise them up and clean underneath the machines.
As I was doing my work, this guy I had seen, always at this time of day, named Spencer, walked up to me.
His body was INSANE!
At any given time, Spencer could walk into the room and easily be the biggest guy in there. I had seen him from a distance, but we never really talked more than 'hi'. He had tattoos everywhere, even on his face and hands. I had seen him with his shirt off a couple of times, and when I tell you he had such a defined set of abs. Like forget a 6-pack; he had a 12-pack. His chest and abs were also covered in thick, coarse, dark fur.
He also had a girlfriend... rather a series of girlfriends... Every month, there was a new girl. Every girl was beautiful, fitness model status, you know, sculpted and thicc.
I had the treadmill lifted off the ground, and I was mopping underneath it as he approached me.
"Hey dude," he said to me.
"Hey man!" I replied.
"I just wanna say thank you for always being on top of everything. The gym was always super clean when you were here."
I was surprised by not only him verbalizing his appreciation but also his friendliness. He had a very unfriendly, untouchable disposition at a glance, but talking to him, he had humility that was intoxicating.
He smiled and reached out his hand. "I'm Spencer," he said.
I told him my name as I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
After that, Spencer and I would talk a bit more than just 'hi' or 'sup'. Once when I was working out, he approached me and gave me some pointers on my form, which revolutionized my workout. When he left, he said, "Anytime you need advice or anything, let me know."
I loved the way he dressed too. Jordans, joggers, cut sleeveless shirts, or hoodies. Ball cap or beanie. His looks were always on point.
He would even introduce me to his girlfriends from time to time. He was just such a cool guy. Maybe like a year or two older than me, but with so much lived experience, he felt much more mature.
Needless to say, I had a big crush on him. But alas, he was straight, so I knew that I could look, but I dared not show interest outside the bro-verse.
Spencer left my gym. I was super bummed about it. But he said it was getting too expensive, and there were many other cheaper places to work out.
Months went by, and I didn't see him. I had put him out of my mind. I also was moving up at the club a bit. I had started to work the desk and was a safety monitor of sorts.
One day I was coming down the hallway, and saw a beautiful girl approaching me. Big tits, long flowing dark hair, she dressed in the Victoria's Secret Pink label (this was back when that brand was huge at the gym). She had a trim waist and very thicc... assets.
Her beauty was eclipsed, however, by a large shadowy deity looming up behind her.
I staggered in surprise.
"Spencer!?" I gasped to myself. They were down the hall, so I'm sure he couldn't have heard me.
But he saw me.
He stretched his arms as if to give me a long-distance air hug, "Bro!"
We met in the middle of the hallway. I told him it was good to see him again and asked if he had re-joined. He said he had not, but his girl had a guest pass. I was again a bit disappointed but still so happy to see him.
He suggested that we work out some time and gave me his number. I played it cool, but was shook with excitement. He made me feel things I didn't know I could feel again.
Spencer made me feel hope.
At this point in my life, I had just gotten used to the city. I knew what I could afford, where to shop. I had a job that gave me a sense of regularity. And while I didn't think it would happen... I could be alone in my room at night, thinking about Tommy (my best friend... not a story that I've published here, but it's detailed on the podcast), and not cry.
And the truth is... It wasn't just him, but the fact that I had new friends. New scenery and people that would enter my dreams at night. Suddenly my high school life just didn't seem relevant to who I was anymore. I was shedding a skin. And it all happened without me willing it, or even noticing it.
Spencer texted the next morning on my day off.
Sup
Nothing dude wyd
Chillin, wanna work out ... I'm thinking legs?
I was excited and nervous. While I was in good shape for once in my life, I knew I couldn't keep up with Spencer. My fat kid spidey-senses were tingling but I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to be with him.
I met him upstairs in cardio, pretty close to where we first met. I hopped on the adjacent treadmill and began to warm up with him.
To my surprise, I could keep up with his workouts. I have very strong legs and back, probably from all the time spent on Tommy's farm ...and re-racking the free weight room.
One of our last stations is the squat rack. This is a workout that I don't do on my own. It makes me nervous.
He loads some plates on, and as the workout progresses, he has me spot him because he's going until failure. Which means that as he squats, I stand behind him and squat with him.
When it was my turn, he kept pushing me, "One more bro you got this." On my last set, my legs are pretty much jelly and I start to tremble.
"Oh fuck!" I exclaimed just as I tried to come back up. I looked at him in the mirror standing funny with a nervous look on his face.
"You got it?" He asked. Clearly I don't got it.
"Help me!" I managed to say. Finally, he sprung into action, standing behind me and lifting the bar.
On my way back up, my ass grazed his crotch, and I felt something warm and very hard. I set the bar back in position and looked back. Spencer was beet red and his hand covered his bulge. When our eyes met he had a look of panic on his face. I collapsed against the side of the rack not trying not to fall out completely, then finally lay down on the hard rubber floor.
I didn't say anything. I just lay on the ground not sure that I wouldn't need a wheelchair to get out of here.
"Great save," I managed to say. He didn't acknowledge my sarcasm. He wouldn't even look at me, even though I was practically lying at his feet.
Despite all of this a smile has grown on my face. He's standing there, with his hands clasped together, very nonchalantly covering his hard-on.
I reached up, "Give me a hand will ya?"
He looks down at me with an 'oh, give me a break' expression.
I laugh. The situation was hilarious to me, and very flattering. I laid on my back and rotated my hips to show my ass. "It's better than pre-workout." I said, giving it a playful slap.
