Breakfast was uneventful; a calm after a romantically stormy day. I had left all of my homework due in the upcoming days in a neatly assorted pile on my desk, awaiting to be turned in. It was Monday. Needless to say, it seemed like it was going to be a relatively stress free day. That was, until my musings were interrupted by the noise of a chair being dragged across the slick, clean floor.

“Dude, so I heard about yesterday.” It was Dan.

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal? You got your ass dumped before the date even started. Man.” I looked over at my roommate. His eyes stared at me, but the sincerity was unable to mask the devious glint that also flickered within his oculi.

“I wasn’t expecting anything different. She was way out of my league,” I said, my face still emotionless.

“She wasn’t way out of your league. Just a bit,” He frowned. “She wasn’t too attractive either.”

“I’m not hurt about yesterday, Dan. You have to leave me alone.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“I know what you want. No. What you need.”

I replied with an inquiring “Oh” but the one thought that was actually going through my head was “Please. If its another girl, I swear…”.

“Oh is right. This is gonna solve your mood.”

“What mood?”

“Please. Now, give me a chance to explain.”

I didn’t respond.

“Good. Now anyways. So I know about how you guys think, almost as good as I know how girls think; when you say ‘leave me alone’ you actually are meaning to ask for the opposite.”

I tried to butt in to correct him but Dan’s assertive voice ruled out my shrill one.

“So, since you want my help with this, I’m gonna take you on a trip to the fitness center. Nothin like lifting a crap ton of metal to solve emotions.” He looked over at my arms, and the pathetic biceps limply attached to bone. “Anyways, you could use some buffin up. Be ready in 15.”

He got up, heading back to the hall, probably to get another protein shake. I looked down at my arms, flexing and trying out my unused strength. I groaned. “Oh God.”
* * *

It felt like an alien world, and the people inhabiting it certainly were strange enough to be considered extraterrestrials. Muscles I never knew existed bulged under the strain of machinery and weights.

Dan had arrived earlier than I had, and this was the first time I had ever witnessed my roommate in his true element. His face was serious; his brow furrowed and lips frowning in concentration. With each arm, he was curling weights that I couldn’t lift with both hands. He continued for a while, but when it seemed like even his muscles had reached their limit he stopped, and noticing me, walked over to the entrance of the fitness center.

“Hey Erik. You ready?” His voice had regained its energy.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good. That’s the spirit.”

He promptly led me into the center of the facility and handed me a pair of weights. My knees buckled when I attempted to heave them up, but after a brief period of exertion I managed to keep myself steady.

“Ok. Now I’m gonna teach you the rules of lifting.” Dan reached for the weights he had been lifting previously.

“Rule number one: don’t hurt yourself.”

“Well, that’s easier said than done.”

“Please, I’ve been lifting for years and literally never hurt myself.”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so, bro. Anyways, rule number two: pick stuff up and put stuff down.” He provided a visual example and began pumping iron.

I followed suit.

My arms burned, despite using weights fractions of the size of Dan’s. Energy drained from muscle, I pushed onward, attempting to sustain the effort for as long as my roommate. I looked over as I suffered. Veins I didn’t know even existed bulged from his arms, which, under exertion, took on the appearance of steel cords.

And as quickly as it had started, the first set ended.


“Dan, why do you do this to yourself?” I massaged my arms, loosing up the tense tissue.

He smiled. “It’s fun.”

“How on earth is intense pain fun?”

“Well, books aren’t fun either.” He looked over at me, heedlessly throwing the banter my way.

“They don’t require physical exertion though.”

“Please, they literally strain my eyes.”

“Wear glasses then.”

“Oh really? Well, break’s over. Buddy. Time for some bench-pressing.” He smirked as he led me over to the next station.

“Oh God, Dan.”

“Don’t worry Erik, this is more fun than curling, I’m gonna start you off on some lighter weights too.”

I shifted my feet as Dan readied the bar.

“Well, come on over. It isn’t gonna lift itself.”

I lay down, took a deep breath, and pushed forward.

There was an instant opposing force; pressing down on my chest. My muscles straining to keep the weights level, I slowly brought the bar close.

“Good, good. Now, push it up again.” Dan was standing by the weights, his arms hovering over metal.

I groaned in response.

Pushing forward, the bar began to rise. Inch by inch, it made its ascent. My pectoral muscles seemed devoid of energy, as if they had suddenly lost all reason to live. I furrowed my brow as my arms became fully extended. My elbows locked, bringing a brief few seconds of respite. I looked over at Dan.

He was on his phone.

My arms suddenly gave way; the metal bar of impending doom came crashing down upon my chest. I heard a sickening crunch as it connected and then a burst of pain. Dan was there, as if the adrenaline of seeing his friend flattened had given him superhuman speed.

I felt the relief as the weight was lifted, but I still grimaced. Inhaling, the pain in my lungs was replenished as invisible knifes gored my respiratory organs.

“Dan,” I wheezed. “What the Hell?”

“Dude! Bro. I’m sorry, man.” His eyes were wide.

Each breath and spoken word caused more burning in my chest. “What. The Hell. Were. You doing?”

“Well, my girlfriend texted me.”

“F*** you, Dan.”