The New David Espinoza by Fred Aceves

Author:Fred Aceves
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

16

Twenty-one days until school begins

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO? Karina’s text reads.

She’s been texting from Miami as much as she did when she was here. I text her back that I’m at the gym, that I’ll text her later.

It’s a lonely feeling for me, I gotta admit, to only share the bare facts of my life, where I am and what I’m doing. I used to tell her everything and now I have to hide what’s become the most important part of my life—everything related to gear and what it’s doing to me.

I put the phone away and strap on the weight belt for legs day, still feeling soreness in my chest and arms as I buckle it tight. I love the pain in my muscles, how every workout lingers for days.

Tower also puts on his weight belt. He’s wearing pants, as usual, to cover up his nonexistent calves. They’re strong as hell from doing calf raises with a ton of weight, but he’s got that common curse. Some calves don’t grow no matter how much you train them.

He has an appointment for implant surgery though, and will be wearing shorts by the end of the summer.

Gaby is with Dad today so I don’t gotta worry about getting home in a big hurry. Don’t have to worry or feel guilty at all for lying to Dad, who actually trusts me. He believes I’m doing push-ups and other calisthenics in the living room.

After Tower finishes his warm-up set, I do my twenty warm-up squats.

“Let’s do this,” Tower says.

We load up the bar for his first real turn. Slide three big plates on either side.

“Where’s the vomit bucket?” I ask him. “Or do you plan on throwing up right here on the floor?”

I love being able to tease a guy as big as him without getting snapped in half.

“I finished my cycle, Little Man.” He slides a plate on his side. “Not that vomit would make this place much dirtier than it already is,” he adds with a laugh.

The floors do need a good sweeping and mopping. Alpha has been too bummed to do any cleaning around here. He got back the day after he left. Without Mindy.

Tower motions to reception with his bandana-wrapped head. “The guy’s a wreck.”

Alpha is at his laptop but not looking at it. His head is tilted up at the ceiling. He’s spaced out all the time now. Even when he’s walking around, giving somebody a spot or chatting people up, he’s not all there.

I never imagined that Mindy not coming back would mess up a tough guy like Alpha so bad. I’ll hang back after my workout to get this place in order. Help Alpha out.

I tell Tower, “He’ll be getting that forty-five thousand bucks from BeastMax Nutrition soon.”

“Money will cheer him up. Getting this place looking nice should cheer him up even more.” He enters the squat rack, back in lifting mode. “It’s go time.”

He gets under the barbell, all energy. We’re not going to let a sad friend keep us from going hard as fuck in our workouts.

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