Skip the warm-up and head straight for the free weights

You shrug. Who needs warm-ups, right? You go straight to the dumbbell rack, grab some 25s, and start doing curls like you're trying to convince someone you're stronger than you are.

Your arms burn faster than you'd like. You catch your reflection in the mirror and adjust your stance, but it doesn't help much. You’re stiff. Cold muscles. A few reps in, your elbow clicks.

A guy in a stringer tank walks by with three plates on each side of his barbell. Nobody notices you. You put the dumbbells down and rub your shoulder.

You keep pushing, putting on some of your favorite music, and finally you get into a decent groove. You start with some lateral raises, then hammer curls, then try your luck with some incline bench presses. It works, sort of. The burn feels good. You fall into your own little trance.

At one point, you catch a glimpse of the blonde college girl walking past toward the treadmills. Crop top riding high, spandex shorts clinging to her hips. She doesn’t look twice, but right before she turns away, she tosses a brief glance your way. A tiny smile. Maybe. Or maybe you imagined it. Either way, you straighten up and try not to look like you’re sweating already.

Nice.

You notice Lina leaving.