318 Weight Room (1/2)
After the game, Coach asked us to meet up in the clubhouse. We all sat around, taking cleats off when he walked in with a frown upon his face. ”Not bad, boys. But also, not so good. I won't force a practice this afternoon. Instead, we'll hit the gym.”
Hit the what? What does that mean? I looked around and saw some of the guys looking relieved and others looked indifferent. Only Noah was upset.
Coach gave instructions to meet in the gym at 3pm and to tell our parents we'll be done by 5pm.
Noah looked even more distressed.
After Coach left, I poked him. ”What did he mean by gym? The one where we have Health class?”
Noah shook his head. ”No, he means the weight room. We'll be lifting and working out this afternoon.” He looked up at me with a sad expression. ”That means no more baseball today. By the time we go home, shower, eat lunch, there won't be enough time to do anything before lifting. Then afterwards it'll be showers again, dinner, and afterwards, there's no way Mom and Dad will let us go to the cages or play at the park.”
I patted his shoulder. ”We still have practice tomorrow.” I was satisfied with weight lifting. It couldn't be worse than running laps or something.
”Don't look so pleased.” Noah laughed. ”You weren't with the team in the fall so you don't know how bad it's going to be. I'll put you in my prayers.”
My jaw dropped. ”What? Why! Is it hard?”
”Have you met Zeke?” Noah joked, then patted my shoulder. ”Good luck trying to swing a bat tomorrow. Or run. Or move. Or just exist.”
”...are you joking?” I asked, hoping that he was.
Noah finished packing up his bag. ”Let's just say, I couldn't even get out of bed after my first day in the weight room. And that was with all the baseball players, not just the varsity team so you know they went easy on me.”
The corner of my eye twitched. That doesn't sound good.
True to Noah's prediction of the day, we went home and showered as Mrs. Atkins prepared an early lunch. We stuffed our faces...okay, I stuffed my face, then I took a nap. The twins went to the backyard and I'm not sure what Noah and Zeke did as I slept. But Noah was there to wake me to get ready for lifting.
Once we got to school, Zeke threw me a curve by parking in the upper lot near the gymnasium. I followed the four brothers as they walked to a building off to the side and almost unnoticeable except for the fact that we were walking to it. Zeke opened the door and waved the rest of us in just as other guys from the team started to show up.
Walking in, I was surprised to see the whole room to be fully furnished like a real weightlifting gym. They had all the stations to work on biceps, triceps, quads, hamstrings, and so on.
I looked to Noah, about to ask him how and where do we start, but the words got caught in my mouth. Noah was shifting from foot to foot, looking like he was on edge. He raised his eyebrows up and down at me, like he was trying to send a signal. Unfortunately, I didn't receive it. I just stared at him, bewildered at the faces he was making at me.
”What are you two doing...?” Dave asked, with Kyle next to him.
”It's like this...Jake is too shy to ask for help. He's embarrassed that he doesn't know how to work any of these machines. And I don't think it's appropriate if I help him since we're both freshmen.” Noah explained. Yet...I was even more confused. What's happening? ”And since there's going to be an odd number of players when pairing up, we want to be the group of three. That way we have an upperclassman to help us.”
The more he spoke, the more lost I felt.
Dave grinned at us. ”Say no more, I'll guide you two.”
A flash of disproval crossed Noah's face but it didn't last. He pasted a smile on while focusing on Kyle. ”Oh. Is Kyle not knowledgeable at lifting?”
”What!” Kyle joined in. ”Says who?” He elbowed Dave away. ”I'm the one who actually took weightlifting as a class. You brats would be safer with me.”
Dave glared at his twin. ”But-”