Fitness World

     Today was the day Lana could start listening to the advice provided by Tina on recommendations for places to visit in their neighborhood. On their walk the previous night, she had pointed out her gym, noting that they had a referral program. If Lana mentioned her co-worker's name during sign up, they would each get a discount on their monthly rate.

It had been a while since she had worked out, but Lana was excited to get reconnected with a part of herself she had sacrificed for her marriage. Danny never liked her working out, claiming it would only make her more attractive to other men. He liked her weak and docile, but that was never who Lana envisioned herself being.

     The morning breeze felt great on her skin as she trotted down the steep streets winding through her neighborhood like a maze. Every new route memorized gave her a renewed since of confidence, and another connection to the city she was growing to love.

     Everyone seemed so nice thr city always eager to help her. In a way she thought it was a good sign that this would be the place that things finally worked out for her.

     The instant she opened the door to the twenty-four-hour fitness center, Lana was insecure, wondering if her gym clothes exposed too much skin. No matter how badly she wanted to break free of the mental shackles placed on her in her marriage, it was a process to let go of old habits.

    Wearing only a tight pair of black yoga pants, a pink sports bra, and a large black muscle shirt, she knew she might garner the type of attention she wasn't looking for. But it was a gym, so she had to dress in the uniform.

    From what she could see, there was a check-in line at the receptionist area, and then a long tunnel that led to the gym. Peeking through the group of people, Lana tried to see if the gym had the equipment she preferred, when a young blonde woman approached her.

"Hey, I'm Violet! Welcome to Fitness World," she smiled, extending her hand to Lana.

    She was confident and direct, looking right into Lana's eyes as she introduced herself. It took a certain level of confidence to do something like that, and she was aware that it was something she no longer possessed. 

    She used to be so sure of herself, marching into any room with her head held high. But after years of Danny's abuse, it was like she could barely recognize herself. Meeting this woman who reminded her of a younger version of herself, Lana remembered something else that had faded away as they shook hands.

    Violet had the kind of grip they taught in business schools. It was firm and strong, and Lana instantly admired the woman. She wanted to reclaim her strength, and a gym felt like a safe place to do it, but she was still intimidated.

"I just wanted to see what you had to offer. I've just moved a few blocks over," Lana nervously pointed in the direction of her apartment.

"Oh, that's great. I'd love to get you all signed up and get you going," Violet smiled.

   She was almost too energetic, and Lana began to wonder what kind of supplements the woman took.

"I'm not sure I want to sign up for a long commitment yet. I just want to see if this is somewhere I can see myself working out," Lana explained, hoping the woman wasn't offended.

   She didn't want to waste her time, but she knew how self-conscious she could be.

"No worries. I can get you started on our free one-week membership, and then if you like it, we'll upgrade you," Violet suggested, holding her hands in the air.

    Weighing over the options, Lana thought that a trial was exactly what she needed. A poster on a back wall displayed a schedule of group classes, and she wondered if she could make new friends in a yoga class.

"A trial sounds good," she nodded, speaking more to herself than Violet.

"Great! I'll just need your ID,"

    Lana flipped her backpack onto the counter and dug for her wallet. "Oh, I wanted to mention that my friend Tina referred me," she added, as she handed the license to Violet.

"That's great. What is your friend's name? I'll add it to your profile and if you upgrade, they'll receive a discount," Violet explained.

   "Her name is Tina-" Lana's words faded as she tried to remember her co-worker's last name. She knew she had seen it written somewhere at the bakery, a weekly schedule or trainee handbook, but now her mind was drawing a blank.

"Tina Santos?" Violet asked. When Lana only squinted in response, she continued. "Red hair? Works at the bakery around the corner?"

"That's her!" Lana pointed excitedly.

"Everyone knows Tina, she's so nice whenever she comes in. I'll make sure to add her to your profile. Now, go ahead and sit tight for a moment. I'm going to input all this real quick, then I'll come out and give you a tour of the gym," Violet said.

"Okay, great."

    Sitting in the colorful lounge area, Lana was beaming with pride. She had gone out of her comfort zone coming into the gym and it was all turning out to be a great idea. Violet was so friendly, she thought the two of them could even be friends.

     Everyone felt like family in her new neighborhood, and everywhere she looked, new possibilities seemed to appear. Before long,Violet appeared with a laminated name tag. Lana's first and last names were printed in bold black letters, and beneath that was a barcode.

"This feels very official," she noted, running her fingertips over the plastic.

"I was hoping if I went all out on the nametag you'd upgrade without even seeing the gym," Violet joked, and the two women laughed as they made their way down the long tunnel of Fitness World.

    Before you entered the glass doors leading to the gym, there was a smoothie station. Two women worked behind a counter with baskets overflowing with fresh fruits stacked on a back table. A line of people waited for their smoothies while Violet explained the benefits.

"Here at Fitness World, we're serious about getting your health in order. The sad truth is, you can work out in our facilities seven days a week and still not be healthy, and that's because what you put in your body is equally as important as what you do to it.

"We offer a team of nutritionists to help you best determine the right course for you, but almost all plans encourage you to implement smoothies and juicing into your diet. Here, all Fitness World members can enjoy one smoothie per day, included in their membership!"

    Violet announced the perk of joining like a proud parent. It was pretty impressive to Lana, especially since she could see the workers using nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables. Trying to keep her poker face, she nodded and smiled before following Violet inside.

    As soon as she stepped inside, she understood the name of the gym. It was like another world with all the different machines, equipment, classes, and even a vegan restaurant. Unlike other gyms she had been to,

    Fitness World wasn't overly crowded or stuffy. There was more than enough room for everything, and although she didn't say it then, Lana felt she would upgrade the membership.

"So, is there anything else I can show you? Any questions?" Violet asked, after she had shown Lana everything there was to see.

"Well, which of these areas is for women only?" she asked, unsure of the rules. Danny had made sure her old gym had a gender-based separation so she wouldn't be seen by men as she bent over or stretched into positions that could be seen as provocative. 

"We have separate locker rooms, but all the workout areas are co-ed. Is that a problem for you? We have very low tolerance for any type of sexual harassment if that's what you're worried about," Violet added quickly, feeling the sale beginning to slip away.

"No, no. It's not a problem," Lana lied. "Where is the women's locker room?"

"Right down that hall," Violet pointed to the right.

"Thanks so much for the tour," Lana smiled.

"No problem. I'll see you around, Lana.."

   Now, alone in the massive gym, Lana  Reign felt like the new kid in school as she entered the locker room as quietly as possible. To her surprise, it was empty and far too fancy for an ordinary gym. It resembled a spa bathroom more than a locker room, and she added it to her growing list of reasons to upgrade to a membership.

     After securing her backpack in a locker, Lana  returned to the gym, ready to get started.

    Enthusiasm quickly turned to fear as she looked around the many rooms, intimidated by the options. Deciding to start where she felt most comfortable, she picked the room labeled 'Cardio' and picked a treadmill.

     When she was younger, Lana was the star of the track team in high school, so running had always held a special place in her heart. A smile swept across her face as she slipped one ear bud into each ear, starting her BTS album as the treadmill picked up pace.

     Above the music, she could hear her feet hitting the rubber, and the rhythm was intoxicating. Nothing cleared her mind like a good run, and with each step she continued to dream of what a life in Taguig City could look like for her.

     Tina had been so helpful pointing her in the direction of the gym, and now that she was liking her experience, Lana wondered what other recommendations she might try out. Even without a car, there was so much to do and see in the few blocks that surrounded her new home, she was beginning to feel excited.

     Lost to her thoughts, the speed continued to climb until Lana was running at an all-out sprint. What was a fun and relaxing exercise had quickly shifted to panic as the same anxiety from the night before crept into her belly. Slowing the machine, she took one deep breath after another until she felt herself calm down.

     She hated that an activity she had loved so much had been ruined by her constant state of fear. It was impossible for her to run without thinking about someone chasing her, and that was unfortunate.

    Still, Lana wanted to push forward and exercise, so she switched rooms instead. There were less people in the weights portion of the gym. A group of young guys in a corner turned to the door when she walked in, but she was grateful when they went on with their workout after a short wave.

     Looking at the shelves of weights, she reminded herself that most of her fear was in her head, a side effect of paranoia. She didn't need to worry about men trying to approach or attack her. It was all unwarranted fear.

    These were the words she repeated between deep breaths as she lifted ten-pound dumbbells while squatting. Her muscles strained with every motion, and she loved the burn. It was the release she had needed after such an intense week.

      Since leaving Danny, Lana often found herself needing a way to blow off steam so that she could focus on what was important-rebuilding her life. As she watched her reflection bend and lift in the mirrored walls, Lana felt like she was finally on the right path. 

    Things were working out even better than she had anticipated, and she truly believed the future would only get brighter. Her first-grade teacher used to say that after the rain comes the harvest, and Lana was feeling herself begin to blossom.