***I do not own any names you recognize as WWE Superstars. I only own the OCs.
Chapter One
Sitting behind the front desk of Jungle Fitness was my thing five days a week from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon. It wasn't the best thing to do but it kept my lights on and me in school. The upside is I could walk about and text as I pleased, the downside is the males that came through who thought their sweat would make them more attractive to me. When they find out what my name is, it makes them lean a little closer and grin a little harder.
My boss is a friend of my father, he's like an uncle to me and pays me probably more than he should but I'm not complaining. The place is big enough that my co-workers don't bother me unless they have a member with a question.
"Good morning there sweetheart."
I looked up from the computer to the three guests staring back at me remembering to smile.
"Sure," I replied smiling wide. "Just tell me what you guys need and I will try my best to help you gentlemen."
"We were looking to get a tour of this place. If that's not a problem."
That was another part of my job that I wasn't exactly thrilled about. Jungle is a very nice facility, two stories of state of the art machines but I hated having to repeat myself over and over about it several times a day.
Before answering them I looked around for another worker that could possibly do it. They were all busy. I agreed, telling me they could follow me.
"Say, what time does this place open close, sweetheart?"
Finally looking at the three men before me I noticed the one that had spoken to me seem to be the oldest of the bunch with dread locs. The second one was stocky, built like a body builder that doesn't overdo it and the other had deep dimples like mine and a bushy ponytail. They all shared the same mocha brown complexion.
"First things first my name is Halo." It took everything I had not to roll my eyes at them. Nicknames became my pet peeve after working here for the last three years. "And to answer your question, we're open 24/7 except on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve to New Years Day."
"My apologies. I'm Kofi," he says gesturing to himself. "This is Xavier," he explains pointing to the guy with the bushy ponytail. "And that's E."
"E? Like the letter," I ask as we begin to walk through the archway of the facility.
"E like the letter," Kofi repeats.
I nod deciding to leave it alone. They were weird enough for me already.
"Or you can call him Big Wool," Xavier suggests.
After pointing out the downstairs snack bar to them I put my focus onto Xavier.
"And why would I do that?"
The three of them let out a chorus of 'why' for maybe a solid minute before noticing I wasn't the least bit amused by their theatrics.
Xavier cleared his throat as they laughed before answering me. He raised his left hand to the corner of his mouth as if he were about to yell.
"Because he's a heavy sweateeeeeer!"
For some reason or another that one tickled me. Probably because I did notice that E (like the letter) was sweating more than usual and we had just started the tour. And I'm quite sure it was not that warm in here.
"Funny," I tell him continuing walking down the corridor, "Down here we have our machines. There's about 500, maybe a little more. Andrew is always adding more."
"Andrew?" E asks finally speaking up.
"The owner. His name is Andrew, you guys will meet him and see him quite a bit if you guys decide to go with the membership."
I took them through the maze of machines, to the three indoor basketball hoops and the locker rooms on the first floor. Then the outdoor courts and pool before taking them upstairs. They laughed and made jokes along the way, I admit they were a lot funnier than most of the other guys I've given tours to.
"If you guys have kids we have a clubhouse that you can check them into while you work out. If you don't then we can skip this area." I stood in front of the door to the clubhouse waiting on an answer from one of them.
"Well, we don't," E said gesturing between himself and Xavier.
Kofi raised his hand slightly telling me had a son and would like to see the area. Opening the door, I heard gasps behind me. As most people do. The clubhouse is two stories but the entrance is on the second floor. It's as big as Chuck E. Cheese, if not bigger but very well organized.
"So, say someone without children wanted to come and enjoy this part of the facility. Would that be acceptable?"
With a squint of my eyes, I stared E down trying not to laugh at the smirks he and Xavier had on their faces.
"Um, no. The adults aren't allowed in here with the children unless they're parents."
Kofi poked fun at the other two, having a good laugh. I cut in wanting to get back to the front desk, no matter how funny they were I still wanted to get this tour over.
"But we do have a game center for adults down the hall," I explain ushering them out of the clubhouse, "It has arcade games and multiple consoles."
"Consoles as in what exactly?"
Xavier seemed to perk up hearing about the center. He was smiling way more than he had the entire tour.
"I honestly don't know what's what in there. I'm not really into games," I tell him softly, "I could show you though. Maybe find you another employee that does."
"No, no. You're fine, you can show us though."
Getting to the open room with more than 20 or 25 games not including doubles. The room was empty considering it was only thirty minutes before noon so I didn't bother to follow behind them when they started looking around. The room was a magnet for the members who loved gaming. Probably more than the pools.
"This room here," Kofi called out standing beside the private room.
"That is a private gaming room. There are two others on the other side of the room. All the consoles that are out here are inside the rooms as well."
"So how do they work? Are they first come, first serve?" Xavier asked meeting Kofi beside the room.
"No, you can book them at any time with a twelve-hour time limit per room. We rarely have people do it because there are so many out in the open," I tell them cutting on the lights in the room, "But we get gamer groups sometimes who like to relax in peace between workouts."
"I don't know about these two, Halo but I'm in. You almost loss me 'cause you don't like games," Xavier said with a smile, "But this room redeemed you."
"This room and not the workout equipment?"
"Oh, she's funny. I like her," E said wiping his forehead, "I'm in. What about you, Kof?"
He agreed still looking around the room at the games on the wall.
"Great so let's get back downstairs and do the paperwork. It's really simple."
Even though they were a little weird to me at first they turned out okay. Not like the other male members here at Jungle. Like a breath of fresh air. Once we got back to the desk I saw that the other girl who works alongside me helping guests, I spoke as I passed her to get the paperwork for the new members. I sat them at a table so we could go through it all together.
"The first page is just basic information about you guys, nothing major. The second is asking about employment and contact information."
I sat waiting for them to finish the pages and pass them to me for their folders, checking them to make sure nothing was missed. When they passed me their second pages, I looked it over for a second.
"Tell me to mind my business but what is this company that you guys work for?"
"World Wrestling Entertainment." Kofi tells me looking down at the third page.
"Again, tell me to mind my business. What is that?"
All their heads popped up simultaneously with confused looks. They all looked at each other then back to me. E laughed a little to himself. "I knew you were funny. You can't be serious right now."
They all laughed but I continued giving them a blank stare to show them that I'm serious with my question. "She's serious guys," Kofi said cutting their laughter short, "You've never seen Monday Night Raw? Or Smackdown? We're wrestlers."
"Never seen it. Sorry," I tell them with the sincerest smile, "So it keeps you in the Orlando area?"
"First you don't know about games now you don't know about the WWE Tag Team Champions, The New Day. For shame. But yes," he confirmed, "It does."
They looked sort of offended with a hint of a smile on their lips. It was funny to me because I really had no idea what they were talking about.
"I'm sorry, Xavier. I didn't mean to offend."
After they got through the paperwork, I took them back to the front to get them their cards and sign Xavier up for the private game room for a few weekends. As they were leaving out, I followed behind to take my break.
"This really is a nice facility," E joked, "They walk you to your car and everything."
"Funny. I'm going on break actually but you guys enjoy your wrestling and what not."
Branching off from them I went to my car to go to my apartment down the street for my break and relax. One of the perks of this job is having my apartment so close. It was only five minutes away, eight with heavy traffic.
The whole way there the new member with the bushy ponytail was on my mind. Even though I had no idea what WWE is he was interesting to me. Well they all were, he just stuck out a little more. Something about him got me but I would keep that to myself.
Once I was home I put some leftover spaghetti in the microwave and googled the guys. Starting with Xavier. The very first video I found was of him, Kofi and E inside a ring with some really tall guy and a shorter guy with crazy blonde hair. They were about to fight over a trombone named Frannie, I think they said. It was weird for sure but funny.
I made a note to mention it to them the next time I see them.