A/N: Sorry it's been a while guys, I've had a few fics to try and finish off and I've been hitting the gym myself again lately so between that and work I haven't had much time or energy to write. I've got the next couple of chapters plotted out so they shouldn't take as long to get done. As ever thanks for reading and for the amazing feedback.
"Ok, so I'm pretty sure you're just teasing me now." I roll my eyes at Emily as I walk barefoot up and down her office for a third time. She's kneeling down in front of her desk and scrutinising the way I'm walking. She's already tested my reflexes and my balance; neither of which are great. Now she's supposedly checking how I walk. Though I'm pretty sure she's just making fun of me.
"I'm not, I promise." She laughs at me and finally gets me to take a seat again. It's a welcome relief. My knee is already starting to ache. It's been playing up a lot lately and yesterday's session on the treadmill hasn't helped much.
"You're knee doesn't seem very stable when you're moving. Is the pain mostly here in the front?" She gently presses her fingers against my knee, but even that slight pressure is enough to make me hiss. "The alignment of your patella looks a little off. If it's rubbing against your femur it can cause patellofemoral pain." I stare blankly at her. She might as well be speaking double Dutch for all I understand what she's saying. I got a 2:1 in Journalism at London's prestigious Goldsmiths University; yet I feel like an idiot as Emily has to dumb things down for me to understand them.
"The patella is your kneecap." She explains patiently; though she's not in any way condescending. "It can get misaligned if one of your quadriceps is stronger than the other side. So we should work on strengthening them all equally. These are your quads." She lists the name of the three quad muscles as her fingers run over them each in turn, and I struggle to repress a shudder as her fingers travel from my thigh all the way down to my kneecap.
"Show off." I mutter with a smirk. I've never felt so at ease with a healthcare professional before.
"I can name pretty much every muscle in the body." She teases with a grin of her own as she gets back to her feet and tugs me up on to mine. "Even your Sternocleidomastoideus!"
"Do I even have one of those?" I frown, having no clue what she's talking about.
She laughs again as she points to her neck. "They're a pair of muscles just here." After her little anatomy lesson she moves behind me and I'm on edge again as her hands find my hips. My mouth feels dry and it's hard to concentrate on what she's saying. God, it's been far too long since I last had sex. She's only touching me on top of my clothes and I'm already close to losing it. "I just need to check your mobility and your flexibility." She talks me through everything as she rotates my hips, raises and bends my arms, and generally checks the movement of all my joints. She jots down a little grade on the strength of each muscle as she applies a little resistance to them.
When she tells me to pull my thumb back against my wrist, supposedly to check my flexibility, it's a struggle. I feel the strain on the front of my wrist and shooting up my forearm as I try to force it back. "Ok, so you're not very flexible. We'll work on that." Emily laughs softly as she stops me from breaking my wrist. I've got a suggestion or two about how we could do that, but I'm guessing her idea is something boring; like yoga or something.
"OK, that's the initial assessment done. Mobility wise you're joints are in pretty good shape. I think what we need to focus on is cardio and strength training. Working on your cardio is good for your overall health, and with strength training you can keep your muscles limber. An aerobics class or yoga might be good for you too. I'll get you a timetable for the classes we have here." Emily promises to draw me up a training plan and e-mail it to me. We agree to two personal training sessions a week to get me started out, and since we've already seen each other twice this week she sets our next session for Monday morning. I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed that I'm not going to get to see her again for a few days, but the painful twinge in my knee has slowly grown in to a throbbing ache. I'm ready to call it a day and head home.
"Oh, wait! Before I forget!" Emily grins at me as I'm slipping my trainers back on and she disappears out of her office for a couple of minutes. She comes back with a T-shirt the same colour as her uniform. She proudly presents it to me with a wide smile and I can't help but grin myself. It has the 'Fitch Fitness' logo printed on the front in white and my surname on the back in big bold white letters. "We give them to everyone. Dad loves the free advertising." She laughs as I promise to wear it for our next session.
Despite the pain in my knee I'm feeling pretty good by the time I get home. I'm usually a little run down by the mid-afternoon and if I'm not working I'll take a nap to try and refresh my batteries. Today I'm wide awake though and I end up changing out of my work out gear, and in to some comfortable pyjama bottoms and the T-shirt Emily gave me. I spend the rest of the afternoon sitting in the living room with my laptop and working on some of the freelance writing I do to earn a little extra cash on the side. I'm still typing away when Effy finally gets back to the flat around dinner time. She's the manager of a local nightclub and mostly works nights, so I'm guessing she's been out with Freddie. The club where she works is where they met last year.
He was in the VIP area, having a night out with his mates, when he caught Effy's eye. She brought him back home and fucked him the first night she met him; which isn't all that surprising with Effy. When she brought him home a second time, now that was a shock. Effy doesn't tend to repeat performances, or relationships at all for that matter; for some reason Freddie's different. I rip him all the time for being engaged, but in all honesty he's been pretty good for Effy. Of course, I'd never admit that to the cheating sod.
"Hey. Good day off?" Effy asks, offering no explanation for where she's been all day. It's not like she needs to tell me anything anyway. I'm her flatmate, not her mother.
"It was pretty good. I went back to the gym today." I move my laptop to show off my new T-shirt. Effy glares at it, like I've just revealed I'm wearing a swastika or something; though she quickly lets her mask of indifference settle back on to her face.
"Fitch Fitness? What made you go there?" She picks up a magazine from the coffee table and flips through it as she asks me about the gym. She's trying to sound offhand about it, like she's only asking to be polite and to make conversation. Effy doesn't waste her words though and I'm instantly suspicious as I consider the question.
Why did I choose Fitch Fitness? There are plenty of gyms in Bristol; and a lot of them are probably cheaper and closer to where I live. I'm pretty sure I've heard adverts for them on the radio on my way to and from work and they maybe even advertise in the paper I work for. I shrug, unable to really answer her. I'm not sure what set me on the path to meeting Emily Fitch, but I'm pretty damn grateful to whatever it was. "I guess I just saw an advert or something?"
"Yeah. You must have." Effy replies cryptically as she gets up to change for work. "Just don't overdo it, yeah? I can't afford to pay your half of the rent if you hurt yourself."
"Love you too, Eff!" I call after her with a snort as she heads to her room. Her only reply is a two fingered salute back at me; like I said, Effy doesn't waste her words.
She pops her head back in to the living room to say goodbye to me before she leaves for work. After that, I'm alone in the flat. I put my laptop aside and decide to do some housework. I really do feel like I've got more energy today and I need to walk off the cramp in my legs from sitting for so long. I start by tidying up in the kitchen and putting in a load of washing. Whilst that's spinning around in the washer I hoover the living room and change the sheets on my bed. I decide to be nice and change Effy's too. We've known each other since college and we've lived together for almost a year. She doesn't mind me going in her room any more than I mind her in mine.
I notice a man's T-shirt lying on the bed and, if I was in any doubt about it being Freddie's, the name 'McClair' printed on the back confirms who it belongs to. Something about the white block lettering and the navy blue cotton seems familiar to me. Sure enough, when I turn it over I'm met by the sight of the all too familiar Fitch Fitness logo. Great! I've just joined the same gym as Freddie McClair! I must have subconsciously picked up on the gym's logo when he's been over here. Emily wasn't kidding when she said the T-shirts were free advertising. I guess I have Freddie to thank for me meeting Emily Fitch.
Despite having every intention of going to the gym for more than just my sessions with Emily I find it pretty hard to manage more than the two trips a week. I've never been all that active and my knees just seem to be getting worse with every visit. After three weeks of training with Fitch Fitness the twinge in my left knee has developed in to a full blown flare-up and the pain is practically intolerable. Emily suggested a knee support, but it's too bulky under my work trousers and it's hard to really move my knee in it when I'm at the gym; though I guess that's the point. I arrive early for our second session of the week, which is on a Friday afternoon. I'm already feeling tired and rundown from a long week at work and I've still got to get through a night out with Effy, Freddie and his best mate Cook tonight so I don't want to be overdoing it in training today. I already feel like my knee is about to drop off.
I scan my watch fob through the barrier at reception and throw a nod towards the young lad that works the desk when Barbie isn't on duty. He's a lot nicer than the plastic bitch and he usually makes an effort to talk to me. Most of the time it's to try and get my phone number, but at least he's polite about it. I head straight to the women's locker room to get changed. I've come straight from work, so for once I'm looking quite presentable in a tailored black suit and a fitted white shirt. I change in to my workout gear and shove everything in my locker just in time to see Emily walking in to the locker room. "Hey!" I go to wave at her, like an over excited teenage boy, and then realise it's not actually Emily. The Fitch standing in front of me has curly dark hair and is wearing far more makeup than is really necessary in a gym. It's Katie; Emily's twin. I've seen her around the gym a few times but I've never made conversation with her. She looks a bit chavvy to be honest.
She looks me up and down, obviously trying to assess whether I'm one of the more VIP clients of theirs. She comes to the conclusion I'm not as she takes in my battered Nike trainers. She doesn't bother to reply, just nods her head in my general direction. "I'm Naomi. I'm doing some training with your sister." I try to get a conversation going, hoping to befriend the older twin and maybe find out a little more about her sister. Like if she's single? Emily doesn't really give much away in our sessions, so even after three weeks of working with her I've still got a million questions about my tiny trainer.
"Oh, you're her little pet project." Katie replies snidely with a curl of her lips.
Her reply throws me off guard. It was the last thing I was expecting to hear and I can feel my fists clenching at my sides. "I think you'll find that's paying client." I snap back at her, her bitchiness bringing out my own less than pleasant side. I don't actually pay for Emily's services, but I'm hoping she doesn't know that. I'm saved from her retort when the door opens again and Emily rushes in. She's wearing a pretty summer dress and sandals. The sight throws me as I've never seen the other girl in anything other trackies or shorts.
"Hey, sorry I'm late! I went out for lunch and lost track of time! Hey Katie, have you met Naomi?" Emily turns to her sister breathlessly as she kicks off her sandals and starts tucking her jogging bottoms on under her dress.
"Charmed." Katie shoots me a sickly sweet smile for Emily's benefit. I think it's fair to say neither of us likes the other.
Emily doesn't miss the look we give each other as Katie slips out of the locker room. "Was she being a bitch to you?"
"I thought that was the selling point of your staff here?" I tease and she rolls her eyes at me.
"Just ignore her. She's just got her knickers in a twist because the bloke she's seeing might be cheating on her." Oh fuck. I'm not sure why but my thoughts instantly turn to Freddie and that damn T-shirt of his. I've never bumped in to him in the gym yet, but it hasn't escaped my attention that his fiancée might be someone who goes here. I hope to god that it's not Katie Fitch; I have a feeling she'd rip me a new one if she found out I knew about Freddie and Effy.
"Really? Does she know for sure, or does she just suspect something?" I probe, trying not to be too obvious about it as Emily pulls her dress off over her head and exchanges it for her polo shirt.
"He's done it before." Emily shrugs. "I don't know why she took him back the first time. If you ask me, people like that don't deserve a second chance." I make a noise that could be seen as me agreeing with her and busy myself with tying the laces of my trainers.
"How are you doing today?" Emily asks me. The question is perfectly innocent, but I can't get Katie's 'pet project' comment out of my head.
"Fine." I huff. It's a lie. My knee is aching and I've got a migraine starting behind my left eye. She looks at me doubtfully and I know she sees right through me. "Ok…so Katie said I was your 'pet project' and it pissed me off, ok?" I admit, knowing all too well that it will just gnaw away at me until I talk about it.
"Katie's a bitch." Emily's stark honesty regarding her twin surprises me, as does the little smile playing on her lips. God this girl is adorable. I'm supposed to be pissed off at her, but it's hard to keep up when she's grinning at me.
"I've talked about you a bit, that's all. Not in any detail about your condition, I've just been doing a bit of research in to what kind of training might help." She shrugs and it's pretty endearing that she's going out of her way to help me. She does keep sending me e-mails with links to articles on FMS and how a healthy lifestyle can help with pain management. "So, really, how are you?"
"I feel like someone's taken a sledgehammer to my kneecap…sorry, my patella." She laughs at my subtle dig as she leads me to her office.
"Is that knee support not working?" Emily had been the one to suggest the athletic support.
"No. It just feels like it's making it worse, it digs in when I bend my knee." I roll up the leg of my jogging pants to show her and she drops down beside me to inspect it.
"Hmm. You might do better with a patella band, but that won't support the whole joint." Emily pokes and prods at my knee. She might be nice, but she's still a physio and they're never happy unless they're prodding at something. "I've got something we can try, it's more lightweight and it gives a better range of movement. Hop up on the bed."
"Why are you always trying to get me in to bed?" I tease, enjoying the flush that spreads over her cheeks as she shakes her head at me. I do as I'm told and hop up on to the examination bed that sits in the corner of her office. Emily rummages through the storage cupboard on the other side of the room and comes out with a roll of what looks like pink and black tape. "Bondage tape? I'm not sure how that will help me knee, and honestly it's not really my thing."
"You're incorrigible, do you know that?"
"Oh, I know that word!" I beam at her and her laughter lights up her whole face.
She rolls up my pant leg above my knee and places the tape and a pair of scissors down on the end of the bed beside me. "So what is this stuff?" I pick it up to inspect the pink roll of tape. I have a habit of picking things up. I can't help it; I just have to touch things.
"It's kinesiology tape. It's like sports tape, but it gives more movement whilst encouraging blood flow and muscle recovery. You probably saw it a lot during the Olympics, all the coloured tape over the athlete's bodies?" Emily starts cutting strips and layering them over my bent knee. She makes a Y shape with the pink tape, starting mid-thigh and taking it down to my knee cap, where she takes the two ends and curves them around my kneecap. After that she takes a band of black tape and secures the pink tape at the top of my thigh and the bottom of my knee.
"That's it?" I frown at the colourful tape. "That seems pretty simple. How's it supposed to help my knee?"
"It's not as easy as it looks. I had to take a course on how to stretch and position the tape right. It costs like three hundred quid!"
"Wow, you were robbed." I smirk as Emily shoots me a playful glare. "Try the tape for a few days. You'll see it's worth every penny. It's waterproof so you don't need to worry about showering with it."
"Hmm." I'm still not convinced, but I'll give it a go. "If this works you know you're taping my entire body up right?"
"I'll start with your mouth." Emily challenges. I knew there was a reason I liked this girl.
She takes me through an easy cardio routine in the main room of the gym, knowing that I'm not up to anything intense. "Doing anything this weekend?" I ask casually as we do a warm down on the floor mats. If I had a pound for every time Emily's mentioned the importance of warming up and cooling down to me, well it would probably be enough to pay for my gym membership, that's for sure.
"Not much. Just a quiet Friday night in front of the TV with my cat Pepper." Oh god, I hate cats. Force a smile, Campbell!
"Cool. I'm going out with a few mates…you should come." I shrug, trying to seem indifferent about the invite. I'm still praying that Freddie isn't seeing her sister, but if she accepts my offer to come out I can always ask him about it before Emily shows up. I'm not going to let that cheating prick get in the way of my love life; even if said love life is non-existent at the moment.
"Oh…I would, but it's been a pretty long day. Maybe some other time?"
"Sure." I force a smile even though she's blowing me off. I suppose she's at least doing it nicely. "I should probably get going or I'll be late."
"Ok." Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but she looks a little disappointed as I get up to leave. "I'll see you Monday then… and don't forget to let me know how the tape works! Just don't try to pull it off yourself, that stuff hurts like a bitch when it comes off." Great, now she tells me!