Cassies New Workout Pt 01

Author's Note: All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

I know that gym stories are pretty common in the Interracial category, but I thought I'd give one a go. Hope everyone enjoys the adventures of Cassie and the team of trainers that work at her gym.

All comments and feedback are welcomed.

HF

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Cassie pushed through the heavy glass door of Pulse Fitness Center, the faint, but lingering, scent of sweat, rubber mats, and industrial cleaner rushing to greet her. She paused just inside the doorway, both literally and metaphorically shaking off the tension from her day as the faint hum of workout machines and clinking weights filled the air. I can't believe we just spent three hours talking about a compliance model and framework... and still didn't agree on it... she thought irritably to herself, doing her best to try and rid herself of the stress from her job.

As a corporate compliance officer for a medium-sized financial services firm, Cassie had no illusions about the enjoyment she derived from her job -- it was a paycheck, nothing more, nothing less. A decent enough one, she reflected as she closed the door behind her. At least for LA.

An Arizona native, Cassie had moved to California after she'd finished college several years earlier. It had seemed like a great idea at the time, a way of putting her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Arizona to use. And for the most part, it had been. She'd managed to land an entry-level job, a small, but comfortable apartment, and, best yet, a handsome boyfriend.

Of the three, she only retained her apartment. Building on the internship experience she'd gained at a bank back home in Phoenix whilst at college, she'd been able to secure an entry-level job at a bank in Los Angeles as a junior analyst. Two years later, she'd moved across to the financial services firm where she now worked, slowly moving up the ladder in the corporate compliance division. It wasn't what she wanted to do long-term, but it was good enough for the time being, while she got her life back in order.

Ethan had moved in with her eighteen months ago after they'd met and hit it off at a party three years earlier. Three long years. Three long years before she'd finally had enough of his dismissive attitude towards her career and her life in general. Of course, it had started perfectly, but soon things started to creep in -- the subtle references, the little demands. With his high-flying career as a commercial real estate agent, Ethan had considered her career to be "just glorified paperwork" he'd once told her. Cassie had been fairly certain that if he'd had his way, she would be sitting at home popping out babies for him.

She'd finally had enough of his attitude -- the fact that he'd belittled the stress she felt from her job had been the last straw. The heated argument hadn't been a memorable experience; in fact, she wanted to forget it ever happened. She'd broken up with him on the spot -- telling him that she'd had enough. Unfortunately, it seemed that this had brought out his true colors and he'd refused to leave. Or, it seemed, to accept that their relationship was over.

She'd given him an ultimatum; get out of her apartment, and her life, or she would call the cops and have him thrown out. Wisely, Ethan had chosen the former, lest the whiff of scandal mar his impeccable reputation in the real-estate industry. Fortunately, they'd never gotten around to putting his name on the lease and, although Cassie felt the sting in her wallet from him leaving her life, she felt better about it in the end.

Now it's about me... not his stupid ideas about how I should behave, she thought. One of the first things she had done after dumping Ethan was to decide to get serious about her fitness again. She'd been toying with the idea of getting back to exercising for several months, even before she'd broken up with Ethan. She'd realized after the breakup that for the last couple of years it had been too easy to focus on work, on her relationship and on trying to please Ethan.

She'd been a runner at school and had represented the state in diving. Now she wanted to rediscover her previous joy that she had found in exercising. It wasn't as if she was unfit or overweight but, living in such an image conscious place like Los Angeles, there had always been a little voice in the back of her head comparing herself to the legions of perfectly groomed women that surrounded her.

No, I'm doing this for myself, not for anyone else, she decided as she did a search for gyms near her apartment, pushing the negative thoughts from her mind. Cassie was pleased to see there were several to choose from and she had selected Pulse Fitness Center as she had recalled passing by it several times and it was an easy walk from her apartment, meaning she could work out on the way home from work in the late afternoons and early evenings.

She'd signed up online a few days earlier, the confirmation email had told her to collect her pass at the front desk for her first visit. Coming directly from work, she was still dressed in her normal corporate attire, but with her athletic gear in the small bag slung over her shoulder. Time to get into it, she thought to herself. She hoped this would be the tonic to revive her -- a way of getting rid of some of the tension from work and the lingering anxiety from her breakup with Ethan.

Cassie's heels clicked softly on the tiled floor as she made her way to the front desk, where a young receptionist was working. The Latina woman looked up from the computer and gave Cassie a friendly little smile as she approached. "Hey there," she said. "Can I help you?"

Cassie returned the smile. "Hi, my name's Cassandra Landry. I signed up online the other day. The confirmation email said I should collect my pass from the front desk on my first visit."

The young woman glanced down at the computer screen and started to tap at the keys. As she did, Cassie's eyes glanced around the reception area. Everything seemed new and clean; it was clear that the staff ran a tight ship. She glanced over the staff name board on the nearby wall, seeing rows of fit young men and women, all smiling at the camera. Hmm, a couple of are pretty cute, she thought to herself before she turned her attention back to the receptionist who was rummaging in a small box on the counter.

"Here you go," she said, handing over Cassie's laminated pass. She quickly explained that once she had changed, she just needed to go see one of the gym's trainers who would run her through the correct and safe use of all the equipment as part of her induction. The receptionist pointed to the small desk further into the gym where the trainers worked. Cassie gave her a polite smile and nodded as the young Latina finished explaining the rest of the gym's rules and moved away towards the change room to get changed out of her clothes and start her induction and workout.

As she made her way into the center, she passed the other counter, clearly where the trainers worked from. Behind the counter, two fitness trainers -- one, a slim but toned White man with blonde hair, and the other, a shorter, stockier Latino man with dark brown skin. Both had broad shoulders and matching scowls -- they were muttering to each other while gesturing discreetly toward a group of women near the squat racks.

Cassie followed their gaze.

The influencers.

The latest curse of the social media generation. It wasn't hard to spot them -- three women, two White and one Black, all with unnaturally perfect faces, their gym clothes coordinated down to the precise colors and exact locations of the seams. Every detail flawless, ready for the next picture-perfect shot or video to be uploaded to their social media accounts. Each one of them had a phone propped on a small tripod, filming as they posed more than lifted, their exaggerated smiles faltering between takes.

Cassie grimaced, her lips pressing into a thin line. They're not even sweating. Although attractive in a 'girl-next-door' way, she'd always felt a touch insecure about her appearance since moving to LA and living amongst all the perfect looking people she saw every day. She pushed the thoughts of the fake women from her mind. Fuck 'em, she thought to herself. She adjusted her shoulder bag and walked briskly past the scene, the clack of her heels swallowed by the sound of thudding treadmills and pounding music.

As she moved further into the gym, her gaze flickered to another group of trainers. There were three of them, all Black men, all gathered near the weightlifting platform. She caught their eyes -- dark, sharp, and observant. They were watching the influencers too, their expressions similar to the other trainers at the front counter. The oldest-looking of the group, a towering man with close cut black hair on his head, crossed his tattooed arms over his chest and smirked faintly as he leaned against the wall.

Another, with long cornrows tied neatly back, looked her way and gave her a friendly nod, his expression less intimidating than the others, before turning back to what was evidently an ongoing conversation with the other two men.

The third, shorter but just as muscular, grinned widely when their eyes met, his energy practically radiating across the room.

Cassie gave a quick smile and nod in return as she passed by them, unsure why their attention unsettled her. They weren't doing anything wrong; they weren't even looking at her inappropriately. If anything, their expressions were polite -- friendly even. But there was something about the three of them that made her pulse quicken. Maybe it was their relaxed confidence, or the fact that they didn't seem to care about the influencers in their gym.

She adjusted her bag again and continued towards the changing rooms, weaving through the maze of machines and other patrons. Before she entered the changing room, she quickly glanced back briefly at the three Black trainers. As she did, she had a subtle feeling that things were about to change in her life.

Inside the change room, the fluorescent lighting was too bright, washing out the dull grays of the benches and lockers. Cassie chose an empty corner, setting her bag down with a sigh. It had been too long since she'd seen the inside of a gym. She'd maintained a reasonable figure but had spent too much time sitting at her desk, too much time walking on eggshells around Ethan over the past few months, all of it had added up and she knew she wasn't where she wanted to be physically or emotionally. Hell, I might as well add sexually to the list too, she though as she unzipped her bag.

She hadn't slept with anyone since kicking Ethan out of the apartment -- if fact it had been several weeks before that since they'd last even slept together, their relationship deteriorating towards the end so that it was perfunctory kisses between long silences and heated arguments. Now, all she had to comfort her at night was her favorite purple vibrator. Damn, Cassie thought to herself, as she remember how it had died several nights earlier just as she was on the verge of a much-needed climax, I really need to get some new batteries for Mr. Buzz.

Opening her bag, Cassie pulled out her workout clothes -- a pair of gray leggings, a black sports bra, and a loose white tank top -- and placed them neatly on the bench. She'd gone all out and bought new Lululemon gear the day after she'd dumped the last of Ethan's possessions outside her front door for him to collect. It had been almost cathartic for her to go shopping and buy something for herself for a change.

Reaching up, she pulled her hair from the professional bun she wore for work and shook her head to allow her hair to come free and fall over her shoulders and down her back. She normally wore it up in a bun or low ponytail whilst at work as a way of keeping it out of her eyes so she could focus on the interminable spreadsheets or compliance checklists she worked through every day.

Kicking off her black pumps that she wore for work, Cassie sat down to rub her feet, the dull ache of a long day still lingering in them. Her toes throbbed slightly from being confined all day. Truth be told, she liked them too, despite the pain from wearing them. Reaching up behind her neck, she unclipped her gold necklace and slipped off her earrings, placing them carefully into the small pouch she always carried for her jewelry. These had been gifts from her parents. All of the jewelry that Ethan had bought for her had been sold at a local pawn shop several days earlier. It wasn't much to represent three years but at least that will help with the rent for a while, she thought.

Right, I'd better get on with this, she thought as she started to get changed. As Cassie began unbuttoning her blouse, her thoughts idly drifted back to the Black trainers that had been standing outside in the main workout area.

They're all just so... at ease. She frowned slightly, pulling the crisp white fabric from her shoulders. It wasn't just their looks, though they were all undeniably attractive in their own ways. It was their presence -- calm, collected, and clearly unfazed by the influencers and their antics. They were all comfortable in their own skin, in who they were. She harrumphed softly to herself; unlike Ethan, who seemed obsessed with how people looked at him and perceived him.

Cassie folded the blouse carefully and tucked it into her bag before standing up and unzipping her navy slacks.

You've never really been into Black guys, Cassie.

The thought came unbidden to her mind, and she paused for a moment, frowning. It wasn't that she had anything against them, but growing up in a conservative household in Phoenix, interracial relationships had always seemed... uncommon. Something that someone else did or had. She didn't have many Black friends as a child, and the only Black boy that she had been somewhat close too in high school had transferred out halfway through junior year.

And then there was Ethan.

Cassie sighed as her thought shifted back to her ex-boyfriend as they had time and time again since the breakup. You've got to get him out of your mind, she told herself as she stepped out of her slacks and folded them beside her blouse inside her bag. But it was hard to forget. She and Ethan had been together for three years -- three years of what she'd thought was a solid, stable relationship. At least that's what she'd told herself at the time. But the cracks had started to show long before the breakup. He'd dismissed her career, belittled her stress, and constantly undermined her efforts to better herself.

Like when he laughed at me for wanting to get back into the gym.

The memory made her cheeks flush with embarrassment and shame, even now. What did I ever see in him? She recalled how Ethan had scoffed at her resolve, muttering something about how she'd quit before it made any difference.

Well, here I am.

Cassie slipped on her leggings, tugging them up over her hips and adjusting the waistband until they sat comfortably around her waist. She unclasped her lacy white bra next, allowing her pale, full breasts to swing free as she dropped it in her bag. As she did, her light pink nipples pebbled in the cool air before she covered them with a snug black sports bra, its racerback design giving her 34C breasts a little extra support. She pulled the white tank top over her head and turned to give herself a once-over in nearby the mirror mounted next to the lockers.

The reflection that stared back at her through her hazel colored eyes was of a lean, but somewhat curvaceous young woman with light, ash-blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders. Her skin was fair with a scattering of freckles across her shoulders and nose that added to her 'girl-next-door' image.

At 5'7" and weighing 145lbs according to her bathroom scales, Cassie reflected that she looked... decent. Her curves were flattering but not exaggerated, and the leggings smoothed out the slight bump of her stomach. She turned to the side, noting how the tank flowed loosely over her hips. Hmm... not great, but certainly not bad.

Still, part of her couldn't help but compare herself to the influencers outside -- flawless skin, flat stomachs, perfect symmetry. She glanced again at her reflection, taking in the slightly dark circles under her eyes, the sheen on her skin from too many hours sitting in front of a computer that even her make-up couldn't hide. Those influencers didn't look like that -- their make-up was perfect, exquisite, their bodies toned and tight. Hell, even the trainers in the gym looked like they belonged in a fitness catalog.

Stop it, Cassie. You're here for yourself, not anyone else. Her expression tightened slightly, a more determined look replacing the one of regret and envy.

Grabbing a hair tie from her bag, she quickly tied her hair back into a low ponytail before slipping on her white socks and trainers, lacing them tightly on her feet. Standing up, Cassie took one last look in the mirror before grabbing her water bottle, towel and phone. She placed her bag in one of the lockers and locked the small door. Right, let's do this, she thought to herself.

However, back on the gym floor, Cassie felt a wave of self-consciousness creep over her, despite her best efforts to beat the thoughts down. The mirrors lining every wall reflected her from all angles, and she fought the urge to tug at her tank top. Oh, my God... I look so pudgy... she thought before she pulled herself together. Stop it, Cassie! You're here... that's what's important! Screw what anyone else thinks about you!

With a determined gait, Cassie made her way over to the trainer's counter on the far side of the gym. The White trainer had gone. She could see him talking to a client in the far corner, demonstrating a technique. The Latino trainer was still standing there, his attention now focused on some paperwork in front of him instead of scowling at the influencers. He looked up as Cassie approached.

"Hey," he said with a smile in accented English. He's cute, she thought, almost automatically, then pushed the thought away. He looked good, perhaps too good, as if he spent as much time looking at his reflection as he did working out. Still, he was pretty good looking, she decided and filed his face away in her memory in case she needed something to think about when she was alone in bed with Mr. Buzz.

"Hi," Cassie replied. "I was told by the lady at reception to come see you guys. It's my first time here," she explained.

The trainer nodded and picked up a card and a pen. "Have you worked out in a gym before?"

"Yes, but... it's been a while," Cassie admitted.

"That's no problem. I'll give you a quick demo of the equipment and then you should be right to go on your own. Ok... so, what's your name?" he asked as he leaned over to fill in the card.

"Cassandra Landry" she replied, and he wrote her name on the card. "Cassie."

"Cool, nice to meet you, Cassie. I'm Miguel," he said as he stood up and picked up the card. "Let's start over here on the running machines, we'll then go through the weight machines and free weights. What sort of goals or activities are you looking to get into?"

Cassie paused. "Probably a bit of everything, to be honest. Just want to get back into shape. I've been spending too much time sitting down at work..." she said with a rueful expression.

"Happens to the best of us," Miguel said with a grin. "Ok, so I'll give you the demo of everything, sign you off to say your safe to use it all and then you can decide what you want to do. If you want, one of us can set you up with a program if that'll help?"