Chapter 89: 89 | You Can’t Out-Lift a Bad Diet
Jordan’s stomach growled through the last five minutes of Econ. Dr. Jones finished the GDP breakdown with the same enthusiasm as someone reading a phone book, dismissed class exactly at 9:50, and vanished through the side door before most students had even closed their notebooks.
Kyle appeared at Jordan’s elbow the moment Jordan stepped into the aisle.
"You absolute bastard."
Jordan raised an eyebrow.
"You ghosted me this morning," Kyle continued. "I waited at the gym for fifteen minutes like an idiot."
"My alarm didn’t go off."
"Your alarm has gone off every morning for three days straight."
"Today was different."
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. Then understanding dawned and his expression shifted to pure disgust.
"Oh my god."
"What?"
"You were with her."
Jordan said nothing.
"With her," Kyle repeated. "In her bed. You slept through the alarm because you were exhausted from—"
"Kyle."
"No wonder you’re glowing." Kyle shook his head. "You’ve been getting laid for like seventy-two hours straight and I’m over here doing lonely push-ups at six in the morning."
Jordan grinned.
Kyle punched his shoulder.
They walked out into the hallway where Leo was waiting, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and an expression that suggested he had been thinking very hard about something uncomfortable.
"I need to talk to you guys," Leo said.
"About what?" Kyle asked.
"Lunch. Let’s go to the union."
The three of them walked across campus to the student union building. The food court buzzed with the lunch rush. Jordan got in line at the salad place, Kyle headed for the burrito spot, and Leo disappeared toward the burger counter.
They reconvened at a table by the windows fifteen minutes later.
Jordan set down his market salad with grilled chicken and a blue Powerade. Kyle dropped a massive protein bowl loaded with chicken, black beans, rice, and enough hot sauce to strip paint. Leo arrived last with a tray containing a double quarter pounder, large fries, and a chocolate shake so thick the straw stood straight up.
Kyle stared at Leo’s tray.
Jordan stared at Leo’s tray.
Leo sat down.
"What?" Leo asked.
"That," Kyle said, pointing at the burger, "is why Alexis doesn’t take you seriously."
Leo looked down at his food. Then at Kyle’s bowl. Then at Jordan’s salad.
"Oh," Leo said quietly.
"Yeah." Kyle speared a piece of chicken with his fork. "Oh."
Leo picked up a fry. Put it back down.
"I thought about what you guys said yesterday," Leo started. "About Alexis. About how she’s out of my league."
"We didn’t say that," Jordan corrected. "We said you need to stop trying to buy her."
"Same thing." Leo pushed the fries around his tray. "I went home and looked at myself in the mirror. Like actually looked. And I realized you’re right. I’m soft. I don’t work out. I eat like shit. Why would a girl like Alexis want me when guys like Cameron exist?"
"Cameron is an asshole," Kyle pointed out.
"Cameron is six-two and built like a Greek statue," Leo countered. "I’m five-eight and built like a potato."
Jordan bit into his salad. Chewed. Swallowed.
"So what are you asking?"
Leo looked up. His expression was completely serious.
"Can I work out with you guys?"
Kyle’s face lit up immediately.
"Hell yes."
"But," Jordan said, nodding at the burger, "you gotta lay off the double quarter pounders."
Leo looked down at his lunch again. Looked at theirs. The contrast was brutal.
"Dieting is ninety percent of the battle," Kyle added. "You can lift all day but if you’re eating garbage you’ll never see results."
Leo picked up the burger. Stared at it like it had personally betrayed him. Set it back down.
"Starting tomorrow," Leo said. "I’ll start tomorrow."
"No." Kyle reached across the table and slid Leo’s tray away. "Starting now."
"Kyle, I paid for this."
"And you’ll pay for a salad instead." Kyle stood up. "Come on. I’m walking you back to the counter."
Leo looked at Jordan. Jordan shrugged.
"Man’s not wrong."
Leo sighed. Stood. Followed Kyle back toward the food court like a condemned prisoner.
Jordan ate his salad in peace. Checked his phone. Chloe had texted a selfie of her and Kumiko setting up camera equipment in her apartment. Both of them were wearing cat-ear headbands. Chloe’s blue streak caught the light perfectly.
His chest did something warm and stupid.
He saved the photo.
Kyle and Leo returned. Leo now carried a sad-looking grilled chicken salad and a bottle of water.
"This is depressing," Leo said, sitting down.
"You’ll thank me when you have abs," Kyle replied.
They ate. Leo kept glancing at Jordan’s salad like he was looking for moral support.
"It gets easier," Jordan offered.
"Does it?"
"No."
Leo groaned.
Kyle laughed. Then his expression shifted. Thoughtful.
"I’ve been thinking about something else too," Kyle said.
"What?" Jordan asked.
"Boxing gym."
Jordan paused mid-chew.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Kyle leaned back. "Cardio is good but I want to learn how to actually fight. Self-defense. Confidence boost."
"Knowing you can kick someone’s ass does wonders for your self-respect," Jordan agreed.
"Exactly." Kyle pointed his fork at Jordan. "You should come too."
Jordan considered. He had the Tune Up trait keeping his body in peak condition. Adding actual fighting skills to that would be...
Useful.
Very useful.
"Sure," Jordan said. "Leo?"
Leo looked up from his depressing salad.
"You want me to get punched in the face?"
"Sparring has headgear," Kyle said. "And you said you wanted to improve."
"I meant like...running. Lifting."
"Fighting teaches discipline," Kyle pressed. "Footwork. Reflexes. Makes you move like you own space instead of apologizing for taking up oxygen."
That last part hit different.
Jordan watched Leo’s face. Watched the idea settle.
"Fine," Leo said. "But if I die, I’m haunting both of you."
"Deal." Kyle grinned. Then paused. "Actually I’ve been researching gyms. There’s one in Huntington Beach that does MMA classes too."
Jordan raised an eyebrow.
"MMA?"
"Mixed martial arts. Boxing, kickboxing, grappling."
"You just want an MMA muscle mommy to choke you out."
Kyle’s ears went red.
"That’s not—"
"It absolutely is," Jordan said. "And honestly? I don’t blame you."
Leo choked on his water.
Kyle flipped Jordan off but he was smiling.
"We can check some out next week," Jordan continued. "See which one doesn’t smell like a locker room fucked a morgue."
"Poetic," Kyle deadpanned.
They finished lunch. Leo kept making sad eyes at the burger counter. Jordan felt a little bad for him.
Only a little.
Kyle checked his phone.
"I’ve got a lab at one," Kyle said. "You?"
"Sociology at one," Jordan replied. "Then I’m done."
"Lucky." Kyle stood. Grabbed his tray. "Text me about the gym thing. I’m serious."
"Will do."
Kyle left. Leo lingered.
"Thanks," Leo said quietly. "For letting me work out with you guys. I know I’ve been...a lot."
"You threw me under the bus for a girl who doesn’t know your last name," Jordan said. "But you apologized. We’re good."
Leo nodded. Stood. Picked up his tray.
"Starting tomorrow I’m gonna be better," Leo said.
"Starting today," Jordan corrected, nodding at the sad salad. "You already started."
Leo looked down at his tray. Smiled. Small but real.
"Yeah. I guess I did."
He left.
Jordan sat alone for a minute. Finished his Powerade. Checked the time.
12:47 PM.
Sociology started at 1:00 PM.
He grabbed his bag and headed across campus.
