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Fit vs. Fat

By: TheTalkMan



 (This story is posted on the Literotica website. Do not repost anywhere else without the author's consent. Thanks to my biggest fan for the idea for this story. For fans of my stories, they know what kinds of things to expect. This story deals with similar themes as the stories by wannabeboytoy, seducedHylas, and Dark Betrayal, namely cheating, betrayal, and heartbreak. If stuff like that isn't your cup of tea, then you probably shouldn't bother reading it. I do not condone any of these actions in real life. This is just a story. One last warning, this story is a long one. Enjoy.) 

(Shannon)

I had been told Alexis was the best personal trainer in town. My best friend Heidi had recommended her, and since I had seen the results first hand, I believed her. Heidi had dropped about 30 pounds since she'd started training with her, and had gone from having a few spare pounds to looking trim, tight, and hot. Heidi had gone from struggling to get guys to having multiple guys vying for her affections. I was envious of all the attention she was now getting, and that probably contributed to my decision to seek out a personal trainer so I could lose weight. But I wasn't doing this to get a boyfriend. I didn't have to worry about that. I was already married. 

I had met Ben in college, at the gym ironically enough. I would never claim to be a gym freak, but I liked to keep myself fit. It was as I ran around the track that I got talking to this absolute hunk. I could tell just by looking at him that he spent a lot of time at the gym. And the gym had treated him well. His body was chiseled, and I almost drooled when I saw him with his shirt off. His face held up its end of the bargain; he was gorgeous! He had a youthful, friendly face, and a shaggy hair-do that made him seem a little wild, a little rebellious. 

I saw a bunch of girls vying for his attention, but he brushed them off deftly. I couldn't blame him. They were the typical trashy gym rats, who use going to the gym as an excuse to dress like a skank. That wasn't my thing. I dressed in clothes a normal, healthy girl would wear. I got the impression that that wasn't his type of girl, and he was used to brushing them off. I had the feeling he was looking for a nice, regular girl. A girl like me. Plus, I knew I looked darn cute in my gym clothes, so I didn't feel too out of my league by making conversation with him. 

Luckily for me, we hit it off! Watching the shocked looks on those gym skanks faces as me and Ben walked out together was one of the best moments of my life. As I got to know Ben, I realized he was no meathead. He was something more. He was an athlete, but he didn't let that stop him pursuing a degree. He had gotten a football scholarship, but he had torn up his knee during his sophomore year, effectively ending any hope he had of going pro. I don't think he would have gone pro even if he hadn't been hurt; it would have been a waste of his intelligence. He was smart, articulate, and a hard worker. He told me over coffee that he wanted to be a teacher. He was perfect. I was smitten right away.

I was nowhere near as fit as he was. It would be hard to compare to him in that sense. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a girl with curves. Unfortunately, they were not the curves most girls wished for. Sure, my waistline had increased over the past few years, but that growth did not translate to my cup size. I had been firmly in an A-cup bra since I was 15. It had always been aggravating that my boobs just stopped growing. 

I had always been self-conscious about my breast size. I hated to admit it, but I had always been jealous of girls with big boobs. I hated the way they would parade them around, and get all the boy's attention. I hated them, but I had to admit I would do the same if I had a big rack. Now, thinking about it, that may have been the start of my issues with weight. I think there was some part of me that wanted to gain weight in hopes my boobs would get bigger, but obviously, that's not really how it works. My weight had always fluctuated, and finally in college, I felt like I had finally matured into a healthy, curvy frame that I felt suited me well. Sure, I had a few extra pounds, but I was not going to let myself be one of those skinny little bitches. I had always been told I was stunningly pretty. I would admit I had a pretty face, and I always kept my blonde hair fashionable. Plus, I was fun to be around. And also, a lot of guys like a nice, big butt. I was a real woman, and I found a guy that appreciated it.

My affection towards Ben grew the longer we were together. My friends didn't believe me, but we never fought. We were both too easy going to raise our voices or get mad at each other. We were a perfect match.

We married when we were both 25. I could tell a lot of my friends were envious that I had landed such a catch. I had overheard some conversations about how a fitness freak like him could be with a curvy girl like me. I always laughed when I heard this. Those girls that said stuff like that were all single while I was married, so they clearly didn't know what they were talking about.

Now, at 27, he looked as good as he did when I first met him. He was still as fit as he was during his college days. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about me. I don't know if I got complacent, or if it was just stress, but I had put on a few pounds. I wasn't fat or anything. I just had a few extra pounds. Typically, when I got stressed out, I ate. I was a stress eater. I was a manager in retail, so stress came often.

For awhile, I wondered if Ben was into girls with a little weight on them. I noticed that even though I had gained some weight, he was as interested in me as ever. But the more I thought about it, I realized he loved me for me, not my looks or body, which was great. But every so often, I got the impression that he wanted me to lose some weight. He would never be so blunt about it, he was too nice. He would ask if I wanted to run with him or go to the gym with him. It wasn't in a demanding way or anything like that, he was just offering. He cared about my health and well being.

So that's what brought me to today. I wanted to get back into my college shape for our third wedding anniversary. I had mentioned to him that I was interested in getting a personal trainer, and he volunteered to go to the trainer alongside me. He didn't need any help staying fit; he would just be there to support me. So I asked around, and came up with the name Alexis Winters.

Heidi had recommended her to me first, but I had heard her name from other people as well, and they all said the same thing; she was the best. 

Alexis was a bit expensive, but I knew it would be worth it. I knew the only way I could succeed at losing weight was if I had someone motivating me, and I knew Ben would not have the time to be there as often as I would like, so I needed someone who would be there to help me as often as I needed. 

I needed a personal trainer. 

Now, I had also heard some rumors about Alexis Winters. Heidi had told me that I had to be tough and have a thick skin if I wanted to succeed with Alexis, and others had said much the same. From what I had been told, she was something of a harsh taskmaster. I was told that she and I would never be friends and that I wouldn't want to anyways, but she would get me to lose weight. That's good, because I wasn't looking for a friend. I was looking for someone to help me lose weight. 

Besides, how bad could she be?

I had the day off, so I decided to schedule a meeting with Ms. Winters at the gym she ran to see if she would take me on as a client. 

Alexis worked at one of those franchise gyms, called "Fitness Masters." It was nestled between a Starbucks and an Apple Store in the most upscale part of downtown, and from the look of the stylish black and white facade, fit right in. It looked as clean and new as the day it had been built.

Stepping through the precipice of the automatic door, I surveyed the expanse of the floor. It was the size of a warehouse, filled with an astonishing variety of gleaming, expensive looking, exercise equipment, almost every station occupied by young, attractive and obviously well off gym-rats, straining and stretching, huffing and puffing, working hard at maintaining their youthful vigor and attractiveness.

It was as I walked through the gym that I was reminded of the aspect of the gym I hated; the people. I could almost feel the other gym-goers staring at me with the arrogant, judgmental, eyes of youth, scoffing at me just because I had a few extra pounds and pale skin. I could feel a nervous sensation like butterflies in my stomach walking through the maze of tanned and toned gym-rats, suddenly feeling like I was an alien in unfamiliar terrain; that I didn't fit in here. 

But I pushed those feelings aside, and reassured myself; there was only one person whose opinion I cared about, that that was Ben. I refrained from making eye contact and made my way back to where the trainer's offices were. 

I checked in with the secretary, a pretty little thing who rudely eyed me up and down when I'd told her I was here for an appointment, and after a few minutes wait, I was told that Alexis was waiting. I walked down a hallway until I saw her name next to an open door. I walked in too introduce myself.

Walking through the door, I surveyed her office. It was sparsely populated, evidence that she spent little time actually in the small room, nothing on the walls, nothing on the desk other than her laptop; no pictures of family or personal items. There were a couple of cabinets and a closet, but other than that, the office was devoid of any sort of character or personality; it felt cold and impersonal. The small room was very utilitarian; every object served a specific purpose and there was nothing extraneous or frivolous. 

I knocked tentatively, drawing the attention of the woman sitting behind the desk, lazily working on her computer. She looked up at me as I entered.

"Alexis?" I inquired, that feeling of butterflies returning. She stood from behind her desk, allowing me to take her in for the first time. I was immediately startled by how voluptuous she was. I know saying someone is voluptuous can sometimes imply they have a few extra pounds, and Alexis did...in a way. Unlike me, though, who had some extra pounds on my waist and stomach, all of her extra weight seemed to have gone to her tits. I couldn't help but openly gawk at them. They were absolutely massive; just huge! 

Alexis' impressive breasts stretched the tight tank top that adorned them to the max, almost threatening to burst free from the restrictive material which struggled to contain them. 

Like I said, all of her extra weight went to her tits, because as my gaze drifted south, taking in the rest of her curvaceous form, there was not a bit of fat to be found on her. 

Her exposed belly showed off smooth, taught, abs and an almost impossibly trim waist, which seemed at odds with the wide, dynamic, curve of her hips. She had long, tan, firmly muscled, legs, left exposed by her tight exercise shorts. Her arms looked firm and strong, her biceps tight, her shoulders solid. She wasn't too muscular, like a lot of those female bodybuilders. She was fit but she still maintained her feminine curvature. Her body was clearly in shape, but she still maintained the softness that was attractive to men. Her body was, in a word, perfect...ideal even.

I tore my eyes away from my assessment to look up to her face just in time for her to greet me. I blushed slightly, all to aware that I'd lingered on her for too long.

"Hello," she announced impassively. No smile crossed her lips, and her dull grey eyes were cold, lifeless, and unblinking, staring penetratingly into my own, unreadable. My immediate impression was that she seemed cold and disinterested; bored even. There was no fire or light of any kind behind those eyes, which was a shame since she was absolutely beautiful. She had a gorgeous face, her smoky eyes seemed to invoke mystery, her lips plump and full, a perfect shade of pink; she had the kind of beauty that required no makeup to enhance. She wasn't a woman like me, who had to spend 30 minutes in front of a mirror each morning to make sure her makeup looked perfect. Her bronzed skin was perfectly tanned all over, adding to her allure, as she seemed to almost glow against the cold fluorescent light that illuminated her office, a stark contrast to dullness of her eyes. Her dark brunette hair was long and shined like satin as it moved animatedly, brushing her shoulders. It didn't look styled, as if she had spent hours in a salon. She didn't have to bother. She was one of those girls who was blessed with great hair. Falling in waves past her shoulders, mostly straight but with a bit of a curl, not overly styled or fussed with, just naturally perfect.

It was a little bit unnerving that a woman so naturally gifted with beauty would project such a cold and off putting aura, but I was told to expect that about Alexis; she's all business.

She turned and walked back to her desk as she motioned for me to sit down. This allowed me a quick glance at her butt, and I shook my head once I saw it. It was perfection, much like the rest of her. A perfect, firm, heart shaped ass that rode high and tight, begging to be appreciated as it rolled teasingly from side to side. Her body was unbelievable. If her training could enable me to get anywhere close to that body, then it would be well worth the money, worth the sweat, worth the tears, worth ANYTHING. Her body was proof positive of how good she was at her job; she was a walking testament to her own dedication and expertise.

"Hi!" I said brightly, hoping to make a good impression.

"How can I help you, Mrs. Hallaway?" Alexis asked, her smooth voice blasé, her lids heavy with disinterest. Frankly, I was a bit offended.

"Well, I am hoping to trim a little fat and get down to my college weight for my anniversary." I explained. She lazily looked me up and down, quickly assessing my figure through my bulky clothing.

"Okay, so about 30-40 pounds then?" she asked.

"Well, I don't know if I need to lose that much..." I started, slightly perturbed; just how much did she think I weighed?

"Mrs. Hallaway, I know what I am doing. If you want your husband to be impressed, you need to get nice and trim. Losing about 40 pounds will do the trick," Alexis replied with that same impassive monotone, uninterested in arguing with me.

"Well, I'm only about 15 or 20 pounds above my college weight. That's my goal," I replied firmly, the corners of my lips turning down a little. Alexis paused for a second, as if debating whether she wanted to say something, but she let it pass.

"Okay. Well, I run a few different types of training. The type I would recommend would be for us to meet four times a week, two hours per session. I will run you through a strenuous program that will work every part of your body, and like you said, 'trim the fat'. I will also put you on a strict diet and suggest things you can do on your own time to help lose weight. I have some paperwork here that lays out the types of things I will be doing," she droned on, sliding some papers across the table, "Look them over and if you make a decision to work with me, call the number here on the bottom and we can set it up. I will warn you, though, that I am in high demand, so if you want to do this, it would be best if you made your decision quickly."

I took the papers and quickly shuffled through them; I would have to read them in detail with Ben later, as he was the expert on this kind of thing. Thinking about Ben reminded me of an important stipulation I'd left out.

"Also, my husband will be accompanying me to our sessions...as support. He doesn't really need the help, but he wants to be there for me," I stated firmly. Alexis held my gaze with those cold eyes of hers, as she considered this. It seemed like she was debating whether it was worth her trouble, as she mulled it over.

"Okay," she finally concluded, "I must warn you that I will charge double if I am dealing with two people, though" Alexis warned. I had worked extra shifts to get some spending money for this endeavor, so that is where the money was coming from for this. I had enough to meet her rates.

"Okay, thank you," I replied, relived, and could sense our meeting was over, "I'll get back to you soon."

I stood, and she just looked at me as I awkwardly waited for a response that would never coming. I turned and walked out of the office, papers in hand. 

As I got in my car, I was a little thrown off by my meeting with Alexis. Her cold disinterest was unnerving and off putting. She was unreadable and it seemed like talking with me bored her immensely; like it was a burden to interact with people at all. I had heard she was not easy to get along with, but she was good at her job, and looking at her body, that was evidence enough to convince me that she knew what she was doing. If I could look half as good as her, Ben would positively ravish me!

This provoked a rather unsettling thought, in hind sight; did I want my husband in such close quarters with a woman as voluptuous and sexy as Alexis? Would it be a good idea to have my husband exercising in the vicinity of woman with such huge attention grabbing boobs, a perfect, irresistible, ass, and a gorgeous, captivating, face, wearing such tight workout clothes? 

I absolutely trusted him, really I did, but still, as a woman, I was hesitant to allow my husband to spend time with a woman as gorgeous as Alexis. 

But I would be there too, and Ben was too good of a man to have a wandering eye. And besides, if her cold disinterest had been off putting to me, it was sure to unnerve Ben. Ben liked fun, peppy women, like me. By comparison, Alexis seemed like sort of a downer.

But still, part of me just wanted to call the whole thing off and find a different trainer, but I had already kinda put all my eggs in one basket in going with Alexis, and if I wanted to be in shape in time for our anniversary, I would have to start training immediately.

**********

After dinner, I had Ben look through the papers Alexis had given me. He had put on his reading glasses to flip through the papers, his brow furrowing in concentration as he skimmed through the documents. I always thought he looked cute in his glasses. As he read the papers, I reached around his broad shoulders and rubbed his chest as I kissed the back of his head.

"What do you think?" I inquired, looking over his shoulder and nuzzling the back of his neck.

"She seems like she knows what she's talking about it," Ben grunted, flipping to the next page, his eyes darting quickly across the page, soaking up the information. 

"You know, I was thinking, you don't have to come help me at the gym. I can do this myself..." I ventured, still a little hesitant to have him around the sexy personal trainer.

"I made a promise to you that I'd be there. You don't have to be nervous having me around," he reassured me with a laugh, adding, "You have nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I know..." I pouted, slightly irked by his comment about me being embarrassed; embarrassed about what? "It's not that, it's just this is something I want to do myself. Besides, it costs double for the both of us."

"I tell you what," he started, "You can do this on your own, but I will try to show up every so often to help out."

"I guess..." I agreed hesitantly, still not crazy about this compromise, but he was too sweet to let me do this alone; he wanted to support me in any way he could, whether I wanted it or not. He stood and got behind me. 

"What's wrong?" he inquired, kissing my neck. Ben was a sensitive man, and sensed my reservation. He could always read me like a book.


Fit vs. Fat



"Nothing!" I giggled as his lips brushed against my sensitive neck. Ben knew just where to kiss, applying gentle pressure to the ticklish little spot at the nap of my neck; a spot only he knew about, having discovered it after hours of necking in our youth. He knew just how to get me going; all the right places to kiss, the right parts to caress. I could feel that familiar slow heat begin to radiate through my flushed body as he pressed himself firmly against me. I could feel his hard dick rubbing insistently against the generous curve of my ass. One good thing about him was that it wasn't just his muscles that were big. I thoroughly enjoyed sex with Ben, and it would be hard not to, with that 10-inch dick he had that was now throbbing hot and hard against me. 

"I've been thinking about you all day," he whispered, nipping playfully at my ear.

"I can tell," I cooed seductively, invitingly, sliding my hand down over the straining bulge in his pants. With that, he spun me around and with a manly grunt reached around my waist, and lifted me over his shoulder. I laughed loudly as he carried me towards the bedroom. I loved when he took control like this. I loved those flashes of wildness that occasionally escaped his normally calm exterior. I loved that wild, masculine part of him that was ready to take me to our bed and claim me as his woman once again.

**********

"Huge boobs!" Ben screamed out.

"No, you idiot! Let me finish!" I said with a laugh, continuing to draw. 

Among our friends, the first Friday of every month was game night. This was all Ben's idea, since he loved to play games. He was an overgrown kid at heart. We would switch who hosted the parties and what games we played. 

This week, it was us and two other couples. My friend Heidi and her boyfriend Will were hosting the party this week. Also, Ben's friend John, and his wife, Jessica were here. The game was Pictionary. I was drawing a car, and I accidentally drew the wheels a bit too big, making them look like boobs. I drew the rest of the chassis.

"Car!" Ben called out. I pointed at him, telling him he got it correct. I added a plus sign to the drawing and drew a musical note. I saw Ben's cute face scrunch up in concentration, and then I saw the light switch flip on.

"Cartoon?" he said.

"Booya!" I exclaimed, with a laugh, "I think we won this one."

Usually, we didn't win during these get-togethers, but finally, we won this one. I high-fived Ben on my way to taking my place beside him on the couch. I heard the couch strain under my weight, and hoped no one else did. I knew it was nothing, that it would do the same with anyone that sat on it. But still.

After game night, we settled down with a few drinks and just chilled out. Heidi went to grab more drinks as we sat and started to chat.

Will had been dating Heidi for about six months. Heidi was a coffee barista, and she met Will when he came in to get a latte. He was a good guy, and he fit right in during game night, but we hadn't quite become great friends yet. Not as good of friends as Ben and John. John had moved to the area about a year ago, and he worked at the same school as Ben. John and Ben were fast friends. His wife Jessica was very pregnant, almost fit to burst. She was a gorgeous woman, and even being pregnant with twins she still looked great...I couldn't help but be a little jealous of her pretty face and sumptuous cleavage. She was a doctor, and apparently a really good one at that. I got along with her fine, but it always felt like she was putting up a façade. She was friendly enough, but to me, it seemed like an act. She often couldn't make it due to her busy schedule, but she did her best to attend.

"So, Shannon, when do you start with Alexis?" Heidi inquired, re-entering the room with a tray of drinks, which she set down on the coffee table.

"Monday," I said.

"Who's Alexis?" John asked, interest piqued.

"She's a personal trainer," Heidi answered for me, "She whipped me back into shape, and she's gonna do the same with Shannon here."

I quietly admired the new Heidi. She used to be a bit of a pushover, but since she lost weight, she was a whole new woman. She was fit, assertive, and confident. She seemed to have the room in the palm of her hand wherever she went.

"Are you talking about Alexis Winters?" Jessica suddenly interjected.

"Yeah. You know her?" I questioned, shocked to find how prescient Alexis name was. Since hearing about her, it suddenly seemed like everyone knew her.

"Yeah, she's a friend of mine. I like her," Jessica said with a sly smile, flashing those perfect teeth of hers, "I'll probably see her after I pop these babies out. Need to lose the baby weight for my man," she laughed, tugging on John's arm, drawing him in for a playful kiss, which quickly grew wet and sloppy as they lingered on it, making it awkward for everyone in the room. Their lips parted, and Jessica again laughed, "He's gonna want me back in action as soon as possible."

"I got a strange vibe from her," I ventured, hoping to gauge Heidi and Jessica's experiences with Alexis against my own. 

"Oh, don't get me wrong, she's a complete bitch," Jessica chuckled lightly, "But I can admire fellow strong willed women. She's tough. I hope you can keep up with her."

"Me too," I replied, still uneasy.

**********

The days passed quickly, and I soon found myself back at the gym, ready for my first session with Alexis.

As I waited for Alexis, I warmed up and stretched. This was my first day of training, and I was nervous about what she had in store for me. I had put on my exercise clothes, some tight, black stretch pants and a gray tank top, something that would allow me to work-out in comfort. I was bent over, touching my toes, when I heard the approaching footsteps.

"I can see where all your weight goes," Alexis quipped as she walked around me, calmly studying my form with those cold, calculating eyes of hers. 

I stood up straight and looked at Alexis with a frown, more than a little offended; what was her problem?

I almost gasped when I laid eyes on her, a little shocked by what she was wearing. Her top was nothing more than a sports-bra that, while not overly skimpy, couldn't help but show off her incredible bust. Her impressive valley of cleavage was bared for the world to see. Her flat belly was left unclothed, her muscles evident while maintaining her feminine softness. She wore a small, tight, pair of spandex exercise shorts, which only just went below her ass-cheeks. The shorts had a strip of material on each side that had green, white, and blue stripes. Her long, firm legs led down to her cute pink and white sneakers. She was taller than me, imposingly so, so I had to look up to meet her eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I said I saw where all your weight goes," Alexis repeated in that same, flat, matter-of-fact monotone.

"What do you mean by that?" I protested, my anger rising.

"I mean that you have a big ass," Alexis said bluntly, holding my gaze with those unblinking eyes, unwilling, or maybe just unable, to back down.

"How can you just say that to someone?" I spit at her, taken aback, my anger reaching a slow boil.

"That is why we are here, is it not?" she questioned, expression blank and looking little bored.

"Well, it's just, you shouldn't say..." I stammered, struggling to think of an appropriate argument. Her statement had an infallible logic to it, but her bluntness wasn't just off putting and insulting...it was downright mean. 

She cut me off with a wave of her hand, "Okay, fine, whatever."

Alexis turned, leaving me hanging with my mouth open, full of impotent anger with nowhere to direct it, as Alexis seemed uninterested in continuing our argument.

Alexis sauntered over toward the scale which was set against the wall, "Alright, first things first, let us get you on the scale to find your base weight." 

Alexis directed me towards the scale, and I stomped forward, determined to make her acknowledge my indignation, but she continued to ignore me. I had heard she was a bitch, and I was experiencing that first hand. I walked to the wall and stepped on the scale. She adjusted the scale before speaking, as I glowered at her.

"Okay, you are 5' 5", and you weigh 145 lbs. The average weight for a woman your height is about 135, but I think if we shoot for you losing 20 lbs, that will get you nice and trim for your hubby," Alexis droned in her bored monotone, barely engaging me in a discussion about my own body. Who did she think she was to dictate to me when I was the one paying her!

"I'm just shooting to lose about 10, 15 lbs, so let's just get there and then we'll see," I replied, hoping that Alexis would catch on to the venom dripping from my voice and start to shape up; instead she just rolled her eyes. 

"Fine, what do I know? I am just a professional trainer with three years of College, a Bachelors in physiology, and five years experience...what could I possibly know about what is best for your body that you obviously do not know," Alexis retorted sarcastically.

It was my turn to roll my eyes as I stepped off the scale, but I held my tongue. I was already committed to at least this lesson and I wanted my money's worth. Alexis didn't know it, but she was on thin ice with me already, but if she thought that she was going to drive me away before we even started our first session and keep the money I'd already paid up front, she had underestimated my resolve. I was no quitter; not now, not ever!

"So, what first?" I challenged, meeting those unnerving, staring eyes of hers. As she looked down at me, I could tell already that she didn't like me; well the feeling was mutual, bitch. But, if I lost the weight, I didn't care what she thought of me or what I thought of her. This was just another hurdle between me and my goal of reaching my ideal weight, and I intended to succeed.

"Treadmill," she stated simply, indicating toward the row of stationary treadmills with a smooth jerk of her neck. 

I followed her to the treadmill and I stepped onto it. She adjusted the settings and turned it on. I began to jog at a nice steady place and Alexis excused herself, mumbling something about paperwork and checking up on me in a few minutes. I was frankly glad to see her leave, if only for awhile. I zoned out, as I normally do when I work out, focusing on just running and breathing rather than the passage of time. I was in the zone until Alexis's voice interrupted.

"Wow! Look at all that jiggle!" she called out flatly to me. I shot her a scowling death stare, and she just gave me a look that dared me to fight back. I grit my teeth. I would not let myself be dragged down to her level.

Alexis pressed a button on the controls in front of me and the pace of the treadmill sped up, "You're body is used to this pace; if you want to lose weight in the time allotted, you're going to have to push yourself; dig deep and work hard...if you're able to, that is," she mocked skeptically. I could only grunt in retort, concentrating on keeping up with the increased pace. I could feel sweat begging to bead on my forehead, and was embarrassed to feel the increased impact of my feet reverberate in my thighs, confirming Alexis' earlier observation. This bitch was doing this on purpose, to prove some insane point to me...to test my resolve.

Alexis observed me with casual interest now. It seemed like she found either my determination amusing, or the way my body moved. Yeah, real fucking hilarious, whore.

"I can see why you want to lose weight. This cannot be a tantalizing sight to the opposite sex. I would be worried about losing my man if I was in your position as well," Alexis remarked coolly, egging me on. I ran harder, as she added, "I have my work cut out for me."

Things didn't improve when I moved on to the exercise bike. Between the running and the pedaling, I was already soaked with sweat; this was a lot more intense than my regular workout, and my stamina was waning; but I refused to give Alexis the satisfaction and ask for a break. She eyes the growing stain on my back and the beads dripping down my forehead critically; my breathing was becoming ragged, and I wheezed audibly now.

"Out of breath already?" Alexis feigned concern, testing me. Still no reaction from me.

"Just imagine you are riding to a bakery or the candy store," Alexis mocked, "I'm sure you know where they are."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I screeched, finally fed up, "I've had enough of this bullshit! I don't need to hear this! You're supposed to be encouraging me, you horrible bitch!" 

She looked at me, and I would dare to say she might have been a little impressed, as I saw the dimpled corner of her full lips lift slightly in a satisfied smirk.

"Okay, times up for today. I will see you tomorrow," she replied calmly, turning her back to me and walking away. I looked up at the clock on the wall and realized that our first session had indeed already passed; I had just made it.

I went to the locker room and quickly changed, not wanting to run into Alexis, I decided to forgo a shower and have one when I got home instead. My hair was a sweaty, matted, mess, and my body was sticky with sweat. My legs throbbed with a dull ache as I walked to my car. Despite this, I felt good; energized. Despite Alexis terrible attitude and horrible remarks, or maybe because of them, I felt like I had accomplished something.

I had endured.

**********

I was fuming about her as I drove home. My suspicions had been confirmed. I now understood what Heidi and Jessica had said; Alexis was one grade-A bitch. She was demanding. She was mean. Her snotty little comments were cruel and unnecessary.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this," I fumed to Ben as we ate dinner that night.

"I think you're over-exaggerating," Ben said cautiously. He didn't like to contradict me, especially when I was passionate about something. Ben wasn't great with conflict, and chose to avoid it. Sometimes it was sweet, and other times it was frustrating.

"No, you weren't there. She's evil. She said some awful things to me," I pouted, justifying my dislike of her.

"Well, how do you feel?" Ben asked.

"Angry. Isn't that clear?" I retorted sarcastically.

"No, I mean physically, how do you feel?" Ben asked calmly.

"I am pretty sore, I guess. It was a good workout," I begrudgingly admitted. It was frustrating to admit that Alexis had been a harsh, but effective, taskmaster. The workout had worn me out. I was sore, but a good sore. She really pissed me off, but that did motivate me to work harder. Maybe that was her method? Maybe she was simply doing it to motivate me.

"Maybe you should stick with it, and if you still feel the same way, then move on. Don't let one tough day get you down," Ben encouraged, as he picked up the dishes and began clearing the table. He put his hand under my chin and brought his lips to mine.  

I looked up at him. I was so in love with him. I would do anything for him. I could stick it out, for him. I could lose this weight. I could put up with that bitch.

**********

"Come on, fat ass! Get going!" Alexis barked. I shot daggers at her with my eyes.

We were running laps on the track, and she did not look the least bit winded as she ran. She ran backwards as she barked insults at me. No one batted an eye as she called me 'Fat-Ass' or 'Thunder-Thighs.' They just kept running; but I could see the smirks on their smug faces as they passed...hear the whispered laughs. I just shook my head and picked up the pace.

Alexis had missed her calling as a drill instructor. That is what this felt like. Boot camp. And she was the remorseless hard ass in charge, "Keep up Cupcake...if you can!"

We later moved on to the weights, and as I was curling a dumbbell, Alexis again felt the need to chime in with some more 'encouragement.'

"Just imagine you are lifting an ice cream cone to your mouth. Come on, it is pretty obvious you gorge yourself regularly with sugary treats," Alexis teased. The less I reacted to her, the more she'd provoke me. It was like some terrible game to her.

I even started to feel her influence when she wasn't around. Whenever I would think about cheating on my diet, her voice and the countless insults that would spew forth from that sewage pipe she called a mouth if she knew convinced me otherwise. I was eating the foods she wanted me to eat in order to lose weight. That was why it was infuriating when I got on the scale, with Alexis by my side, and discovered I had not lost a pound.

"Are you fucking serious?" Alexis exclaimed, "Are you even trying? Are you even taking this seriously?" 

"Yeah, I am. I am doing everything you said," I replied meekly. She looked absolutely furious with me, and I could offer no defense; the scale didn't lie. 

This gave her the excuse to ride me twice as hard as normal. I had to run at twice the speed, for twice the distance on the treadmill. And she was twice as mean.

"Look at you...wheezing! I want you to run so hard you puke. Come on! I run faster and farther than this every day! What you're doing here is a fucking breeze! Anybody who is even slightly in shape could do this without breaking a sweat. God, you are pathetic. COME...ON!" she yelled at me, terrorizing me with her words. 

I ran literally as hard as I could. And true to her word, she didn't let up until I had to run to the bathroom to puke. It was then that she finally called it a day. 

I was feeling pretty rough for the rest of the day; nauseous and weak in the knees. I knew I wanted to lose weight, but, more importantly, I would show this bitch how dedicated I was. I vowed to myself, that by the end of this, I would be even more fit and attractive than she was.

And I had to begrudgingly admit; that was really saying something.

**********

(Alexis)

I dislike just about everyone. And I enjoy that fact about myself. I do not have many friends; only acquaintances. And, honestly, I do not really care about any of them. If I did not have to deal with anyone on a regular basis, I would be perfectly fine. I mainly kept what little 'friends' I had to keep up appearances, as with many other things in my life. And again, I like this aspect of myself. Why? It's quite simple: I am a narcissistic sociopath.

As long as I could remember, I felt different. While the other children I grew up with made friends quickly, I felt no such compulsion. I did not understand the concept of companionship. I was perfectly happy to play by myself. I will admit there was some lashing out on my part. I was a terror to be around even at a young age. I was a bully, and I was mean. I dominated those around me; child or adult. Can you blame me? I was smarter than them all.

My inability to connect with people, including family, worried my parents so much they took me to seek counseling. We finished these sessions, but the therapist did not tell me the conclusion he had drawn, answering only to my parents. It would be years before I discovered his diagnosis of my true nature. All I knew was after these counseling sessions, my parents kept a wary eye on me; constantly trying to talk with me and get in my head. This was futile on their part though, as I quickly learned how to tell people what they wanted to hear. I was immutable and indecipherable, able to manipulate them as easily as a puppeteer pulls strings on a marionette.

I learned to make people dance for me.

To this end, I learned to be more closely guarded in my feelings. I stopped lashing out and began to internalize my feelings. My parents seemed happier with this perceived 'progress', which gave me more freedom.

Nothing restricted my movements. No one held me back. I freely pursued my desires at the expense of those around me. Emotional attachment was a weakness I did not possess.




Fit vs. Fat



I realized something was off about me after my first few years of school. I felt no connection or common bond with anyone. I did not understand how these other children functioned. How they interacted with one another; so I learned how to behave through imitation of others.

It was not until middle school that I finally learned the truth about myself. I was looking through a psychology book when I came across the term 'sociopath.' As I read through the symptoms, I realized it read as a description of myself. Aggressiveness. Lack of empathy or attachment to others. Shallow emotions. Lack of guilt. Superficial charm. A need for stimulation. Manipulative. An incapacity for love. It all fit. Reading this was the first time I felt what may be categorized as 'relief.' I knew what I was now. I knew what secret my parents and my therapist had been hiding from me. I was a sociopath. And nothing could have me...happier, if you want it in terms you can easily relate too.

But the narcissism; the grandiose sense of self; that would come later...along with the promiscuous sexual behavior.

I did not let my parents know what I now knew. I kept on pretending that all was well; that I was one of the 'normal' people; and nobody knew any better.

I would say that my lack of understanding of other people's feelings defined the person I became. I would spend a lot of time observing people, studying them, learning what made them tick. I became a student of human behavior and learned better how to control those around me and how to mimic that behavior when necessary; teaching myself to cry on demand was the hardest, but most effective means of manipulation. Thus, I was able to blend into the background in my formative years until something changed, something that forced me from the background and onto everyone's radar; I grew breasts.

This is where the narcissism came in. Over the summer going into my senior year of high-school, I went from a pair of humble B-Cups to a set of whopping, bulging, firm, DD's. I would admit I was already a good-looking girl; though experience taught me I was in fact beautiful; but along with my developing breasts, I filled out in all the right places, developing a dramatic and pleasing curvature. I matured over the summer looks-wise, and I went from a pretty, yet unassuming, wallflower to a voluptuous knockout. And people took notice.

I had never been the center of attention before. It put me on my heels, but I was intelligent enough to use what I had gathered watching people to fit in. I learned more in the first few weeks of school that year than I had in the previous five years of people-watching, and definitely more than I ever learned in any class or book.

I quickly learned what a blessing my breasts were; sorry, my 'tits.' I learned what leering boys liked to call them; tits, boobs, mammaries, melons, hooters, and other assorted, low brow, colloquialisms. I learned that boys would fall over themselves because of them, eager to please me for something as little as a clear view down my blouse. I learned how useful they were in intimidating other girls; that there was a natural hierarchy attached to my physical development. I learned that my 'tits', and my new curves and perceived physical attractiveness in general gave me new power over others.

At first I did not know what to do with this newfound power. To most girls, sprouting tits was a means to 'getting laid.' To me, they were a tool. A tool to learn more about these people around me; how to provoke them and control them. Eventually, I learned how to wield them like a master. My wardrobe evolved from full-coverage shirts to tight, low cut, blouses. I learned how to flaunt my tits; how to garner attention. And the boys certainly noticed. And not just the boys, the men as well; namely the male teachers. It was funny how teachers who had graded me so tough before suddenly treated me so much better; not that I needed the help. My grades were impeccable, which frustrated and intimidated my teachers. I was smarter than them and did not recognize them as authority figures, and before I became attractive to them, they would seek to put me 'in my place.' Now they sought to gain my favor.

The puppets danced.

For awhile, I did not care about getting laid. I just did not understand why people did it. I knew you were supposed to only make love with those you have a perceived emotional attachment too, or 'love' as you would call it, and for a person like me, it is impossible to truly 'love' anyone but myself. I had trouble understanding people, let alone loving them.

I did not care about any of the boys who were titillated by my impressive figure. What I did care about was the fact that they reacted to me. Before, people treated me just like any other person. But once I developed tits, people were eager to be around me. Seeing people react to my body, or my looks, was thrilling in a way I could not describe. Inspiring reactions in other people was an addiction to me. I had never understood emotions, so making people react emotionally allowed me to experience them vicariously through them.

The puppets danced for my amusement.

This was my addiction. Making people feel something, making people react to my presence. I did not understand emotions, so provoking an emotional response in others was exhilarating. This addiction thrilled me in a way I did not understand for awhile, until I realized what it was doing. It was arousing me. It turned me on in a way I could barely understand. I chased this feeling for a long time.

I mastered flirting. Just testing out how far I could push boys, how wild I could drive them with naughty words or secret glimpses of my body. It was addicting! But it was not just the boys that were affected. The girls noticed as well. While the boys fell over themselves due to my hot bod, the girls hung in the background, fuming in jealousy. 

Girls hated me. 

Girls hated my body. Girls hated that I drove the boys wild. And this just engaged me. On one occasion, I flirted with a girl's boyfriend right in front of her. She was visibly furious, beet red and raging, but powerless; a frustrated and impotent ball of conflicting emotions! I knew I had the boy wrapped around my finger, that I could have left with him, but I left it at that. 

I had to leave, and get some privacy immediately. I was so horny I could scream. I rubbed myself to my first orgasm in the bathroom. A nice, wet, screaming, squirting orgasm. That orgasm was the greatest thing I ever felt. I did not know I could feel things like that. I openly admit that I am emotionless, but an orgasm like that was about as strong of an emotion as you can get. I now understood why people had sex. I saw the appeal.

Let us just say, it did not take long for me to lose my virginity after that point. I had so many boys wrapped around my finger that I had my pick of the litter. I was a very busy girl that year. 

I gladly received the best of what the male student body had to offer. Seeing all these guys driven nuts by little ole me was incredible. Admittedly, most of the guys I screwed were pretty forgettable. I kept pushing the limits as far as sex went. I was getting bored with the male student body, so it was inevitable that I would move on to the faculty. That was where the good stuff was. 

Driving my teachers to distraction, teasing them with my hot body, teasing them till they had no choice but to fuck me, that was the good stuff. What made it sweeter was when they were married. Married men, driven to cheating on their loves with a slutty student, just drove me wild in a way I never had felt. Let us be clear, I did not care about any of the men I fucked. What drove me wild was the emotion I inspired. What turned me on was, by a few minor actions on my part, causing so much conflict and emotion in men. I loved the fact that I impacted their lives so significantly in such a short amount of time. I loved the fact that they so lusted for me that they would throw away their vows of marriage, and that I could not care less. 

All the guys in the school wanted me, but the girls, the girls were a different story altogether. The girls hated me. They despised me. They seethed in jealously. They called me a slut. A skank. A whore. But they were powerless before me. They talked behind my back, but none of them said a word to my face. If one was brave enough to confront me, I would stand to my full height, and thrust my imposing chest out, and they would meekly retreat, intimidated and cowed, knowing that they did not compare.

I loved it. 

The more the girls hated me, the more it turned me on.

I had left a wide swath of destruction in my wake by the time I graduated high school. I had affected so many lives, a mostly negative impact, by my own actions. Those people in that school would not be the same, because of me. That kind of power was... intoxicating. 

I had originally decided to forgo college. I knew all that I needed to know. I was able to blend into society seamlessly, few suspecting my true nature. My ticket to affecting people was my hot body, so I became obsessed with maintaining it. I became a gym rat, and this eventually led me to pursue a career as a physical trainer; three years of College was a breeze. 

My body was amazing, and I was just as effective at affecting people as I had been in high school. This is when the narcissism came in. I recognized how hot I was. I recognized how amazing my body was. It pleased me that I was hotter than just about every woman I came across. I was perfect.

My addiction to sex; no, rougher, dirtier...my addiction to fucking had not lessened. I loved to fuck like any good slut would. I would tease just about any man I would come across, but access to my tight little pussy was saved for the best. I no longer fucked just anyone. I never fucked bad boys. They were far too easy. No, my pussy was saved for the good guys. The guys who should know better than to fuck a slut like me. Ideally, a married guy.

Like I said, I disliked most people, and this Shannon woman was no different. She was a fat, sad little cow. 

This was my usual clientele. I hated dealing with these people, and I only kept this job to make money, maintain my lifestyle, and meet men. I had gotten a fair amount of money from my many fuck-buddies, so I maintained a comfortable lifestyle, but not comfortable enough. 

I wanted more.

Every time I looked at Shannon, I considered my ideal fantasy. I dreamed an occasion where I could meet some woman and just break her down; just ruin her life. So many of the women I dealt with were so comfortable with their place in life. The women I dealt with were rarely obese, just simply overweight. They did not need to see me, but they wanted to shave off a few pounds if they had the dedication and willpower. I was just simply a tool to them, a person who would allow them to achieve something, and who would play a small role in an otherwise happy and satisfying life.

But I was the puppeteer, not the puppet.

Just the thought of taking over that person's life, for no good reason, breaking her down, humiliating her, and maybe, just maybe, fucking her man. That was the dream. The thought of me, ruining the life of a woman I barely know, emotionally destroying her, was intoxicating.

Shannon had potential to fulfill my fantasy. She was friendly and seemingly happy with her life. But, I had not met her man. I had had candidates in the past, but their men left a lot to be desired. I could be patient. I would just treat her like shit and make her hate me, you know, my normal modus operandi. Amusingly enough, a lot of women responded to that form of motivation. I loved to make fun of other women, and my insults motivated them to lose weight. I have observed that less attractive women, such as Shannon, seek the validation of the more attractive women. They want to be acknowledged and feel included. Validation is the carrot I use to encourage obedience; one compliment for every fifty insults. My approval is the carrot I dangle before these sad sacks of crap. Shannon is no different, though she will have to work harder than most to get it. 

Meanwhile, I waited patiently for her husband to join us. I would not get my hopes up. I needed to meet Shannon's husband before I finalized any future plans.

**********

(Ben)

I had heard horror stories from Shannon said about her trainer, and I figured it was time to meet her myself. I figured this woman probably wasn't as bad as Shannon made her out to be. She tended to over dramatize things like this. 

I didn't really need any extra training myself. I kept myself in shape, a habit that stemmed from back in my football days. The main reason I played football was because of the exercise, and I stuck with it because it was good stress relief, I guess. 

I never quite fit in with the other guys on the team. They were in it for different reasons than I was; unrealistic pipe dreams of making it and going pro. That was why when I got hurt, I viewed as a blessing in disguise. I was a good football player... a very good football player. I had no logical reason to stop playing football, since I was told repeatedly that I was being scouted as a favorite to graduate to the pro's. The money was there, but I didn't have the love for the game that other guys had; I just didn't have any passion for football. It wasn't important to me. I had fun playing it, but I never intended to pursue it as a career; but there was all this expectation being put on me, and my old man had big hopes for me, so I just went along with things while looking for a way out...then, thankfully, fate intervened in the form of a bad hit. I tore a ligament in my knee and ended up in the hospital. Dream over, and no one except me was hurt.

It was when I was rehabbing my knee that I met Shannon. She was so unlike the girls I typically met as the star QB of the football team. The girls I tended to meet could best be described shallow, phony, and to be honest, a bit trashy. Shannon was none of those things. 

Shannon was, in a word, genuine. Everything she said and did seemed like it came from the heart. Everything she did was for the right reasons. As I got to know her, I felt no shame telling her things and letting her in. I told Shannon things that I would be too embarrassed to tell anyone else. Shannon is the only person alive that knows the truth about why I let go of my 'promising future' in football; no one else. She didn't judge me, she didn't pity me, she didn't try to change my mind. She just listened. It was then that when I realized that I loved this girl. It wasn't long before we were married.

I couldn't have been happier in life. I had a beautiful wife, a nice house, and a great job...a wholly satisfying job; I loved to teach. I was in good shape. I had great friends. I couldn't ask for anything else. 

Shannon's mind worked a bit differently than mine. She was the type of person who would never be complacent. I knew she had some body-image issues, and I tried to calm her down whenever she nitpicked about her body. I didn't care that that she had some extra padding. It wouldn't matter if she was 400 lbs, I would still love her. I thought she looked perfect as is. I didn't need a woman to be a fitness model. I loved how she looked, and I loved making love with her. But she would not be happy unless she shed some weight.

I would of course be there to encourage her...all the way! She knew it didn't matter to me, but I knew it mattered to her, and I wanted to be supportive. I was happy to see her so focused on this. I told her that I would be there to help her out, but she convinced me that I didn't have to show up regularly. I did at least want to make an appearance and check out this trainer for myself; see if she lived up to Shannon's hype, and straighten her out if necessary.

I drove straight to the gym from work. I didn't subscribe to any kind of gym, opting to use the weight room at the school instead; one of the perks of the job. I generally woke up early for a morning run, then worked out in the weight room before class started. I would do this regularly, three times a week, with weekends off, and it had kept me in great shape. It had been awhile since I had actually been to a real gym, and I was a little excited about the prospect of really pushing myself again. I quickly changed in the locker room and went searching for my wife. 

I made my way through the gym. I was greeted by some friendly female faces, and I just nodded politely as I walked; I was used to it. Women regularly hit on me when I was at the gym, for some reason. I always politely declined, of course, but couldn't help but be a bit flattered...it just felt good to be hit on, you know? I walked around for a few minutes before I found Shannon, in a private work out area.

I watched quietly through the observation window as Shannon exerted herself on the chest fly. I noticed her face screwed up with effort, and I smiled proudly; she just looked so cute. I just watched for a minute as she strained against the machine, working hard. I could see a woman with her back to me, next to Shannon, talking to her. This must be her trainer. This must be Alexis. 

The entrance into the room they were in was around the corner, so I had to walk around. I entered the room with Shannon facing away from me. As I stepped inside, the trainer appeared to stop talking and turned to face me. 

For the first time, I put a face to the name. And I had to admit, she had a face that was hard to forget; she was stunningly beautiful. She had a gorgeous face, with almond shaped eyes, soft lips, and a golden tan. She had dark brunette hair, tied in a pony-tail, which swung animatedly behind her as she turned. She looked me over, as if appraising me, before stepping away from Shannon and walking towards me; her eyes were a steely grey, and betrayed a calculating intelligence at work behind them. I couldn't help but take a quick glance at her body as she approached. Her body belied her profession, as she was incredibly fit. Her legs looked long and tautly muscled. And her arms were muscular without being masculine. She had a flat belly, with just a hint of abs. I generally wasn't the type of guy to linger, but I couldn't help but take notice of her incredibly large bust. They were, like, abnormally large for a woman with such an otherwise fit frame. Despite the fact she was wearing a sports bra, her bulging breasts still jiggled as she walked, and an immodest amount of cleavage was left exposed. I never considered myself a 'breast man', but even I had to admit those suckers she was strutting around with were spectacular. As she stepped up to me, her face lit up with a bright smile...a dazzling smile, to tell the truth.

"Can I help you?" she inquired cheerfully; her voice sweet and melodious.

"Hi, I'm Ben, Shannon's husband. I thought I could accompany her today." I answered with a smile, offering my hand.

"Oh, I've heard so much about you. I'm Alexis," she introduced herself, taking hold of my hand with an impressively firm grip, "But you can call me Lexy...all my friends do." she winked. 

"Ah...well, I'll call you Alexis for now, till we get to know each other a bit better," I coughed awkwardly, thinking calling her a nickname immediately upon meeting her seemed a bit too forward and unprofessional...intimate. She smiled warmly and stifled a good humored laugh at my expense.

"Now, Shannon mentioned that you would be charging double for when I attend. I'm assuming that's still the case?" I asked. Alexis reached over and put her hand on my arm with an awkward amount of familiarity for someone I'd just met.

"Of course not. She must have misunderstood me. There won't be any extra charge," Alexis said with a giggle, "You're just supporting your wife...the only extra cost is your gym membership. Didn't she tell you?"




Fit vs. Fat



"Oh-uh...sorry. That's great," I blinked, slightly embarrassed; had Shannon gotten it mixed up? I felt like an ass.

"Now, I can't help but notice that you seem pretty good shape already," she complimented me, her soft hand lingering on my arm, tracing down my bicep and giving it a firm squeeze, testing it's hardness. I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable; the impression Shannon had given me was that she was a cold fish, but she seemed more like a playful puppy dog. I had come in ready to raise heck, but her casual flirtiness was throwing me off my game.

"Well, I'm mainly here for moral support," I laughed, and moved back slightly, her hand releasing its grip and falling away as she joined me.

"Well, hopefully, I can still give you a good workout," Alexis said with a playful wink, "Do try to keep up."

"Uh, yeah," I replied with another awkward laugh, and looked toward Shannon.

"Well, I guess I won't hold you up from your sweetie," Alexis said...there was a strange flatness to her tone when she said this that hadn't been there in the rest of our conversation. 

Alexis turned and led me over to Shannon, who was still exerting herself. I couldn't help but notice Alexis' bouncing butt as she walked. The shorts she was wearing were practically painted on. I had to admit exercise had done wonders for her because she had a spectacular bubble butt. 

We reached Shannon, and the machine pulled her arms back as she noticed me.

"Hey, baby," Shannon greeted me with a bright smile, but her voice cracked slightly, betraying her weariness. She wiped her brow with a towel and gave me a quick peck. She was soaked with sweat, the back of her shirt was soaked through as I hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"How's it going?" I asked.

"Oh, it's going well. You know, I'm feeling the burn," she said with a strained laugh.

"Alright guys, we have to keep this going while her blood is pumping," Alexis interrupted, "Don't want that heart rate to drop and have to start all over." 

"Okay, well, what's next?" I asked. 

"Well, I was thinking we could move on to a nice jog, keep your heart rate up and build some much needed stamina." Alexis suggested. 

"Uh, yeah, sounds good," I nodded in agreement. We followed Alexis upstairs to the elevated track that surrounded the parameter of the gym. Within minutes, we were on the track, jogging at a brisk pace.

My favorite method of exercise, by far, was running. I loved to run. I was able to be alone with my thoughts. I never thought more clearly than when I was running. My best ideas always came to me when I was running. I made the decision to propose to Shannon while running. I had to admit, I was a pretty good runner; I had stamina and endurance. I could run for over an hour without breaking a sweat. I'd even participated in some marathons and placed pretty good for a hobby runner. Shannon wasn't at that point yet, so I hung back to run alongside her. I could tell Alexis was slowing down her pace as well, staying a few feet in front of us.

"You...don't have to slow down, Ben," Shannon exhaled, sucking in another mouthful of air.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned, keeping pace with my wife.

"Oh...c'mon, you're a...runner. You can go...faster than this," Shannon rasped, struggling to keep her breath while talking.

"I'm fine," I responded. Truthfully, I was hardly testing myself, but I didn't want to discourage her; I was here to support her after all.

"Ben, I...don't like to talk when I'm running. If you're...hanging back for a great...conversation, you'll be...disappointed," she tried to laugh, but it came out as a cough instead.

"Like I said, I'm fine," I reassured her.

"Ben...you're distracting...me. I can't...focus on this and be next to...you at the same time," Shannon wheezed openly now, her face red from the effort of talking, running, and breathing.

"Why, do I smell bad?" I joked. She laughed in a sort of sickly sputter.

"No...It's just, you...drive me so incredibly...wild being so close," she quipped sarcastically, "It's...your man...musk."

"Ha ha ha...ok fine, I get the picture," I leaned down, kissed her cheek, and picked up the pace. I was soon running at my normal pace, which matched the speed that Alexis was running at. We ran side-by-side without a word for about half a lap before she began to talk.

"You're a runner, aren't you?" Alexis stated rather than inquired. I looked over at her. Like myself, she had only a light sheen of sweat. She smiled at me as I glanced at her.

"Yeah, actually. I run every day," I answered.

"Where at?" she probed gently. 

"Well, I run through the park, through the neighborhood near my house." I told her. "I wake up at five and go running before I have to get ready for work, just before the sun breaks. Helps get me going." 

"Oh my God, I do the same thing! When I tell people I do that, and they look at me like I'm crazy. It's nice to meet someone who is as dedicated to running as much as I do," Alexis said, effortlessly maintaining her focus as she ran, adding, "We should be running buddies."

"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea," I laughed uncomfortably; was she coming onto me or something? What was with this familiarity? "You're a trainer. I probably can't keep up with you."

"I don't know, you're in pretty damn good shape yourself. I am pretty good at being able to tell when someone can keep up with me, and I think you have the potential," Alexis complimented me.

"Well, I'll think about it," I told her, non-committal. We slowed up to a stop as we finished the distance Alexis wanted us to run, and we waited patiently for Shannon to finish.

"So, Shannon is doing well?" I questioned, curious of Alexis' assessment.

"Well, sometimes, it takes awhile to break some people's bad habits. She is still getting there, and if she is dedicated enough, the pounds should start melting off...but she can't seem to realize that this isn't just about losing weight," Alexis explained, holding my gaze with those serious grey eyes, "It's about creating a foundation of good health; stamina, endurance, and diet so that the weight stays off. She's desperate to lose weight and I think she's frustrated that it's not happening yet," I nodded as Shannon approached; Alexis seemed to know her stuff, and was fair in her assessment.

"Well, I think we can call it a day. Shannon, I'll see you here tomorrow. Ben, let me know when you are planning to show up. I can individually cater a good workout for the both of you," Alexis said, clapping her hands together with authority.

"Okay, that sounds great," I replied. Shannon coughed and gave her a red-faced scowl.

"Great. I'll see you guys soon," Alexis waved casually, walking away, her hips swaying with a confident swagger. I put my arm around Shannon's shoulders as we walked the opposite direction.

"Well, she seems nice," I told her, giving her should a reassuring squeeze. She looked into my eyes pleadingly.

"Please tell me you don't buy that bullshit. Today was the only time I've ever seen her smile, let alone be friendly, and she only started doing that once you showed up!" Shannon spat exasperated, face beet red and hair a tangled, sweaty mess.

"Of course not, sweetie," I told her, pulling her in for another kiss. At this revelation, she smiled. Like I said, I liked genuine people, and I could easily tell that Alexis was not being genuine with me. I was a teacher, and I could tell when people would turn on the charm when they wanted something. Alexis was totally giving me that vibe. As if she didn't think Shannon didn't tell me what she put her through. I could see right through Alexis. Besides, it wasn't like I thought my wife was crazy. I knew she wasn't making up stories. 

"I'll tell you what, if having me around makes her treat you better, I'll try to be here more often, if that's okay with you," I offered. She smiled and nodded.

"That might be for the best," Shannon said, "I want to lose the weight fast, but I don't know how much more of her I can take. Maybe having you around will make her nicer."

**********

(Alexis)

Holy Fuck! I did not expect that fat, saggy bitch to have a husband like that. To be perfectly frank, he was the hottest guy I had ever seen. He pushed all my buttons. He was hot. He was buff. And he seemed so innocent and sweet. My pussy moistened and my nipples tightened at the sight of him. I suppose you could say I was smitten with him; at least, in as much as I felt an immediate, overwhelming, physical attraction to him. I was smitten... and confused. How could Shannon be attached to a man like that? It made no logical sense to me...they were obviously so incompatible as mates. What could a perfect physical specimen like him possibly see in a waste of genetic material like her? 

The more I thought about it, the more I felt what could be akin to anger. The thought of them together deeply offended me...it went against the nature of the world, against millions of years of evolution; it was a shameful waste! How dare she trick him into saddling himself with a fat mess of a girl like her? Unfamiliar sensations overwhelmed my usual cool and collected demeanor. I felt my body tense and my jaw clench, as an unfamiliar heat emanated from my chest and caused my face to flush; was this hate? Before Ben had walked into the picture, I had felt my usual indifference towards Shannon; she was just another pitiful specimen wasting my time with her delusions of becoming attractive by losing a few pounds; but now I felt something. 

I hated her. 

Initially, I was caught off guard by Ben, and I could tell that he saw through me when I turned on the charm. It did not matter; if he saw me as being superficial, it would cause him to lower his guard, make him complacent. The more secure he was in his belief that he was in control, the easier it would be to manipulate him. He would fall, just like every other man. I have found that men will fuck just about anything. If a hottie like me throws herself at you, their attitude does not matter. All that matters is if they are hot. I was an evil bitch, and I would freely, even proudly, admit that. But I had no problem getting laid. None at all.

I have often heard the quote that men can be more openly evil, more physically evil, while women are more emotionally evil. I completely agree with this hypothesis. Men fight each other. Men start wars. But women...they can tear apart a person's soul. Women have the power to bring others down to their knees, man or woman. And I intended to do that with this supposedly happy couple. I would reveal Shannon to be the miserable, whimpering, sad sack of shit I knew her to be. I would put Shannon on her knees, crying, while I put her man on his knees, eating my sweet pussy. 

I could feel it in my bones. This was it; this was it...my ultimate fantasy. I had dreamed of completely emotionally eviscerating a woman, and Shannon fit the bill. She barely knew me, yet I would have a deeper impact on her life than anyone. I knew I could do it. I knew I could destroy her...completely.

All men loved beautiful women. All of them. Some would act more 'progressive' and date ugly girls, saying it was their 'great personality' that mattered most, but in the end, they would stick with a hottie if they could, no matter what her personality was. 

Some men liked to act like looks did not matter. And Ben was a prime example of that. He had tricked himself into not being with a woman on his level, but I would teach him the error of his ways. I would teach him what really matters in a woman. I would teach him what a mistake it was to marry a fraud of a woman like Shannon; a sad, stupid, fatty with no tits. I would show him he needs a fit woman like me in his life.

I knew I would have to maintain this act for awhile. I would maintain this façade I had created. If I did not, he would defend his wife and get her away from me. I would play the friendly, flirty, superficial girl to him, while still being an evil bitch to her. It did not matter if he saw through it...that would make him confident that he could handle me; complacent in his own seduction, so self assured that he was smarter than me and had seen through my disguise. All that really mattered was that he would get more glimpses of my hot body. As I had learned, the fact that I had big tits would allow me to get away with a lot of things most women could not. Even if Ben did not explicitly know it, he would want to think the best of me. I had big tits. I was beautiful; I could not be evil.

I would be friendly long enough to get close to him, all the while showing off my hot body to him. Once I worked my way in close, I would start to let my true self emerge. And he would respond. I know he would. Good guys like him love bad girls. It just takes some time for them to realize it. Once I let my true self emerge, I had no doubt he would be desperate to get in my pants.

I could tell that Ben liked to think that it did not matter what weight Shannon was, he would still love her; he wanted to believe that he was a good man, incapable of judging others based solely on their physical appearance. I did not quite believe it. I would say if she were to gain about ten or so pounds, max, Ben would begin to find her unattractive, and his eye would begin to wander. I planned to test that theory. 

I had a little ace up my sleeve. I only brought it out for special occasions. A bottle of pills. I would tell Shannon they were proven diet pills, but they were not. They were, in fact, weight-gain pills, designed to build mass in pro-athletes. Not so good for a woman trying to lose weight. She would be baffled as, despite her diet and exercising, she would put more and more weight, her gut expanding, her rolls of disgusting flab becoming more pronounced, her already huge ass fatter...a living nightmare; a prisoner in her own body. And with the abuse I was about to lump on her, very soon, she would not need those pills to pack on the pounds; she would be doing that to herself, a slave to her own lack of self control, placating her low self-esteem with comfort food; I could just tell she was a stress eater. And despite her husband's promise to the contrary, he would not be satisfied with a flabby blob for a wife.

Shannon had come to me to lose a few pounds, but she was going to lose a lot more than that.

**********

(Shannon)

"Move your ass you fucking tub of lard!" Alexis barked as I ran on the treadmill. The speed was a little higher than I was used to, and I was having a little trouble getting caught up. Ever since Ben had shown up for that session a few days ago, Alexis' abuse had escalated. Ben was nearing the end of the school year, so he had gotten extremely busy, and had been unable to get back to the gym with me since that first session.

I don't know why I was putting myself through this abuse, I really don't. Everyone I knew said she was tough, that she was a bitch, but she was good; but this was a fucking nightmare! I just hoped that this was all part of her plan. That maybe there was a method to her madness. That maybe she actually did like and respect me, and she was putting me through this boot camp in order to motivate me. That had to be it. They wouldn't let her work with people if she was as rotten to the core as she seemed to be. Maybe at the end of all this, when I slimmed down, she would shake my hand and say good job. That had to be the case, because I wouldn't have to put up with the nasty things she spouted otherwise.

Her words had taken a darker turn since she had met my husband. Before, her words had mainly been just deprecating to me, calling me sad, fat, and pathetic. But since she met Ben, she had gone a different direction. Sure, she still called me fat, sad, and pathetic, but she added to her repertoire of insults.

When I was jogging, Alexis would openly muse, "God, it is a wonder you landed a man with all that nasty fat, lardo!"

When I was on the Stairmaster, Alexis would taunt, "Do you think that husband of yours will hang around a girl who cannot go up a few stairs without huffing and puffing, Stay-Puft?"

When I was on the exercise bike, Alexis would spit, "You already wearing out? If you do not push yourself, that man of yours is not sticking around! Who would want to hang around a downright obese piece of shit like you, you...fatty...fat...FAT!?"

When I told her Ben wasn't showing up because he had work to take care of, "Work? Yeah, right. He is not staying late at work. He is not missing all of these sessions because of work. I bet he is shacked up in a hotel somewhere getting some pussy while you're wasting my time here. And if he is not, he should be. He deserves it."

That last one pissed me off. It was literally the first thing I told her that session, and she came after me immediately with that. I had to say something.

"You, know, I don't have to put up with this. You're crossing the line..." I started. She stepped up to me and got in my face, almost confrontationally.

"Well, then prove me wrong, bitch. Make yourself attractive for him so he will not have to stray," she came back at me with. I just gritted my teeth and walked past her. 

So, yeah, you can see what I was putting up with. Sometimes, I just wanted to hit her. But I told myself to use this as motivation, and it would be that much sweeter when I was trim and better looking than she could dream of.

We reached the end of one of our sessions when she met with me to discuss my diet.

"Since your current diet does not seem to be working, and you insist you are not cheating on it, then I guess it is time to move on to something new," Alexis said, handing over a piece of paper before continuing, "This diet is more severe than your current one, but that seems to be the only way. Plus, take these," she explained, handing over a bottle of pills, "Take one of these with each meal. These should hopefully help you shed the pounds."

I tried this new diet, and I felt like I was barely eating. The food I was eating was bland and tasteless, and the pill seemed to not be having an effect. I almost cried when I looked at the scale and saw that I had put on a pound. I had put so much hard work, had eaten barely anything, and had put up with so much emotional abuse, and for nothing. It wasn't working. I had to wonder if I was wasting my time. Ben didn't care if I had a few extra pounds. But, no, I had to push through this. I just knew that once I got over that hill and started losing weight, the pounds would fall right off.

I rededicated myself to working out, and I was strict about my diet. After a week or so, there was still no progress. On one of my days off from training, one of my co-workers took me out for lunch. It was a nice day, and the restaurant we went to had tables outside. I was absolutely starving, and for the first time, I cheated on my diet. I got a nice, juicy burger, and I was practically drooling when the waitress dropped it off. I had just taken my first bite when I heard from over my shoulder, someone mutter, "Fucking figures."

I looked up to see Alexis, also on her day off, walk by. I dropped the burger to the plate.

"What's up?" my friend asked.

"That was my trainer. She's gonna kill me." I said. I sent the burger away. I cheated on my diet, and I couldn't even enjoy it.

Just like I thought, as soon as she saw me, Alexis absolutely lit into me during our next session. 

"You are pretty bold to show your face here, after I caught you cheating on your diet, pound cake? Why should I waste my time? As soon as we are done, you just go out and pig out on cake and burgers. I do not care what you are paying me if you are just going to waste time that I could be spending on someone that actually cares about their body!" 




Fit vs. Fat



"I took one bite then stopped. It was the first time I ever cheated on the diet, but you probably won't believe me anyway," I said.

"You are damn right I do not believe you! It is no wonder you are packing on the pounds after all of this. I don't know why I'm bothering. You are lucky I am a nice and forgiving person," Alexis said. I had to stop myself from laughing at that.

I started lifting some weights, nothing too heavy, but enough for me to feel it. But Alexis's sour mood kept her talking.

"I do not know why you are trying to build up muscle when you have not lost a single pound of fat yet," she criticized. 

We moved on the leg press, and as I struggled to lift a large amount of weight, it was if she had reached her breaking point.

"You know what, I think you should go home. I do not want to see you anymore today. Do not come back here without your husband. I want you to show him the pathetic effort you have been putting on," Alexis said, storming out, throwing over her shoulder, "Maybe you're too weak to do this on your own...maybe you need to be reminded why you want a hot body like mine in the first place."

My eyes started to well up with tears, as the horrible woman I'd paid to help me abandoned me in frustration.

Maybe she was right.

*********

(Alexis)

I practically had to lock myself in my office and rub myself off. These past few weeks had been going great. I had taken a new tact with my insults, insinuating that she was not enough of a woman to hold on to a man like Ben. I was quickly breaking this bitch down, tearing apart her fragile self-image and destroying her already low self-esteem, and it started to show. She was an emotional mess after a few sessions, so it was no surprise that I had found her cheating on her diet and chowing down on a big, fat burger, like a hungry dog with a chunk of raw meat.

I was in a great mood the instant I saw this. It excited me to mock her. It thrilled me to point out her inadequacy. It turned me on every time I did. I am surprised she didn't notice my hard nipples, or the growing stain on my tight workout shorts...I'd have to do something about that. But seeing this bitch so broken down that she lost all compulsion to lose weight, seeing the damage I had done, drove me wild. She was an emotional mess, thanks to me. As a trainer, you would think I would be mad that my client was pigging out on fatty foods. But I was not. I was happy. Make yourself tubbier for your man, bitch. Keep chowing down on big, fat burgers, and very soon, I will be chowing down on her husband's big, fat cock.

*********

(Shannon)

I hadn't told Ben about cheating on my diet. It was a moment of weakness, and I didn't want him to know about it. I didn't want him to...think less of me. I told him that Alexis really wanted him at the session, and he was able to carve out some time to do so. I left a message with Alexis letting her know we were coming the next day.

Ben and I drove in together, and I was a bit nervous about seeing Alexis again. I had never seen her as angry as she was the last time I saw her. I had let Ben in on the fact that she was really mad, but he didn't know why. I told him I just assumed it was her general attitude. Either way, I told him it might be a good idea if he could make it as often as possible. Luckily, school was finishing up, so he would have more time to attend.

I was cautiously optimistic as we entered the gym. I knew with Ben by my side that Alexis would be on her best behavior. We got changed and met up, walking to the area where I typically worked with Alexis. I spied her in there through the windows, and as we entered, she turned to greet us.

The first thing I noticed was her outfit. Typically, she wore clothes that were typical of most female trainers, something slim and tight, which highlighted her body. But this outfit was near obscene. Her tight, purple top was seemed like merely a thin strip of material which covered her breasts and nothing else. The straps of her top cut into her shoulders seemed overworked with the strain of supporting her heavy breasts. She also wore a tight pair of stretchy, black booty shorts, which just barely went below her ass. The only other things she wore were a pair of sneakers and a bright smile. 

"Hey, guys welcome back," Alexis said. "Ben, so nice to see you back here again."

"Good to be back," Ben said, going with the flow, surprised to find her so friendly, as I was.

"Well, I think we should start off with some stretching," Alexis suggested. Me and Ben both nodded in agreement, though I was wary of this. 

For the next few minutes, Alexis led us through a series of stretches. As she did this, she stood in front of Ben. She spoke to him and not to me, as if he was the only one in the room and I was just an insignificant fly on the wall. I didn't care; the less I had to deal with her the better. The only time it was an issue was when she told us to bend over at our waists, leaving our upper-halves perpendicular to our lower halves. This put Ben's face within a foot or so from Alexis' perfect, round, ass.

I was frozen to the spot, not knowing what to say. Ben didn't seem to behave any differently, and we moved on to touching our toes before he could. He didn't notice anything when she bent at her waist facing him, exposing that frustratingly deep valley of cleavage to him. He didn't admire her strong, smooth, sexy back when she stretched out in front of him. Finally, she clapped her hands and turned around.

"Okay, I thought we could do some lifting today. Follow me," Alexis punctuated her statement with a small, sharp, clap. She led us over to a pair of weight benches. I laid down on one while Ben got into position on the other. Alexis loaded up the weights on each of our bars; putting more weight on mine then she typically did. She loaded up Ben's bar quite a bit as well.

"Alexis, I think this is a bit too much," I protested, more than a little reticent about trying to lift the imposing amount of weight.

"Oh, c'mon, Shan, why not show off the progress you made in front of your hubby...make him proud!" she chirped, with a sickeningly sweet smile, throwing in, "If you can."

It worried me when she smiled; on the surface, her pretty face seemed to light up with delight, but to me she looked like a shark, all cold logic and cruel intent. To me, it looked like she was planning something. She next walked over to Ben's station, while I hesitantly gripped the weight bar. It was as I inhaled and lifted the bar from its perch that I heard Alexis speak.

"Okay, Ben, it's time to show me what you're made of," she cooed seductively. I had the bar in my hands, arms stretched straight, balancing the weight precariously above me, I turned my head to look over at Ben. Alexis was now straddling my husband's face, spotting him. I watched as he lifted the bar, his muscles straining with the weight, veins popping impressively. 

"That's okay, you got it," Alexis encouraged Ben with a honey-like sweetness that I had never heard from her. He lowered the bar with measured control until it was touching his chest. She hovered her hands under it just in case he needed help. As she did this, her crotch lowered until it was within a few inches of his face. This sight caused my arms to quiver as I lost my focus and slowly drop the bar until it was precariously balanced on my chest.

"Uh, help!" I croaked weakly, struggling to keep the bar from crushing my rib cage, lacking the leverage or strength to force it back up. But neither of them heard me. Ben was straining to heft the heavy amount of weight he was holding, and Alexis was right there, cooing encouragements at him, coaxing him to exert himself beyond his usual means. She was right there, waiting to see if he needed any help, and once it became clear he didn't need any and he would be able to lift the bar back into place, she took the opportunity to admire his bulging biceps, rubbing them gently with her hands as he the bar back into place.

"Very impressive, Ben," Alexis complimented Ben admiringly, her voice dripping with uncharacteristic honey.

"Uh, help!" I wheezed again, struggling with the weight I was desperately trying to support, which was now sitting painfully on my upper chest, just above my breasts, my arms shaking as I tried to keep it from crushing my rib cage. Alexis lazily sauntered over and with an arrogant ease, put her hands under my bar and effortlessly lifted it back into place. 

"I was kinda struggling there, Alexis," I scolded her, angry at being ignored, "I told you it was too much, and you just left me there!"

"Sorry, I was in another world. I assumed you could handle it; you're a big girl after all," Alexis replied flatly, her eyes betraying that familiar cold, gray, disinterest.

I rolled my eyes. She removed some of the weights on mine, and both me and Ben spent the next few minutes lifting, working up a good sweat. I was more than a little annoyed that Alexis was still focusing more on Ben than me.

The rest of the session went relatively painlessly. We did some endurance work on the exercise bike, some yoga, leg presses, and we did some running, with Alexis and Ben both running far ahead of me again, leaving me behind. 

The next day was a day off from our training, and I was happy to get away from Alexis and this training for a bit. I was happy to see Ben didn't seem receptive to Alexis' obvious come-ons and attempts to flaunt her body before him. He again knew that Alexis' attitude was complete bullshit, but he was willing to go along with it to help me lose weight. He was willing to protect me from her abuse. 

I had the best husband in the world.

***********

(Alexis)

God, I wanted Shannon's husband bad. He seemed like such a good guy. He had a gorgeous body. He had a cute smile. He was perfect.

Perfect for me.

I couldn't wait to corrupt him. I couldn't wait to turn that smile into a sneer as he pounded me. I couldn't wait to turn this good guy into my personal bad boy. 

I had used my displeasure with Shannon to convince her to bring Ben back to me. Once I knew he was coming, I adjusted my plans. I had an excuse now to wear my sluttiest work out outfit. I paraded my body's best assets before his eyes. My flat belly. My big titties. My long legs. I bounced around like a preppy gym rat around him; but like a good husband, he pretended not to notice. I practically sat on his face under the guise of spotting him, but he acted like nothing was amiss. I would be shocked if he had not smelled my juices as I did so. But since he was so distracted, I was able to easily take a glimpse at the sizable bulge straining his shorts; taunting me.

I was thoroughly displeased, though, that by the end of the session that he had not at least given some indication that he had noticed my hot body, that tempting bulge failing to stir despite my best efforts.

Then I realized the reason for that. He had to be on his best behavior around 'the wife'. Plus, he was probably hesitant of me because he figured that I was being not quite so genuine; but this only made him more desirable...not just a hunk, but an intelligent, strong willed, and perceptive man. A muscular stud with a big cock is a dime a dozen, but the fact that Ben could see through my charade, that he was going to be a challenge to break and bend to my will, was only further proof that we were perfectly compatible mates. But I would have to get him alone. 

I needed to get him away from his wife. That way, he would not have his wife around clouding his judgment or distracting him from what he should be focusing on...namely, me. She had filled his head with a negative perception of me. Without her being around, he could appreciate me for what I was. And maybe once he got to know me, he would start to doubt his original, biased, judgment. Maybe he would start to think that I was what I presented myself as being. Maybe I was a preppy, harmlessly flirty and fun, personal trainer. And once he thought that, maybe he would start to think his wife was telling stories. Maybe he would start to think his wife was the crazy one. 

There was nothing quite like thinking your spouse was crazy to drive you into the arms of another woman. 

*********

(Ben)

The sun was beginning to slowly break over the horizon as I enjoyed my morning run. My thoughts drifted to Shannon and her issues with Alexis. I had told her that she didn't have to put herself through this. I didn't care if she lost weight. And Alexis' abuse had started to affect Shannon outside of their sessions in the gym. Shannon was not as happy and care-free as she used to before this whole thing had started. 

It infuriated me that Alexis could be that evil and abusive to my wife without repercussions. What infuriated more was that she turned it off when I was around. She chose to yell at and humiliate my wife, but I had no solid proof of her abuse; no evidence to support Shannon's claims and complain to the gym's management, and Shannon refused to lodge a complaint of her own, choosing instead to absorb her abuse in the hopes that it would pay off. I wish I could see her at it, simply so I could fight back at her and defend my wife, but she had been nothing but friendly to me. There was no question to me that my wife was telling the truth. My wife was too stubborn to just quit, so I had to be a good husband and go along with this charade...for her sake.

I was so engrossed in my own turbulent thoughts that I didn't notice the familiar voice calling out to me. It was as I turned a corner in the park that I practically ran into her. I staggered back as I realized Alexis was right in front of me.

"Whoa, Ben. Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she said apologetically, smiling warmly.

"Oh no, sorry, it was my fault; I was in a zone there," I replied, wary of her. What was she doing here?

"I know how that goes," she chirped brightly, flashing those perfect white teeth charmingly, "So, how's your run going?"

"Not too bad. Same old, same old." I replied awkwardly, "Yours?" I asked back, making awkward small talk, still trying to find my balance in this conversation. It felt almost surreal to see her outside the gym; it seemed like her natural habitat, so clean and clinical; a place for building perfect people. Out here in nature, it only seemed to call attention to her almost unnatural beauty, particularly in the warm morning light.

"As good as always," she answered in that honey sweet voice of hers. There was a lull in our conversation, as we stared at each other, until she broke it, "So, I have to ask, how much of what goes on in our sessions does Shannon tell you?"

"Um, well, I..." I started. I didn't trust her, but I'm too honest a guy to outright lie to someone.

"Don't worry, you can be honest. I can take it," she said with a sly smile.

"Well, she says you are pretty tough on her," I said, studying her reaction. I didn't want to make things worse on Shannon, but this might have been my chance to expose Alexis.

"Is that all?" she laughed dismissively, "Like I said, you can be totally honest with me. It won't change anything," 

I paused and considered this, and thought, 'What the hell? May was well go for broke.'

"Honestly, she says you're a complete bitch. She says you're a drill instructor to her...or worse," I accused, bluntly as I could. Her reaction was to smile and laughed.

"I can be pretty demanding, I'm big enough to admit that. But do you want to know why?" she asked, still giggling softly.

"Uh, sure." I replied, caught off guard by her flippant reaction to my accusation.

"I'm tough on the people that need it. I'm not tough on you, because clearly, you don't need any 'tough love' to motivate you. If I could speak candidly with you, your wife is the type of person that is self-sabotaging. She will say one thing and do another; for example, 'I want to lose weight', but then she doesn't follow her diet. You want to know why I was pissed at her a couple days ago? I caught her cheating on her diet. She was scarfing down on a big, fat burger. She needs someone to kick her ass into shape. If I show too much compassion or sympathy, she will take advantage of it, and play towards my good nature whenever things get tough to her. Someone has to treat her this way, because if not, she will end up weighing 400 pounds." Alexis said.

"I don't think that's true at all. She's only a few pounds overweight. She's not a compulsive eater or anything like that," I countered defensively, a little angry that she'd accuse Shannon of loafing and cheating on her diet, when I knew the kind of abuse she was absorbing from Alexis. I knew my wife...didn't I?

"You saw how tough my workouts are, and you know what? She's actually gained weight!" Alexis argued, her voice softening, looking for sympathy.

"Doesn't that just prove that what you are doing isn't working?" I accused, feeling a little ashamed when I saw a pained twinge as her pouty lips fell in a disappointed frown. I may have actually hurt her feelings.

"Fair enough. I have been doing this for years, and my methods have always been proven correct. The harder I ride people, the more they respond. The more weight they lose, the healthier they feel, and the closer they get to achieving their ideal body image. All those girls thank me afterward for riding them. I am starting to think that maybe there is no helping her. If she doesn't have the dedication to lose weight and stay fit, there is nothing I can do," Alexis said.

"She has the dedication. Maybe if she had some positive reinforcement, she could do better," I replied, "Just encourage her; I know it'll make a difference...please." 

"Okay. I am agreeable. I tell you what. I will be nice to your wife. I will be positive, and let's just see how that goes. If it works, and she starts to lose weight, I'll give you a full refund, and an apology," Alexis offered. I was happily surprised by this offer.

"And if it doesn't?" I asked, warily, unsure of what other edge of this sword was going to be.

"If I am right, all I want is for you to be my running buddy," she said with a playful giggle, that irresistible smile coming back.

"What?" I blinked, stunned.

"You see, I'm not that bad. All I want is a running buddy. What's so bad about that?" she mused. There was something sly about the way she said this, playful but...with some hidden intent. I tried to think of what the worst that could happen was, but decided that I had faith in Shannon, even though I didn't fully trust Alexis.

"Okay...sure," I reluctantly agreed.

"Great!" Alexis grabbed my hand in both of hers, her soft skin clutching mine warmly, shaking it to seal the agreement, "I can't wait!"

I was a little put off by her confidence that Shannon would fail, especially considering that she stood to lose not only her dignity, but a substantial amount of cash. What was she up to? What was she trying to pull here? There was no way Shannon was going to put on weight...it was impossible! What was Alexis' game?

"So, which one is the real you? This, or the one you show my wife?" I asked bluntly, looking for a straight answer.

"You'll have to find out." she teased. Another awkward silence surrounded us.

"Well, I'd better get going." I said.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow," Alexis started, "By the way, bring your swimsuit." 

"Oh, I can't make it tomorrow; I have to finalize my curriculum for next year. But after that, I should be there for the rest of them," I said, feeling a little more comfortable conversing with Alexis, despite myself. Maybe she was growing on me after all?

"Oh, well, then we'll push back swimming till then. I'll test out your theory tomorrow then," Alexis replied, betraying a little disappointment.

"Okay, sounds good," I called over my shoulder, running toward home.