Prologue
People say names hold power. Maybe that's why we found each other.
We met online, a strange, scattered collection of souls bound together by fate—or perhaps just by the sheer coincidence of our names.January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November... and me, December.A full year in human form, each of us carrying our own burdens, our own dreams, our own heartbreaks.
We were different in every way, yet we fit together like puzzle pieces. What started as a joke in a random forum—"What if we made a group with all the months of the year?"—became a friendship deeper than I ever imagined. But no matter how much they loved me, no matter how often they told me I was beautiful, I could never believe it.
I had spent most of my life hiding in the safety of predictability. The good girl. The straight-A student turned devoted elementary school teacher. The responsible one, the one who never strayed too far from the rules. And yet, beneath all that goodness, I felt like a stranger in my own skin.
I knew what people saw when they looked at me—soft, round, plain. Not ugly, but never stunning. Not the kind of woman who turned heads when she walked into a room. And maybe that was why, despite my twenty-eight years, despite the love stories I had devoured in books, I had never truly lived one of my own.
I had never been kissed like in the movies. Never been wanted with a fire that burned through hesitation. Never been looked at like I was the only person in the world.
And I wanted that.
So, I made a decision.
The gym.
It wasn't just about losing weight. It was about taking control, about sculpting a version of myself that I could finally love. About becoming the kind of woman who could walk into a room and make someone stop breathing.
And that was when I metRyder. The moment I saw him, I knew he was out of my league. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a smirk that belonged in a romance novel. He wasn't just fit—he was effortless, a man who carried himself with the kind of confidence I had always envied.
And yet, he wasn't just beautiful. He was kind. The first time we spoke, he smiled at me like I was just another person, not a project, not a lost cause. He handed me a workout plan, explained every exercise with patience, and when he looked at me, really looked at me, I felt something strange stir in my chest.
Hope. Because for the first time, I thought—maybe. Maybe he saw me.
Maybe this was the beginning of something I never thought I'd have.
And maybe, just maybe, I was finally ready to be wanted.
Oh, How wrong was I. He will only be another life lesson.
Chapter 1: Whispers and Weight
I never thought I would love the gym.
Yet, here I am—one year in, stronger, more confident, and finally seeing a reflection I don't shy away from. The girl who once wore oversized sweaters to disappear now wears fitted leggings and tank tops without flinching. The girl who used to lower her gaze in mirrors now meets her own eyes head-on, silently acknowledging how far she has come.
And it's all because of him.
Ryder.
My coach. My friend. My secret.
It started with simple encouragement—a warm smile after a tough set, the way he always seemed to notice when I needed a push. He was effortless, charming without trying, and I had fallen—hard.
There was a time, early in our friendship, when he caught me struggling with a deadlift.
"You're thinking too much, December. The weight doesn't control you. You control it."
I had rolled my eyes."Sounds like a terrible motivational poster."
"Maybe,"he'd grinned,"but I believe it."
And somehow, I started believing it too—not just about the weights but about myself.
Then one night, I had stayed late at the gym. The world outside was dark and quiet. It had just been the two of us—like it sooften was. I had been sitting on one of the benches, catching my breath, when he sat beside me.
