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My new winter boots sink into the fresh snow courtesy of a night-long, relentless dumping. I make a mental note to shovel the sidewalk when I get home. It’s been years since I’ve had to shovel a sidewalk, back when I was a teenager being punished for something I did without thinking of the consequences.
Beautifully Bold is nestled between the town’s flower shop and hair salon. The sign is a muted pink with white cursive writing and hangs above the entrance by a wood beam protruding from the building and two delicate-looking chains. It swings in the breeze, creaking slightly.
My palms are sweaty inside my pink mittens as I pull open the heavy door and step inside the building. It’s warm but not hot, like Poppy was already thinking ahead and knowingly kept our upcoming sweating in mind when she set the thermostat. My breath stalls in my chest when I spot the four unfamiliar women already waiting.
They all spin in my direction, interest and curiosity sparking in their eyes. Bryce struts to my side, setting a hand on my shoulder. I swallow when she introduces me to everyone, lifting my hand in a nervous wave.
“This is Annalise, and she’ll be joining us for today. Hopefully, we can keep her for longer than just today, so please help us convince her to stay!”
“Please be welcoming, or I’ll have you hanging on the pole for the entire class,” Poppy threatens, coming up to my other side.
Flanked by the two of them, I let some of my nervous flutter away and lift my chin. I really like these two girls, and if they think that I’ll enjoy my time here, I’m willing to give it a fair shot. It’s not like I have anything else to do today other than sit at home and watch old episodes ofDatelineagain.
“You can call me Anna. I’m excited to be here,” I say, attempting to hide my lingering nerves.
“Hi, Anna.” The welcoming words are spoken by everyone. Smiles break out around the room, and I return the gesture. Dragging my eyes to the studio, I take my first real look at the space.
The same muted pink colour from the sign outside has been carried inside the studio with matching walls and two velvet chairs settled in front of the infamous firefighter-watching window. The floors are dark wood, the colour similar to the floors in my rental. A hot pink neon sign with the studio name is hung along the back wall, bright enough to blind someone if they stared at it for too long. Six silver poles shine along the room,with one in front of all the others. A wall of only mirrors reflects the poles and the women around them. My stomach swirls at the idea of having to watch myself dance like a fool.
“We usually spend the first few minutes stretching, so just grab the empty pole, and we’ll get started,” Poppy says a beat later, waving her arm at the other women.
They all drop to the floor, sitting with their legs stretched outward. Bryce grabs one of the two empty poles and nods to the one beside her. We’re at the back of the class, and while I won’t tell her that I appreciate the placement, I really,reallydo.
Poppy is wearing a cropped T-shirt with the Beautifully Bold logo on the top right corner and a pair of shorts short enough that they cover little more than a pair of underwear. The other women are wearing a variety of similar clothes, with Bryce sporting the same short shorts and a tight tank top. Poppy’s glowing, her curves confidently on display in a way that makes me insanely jealous. When she sits on the floor with the other girls and begins to lead stretches, I can’t help but stare in awe at the way she moves with such sharp precision, even doing something as tame as stretching.
“I watched her the same way at first. I’ve been in this class with her since the very start, and I still can’t move like her,” Bryce says, noticing my stare. She’s on the floor now, staring over at me with a soft smile. “She will have you sweating enough that you’ll be cursing her name if you don’t ditch the coat and boots and sit down to stretch, though.”
“Right.”
Flushing, I drop my gym bag a few feet behind me and shrug off my jacket, slipping out of my boots and socks next. After discarding them with everyone else’s, I sit beside Bryce, waiting for Poppy’s stretching instructions.
When I drape my body over my legs and attempt to grip my toes, I nearly cry at the burn that flares in my muscles. I can onlyreach my ankles, but I don’t let that deter me. One glance beside me, and I see Bryce’s fingertips brushing the top soles of her feet.
“Doesn’t that hurt?” I ask on a rough exhale.
Slowly, she rolls her upper body back up and tucks her left arm behind her head, stretching a new set of muscles. “Not anymore. It used to. The more you do it, the easier it will be and the further you’ll be able to reach. For day one, you’re off to a good start.”
I nod, following the next few sets of movements that Poppy explains to us. Once we’re finished with the stretches, she hops onto her feet, and I’m completely unprepared for the sight of her gripping the pole in both hands and hoisting herself up.
Mouth gaping, I watch her swing her body up the length of the pole and extend her legs before spinning. Round and round, she twirls, not even a slight bend in her knees, until she cascades down the pole and her bare feet hit the ground. I wince at the sound of her bare thighs rubbing on the pole, and Bryce laughs at my reaction.
“You get used to that too.”
“This is terrifying.”
Does Poppy expect me to be able to do that today?Does the entire class? I didn’t even bring a pair of shorts to change into, just my workout leggings and tee that I wore here and a pair of old running shoes. The only reason I have a gym bag for today is because I got Poppy’s text the night after we met encouraging me to bring one for all of my things and panic ordered one online for today. It’s embarrassingly empty because I wasn’t sure what to put inside. Apparently, a pair of shorts were a good idea.
Another laugh, drawing Poppy’s attention from the front of the class. She tosses us a wink, and Bryce says, “She’s showing off for you. Nobody is going to expect you to do that today. Half the class can’t do that yet.”
“I like her,” I blurt out. “Both of you. Thank you for inviting me today.”
Bryce’s sharp blue eyes warm. “You’re welcome. We’ll see if you still like her once we’re finished today.”
“She’s that harsh of an instructor?”
“Harsh or firm, whatever you want to call it. She loves what she does and wants us all to love it too. Beautifully Bold has been her dream for over a decade, but nobody took her seriously for wanting to open a pole studio here. It was a bunch of total judgmental bullshit, but small towns can be very closed-minded sometimes. Cherry Peak is one of those towns.”
Faintly, I hear Poppy telling everyone to chalk their hands, but neither Bryce nor I move from where we sit. Nobody cares much about what Bryce and I are doing right now, including Poppy. Whether she can sense that we’re in the middle of an important conversation or just doesn’t want to scare me off yet, I don’t know.
