"Your stamina has improved," Olivia said nodding at Koushik who was huffing and puffing lying on the ground.
"Gr... re.. eaaaat. Huff. Though huff I feel huff like huff I could dieeee any second." Koushik replied.
"Of course. You rely more on your agility than your strength after all though it's nothing brag-worthy."
"..... hey, lately you started speaking to me using more than seven words. And using full proper sentences too." Koushik said smiling from ear to ear.
"If this was before you would have just replied with a hm or simply silence. But now you praised my improvement. Hihi."
Olivia cast a silent pointy look at him.
"OK ok. I won't tease you. Sorry. You may go on teacher." He flashed a cheeky grin.
Olivia sighed and said "Now we'll start working on your strength. Follow me."
Like an obedient child, Koushik trailed behind her.
After some time they stood before the gymnasium but to Koushik's surprise, Olivia did not take him through the usual route inside. Rather they went around the gym and reached what he assumed to be the back door.
Olivia scanned her card at the door and brought him inside. Gazing around the new place Koushik realised it looked somewhat like a miniature version of the gym. Except for a few big and heavy equipment it was mostly empty.
"We practice here for an event when the gym is occupied," Olivia explained.
"Oooohhhh." Koushik nodded.
"Sit." Olivia pointed at a place.
"Try to lift these one by one." She placed several weights before him.
Koushik followed her instructions without any query.
As he lifted one weight after another Olivia silently observed him. Once he completed his task she set several weights aside and asked him to lift and hold those left before him for as long as he could. Again Koushik did as she told. After that Olivia picked a few from them and fixed them on a barbell.
"Come." Olivia handed over the barbell to him.
"Ooaf! Geez it's heavy. I almost fell." Koushik exclaimed while trying to steady himself.
"And goodness! How strong are you? You lifted this thing with one hand."
"Quit chittering and get to work." Olivia ignored his words.
"Yes yes. On it captain."
For the next two hours, Olivia trained Koushik with various weights also correcting his posture and all in the meantime.
"Haah! I'm gonna die at this rate." Koushik panted, sticking his tongue out.
"It's only slightly over your regular." Olivia pointed out.
"Ahem. S.. still, you could be a little lenient given this is my first day." Koushik was embarrassed at his over-dramatic reaction.
"If you want to get the desired result. You work hard. Be it your first day or last day." Olivia said nonchalantly.
Koushik pouted 'What a strict teacher I have!'
After another round of intense exercising Olivia finally said "Done."
"Hm?" Koushik looked at her with a mix of confusion shock and... many more emotions that even he failed to comprehend.
"I said you're done for today," Olivia said.
Koushik did not answer and just kept looking at her with that weird expression.
'Am I hearing things? Did all these workouts clog my ear? No, that must be because how can Miss Iceberg tell me to stop? It's always me who begs her to stop for the day kicking and screaming and crying.'
Snap. Snap.
"Huh?" He got startled.
"Come back to Earth." Olivia snapped her fingers.
"Oh, uh... are you sure... we're done? You aren't going to make me do something else now, are you?" He eyed her suspiciously.
"Sigh. Yes and no."
"Hoooh." Koushik let out a deep deep super deep breath.
Suddenly knowing that his quota of strenuous activities for the day had been fulfilled, he got up from the group with newfound excitement. But unfortunately, his body had yet to restore the energy his mind was feeling and as such his legs gave out and he stumbled forward.
"Ooh oh oh aaah." He screamed in fright and shut his eyes.
"Hm?" He cracked one eye open and found that he was not on the floor and nothing on his body was hurting.
He looked down only to find that the ground was far below.
'Am I floating?'
But before he could marvel at his newfound power, a familiar voice rang above his head.
"Get up."
Startled, he looked up and found a cold pair of eyes looking down at him. His mind suddenly went blank and he just kept staring back.
"... Hey, get up," Olivia said again.
"Ah? Oh!" Suddenly coming back to himself Koushik hurried to get up but failed.
"I... I think I'm... stuck." He said embarrassedly.
Olivia sighed. It was understandable given the strange position they were in. When he was about to face-plant himself on the concrete floor Olivia swiftly came to his rescue. She had grabbed his shoulders to steady him but now they formed a right-angled triangle with her standing straight and Koushik in a slanting posture with her supporting him.
She slowly straightened him up and as she was about to withdraw her hand she found him clinging to it. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question.
"Uh... My legs feel like jelly. I don't think they're ready to hold me up yet." He smiled at her awkwardly.
"Could just support me for a couple more minutes please?"
"Hm." Olivia nodded.
"Thanks."
Around seven in the evening, Olivia was standing outside the school gate, leaning against a pillar. Her hands were occupied with tapping on her phone aggressively as she fired at her opponents. In just a few minutes the screen displayed Victory and showed the result of all the six members of her team. A slight smirk played on her lips as she looked at the MVP, most kills, most assists and various other achievements lined beside her character. Swiftly pressing the auto-congratulatory messages for her teammates, she exited the app. And soon enough a bright red car stopped before her.
"Where are we going? By the way, this jacket looks so cool on you!" Trayee said.
"I've set the address already. You'll see when we arrive." Olivia answered.
"Anyways how are things with you? Is the problem solved yet?" Olivia turned to her friend curiously.
"Oh, please. Don't get me started on it." Trayee held her forehead and heaved an annoyed sigh.
"Oh, then you definitely should get started. Come on out with it." Olivia smirked.
"Arrreey, I told you about my current lawyer wanting to resign right? Well he's been bugging me about it for a while but you know, I've already worked with him for so long and now if I'm suddenly asked to get comfortable with a newbie what am I supposed to answer? Of course, l said no but technically I can't refuse his resignation so according to the contract he has to find me a replacement before he leaves. And what's worse is that this new person is even more of a pain in the a**." Trayee pulled her hair.
"Why?" Olivia asked puzzled.
"Well, first of all, I don't even know that is and.."
"Wait a second. You can know." Olivia interrupted her.
"Argh, yeah that's what I'm coming to. Just listen. Mr Chauhan said it'll be his parting surprise gift for me. He'll give me an even better lawyer and I won't have any problem with getting along with them." Trayee mimicked Mr Chauhan.
"Mmm." Olivia nodded her head in understanding.
"Enough about me. What are you planning to do with that boy?" Trayee turned to Olivia swinging her arm over their seat.
"Haaaah. I don't know Toru, I don't know....." Saying that she stared off at the distant lights across the street.
The car stopped before a club.
Olivia alighted first and Trayee next. And in an instant Trayee hugged Olivia's hand and leaned her head on her shoulder. Olivia also lowered her shoulder so that Trayee could be comfortable. And they headed towards the club looking like a perfect couple madly in love.
They stepped in to find lots of people grooving to the music and many gathering around the bar. A lot of couples were busy doing their thing in the dark corners. Blinding multicoloured lights swayed on the beats of the music. The girls headed towards a couch at the far end of the room. They sat at one end while letting another pair of girls make out to their hearts' content on the other end.
"Darling, why did you bring me here?" Trayee leaned against the handrest and struck up a sexy pose.
"Hmmm, let me think why..." Olivia leaned over looking at Trayee with half-lidded eyes and a smirk.
She rested one hand on the couch for support while her other hand played with Trayee's short locks near her face.
"Babe, I saw how restless you were these past few days so I brought you here so that you could loosen up a bit. Aaaand.." Olivia traced her finger over Trayee's cheekbones and chin.
"And?" Trayee raised a brow with a flirty look in her brown eyes and grabbed Olivia's hand.
"And.." Olivia played with her fingers interlocking them with hers.
Suddenly her eyes spotted something through the transparent glass wall of the club and narrowed.
"Wait a minute babe," she kissed Trayee's fingers and temple.
"I'll be right back." Winked at her and disappeared in the crowd.