The Gym Rat
High school junior Luke is used to going it alone. After his parents' divorce scattered what remained of his family, Luke has focused on the one thing that gives him control - lifting weights. While his peers find their place on sports teams or in social groups, Luke spends every free moment in the gym, methodically working to increase his bench press and build muscular definition.
Life as a gym rat has its benefits. Physical activity provides an escape from Luke's turbulent thoughts, and his growing physique earns respect from some classmates. But it does little to ease his loneliness. Without friends to lean on, each school day brings fresh reminders that Luke remains an outsider.
When the popular and attractive Sarah Anderson notices Luke's lifting progress, he is stunned by her request to train together. Sarah sees potential in Luke beyond his isolation, glimpsing a kind heart beneath his gruff exterior. As their gym sessions blossom into tentatively shared lunches and study sessions, Luke fights his lingering distrust of intimacy.
But forming new bonds threatens Luke's safe solitary routine. Gossip soon swirls around the "gym punk" spending time with the star cheerleader. Meanwhile, unresolved issues from Luke's family history resurface, testing his resilience. To accept Sarah's friendship and face deeper demons head-on, Luke must learn to lift more than weights - he must lift the heavy weight of his own loneliness.
