As they spoke, Alex and Gawain reached the end of the corridor, and arrived at the sports center, more precisely, at the gym of the sports center. They turned to go to the locker room to get changed, only for Gawain to slow down, then stop, his gaze fixed somewhere in the gym, and his expression stagnant.
Alex stopped in surprise, and looked at his friend. He raised an eyebrow, and followed the direction of the latter's gaze to find what had caused him to stop and made his expression dazed.
The gym was quite full from the early risers who were making a stop here before going to work, and the scenery was not bad for all tastes, whether straight or not.
With half a smile on his lips, Alex looked at the dark ponytail jumping up and down at each step of its owner on the treadmill. The arc of his lips grew, as he appreciated the plump but not fat figure in sleeveless crop top and fitting shorts snugly holding her back muscles.
Alex appreciated the rhythmic movements of the woman, then turned to look at the man who just a moment ago didn't mind remaining single forever. He let out a soft laugh, then changed his direction to walk to the woman.
"Hey!"
Gawain tried to stop him, but stopped after a step, as Alex ignored him with a wide smile, and left him behind.
Alex walked through the gym goers until he reached the woman. He very naturally leaned against the arm of the treadmill she was using, and lowered his gold-framed sunglasses:
"Hello princess. Your beauty has caught my heart from the horizon, and I can't help but come to admire you up close. How are you doing?"
The woman glanced at him once, then ignored him. Still, the lukewarm reaction didn't discourage Alex, as his smile remained undiminished:
"Please, don't be so cold. Being happy is better for health."
The beautiful greyish blue eyes of the dark-haired woman gave Alex a sidelong glance, before she replied with a question:
"And what makes you think that I am not happy?"
Alex opened his eyes wide:
"Really, are you not? But you didn't smile, even though that would make you look so much more beautiful!"
Alex's smile deepened at the end of his words, and that almost made the woman produce a smile of her own. Even though she suppressed it, Alex still noticed the slight raise at the corner of her mouth.
Alex's eyes gleamed, as there was breach in the defense. But that breach could be the prelude to a tighter defense, so he changed lanes to throw off the defensive strategy of the other side.
He made himself more comfortable, and moved to another topic:
"So, this is the first time I see you here. How do you like our sports center?"
The dark-haired woman kept her rhythm as she glanced at Alex with her eyes that returned to being impassive:
"You speak as if this place is yours."
Unfazed, Alex smiled:
"Even choosing to come here is something to take pride in as it speaks of my taste."
The woman's eyes flickered, and she turned off the treadmill. As she went from running to walking, she turned to Alex, her calm expression holding a dash of curiosity:
"Oh? Since you have that much taste, how did you spend your weekend?"
Alex choked.
"Cough… Let's not talk about that, dear. You continue enjoying your lifetime membership, while I go do my things. See you later."
Alex pushed up his sunglasses and turned to walk away as if he was escaping. He returned to Gawain's side and pulled him toward the locker room. Throughout all of that, he never looked back. Only Gawain saw the calm but amused greyish blue eyes follow them as their owner stood on the now inert treadmill.
It was only when they disappeared around the corner that he turned back, and looked at Alex:
"You know her?"
Now away from the eyes that had been pricking him from the back, Alex released Gawain's arm. He put away his sunglasses, and gave the blond a look:
"What makes you say so?"
Gawain calmly explained:
"Your look, your interaction, the way you ran."
"Oh."
The monosyllabic answer was followed by silence, before Gawain broke it:
"Is she an ex of yours?"
Alex paused, making Gawain stop in his steps too, and he turned to face him. He scrutinized the calm face of the doctor, before voicing the only inference he could think off:
"Is she sick?"
Gawain frowned in confusion, and shook his head:
"I don't know. But I don't think so. She looks healthy."
It was Alex's turn to frown, as he scanned his friend's face in search for an explanation for his abnormal behavior.
"If you did not notice anything pertaining to her health, why are you focusing on her? Why did you stop to look at her before? What, did you fall in love with her, perchance? At first sight?"
Gawain paused, then nodded slowly, not taking offense at the mocking edge in the words:
"You are right. I think I just fell in love."
The air suddenly turned quiet, as the world seemed to freeze. The two big men remained standing there looking at each other, one calm, and the other processing the shocking revelation.
Slowly, the look in Alex's eyes shifted, making it seem as if he was looking at a stranger, a monstrous stranger.
"Who are you, and what have you done to my friend who said he will be single for life? And he said it just now!"
Suddenly, Alex shook his head, turned around, and resumed walking:
"Forget it, no one is trustworthy nowadays."
Gawain opened his mouth to defend himself, as he said he 'could' remain single without any trouble, not that he 'would' remain single for life. In the end, he closed his mouth.
Alex glanced at him, and exhaled:
"Her name is Leyna Staten, and no, she is not an ex of mine. She is more like a big sister to me. She is my mother's assistant, and I'm sure you know what that means. She has the look, including the figure, the brain, and money. As for you…"
Alex glanced up and down at Gawain by his side, and continued:
"You have the look, the brain, and… Well, compared to her you are poor, so let's not count that."
Despite his facade of unflappable calm, Gawain's lips twitched. But Alex paid him no mind. He pushed open the door to their destination as he concluded, as he shook his head:
"She is seven years older than you, mature, beautiful, and with nothing lacking in her life. If you want to pursue her, good luck to you."