Creative.Metaphor

Determination
By Robin Zemek

“You must think you’re tough.”
“I know I’m tough.”
Alex just laughed. It was a slight snort with a smile attached.
“You’re tough like jelly.”
She lifted the weight again. Alex watched it go up and down each time.
“I’m serious Roxy, I have seen bowls of jello tougher than you.”
“Shut up. I can do this,” she blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and a short second later it returned to its position.
“You can do what? My breakfast could lift those weights faster and higher. My oatmeal could outpace you ten times over. My orange juice could do laps around you... My... what else did I have for breakfast?”
“Ego?”
“No! I had determination! And not just powerbar sized determination, I had a whole box!”
“Where do they sell that at costco?”
“They don’t! You have to earn it! You earn it with every drop of sweat, every aching muscle, and every rep. You don’t buy abs! You earn them!”
“I’m sure I could buy them somewhere...”
Alex put his hand of the weight, stopping it. He looked her in the eyes.
“You know why you’re doing this? You know why you walked into my gym and picked up my equipment? Or are you just dicking around? Do you want anything out of your life? Do you want to look great?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to feel great?”
“Yes.”
“Then Roxy I need you to do twenty more reps.”
He let go of the weight and it slowly sunk back down. She let out a heavy breath.
“Twenty.”
She brought it back up.
“Nineteen.”