Second Chance - Part 2

[qzxkj]

Foreword: I'm an Aussie so that may explain some of the spelling, words and whatnot. Again feedback is really appreciated, it has already motivated me to come out with part 2 so soon. Please enjoy.

Part 1

Part 2

After 30 push ups I was already exhausted and began to get dressed. I managed to find the least embarassing t-shirt and jeans combination I had, most of the shirts were really baggy. It looked like someone had put a shirt on a twig. The jeans weren't that much better.
Eventually I settled with an old favourite Wolverine t-shirt which could couple as a parachute if I were to fall off any cliffs today.

I rubbed my chest through the shirt, now slightly sore from the small amount of exercise. It was so small, my chest was practically concave. I let out a sigh, I was smaller than I could even remember. I stared at the mirror again, I was never bad looking, just completely ordinary, short brown hair, brown eyes, plain facial structure - combine that with a nonexistent physique and you get the recipe for being utterly forgettable.

Breakfast was a choice between Coco Pops and Fruit Loops, so I had the biggest bowl of Coco Pops in my life, forcing myself to finish it. It would have to do.

After a short drive with Mum, we were at the school's book sale. Mum would just point at books and I'd throw in the occassional 'uh huh' to confirm the sale, I could remember all of the books I used in high school anyway.
While Mum made small talk with other mum's I took the time to absorb my surroundings.

Here I am, It's 1999, making me 13 years old, I'm casually saying hi to people I remember from school. I'm breathing 1999 air.

"What's the date today again?"

"The 5th" replied Mum, she was now currently considering buying the home economics book for herself.

"of?.."

Mum slowly turned her head to me "January?" she said with eye brows raised.

I laughed it off. So did she.

So I'm breathing January 5 1999 air, which means there isn't much longer before high school starts.

"Duncan!" I quickly turned. It was the 13 year old version of Rachel coming towards me. I had to smile, I had forgotten how she used to wear those rounded Harry Potter glasses. With the unkept tangled long brown hair and the drab grey dress she was wearing, it was clear she didn't give a damn what people thought of her.

"Hey Rachel!" I exclaimed, more bemused than surprised. I wanted to laugh.

"So how's your holidays been, looking forward to school?"

"Holidays have been.. good I guess" I really didn't know. "but I am looking forward to school, what about you?"

"Yeah.. " she replied day dreamily, at this point she wasn't even looking at me, she seemed more distracted with the sky for some reason. "I think it'll be fun if we get to be in the same classes, or even in the same house together!"

I knew which house Rachel was in, but didn't comment.

"Yeah.." I trailed off.

"So everything's good for tomorrow night right?" Rachel was looking at me again.

"Tomorrow night?"

"C'mon Duncan! Dungeons and Dragons tomorrow night remember? Starting the new campaign? I was up until 3am last night getting everything set up. Don't tell me you forgot!" Rachel had turned placid to savage in a split second.

"I.."

"And I finished making your character last night as well, you still wanna be a Bard right?"

My mouth gaped like a fish.

"Oh yeah.. yeah I guess I'll be the Bard then.." I didn't want to be the Bard.

"Well if you change your mind just call me up, anyway gotta go I can see Mum waiting for me"

We waved goodbye as she skipped away. I had to hold back laughter again.

Eventually we returned home. I made a sandwich with the bare essentials we had, Mum never cooked or prepared meals, but she barely bought anything that could be turned into a decent meal, no wonder I'm so scrawny.

I had managed to convince mum to buy an art sketch pad while at the book sale. I sat down on my bed, and began to write down everything - taking a bite from the sandwich every so often.

I made lists, diagrams, everything on how I was going to do this, how I was going to get from where I was to being the muscle stud I wanted to be. I already knew some of the exercises and nutritional aspects that you pick up out of general interest but I needed to know everything.

I spent the night on the Internet reading every article, watching every demonstration on how to do the exercises. I absorbed it all like a sponge.

But I needed to work out how I was going to start this, I couldn't just walk up to Mum and say "Hey Mum, can I get a set of weights and/or a gym membership and all this food as well". Fortunately my parents were rich and they could easily afford it but that wasn't what I was concerned with.

It was building the courage as the stick insect I was to seriously say to my parents, who I was at the complete mercy of, to support and provide me with the resources I needed for a lifestyle that couldn't be any more of a contradiction of who they knew me to be.

I took a bite of my sandwich, chewed slowly and gulped.

Why was I so worried about what would happen if I asked. This mental barrier plagued me when I was an adult, I'm not gonna let it happen again.

In a sudden burst of energy I lept off the bed and marched through the rumpus room and towards the lounge room where mum was lying on the couch watching TV.

"Mum.."

"Yeah?" she said still looking at the TV.

"I um.. .." My mouth was suddenly dry, " ..nevermind"

"uh huh" she said, still not looking at me.

I walked back into my room, shut the door and plowed head first onto my bed and into my pillows eventually turning to the side to avoid suffocation.

Why was it so hard. I wanted this so badly, I felt like I wanted to cry. I didn't want to screw up this opportunity. Thoughts of my life in 2011 began to creep into my head, it wasn't so bad right? You were having fun weren't you? What's having muscles going to do for you?

The realisation of having to repeat 12 years of my life the same way again caught up with me.

How do I get back to 2011? Can I even get back? How did I even get here, it's not a dream.. maybe I'm in a coma.. but how? Maybe if I go to sleep I'll wake up and things will be the way they were.

"NO!" I yelled at the ceiling.

Once again I flung the door open and set off on a warpath through the rumpus room and towards the lounge room.

Suddenly I froze in place, why didn't I think of it earlier. I stopped in the middle of the rumpus room and rotated on the spot.

"Dad?"

He lowered his newspaper.

"Yeah?" he was looking at me over the top of his reading glasses.

Again my mouth dried up and I started to tremble. Dad and I always had stilted conversations for many reasons, I never made an effort to connect with him, he was a workaholic and when he came home from work, he quietly watched some sports, the news, read the paper and went to bed and repeated the process. I was hoping the impersonal connection would some how have made this easier.

He was still staring at me. There was no turning back now.

"I was thinking.." oh man what am I doing.

"Yeah.."

"that um.." I couldn't even come up with a reason, damn why didn't I come up with a reason, "well I.." I took a deep breath, "I was thinking that I've been getting really skinny lately and I was thinking that it would be really cool if I like, started exercising and stuff, like with weights and, and stuff.. " I trailed off weakly staring at the floor, looking up occassionally. I'd never babbled like an idiot like that in my life, my heart was sinking rapidly, I had laid everything bare on the table and now I wanted to just melt into a puddle, slink back off to my room and faceplant my pillows again.

Dad stared at me, why did he have to stare, it felt like an eternity. It was probably 3 seconds.

"Okay" he said casually, returning back to the newspaper.

I was frozen.

"You are pretty skinny, it'll be good for you" he added.

The words took a moment to sink in, it was like someone had taken a sledge hammer to my mental wall and some light was now streaming through.

I collapsed onto the chair nearby, relieved. "Awesome" I let out quietly.

"Can we get it the equipment.. tomorrow?" I hoped I wasn't pushing it, I really wanted to start straight away.

He looked at me again. "Where do you plan on putting it all?"

"In my room maybe?"

"How is a bench press going to fit in your room? We can set it up in the shed, it's empty now." I wasn't even thinking of having a bench press, my imagination only went as far as a set of dumbbells.

"Oh yeah, okay cool"

"I can get it tomorrow, I'll take the truck and pick up the equipment" Dad explained, making it seem like pretty standard procedure. "But I'll have to do it early because of work"

"Ok"

"You'll be up early to help me put it together right?"

"Yeah definitely" I said eager to show my enthusiasm.

"Okay then" he went back to his newspaper.

I slowly started to stand up but there was one more thing.

"Dad"

"Yeah?"

Dad never got impatient.

I started to stammer again but somehow the next part was easier.

"Well.. when you're working out.. you kinda need to eat stuff that's better than like, Coco Pops"

He laughed, that was rare.

"..and I don't think Mum would really get the right food, you know?"

"If it were up to just your bloody mother to feed us, we'd be dead"

We laughed together, that was rare too.

"I'll give you the money and you can buy what you need from the store, it's not far from here, you can walk it, just ask me when you need more"

"Cool, okay" I was grinning ear to ear.

Dad resumed reading as if the conversation never happened. I just stared at the newspaper trying to come to terms with what had just happened.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks heaps"

"Yeah no worries son."

[philat99]

Very well done! Projecting the fears and dreams of youth to a parent the first time can be quite daunting!

[bulkinupbig]

Qzxkj,
Admittedly, the very beginning of the story was not as engaging as I thought it would be with the D&D and WoW references that I am not familiar with, however, the story is progressing very nicely.

What makes this story particularly appealing is that the main character is putting in the effort (e.g. training, nutrition, etc.) to achieve a muscular physique and it is not happening through some "magical potent."

Looking forward to future installments.
Cheers,
bulkinupbig

[muscle16a]

What makes this story so good so far is it deals with a thought that we've ALL had at one time or another: The "Do-Over". Keep it up, this story has real promise!

[GlitzPianoman]

Well-done! I haven't minded the D&D references at all (not the least because I'm a gamer). I also think the references to the characters Duncan plays will act as an interesting parallel to his struggles to transform his physique and, through it, possibly his identity.

[Mass Driver]

I like this... Heaps!!
So Please...
Keep Writing.

MD

[Mdlftr]

This story is really hitting the "truth" button in a lot of ways:
1. the desire for a "do-over"
2. The fear of change, even when you want it
3. The constant self-doubt, even as incremental changes are made
4. Parents who actually are supportive, even if they have to be prodded to express it.
5. The whole "inertia" feeling of family patterns: everyone falls into their rut, everyone does the expected thing, no one rocks the boat or tries anything new.
6. Change happens in small, seemingly insignificant increments
7. Building muscle takes committment, planning and hard work


this story is really starting out well, qzxjk!

I can't wait to see the next installment!

Mdlftr

[berrytarts]

I see a really good progress in this story! I will be looking forward to the next installment!