Page 29 of Summer with My Sexy Ex
I turn to see Bristol glaring at me.
“Must I what?” I ask.
“I can’t see the instructor with you jumping all over the place like that.”
“I wasn’t jumping all over the place.”
“Shh!” someone admonishes.
“I wasn’t jumping all over the place,” I whisper.
“I heard you the first time,” she whispers back.
“Okay, let’s move into Balasana, child’s pose,” the instructor monotones.
I sit crisscross applesauce on my mat, figuring that must be a child’s pose.
And soon realize I’m wrong.
I look back at Bristol. She has her knees beneath her, her torso bent forward, and her arms stretched out in front of her. She’s obviously done this before. I grab my mat and drag it beside her, creating my own spot in the otherwise symmetrical square of people.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.
“Copying.” I grin and attempt to adopt the same pose she’s in.
“Well, don’t!”
“It’s not like you can stop me,” I say. “We’re all literally copying the instructor. It’s no different if I copy you.”
“Parsva Sukhasana,” the instructor says. “Seated side bend.”
“Plus, you’re more interesting to look at.”
“Shh!” someone says. I think it was Brie this time.
I can do a side bend.
Or so I thought.
Turns out the slim man with the slight build is a hell of a lot stronger than he looks. He pulls my upstretched hand higher, raising my torso while pushing his other hand against my back to straighten it. And right when he’s got me contorted in a position that feels nothing like a side bend, he tells me to stay. I suck in my breath and try to do just that.
“Breathe,” he instructs.
I inhale sharply and hold it.
“Exhale,” he says.
I shake my head.
“Exhale,” he says, pushing against my chest from the front and my lats from the back, forcing an exhale. My body crumbles to the mat.
“Good,” he says with that same stupid smile on his face.
“This is fuck all harder than it looks,” I mutter as he walks away.
Bristol’s torso shakes from laughing as she moves on her mat. I can’t think of a snappy enough comment to throw back at her. Plus, yoga clothes can be distracting. Brie is wearing a sports bra and leggings. I can seeeverythingfrom here.
“Marjaryasana,” the instructor calls out. “Cat and cow poses.”
