Deconstructing the Nerd Ch. 03

"The gym is, like, super cheap. Twenty bucks for a years' membership. Campus gym or not, that's AMAZING as far as fitness centers go," Cassie said, waiting for the automatic doors to open. That was Cassie's 457,321st reason why Reema should come along on her next trip to the gym. The previous 457,320 reasons related to how 'kickass' Reema would feel, what an amazing 'stress buster' it was, and how the girls could "push each other" to achieve better results - just like in class!

Although she sometimes indulged in social situations that were unkind to her body, Cassie seemed to live and eat quite sensibly. She started giving Reema advice about diets and healthy places to eat on campus (which were limited!). Reema thought that the blonde's familiarity with food theory and nutrition was actually very impressive - it was certainly nothing Reema knew about, and she considered herself knowledgeable in a lot of areas. Cassie told her about the usefulness of little things like purging soda from her diet. She also stressed that good eating habits were useless without a proper exercise regimen.

"No kidding," Reema said as they stepped through sliding glass doors, entering the pristine foyer of the gym. A university staffer greeted them from behind a desk, helping Reema fill out some forms and pay the requisite fee.

"Voilà! You're a member now!" Cassie said, as the redhead behind the desk completed the rest of the paperwork. Joining a gym would have been unthinkable to Reema even a month beforehand. It was never a priority for her. She wondered what Miguel would think when she told him about it. Like herself, Miguel was the antithesis of a gym person.

To be sure, Reema was cautious about taking this step. Just looking at Cassie helped convince her this was the right move, though. Cassie's amazing, svelte figure was proof that she knew what she was talking about! Behind her clothes, the stylish blonde had a perfectly flat stomach, toned arms, perky breasts, and lacked any fat anywhere on her body. Cassie's skin was also tanned and glowing, especially on her legs, despite the increasingly overcast October weather.

"Let's hit the change rooms," Cassie directed, re-adjusting the pink shoulder strap on her bag.

The hallway was lined with people going to and from their workouts. They were students of varying genders and body types. Reema noted some particularly healthy looking people, as well as others who must have been in the 'works-in-progress' category. She thought about her own body shape and how it was mostly a non-issue in high school. It was hardly a secret that she had a chubby, curvy physique. As long as she surrounded herself with people who didn't care about appearances, though, she could walk around with a blanket over herself and it wouldn't matter.

These days, Cassie did make good, logical points about the value of working out. Although Reema felt instinctively uncomfortable going to the gym, she realized that there were better reasons for giving it a try than for chickening out.

For Cassie, the process of convincing Reema to step out of her comfort zone followed a pretty basic structure. She would invite the girl to tag along on some outings, Reema would decline with an excuse, Cassie would insist by citing the pros and cons, and Reema would inevitably accept. Logic - twisted or not - could be a great manipulator.

Working out did have its benefits, so Cassie wasn't being entirely dishonest, either. Exercise just meant building a fitter body, which would lead to becoming more desirable as a woman. The key would be for Reema to embrace this increased self-worth and attention from other people.

Once they started changing into their workout gear, Cassie was reminded how glacial the process of educating Reema was probably going to be. Lifting her sporty tank top over her head, the blonde observed Reema slouching way more than necessary to tie her shoe. Correcting Reema's posture was definitely on the list of things that needed a makeover, but it wasn't even the most pressing issue.

"I'm ready," Reema asserted as she stood up. Cassie was internally horrified. A loose, grey shirt draped over her like a tent. It was long, oversized, and not nearly snug enough to flatter her body shape. Below it, she donned some baggy, cringe-worthy skateboarding shorts.

Cassie casually fixed her hair into a ponytail and closed her locker. "Let's get to it then." The girls turned a corner and left the change room behind. "This is the main floor," Cassie cheerily announced.

Reema did a panorama as they explored the area at a rather quick pace. She saw a variety of guys and girls at different levels of fitness and experience. She saw their stressed, sweaty faces and muscles as they tested their limits. Some of them checked their phones between sets, others strode from station to station with their towels around their shoulders. Still others - typically men and women - chatted rather socially in pairs of two.

"This is cardio central," Cassie said as they breezed past a row of treadmills and exercise bikes. Reema watched a blonde girl with a ponytail and tight workout pants impressively sprint away on a machine. "You'll wanna do at least ten minutes of cardio as a warm-up and cool-down, before and after your workout."

Cassie's revealing top and matching pink shorts and sneakers were enough to garner the usual interest from other patrons. But she was rushing around today because she'd rather not have them pay attention to her, or to Reema, on account of Reema's dreadful outfit.

"This is the circuit for working arms, shoulders, back muscles and legs. If you want a quick, full body workout, go through this routine. I personally don't even bother. I just use some of the individual machines over there."

As quickly as Cassie could explain the different muscles groups that Reema needed to target, they were off to another area. They passed the group exercise room and the spinning room before arriving at the final section of the gym.

"And here are the free weights."

Next to a long rack of dumbbells, various tall, sleeveless men curled weights and watched themselves in the mirrors. Cassie noted that the mirror was her best friend at the gym. "Always check your form," she advised. Reema wondered if Cassie, although nice to a fault, was also vain enough to consider the mirror her best friend outside of the gym, too.

Cassie briefly introduced a few stationary machines, which Reema seemed befuddled by. Shaking her head and smiling, Cassie told her a little more about workout theory and gym etiquette. "Generally, if you complete a set and it's too easy, you increase the weight. If you can barely get through to the twelfth rep, then lower it. Oh, and always wipe down your machine. Never be a hog either, especially in peak hours... unless you can get away with it," she winked.

Cassie's ironic humour didn't always register with Reema. This was one of those times. Reema told herself to disregard the confusion and focus on the rest of what Cassie was saying. She got the basic gist of what the gym was about. It seemed like a straightforward - although challenging - experience. Reema increasingly just wanted to get started and face the challenge head-on.

"And that's everything! We'll pick up from here next week," Cassie announced.

Reema blinked. "That's it?" She hadn't lifted a single weight, pulled on a single cable, or run a single metre.

"Consider this learning the ropes," Cassie explained, smiling in a way that had become familiar to her Indian friend. "Plus, we have somewhere else to go this morning."

"Really? Where? I have some work to do tonight..." Reema nervously pointed out.

"Trust me," Cassie smiled. The brown girl continued to look at her with annoying reluctance. "Okay, okay. If you really want, we can try some cardio." She then led them over to the treadmills again. "Just choose your cardio setting and the incline and you'll be ready to go," Cassie explained.

The Indian girl looked over the control panel and decided how to navigate it. "How does this...hmm..." The machine starting beeping with every button she pressed. "How do I..." she asked anxiously, looking over to Cassie.

"You've got it," Cassie answered. "Just pick your speed now."

Having absolutely no reference point, Reema chose a button at random and hit 'start'. With a jolt, the machine started vibrating and whirring. Then it just kept speeding up! Reema moved her legs to keep up with the frantic pace! She felt like she was going to get swept off the belt!

"Cassie! It's too fast!!"

The truth was that Cassie liked watching Reema struggle to cope with the treadmill. She looked so ridiculous in her goofy shorts and glasses. Her face also bore an expression of complete peril - it was great!

"Hit the little 'down' arrow!!" Cassie instructed, after delaying a few seconds. "Actually no...hold it!"

Reema pushed the button and finally got back to a manageable pace. Nervously laughing as she caught her breath, she stated the obvious, "Uh, wow...I was not expecting that!"

Cassie smiled. "Yup...that treadmill...it really gets you." She watched as Reema kept rambling about not knowing how to work out. The savvy blonde couldn't help noticing the sweat stains forming under Reema's shirt.

"I'm really feeling it, you know," Reema said.

"Yeah, eh?" Cassie said, holding back a snicker. Her friend's face was now glistening with sweat. It was kind of gross but funny at the same time. Reema had very little coordination or physical aptitude. Adding insult to injury, the treadmill was set at a beginner's jogging pace. "That's great. 30 more seconds, Reem!"

Cassie had her finish the session and cool down. They returned to the change room and ended Reema's first visit to the gym with a quick shower.

"Good job. We've got lots of progress to look forward to," Cassie optimistically declared. "And now your reward for being so brave today... the mall!" The girls stopped at the dorm to put away their bags and change. Or at least, Cassie did. Reema just threw on another sweater.

Reema got the impression that shopping was a sort of spiritual experience for Cassie. Accordingly, the multi-level shopping center must be her cathedral. Even getting ready to go shopping was a big deal for Cassie. Reema waited a good half hour for her to finish dressing. Cassie ultimately settled on dark ankle boots, a black miniskirt with tights, and a cream-colored blouse.

Reema didn't understand why so much planning was necessary. It all seemed so vain - like Cassie was putting on a show. To be sure, the brown girl wasn't a stranger to malls. She and Miguel attended movies and hung out with their friends at the mall pretty often. But she just dressed like herself. She never cared what her 'outfit' was supposed to be.

When they finally arrived at the spacious, high-roofed Fairmont Center, Cassie paraded around the different shops as Reema trailed half a step behind. The blonde selected various items from the shelves and exclaimed how "cute" Reema would look in them. Most of the time, Reema wavered in her response. Shopping was a stressful experience for her. She would rather take a lengthy exam than forage for clothes. Reema couldn't figure out why so much effort had to go into it. Occasionally, she agreed with some of the items Cassie picked out, though. At the end, Cassie paid for everything - much to Reema's discomfort. She didn't like having favors done for her, nor was she used to it.

A few hours later, the girls barged into Reema's room clutching several shopping bags. "Wow," Cassie exclaimed, setting them on the bed, "What a haul! It's amazing what you can find when you look for deals!"

Various bags from Lululemon, Abercrombie and Fitch, Forever 21 and H&M were scattered around. "I have to pay you back," Reema pleaded, nervously looking at their merchandise. "I didn't think we were going shopping today, and I hadn't really budgeted it as an expense this year."

Cassie saw the discomfort on her nerdy friend's face. It was the same anxiety she wore whenever Cassie plucked something from a rack. "Don't mention it! We're friends, Reema. We share clothes, make suggestions for one another - and yes - we pick up clothing when the other person would look good in it!"

Reema nodded, even if she wasn't completely OK with receiving handouts, or defining a friendship that way.

"See, this..." Cassie pulled out a denim skirt, "this is really cute!"

Reema laughed in response, if only out of shame. "I've never worn anything that really showed off my legs."

"Never? Hmm..." Cassie intrigued, looking at the ripped style of the denim. Reema shrugged shyly. "Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway. Come here, Reem... let's make a combo creation!"

The girl instructed her Indian friend to stand up. Reema then watched as Cassie knelt on the bed and rummaged through the bags. She spread out the lucre from their shopping trip: tights, hose, stretchy pants, stretchy tops, even stretchy hoodies (notably tighter and more form-fitting than the sweatshirts Reema ordinarily wore), slim-fit jeans, shoes with heels, a couple of jackets, and sleeveless tops that were a lot more sheer than anything she currently owned.

While Cassie sorted through the piles of clothes, Reema spoke about an assignment that was coming due. "Hey, did you finish the Dennison reading for next week???"

"Don't even know who that is, Reema," Cassie called back. "Hey! I think this will work..."

"It's the one about newspaper headlines and their ability to mislead," Reema clarified. She swivelled her neck to look at the ensemble her friend was putting together.

"Couldn't tell you for sure," Cassie held up a skirt in front of Reema's waist, while pressing a short-sleeved white top against her chest. The thin fabric molded around Reema's natural D cups, giving Cassie a sense of what the outfit would look like. "Yup, really cute. Just like I thought."

Reema's brow twitched as she evaluated herself. "Uh, you think so?"

"Of course! You really need to have more self-confidence! You will look amazing!"

"Er... yeah. I guess I can get behind this," Reema tentatively said.

"See! New year, new threads. New Reema!"

Without realizing the full significance of Cassie's statement, Reema giggled. Despite feeling anxious, she learned to trust Cassie's judgement, especially since shopping and fashion appeared to be her strong suits. The trendy blonde knew exactly what she was doing, and also how to make it a fun experience for Reema.

When Cassie suggested they "overhaul" the wardrobe Reema brought to university, the brown girl acquiesced. It was slightly shocking to watch the process, though. Cassie purged the most "disgusting" items she had seen Reema wear over the last month. By the end of the exercise, only one black garbage bag remained, full of clothes that were never again to see the light of day. Reema was left with a reorganized closet, containing new items from the mall, as well as borrowed items from Cassie's personal collection. She was allowed a few of her "old" wardrobe.

As they entered another week of school, Reema was getting used to the grind of university. She and Miguel would talk each day, and her assignments were under control. She attended club meetings without fail, and diligently worked as an assistant editor on the student newspaper. The real challenge came when she had to figure out how to dress herself in her new clothes. Putting together outfits and making decisions about fashion was alien to Reema. She never understood it.

Taking advantage of unseasonably warm weather that week, her first attempt at putting an outfit together consisted of high-waisted black jeans and a sporty black Tee shirt. The jeans were tight around her thighs and hips, but she believed they looked good - at least, she hoped they looked good. The crewneck top was a little less snug and featured a gold Nike logo on the back. Reema slipped on some flats to round out the outfit.

She admittedly felt self-conscious stepping out of her room. Reema didn't usually have to worry about how she looked in public. Clothes were never a big deal for her. Sitting in class later that day, she found herself noticing how the waistband of her jeans pressed into her hip, rather than listening to whatever passage the professor was reading out loud. Reema shifted in her seat several times, enough to cause some students beside her to look over. "They must wonder what the heck I'm doing," she thought.

When Cassie treated her to a 'meal card' dinner later that night, Reema mentioned the anecdote. "It felt weird," she said, finishing a bite of chicken salad.

"Eh, don't worry about it," Cassie opined, casually looking up from her iPhone. "They were probably just admiring how great those pants looked," she said with a wink.

Reema smiled, noticing that Cassie's thumb was still working the screen on her phone. It didn't look like she was texting, though. "What are you doing, by the way? You're always on that thing."

Cassie turned the phone around. "Instagram," she answered. She demonstrated by scrolling up and down the screen, showing a string of pictures of men and women, celebrities and everyday people, fashion, nail polish, makeup, memes and photos with captions. "You should get it," Cassie endorsed.

"OK, you think so?"

"Totally. Give me your phone," Cassie said, already removing the phone from the table. She set up an account in Reema's name - 'reeree' - and began following other people's accounts right away.

"Oh, by the way, karaoke this Friday," Cassie casually remembered. Reema was pushing buttons and investigating the world of Instagram.

"Again? Yeah, of course!" Reema answered without looking up. She was actually surprised that they were going again. She didn't mind, though. All things considered, the last outing went pretty well.

Cassie sipped on her mineral water. "Yeah, I figured an all-star like you needed to get back on stage and tear it up again."

If not for her darker skin tone, Reema might have blushed. "Oh stop," she laughed.

"No, it's true," Cassie continued. "You ROCKED." Reema didn't necessarily disagree. "We gotta make things more fun this time, though..." Cassie continued.

Reema looked at her quizzically. Cassie went on eating and didn't say anything else about it.

After class on Friday, the two girls ventured to a local dollar store to pick up some crazy accessories. Reema did such a good job of interpreting Lady Gaga's music the last time that Cassie wanted to channel more of the megastar's fearless attitude. Sadly, they couldn't afford a show-stealing meat dress for Reema. They could deck her out in bright colors, however, with plastic jewellery and other playfully mish-mashed items.

When they got back to the dorm, the girls hilariously started coordinating their random dollar store items. They spent half an hour crafting a whacky Gaga-style outfit out of the accessories strewn over Reema's bed. It was fun, stupid, and gave them both a laugh.

"How do I look?" Reema asked at the end.

From the bottom up, she wore a bold combination of sneakers, fluorescent yellow leggings (with swirls and stars painted on them), and a violet tube-top sweater that was stretchy and tight. Reema incorporated her normal oversized glasses and curly, unstyled hair as part of the outfit.

"I think this is definitely worth popping your Instagram cherry," Cassie smirked.

Reema was enthusiastic, overall. The getup was nothing like she'd worn before, and looking at herself made her laugh out loud. Cassie grabbed a studded psychedelic jacket and held it open for Reema. The journalism student slid in one of her arms at a time, noticing that the denim fabric both completed the outfit and also elevated her confidence. "Now we've got it!" Cassie affirmed.