Not many weird or interesting things happen to me. I’d describe my life as relatively boring. I get up, go to class, eat, go to work, do homework, go to bed, and perhaps watch an entire series on Netflix or write a story if I have the time. At the beginning of 2016, I added a little something to my routine: I joined a gym. I was sick of being heavy, and I wanted to make a change, so I started going to the gym for 30-60 minutes a day. I lost 50 lbs in total, and I feel so much more confident about myself. I felt so much more confident about myself that I stepped out of my comfort zone and did the impossible. Well, what I thought was impossible…

The summer of 2016 had been probably the best summer of my life. I had a new body, and with that came a new found confidence that made me think I could do it all. I had so many adventures, and in between those adventures, I hit the gym. While I was on the machine, I watched the men across the way lift weights. I was a single girl, and I had been a single girl for quite some time. One may day I was getting a bit “thirsty”, so I watched the men. Lifting. Grunting. Sweating. It made the time go by faster. One morning, while I was watching the lifting, grunting, sweating men, I saw him. Medium height. Olive skin. Long, gorgeous brown hair that fell right at his shoulders. He was muscular, but not super muscular. He was the perfect form of fit. He was perfect all around as I watched him lift weight at the machine right in front of me. He was just...wow. I saw him a few times after that, and I tried my best to watch him without making it obvious I was watching. I did it from the corner of my eye – watched him lift and sweat right through is white t-shirt. One day as I was leaving, I saw him walking without a shirt on, and I swooned. I was already lusting, but now I was considering doing more than just watching.

I had been single for a long time, and I was starting to feel lonely. I had been with people before simply because I didn’t want to be lonely anymore, so I didn’t want to do that again. I knew it wasn't right. So, I waited until I found him – the perfect guy. I was picky. I had a list of what I wanted in a future boyfriend, and I was not sure if this guy checked off any of those boxes, but he was the first guy I had seen in a while that I was somewhat excited about. “Screw it,” I thought “I’ll give it a shot. I’ll talk to him.”

Here’s the thing about flirting at the gym: it is nearly impossible. Everyone kind of has a routine and keeps to themselves. People go to the gym to work out – not make friends. So, when you’re as shy and introverted as I am, meeting a guy at the gym sounds terrifying, and I was terrified. I wasn’t just scared of talking to him – I was scared of being rejected. I knew that there was a chance that I would get the chance to say something, and he could ignore me and walk away. Rejection wouldn’t hurt me, it would just be embarrassing, and it would just make for some awkward run-ins at the gym. After a lot of thinking, I decided to talk to him.

It took me a long time to get up the courage to talk to this hot gym guy. I would be working out and see him and think, “This is it! I’m going to do it today!”, and have a chance to do it, but I’d always blow it. I’d clam up, even as I saw the opportunity to say something. Anything. I just could not get myself to do it. Finally, one morning, it happened. “You’re not leaving this gym until you talk to him!” I demanded to myself. I hopped on the machine, and after looking around a bit I noticed he was not there yet. “If he is not here after thirty minutes you can leave. But, if he comes in, you are not leaving until you talk to him”.

After 15 minutes, there he was.

I stayed on that machine for 45 minutes when I saw him start to leave. “It’s go time!” I thought, and I darted for the door. I saw him start to follow me out the door, and as I held the door open for him, he said, “Thanks”, and I found it: my opportunity to do that impossible.

“I’m going to talk to you today.” I said.

“Uh, okay...” he chuckled, and we started talking. I don’t really remember the conversation. But, at the end of it, I gave him my number. “My name is Johnny.” he said. “Nikki!” I said (and, yes, I said it with excitement as the punctuation there may suggest). He extended his hand, and I extended mine, and we shook. His hand shake was strong, and it is a feeling that I can still feel when I think about it almost a year later.

So, why am I telling you this? This story is for girls (and guys) everywhere who are afraid of talking to their crush. Today, I do not speak to Johnny much if at all, but I think back at the moment we met, and I am still so proud of myself. I conquered my fear, stepped out of my comfort zone, and did something I never thought I’d ever be capable of doing.

Plus, meeting Johnny lead me to reconnect with people from my past, but that is a story for another time…

You never know what events will occur when one event happens. Sure, the results may suck, but here is always the change that the results will be every bit as sweet as you want them to be.

So, if you struggle with the thought of being rejected by your crush, and if that struggle keeps you from talking to them, I hope this story helps you see that so many great things can happen if you just let go of your fears and talk to them.

And if they do reject you and walk away, screw ‘em. You tried, and you should be proud of that.

You just never know what kind of chain of events will happen if you just stop, take a breath, and do all of the things you were just oh-so afraid to do.

Thanks, Planet Fitness.