Starting his Task

Later in the evening, I meet her father in his gym. He dropped the log that he had on his chest and walked over to me, "What do you want me to do?"

"Ever done atlas stones?"

"No."

"Okay, then try to lift this one," He walked over to the smallest stone, "It weights 75 kg."

"You use kgs?"

"No, it just has it written and in the competitions, we often used kilos for the non-American lifters, lift it onto the stand," I look at the stone and then squat down near it, I wrap my arms around it and lift it onto my knees, puffing and wheezing and stand up, hurling the stone from my chest onto the stand and continue to breath deeply, "Not bad, to be worthy, lift the fifth stone."

"How much is it?"

"175 kg."

"Oh god, just once?"

"Yep, just once, after doing the other four."

"Okay, okay, I think I can do that, can I use the gym tomorrow?"

"Yeah, if you are willing to do that, you're halfway to being worthy, the other half is the lifting and how you treat my daughter."

"Then I have 75% of it," I say leaving the gym, "Goodnight, Mr. Miller."

"Yeah, sure."

I walk into the kitchen of the main building and see Cassandra's mother on her computer, "Um, Ms. Miller?"

"Yes, Aristide?"

"What breakfast does Cassandra like?"

"Oh, so, she likes generic breakfast, eggs, bacon, fresh orange juice, she is like that," She says as she gets up and heads to the fridge, "I'll give you some if you want to make her something, Mr. Romantic."

"Yeah, I was thinking of making her breakfast so that she would have breakfast in bed, I don't know, since I wanted to be a little bit nice, you know right?"

"I know what you mean, you can use the kitchen in her room to prepare it," She said placing a bunch of stuff in a basket, "Here you go, Aristide, you should be able to please her with this."

"You don't seem to mind me being your daughter's boyfriend, do you?"

"I don't care, she seems happy with you, and I think that you two look good together, despite the size difference," She pauses, "What did Mark tell you?"

"I have to do 5 atlas stones and treat her well to be worthy."

"That second part is enough for me," She smiles as I take the basket, "Cassandra tends to sleep in during the summer so you should have time to cook."

"Thank you, Ms. Miller."

"Of course, goodnight!"

"Goodnight," I say walking out of the house and back towards Cassandra's "room". The night is dark around their home, being so isolated and with only the lights from her house and her room. I smile as she pops into my mind and laugh, 'I am really in love, aren't I?'

As she wakes up, I sit on her bed with a tray with a glass of fresh orange juice and a plate of sunny side eggs and three strips of bacon that I had nearly just finished cooking, "Good morning, Cassandra, how are you doing today?"

"You are up so early," She yawns before rubbing her eyes, "Oh, what is that?"

"Breakfast for you."

"You woke up early to make me breakfast?" I nod, "Did you read that out of a cheesy romantic things book?" I sigh and shrug, "I am joking, I am joking, I actually really like that you thought of that, thank you," She takes the tray from me and places it on her lap as she leans against the wall behind her bed, "Did you just make basic breakfast or did you know that I like this stuff?"

"Neither one, your mom told me."

"You went through the trouble of asking her," She smiles at me, "Aww, thank you."

"Of course, I might be occupied today, for a little bit."

"Okay, that's fine, but I did want to go walk with you."

"Sure, of course, I hope I cooked it well, I am not good at cooking, even simple things like that."

"No," She said finishing the food in her mouth, "I think that it is really good, thank you."

"Glad you like it."

I was in her father's gym, standing in front of the 90 kg stone. The 75 was already hard, but I would have to more than double it if I wanted to leave here and be seen as worthy in his eyes, her father's eyes. I squat down and wrap the stone with my arms before heaving it onto my legs. I close my eyes for a second and then open then a roar my way to a standing position, placing the stone, barely, on its stand. He grunted as the stone fell back to the floor, "Again."

"Yes, yes Sir," I was out of breath, it was the 4th time I had lifted it up, but I wanted to do this and I wanted to show him that I was worthy for his daughter. I squat down next to it and heave the stone onto my lap, before wrapping my arms around it. I close my eyes and Cassandra pops into my mind. I open them and nearly hurl the stone onto its stand. He says nothing and moves the stone back down.

"Next one, 100 kg, do it."

"Yes sir," I repeat the same thing I did with the other stones and heave it onto my lap once more, 'Those ten kilos are a big difference,' I grimace as I begin to lift it and nearly get it onto the stand but the stone stops on the edge of the stand, 'Fuck!' I puff out my chest and take a step forwards and push it with my arms, all at the same time. To my satisfaction, the stone rolls onto the stand, I am exhausted already.

"Atlas stones aren't as easy as they look on TV, boy, you want to hit it again? Or whimp out?" His voice was taunting as he placed it on the floor, "Here, I'll cut you a deal, if you do all three in under 1:30 minutes, I'll only make you do the 130 kg stone, how about that?" I crack my neck, "You certainly love her, stand there, and go until you can't."

He starts the time and I fling up the first stone, and the second one, nearly as easily, then the third one, I squat down, taking a little time, I had enough time to compose myself, I close my eyes and think of Cassandra, 'It's for her, Aristide," I roar the stone onto my laps and wrap my arms around it and heave it up, cleanly this time, without hitting the edge.

"Well, I guess you win, 130 for you then."

"Thank you, Mr. Miller."

"Take a break, don't kill yourself," I walk out of his gym, sweating like a pig, my shirt is soaked and my beard is shiny with sweat. I walk past Cassandra's mother and wave at her. She looks at me and smiles before going back to reading. Cassandra was probably still in her room, on her computer or on her phone.

I walk into her room and see her, sitting in front of her computer, with her headphones in. I walk by her and she speaks to me, "You know I noticed you."

"I didn't want to bother you."

"What were you doing?"

"I was in the gym with your father, why?"

"Why? I thought he didn't like you, why would he let you use HIS gym?"

'Hmm, I might have fucked up, hmm,' I stop walking and begin thinking of how I can phrase what I want to say, "The worthy thing?"

"You don't have to."

"I know."

"You are already perfect for me."

"I know that, but I never back down from a challenge, this might as well be my greatest task so far, to lift 130kg to my chest and onto a platform."

"Well, if you absolutely insist."

"And getting to think of you makes me believe that I can do anything."

"Don't exaggerate," 'Always putting yourself down, huh, Cassandra,' "You already can do anything, look at you."

"I have to shower, so one second, I'll be done soon."