“97… 98… 99… 100…”

Jada exhaled sharply as she finished the last rep, her arms trembling just a little. She set the barbell down with a satisfying clank, then sat up, wiping sweat from her forehead and chest.

You watched her, impressed but also bracing yourself. The gym was your shared escape, where stress melted into sweat and silence turned into strength.

“Your turn, ma,” she said with a grin, tossing the towel aside and giving you a look that meant she wasn’t going easy on you.

You stepped up to the bench, heart thudding a little faster. One hundred bench presses. No backing out now.