“Oh… I’m just thinking something might fall,” I offered weakly, the excuse sounding hollow even to my own ears.

“Yeah, okay.” Sophia’s tone carried volumes of skepticism, her eyes lingering on Juniper with a mix of disappointment and concern. For someone who fought so hard against prejudice in the courtroom, these small moments revealed a different truth.

The gym entrance appeared ahead, nestled under a high-rise next to a café that was already busy with the morning crowd. The gym was a rare find - street level, old school. Most were rooftop affairs these days, all glass and chrome and membership fees I couldn’t justify just to keep these muffins presentable… accentuating them onto their proper shelving.

Through plate glass windows, the peaceful ritual of morning coffee played out alongside the determined energy of early workouts. Condensation painted delicate patterns on the windows, distorting the reflections of passing traffic into abstract art.

A man’s gaze lingered a bit too long as we entered.

Yeah okay buddy, keep looking

Sophia glanced at my outfit, then back at me with barely contained amusement. “Juni, you’d be wearing something like what I have on if you were actually worried about it.”

I chose to ignore that particular comment, as the real reason I’d dragged myself here had nothing to do with appearances anyway… my psoas had been screaming at me since my recent escapades, and if I didn’t start the rehab soon, I’d be limping through the coming trial.

Morning light streamed through the windows in sharp angles, creating a geometry of shadows across the industrial flooring. The space felt almost submarine-like, with exposed ducting overhead and the constant vibration of machinery creating a cocoon of white noise.

Mirror-covered walls multiplied every movement into infinity, making the room feel both larger and more intimate than it actually was.