chapter 1

Amy had just finished her 200th sit-up to end her extensive gym circuit programme and although it was painful and bucket-loads of sweat engulfed her entire body it was all worth it. After a quick sip of her drink she looked at the mirror in front of her and realised she was ready for... what?
That's when it clicked, all her life she had worked hard to be in the best physically shape possible with sculpted six-pack abs, a perfectly chiselled upper body and an impressively low fat percentage from top to bottom. She had thick long brown hair and beautiful hazed coloured eyes. All through her life she was training for a purpose and now for the first time at 21, she no longer had a reason or end goal for putting herself through the pain of intense exercise.
Amy loved fitness and she had played a variety of different sports purely because she seemed to be generally good at them due to her athletic body shape. Going to the gym or at least some form of intense daily exercise was just a regular part of her routine from the age of 12, when her exercise crazy father insisted she join him in taking part in his custom made gruelling fitness sessions in the park every Saturday morning.
Now having moved away from home to go to University she was pretty much free to do what she wanted without pressure from her father to continue following his exercise plans. However, Amy set herself new targets and was very self-motivated. She signed up to the tennis, swimming and weight lifting societies and attended all three clubs regularly throughout her first year of study.
Amy was a good all-rounder but never excelled in any particular sport despite her numerous efforts. Shortly into her first year at University Amy decided to instead focus on sculpting her body and getting as fit as she possibly could whilst being able to use the fitness facilities on campus. Amy still loved working out and was in great physical shape anyway from years of her father's coaching. Amy was kind to everyone she met and was in no way arrogant about her slender and toned physique. At shared a student flat with Laura, who had no interest in fitness but admired Amy's dedication. Laura sported a more rounded figure in comparison to Amy's super toned physique. Laura was a little chubby all over, with flabby love handles and a hanging beer belly which somehow found a way to creep out of whatever knitted jumper she insisted on wearing around the flat because she felt cold.
The routine was simple, Amy would wake up early, go to the gym and then attend her lectures, after that she would take part in swimming or tennis depending on the day of the week, but she would always attend at least one club. Laura on the other hand would sit at home and watch Netflix all day. Laura was always up for a party and her personality was a welcome break from the intensity of the gym for Amy.
Laura would often tease Amy about being able to eat whatever she wanted and offer Amy chocolate bars, knowing full well she wouldn't take a bite because there was no way Amy would risk losing all her hard work in the gym by succumbing to the temptation of a fattening sugar snack. Equally Amy was a little bit envious of Laura who didn't have to watch what she was eating because she was not training for anything and couldn't care less about a bit of bulk around her midriff or slightly chubby thighs. In fact sometimes Laura would say joke with Amy and say 'one day you'll have a real six-pack like mine' before lifting up her jumper to show her bulging tummy. Amy would always laugh, but never commented on her shape or Laura's directly. Every now and again Amy would take Laura up on the offer of a naughty snack before then going for a run to burn off the guilty calories. They became best friends in their first year and have not looked back ever since.
But now three years later Amy stood alone in the gym at 8.00am in the morning on the day before graduation, she had done it all, her body was what she considered to be the best it could possibly be in terms of definition and she was not going to be able to go any further with her sports after leaving University. Amy had had all of a sudden become complacent and bored of her sporty lifestyle, she had nothing to work for, other than to maintain her already flawless shape.
Amy gazed into the mirror and admired her rock-solid body and began to wonder what next. She picked up her phone which had been lying on the bench next to her in the gym and decided to take a photo of her last time in the University gym just for old time sake, but Amy was interrupted by a text message from Laura.
Hey gym freak,
I'm going for a burger at lunch to celebrate graduation, fancy coming?
Amy looked up and gazed for a while at the mirror a second time before returning to her phone, she didn't reply to Laura's message and instead went back to taking her photo. She posted it on Instagram with the caption "Before" and smirked as she walked out of the gym half way through her session and headed back to the flat. Maybe it was time for Amy to set a new goal...
To be continued?