Dakota’s POV

I am going to be so late! I took way too long trying to pick out my outfit for this interview, but in my defense what do you wear to an interview for a gym? Professional clothes or am I supposed to be decked out in sweat bands and tennis shoes. I settled on more of a business casual look that I could dress up or down with jewelry. I feel like I’ve applied to so many places, but this is the only place that has called me back for an interview so I really need to nail it and leave a good impression.

Unfortunately my senior year of high school was very devastating for me and my family. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been flamboyant, and have always preferred a feminine style over the more rugged or boyish looks. I don’t really remember it, but apparently my dad took me and my two older brothers clothes shopping and I demanded that I wanted this frilly little pink dress. I guess my dad just thought “fuck it” and bought me the dress that would be the beginning of my crossdressing. My family pretty much just went with it, but not everyone in my life felt the same.

My older brothers tried to protect me as much as they could, but Callum who is the closest in age to me is still 5 years my senior. I’ve been called everything in the book, from fag all the way to tranny and freak. I’m lucky that I’ve never been too seriously hurt other than a few bruises here and there from being shoved around. So my high  school or just school experience in general was already bad, but it got worse the summer before my senior year when my mom was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

My family has never been extremely well off, but both of my parents have good jobs and we live a very good life. I never really worried about college, and how I would get it paid for. My parents actually told me that they had savings to pay my tuition, but when the hospital bills for my mom’s treatment came they had to use their savings to pay for them. I applied for so many scholarships and financial aid, but since my parent’s income is still good I never qualified. The few scholarships that I did get, might have covered one or two books but it wouldn’t even come close to covering my tuition to where we could pay the rest of it. My grades have never really been anything to call home about either, and it’s not for lack of trying. I would say that I have a B average all throughout high school, but nowadays you have to be an A++ student to get a big lump sum of scholarship money.

So I’m really hoping that I get this job. My situation is not ideal, but the only one who can change it is me. I have absolutely zero resentment towards my parents. If I had to make the decision between going to college and saving my mother. I would always choose my mom. The job isn’t paying a whole lot of money, but a job is a job, and the income will be much more than the zero dollar per hour income I have right now.

I got to the gym with five minutes to spare, and after a few questions to one of the employees I was directed to a room in the back. The person who would be interviewing me was one of the co-owners of the gym, and she was named Jen. Jen was a tall lady, and I felt like she could crush me under her thumb without even putting any effort into it. The interview went really well, and despite her appearance Jen was super sweet and easy to talk to. I didn’t go too in depth about my situation, but she was very understanding and accepting of the fact that I was a boy in girls clothing. Most people aren’t too accepting of that or have something to say once they find out. I would say that I am a very convincing crossdresser. My hair is long and I have always had a baby face which plays into a naturally femine face. My makeup and clothes also enhance the illusion, and most people I meet don’t realize that I’m a boy unless I tell them. It doesn’t really bother me to be misgendered, because most people don’t mean anything by it and also I am dressed like a woman which probably sends the wrong signal. It is funny to see people’s faces when they find out that I’m a boy.

“Well Dakota we don’t usually hire on the spot, but we really need someone to man the front desk right now and you seem like a great fit. The big boss Hunter should be in next week, but do you think that you could start tomorrow? If you can’t don’t worry about it, and we can work it out” I was really surprised to get the job on the spot, but I was so happy. We spent a little longer working out my schedule and what I would be doing. She gave me a quick tour of the gym and this place is huge. There are so many people here that look so intimidating. I’m not a gym buff or a fitness girl, but I was a competitive cheerleader for ten years of my life so I’m not completely clueless when it comes to fitness.

I am so excited to start working here.

Hunter’s POV

I am beyond ready to tear this woman’s head off of her body. I know. I know. Hunter, that’s your son’s mother, you shouldn’t talk about her like that. Well then maybe she shouldn’t be such a bitch. I mean the lay wasn’t even worth having to deal with her for the last twenty years of our son Blake’s life. Blake was born when I was 22 and I love that boy to death, but the person who squeezed him out, not so much. “Blah Blah Blah, Blake this, Blake that, Money, I’m a whore, Blah Blah Blah” That’s all that seems to come out of her mouth, and it takes all of my self will not to yell at her to shut the fuck up.

I had to miss work and a gym session just because she wanted to move Blake into his apartment at school together. If I was Blake I would have gone to school across the country so I wouldn’t have to deal with her. She barely even sees him anyways, but when the opportunity to take her son to a place where all of his college roommates are, she’ll jump at the opportunity.

Blake was conceived during a one night stand that I had after winning the Mr.Universe title. I’ve been bodybuilding since I was 14 years old, and my dumbass was so willing to shove my dick into a hole that I failed to wrap my shit up. The day that Renee contacted me about being pregnant I didn’t believe her, but I went along with it and stuck with her through the pregnancy. A paternity test confirmed that Blake was in fact my son, and I gained full custody of him when he was eight after she was accused of neglect and gave up her custody so it wouldn’t draw attention to her.

“Okay Blake, do you have everything settled? I need to get out of here before your mom starts talking even more” He gave me a quick hug.

“What the hell dad! That is so unfair! How am I supposed to kick her out without her getting her feelings hurt?” I just shrugged before skirting out of there. I can’t wait to get back to my gym.

⯀

I walked into the gym at 5 am sharp like I do every morning. On the way to my office I paused at the sight of this skinny redhead at the front desk. At the sight of me the girl waved.

“Hi! Welcome to Ford’s Fitness” I nodded at him, before walking off to the back. Where the fuck is Jen?

“Jen! Get you ass in here!” The woman in question walked into my office with a big smile.

“Oh hey Hunt. It’s 5:00 already” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Don’t oh hey me. Why the fuck is there a girl that I’ve never met before working the front desk?” I questioned her.

“What girl? The only one working the front desk today is Dakota” Who the hell is Dakota?

“Don’t play dumb Jen. Who is that little red head in the front?” She just laughs which confuses me even more. Sometimes I really hate that Jen is my friend.

“You’re talking about Dakota. I just hired him. He is the sweetest little thing I have ever met. You’re going to hate him” Of course I would, and did she just say he?

“Woah woah woah. Did you just say he?” She nodded.

“Don’t tell me that you care about that kind of stuff” She narrowed her eyes at me and her tone got a little more serious.

“Honestly I couldn’t care less if that boy wanted to wear a trash can as long as he doesn’t mess up my gym. I am too old for this shit.” I ran my hand down my face before getting ready to work out for a couple of hours. Why must I be surrounded by idiots?

⯀

Dakota’s POV

It’s been about a month since I first started working at the gym, and a lot more people have started attending this month. It makes sense considering June is the start of summer, and people want to look good at the pool or the beach. I honestly love working at the gym, even if Mr. Ford is a big meanie. He is such a grouch, but if he smiled he would be really handsome. I mean the upside to working here is being able to see him working out, and all those muscles. Mr. Ford was ripped and apparently he was some bigshot in the bodybuilding world. He is huge, but not to the point where he looks like a monster. His physique is very appealing, and not gross at all. If only his personality matched his body. He will learn to like me though. I’ll make sure of it.

My other co-workers are super nice and we get along really well. Tucker works the morning shift with me and he looks like he belongs here more than I do. Tucker has muscles, but they are much smaller and lean. He told me that he is a runner, but he does enjoy lifting weights from time to time. He is 24 years old, and he gave me a lot of pep talks about college and how I shouldn’t worry about not having a traditional highschool to college transition. The two of us work together really well.

I was on my way home when I saw the faces of people I never wanted to see ever again. Dave Orville and his cronies were my life long tormentors and it looks like they are headed straight towards me. I tried to walk away from them, but they rushed and grabbed my arms before pulling me into the alley.

“Well well well. Look who we have here boys. The crossdressing freak himself. I would have thought that we taught him his lesson by now. You never learn do you?” They circled around me and pushed me down to the floor. I wanted to fight back, but there would be no way I could take one of them let alone all three of them.

“Please. What do you guys want?” I tried to plead with them as they kicked me around a little bit.

“What do we want? We don’t want little fags like you running around and tricking people into thinking that they are women. You disgust me” I sneered at me, pulled me up to his level, and clocked me in the eye. I hunched over in pain, and grabbed my eye in pain. It was throbbing so much that I hardly felt it when they pushed me back down and started kicking me. They left after a while probably getting bored that I stopped responding to their assault. I limped my way home where my mom gasped at the sight of me. She kept asking me what happened, but I didn’t want to admit that I was so weak that I let this happen to me. Eventually she stopped asking and gave me a bag of frozen peas to ice my face.

I don’t even know how to feel. I mean they have bullied me since elementary school, and have been pretty rough, but they have never actually beat me up as bad as today. Part of me is angry, but another part of me is just scared and tired of having to deal with the abuse. I’ve never done anything to them, so why do they hate me? I toss and turn in my sleep that night, hopefully I don’t bruise too bad.

⯀

When I woke up in the morning, my body felt like it went through hell. I looked in the mirror and I had a big black eye. No amount of makeup would help hide the fact that I took a fist to the eye, but I definitely tried.

The only person at the gym when I got there was Mr.Ford. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice the tragedy that is my face right now. I walked in and I almost made it to my spot without raising suspicion.

“Dakota, what the fuck happened to your face?” I cringed as the behemoth walked over to me with squinting eyes.

“Um... I fell down the stairs” Damn it. What kind of a lie was that.

“Do you think I’m a dumbass?” He crossed his arms and looked at me expectantly.

I sighed, “Fine, I got into a little mishap after work yesterday, and let’s just say I didn’t win”

“Yeah no shit” I scowled at him, “Next time be more careful to not ruin that face of yours. I don’t need to start losing customers because they saw your face” .

He always tries to be so mean, but I think he’s trying to tell me he cares, “Wait does the fabulous Mr. Ford actually care about little old me?”

I saw a little flush in his cheeks, “What no! You’re delusional, and stop calling me Mr.Ford. I know I’m old, but I’m not that old”.

“Whatever you say Hunter. I think that you’re starting to like me” I smiled at him and he just grunted before walking off to his office.