Read Online Body Slammed! by Ray Villareal - Free Book Online Page B

biceps that stretched out his black golf shirt.
    In order to stay in top physical shape, wrestlers spend long hours exercising. When Jesse’s father was on the road, he generally worked out in the hotel gym, if it had one. If not, he would go to a local facility, like Gold’s Gym or Bally’s. When he was home, he worked out at Ox Mulligan’s Pro Wrestling Factory, a wrestling school in San Antonio.
    Their pizza was brought out. While they ate, TJ talked about vitamins, body-building supplements and the importance of maintaining a proper diet. He laughed when Jesse asked him if pepperoni pizza and beer were on his list of nutritional foods.
    â€œMost foods are okay as long as you eat them in moderation,” TJ said. “Moderation and a balanced diet, along with a good exercise program are vital to every athlete.”
    TJ sounded like a real expert, and Jesse appreciated his advice.
    â€œListen, are you doing anything Saturday night?” TJ asked.
    â€œI don’t think so. Why?”
    â€œUFC’s coming to town, and I’ve got two tickets for it,” TJ said. “This gal I’ve sort of been seeing doesn’t wanna go. You interested?”
    Jesse wasn’t a fan of mixed martial arts. In pro wrestling, wrestlers only pretend to beat each other up, but in MMA, they beat each other up for real. MMA matches were too violent for his taste. Still, he wasn’t about to turn down TJ’s offer. “Yeah, sure,” Jesse said. “Sounds like fun.”
    TJ finished his beer. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I wanna show you my place before I take you home.”

CHAPTER TEN
    I t was eleven-thirty by the time they left Romo’s. Jesse called home to let his grandmother know where he was. She wasn’t happy about Jesse staying out so late, especially since it was a school night. She told him to tell TJ to take him home as soon as possible.
    Again, TJ let him drive his car.
    The Brookstone Apartments was a gated complex, so TJ had to give Jesse the code for the electronic gates. After Jesse punched in the numbers, the metal doors swung open, and TJ guided him to the gym.
    Treadmills, exercise bikes, dumbbells, benches, weight machines and elliptical cross trainers filled the gym. The room had floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Compared to TJ’s gym, the Sidewinders’ workout room looked like a dump.
    Jesse walked around the room, wide-eyed, touching all the equipment, like a little kid in a toy store. “This is so cool, TJ,” he said.
    â€œThanks. It’s one of the perks of living here.” TJ stood next to a weight machine. “Come here. Let’s see what you can lift.”
    Jesse’s workout room had weight machines but nothing like the ones in TJ’s gym. He sat on the bench and tucked his knees under the padded bar. Gripping the overhead bar, he pulled it down. The weight was heavier than he had expected, and he struggled to bring the bar to his chest.
    â€œWoo!” TJ said. “We’re gonna have to work on building your muscles.”
    Jesse released the bar. “How much weight was that?”
    â€œI’m not gonna embarrass you by telling you how much you pulled,” TJ said. “Let’s just say that you could use some weight training.”
    Jesse rose from the bench without checking to see how many pounds were on the machine. TJ saying that he didn’t want to embarrass him, embarrassed him.
    Afterwards, TJ took him to his apartment. To Jesse’s surprise, the apartment was clean and neat. In the living room was a black leather couch with a matching ottoman. A large, flat-screen TV hung on the wall across the room. A long bookcase sat below the TV. TJ had a few Stephen King novels, as well as books on martial arts. He also had stacks of comic books and graphic novels.
    A countertop with two barstools separated the kitchen from the dining room. In place of a table, the dining room had a set of