Flexing

"I still can't believe you're 19.", Kat said with a skeptical expression.

We were seated in a row on tables in the classroom.

"What can I say? Tell them, Jazmen, I'm actually 19," I replied while munching on the almost stale fruit I had brought from the other room on the third floor.

"She's right, actually. Just look at your physique; those well-defined muscles aren't something someone under 20 can achieve, even with years of effort," Emma chimed in, her doubt apparent as she helped herself to whatever food was left.

"Can... Can I also train with you? I don't want to be left behind," Soul unexpectedly spoke in a timid voice.

"Are you sure? I do quite a bit, which someone like you might find difficult to sustain," I responded, feeling proud of my newfound *cheat code*.

Jazmen gasped, and a small piece of apple escaped her mouth. It seemed my boasting was too much for her. We had spent the past five days doing light exercises like push-ups, squats, walking, and different stances, so hearing me boast like that felt unnatural to her.

"Oops, that apple got wasted. He's really 19, guys, so let's stop digging for his age. Also, regardless of whether he's 21, 25, 30, or whatever, it means nothing right now. We need to survive and learn how to fight them and not worry about our age, as even the slightest mistake could end our lives at the same age we are now," Jazmen remarked, rubbing her forehead.

"She's right. Rather than getting to know each other better, we should focus on finding a way out of here. No food, almost no water, no electricity, and no hygiene. Staying here will only lead us to a miserable death, so we need to plan our escape ASAP," Kane asserted aggressively, clearly feeling threatened by the shift in his leadership status since my arrival.

"That's a valid point. We just need to stick together and stay quiet. We can slowly make our way out of here, and with a pandemic this severe, we'll definitely find vehicles with keys nearby the college door. There will be zombies, of course, but if we work together, we can handle those slow, mindless roamers," I shrugged as I spread some peanut butter on a nearly stale piece of bread.

"You know that bread is over a week old," Zolo commented, wrinkling her nose.

"If you don't want it, that's fine. I know I'll likely be on the frontlines if a dangerous situation arises, so I need the energy to protect all of you. Do you really want me to be picky about what I eat?" I replied with a irritated smile.

"She didn't mean it. She's just very hygiene-conscious in a situation like this. Don't mind her," Kane defended his girlfriend in a somewhat confrontational tone.

"Okay, everybody, let's eat first and then discuss our plans for the future. Also, if we're considering going out, I suggest we let Apex have the peanut butter and bread. It's our best source of energy at the moment. If anyone thinks they can handle the frontline with him, please share it," Jazmen declared after gaining everyone's attention, her tone firm.

No one disagreed with her decision, as taking on the undead outside was risky. Additionally, the bread seemed unappetizing to everyone else.

It seemed my food preferences were evolving after the zombie bite. I didn't feel any discomfort from the week-old bread like the others did.

---

"Why did you let her go alone? You could have let her deal with the zombies and escaped on your own," Emma, who was sitting to my right, asked.

Jazmen was in a corner, writing something in her notebook, which appeared to be her new daily diary.

Kane and Zolo were sitting at a corner, enjoying some private time, while Soul, as expected, was meditating in a corner.

I was sandwiched between Kat and Em, recounting my escape stories to them.

"Well, I couldn't just let such an important asset go to waste. Plus, she's beautiful, so that's another reason to fight for her," I said with a wink.

"You know, even if you don't look like it, your words reveal your age loud and clear," Jazmen's shrill voice chimed in from her spot a few feet away.

"You're just too shy. He sounds cute when he says things like these," Kat teased.

"I agree with that," Emma added.

"I think I don't need to defend myself," I said with a shrug.

"I can see you've gained two followers. Let's see how long they can tolerate your immature behavior," Jazmen taunted me while giving Emma and Kat a skeptical look.

"You know, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve. I can assure you they won't get bored with me," I replied with a challenging smirk.

"Oh, really? Let me see how the person who bored me so much for five straight days can entertain these girls," Jazmen playfully challenged.

"Just wait and watch," I said, rising to my feet.

Emma and Kat stared at me with anticipation, while the others also turned their attention to the unfolding event. Even the typically reserved Soul opened his eyes and watched me attentively.

I crouched down and placed my palms on the ground in a plank position.

"You're doing push-ups? Those are just the basics. What's so special about them? Even Soul might do a dozen of those," Kane mocked.

I smirked and, instead of pushing up with my palms, I shifted my weight onto my fingers.

"Finger push-ups. I can do fifteen of those myself," Kane continued to tease.

Seeing my smirk, Kane thought he could make more jokes at my expense.

"Why are you smiling? Are you going to attempt Superman push-ups or something even more ordinary? I can do them too. Push-ups are no big deal," Kane said, turning his face away with a smirk.

I calmly placed my palm on the ground again and began to raise my legs slowly. They gradually reached a 90-degree angle with the floor.

"A handstand? That's challenging, but I can give it a shot," Kane shrugged mockingly.

"Are you an idiot? He's already so good at it. He makes it look so effortless," Emma reacted.

"Yeah, you can't even handle four of those zombies, and you're taunting him. Just keep hiding in that corner like you have for the past week," Kat mocked Kane.

"Just watch closely before reacting," I said in a soft tone as if it were no strain at all. Then, I removed my left hand and maintained a one-armed handstand.

"Whoa!" "That's amazing!" "How is this possible?" "Apex, you..." "Impressive!"

Reactions poured in from everyone as a one-handed handstand was a rare feat, even for the average yogi Or gymnast.

"Just wait and observe," I said, lowering myself and then pushing up again—a one-handed handstand push-up.

I followed it with six more. I could have done more, but I felt it was already too absurd for the average person.

Exclamations continued, and it seemed I had earned a fanatical follower in Soul. Kane was too shocked to react normally.