Despite its popularity, Tyler isn't completely sold on aerobics. Sure, it's helping her lose weight and the music isn't bad when Xavier's picking, but thrusting her hips in the air like a bitch in heat just isn't her thing. Thrusting should be saved for the bedroom, not a gym. Still, at least the clothes are cute and it gives her an excuse to wear her Barbie crop top.

"On your side," Xavier calls. His class flips accordingly, mimicking the way he's raising one leg up and down. Tyler's thighs are starting to burn and her ribs ache a little, but she's too stubborn to stop now. "Good job, guys! Almost done." There are three more leg-lifts and Xavier calls it, Tyler dropping onto her stomach with a groan.

"You're such a sissy," Ellison says with a laugh. Tyler can't manage anything more than flipping the bird, muscles sore and skin sticky with sweat. "This was your idea, Ty."

"Oh, shut up," she moans.

"Come on." He grunts as he pulls her up, shouldering most of her weight for a moment as she gets her legs to cooperate. "I say we go back to running track."

"Sounds good." Her brother helps her to the entrance of the showers, making sure she has her balance before heading for the men's side. Tyler can hear running water and feel the steam, her aching muscles urging her forward despite how her legs have turned to jelly.

"You okay, Tyler," Montana calls. Tyler shakes her head, shucking her clothes and stepping into a shower stall. Cute clothes aren't enough of a bonus for this shit. "It gets easier the more you do it. I can swing by and help you if you want."

"Last time you swung by to help me with an exercise, we ended up wine drunk and crying because Harrison Ford doesn't know we exist." Montana hums, pinning her hair up as another woman steps into the stall separating them. She's pretty and willowy with long brown hair and Bambi eyes.

"Hi!" The woman jumps a little, glancing over at where Montana still has her chin hooked on the edge of the stall. "I'm not a lez, just friendly." That's a pretty bold way of not saying she's bi. Hell, the only straight person in their group is Ray and even that's up to debate. As Xavier is fond of saying, gays flock together.

"Don't scare off the new girl."

"Oh please, I'm not scary. Besides, she was eying Chet during the workout. Want us to introduce you?" The new girl turns her back on Montana only to find Tyler looking at her as well. That's why Tyler and Montana get along so well, they're snoops.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says with a nervous smile. She's got a nice smile, one Tyler's mother would have said was made for stardom; straight, white teeth and full lips the color of pink roses.

"You don't have to be embarrassed. The whole reason people come to Slimmercise class is to hook up. Just ask Tyler."

"It's true," Tyler agrees. "If it weren't for the short shorts and tight clothes, I'd still be at the track."

"And you have a rad bod. Definitely Chet's type." The new girl rinses and shuts off the water, wrapping her towel around herself. She's shy, but not self-conscious.

"That's not my scene," she says. She strides out of the shower and into the locker room, Montana letting out a faint sigh.

"The last American virgin." Tyler snorts, finishing her shower and cutting off the hot water. Her muscles protest the decision, but the ache is starting to fade into a more familiar throb. "Wait for me?"

"Duh," Tyler says. Montana finishes her shower quickly and they gather their clothes before moving to the locker room. Montana's eyes light up when she spots the new girl and moves in for the prowl. "Such a dip." Tyler shakes her head, stuffing her workout clothes into her gym bag and pulling on her street clothes. She prefers her shorts to the colorfully printed leotard, but she will admit that it makes her ass look good.

"I'm Brooke," the new girl's saying as Tyler sidles over.

"That's a cute name. Oh, this is Tyler." Montana pulls her over, wrapping an arm around her waist. "She's the best. You can tell her anything and she'll never spill your secrets. She usually runs track, but I convinced her to give aerobics a try."

"Biggest mistake of my life," Tyler adds. She squeals when Montana pinches her side, jumping away. "I promised Ellis that I'd buy him a smoothie for enduring this with me, so I'd better get going. He's the one with a car." She heads out into the main cool-down room, finding the guys gathered around the bar. Ellison is staring down at the small Styrofoam cup that Xavier hands him, lips pulled down into a severe frown.

"Don't be such a chicken," Xavier says. "It's good."

"I didn't even eat grass when I was two, X," Ellison replies. "I'm definitely not doing it in my twenties." He sets the cup aside, giving a small smile when Tyler knocks it into the trash. "You always know what I'm thinking."

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm a psychic," Tyler says in a dramatic whisper. "I can see all your thoughts." She turns to grin at Chet, winking. "The answer's yes, by the way. The new girl in class was totally daydreaming about your pecs."

"Good to know," Chet says with a satisfied smile.

"New girl better watch out," Xavier says. "Actually, all of us better stop going out at night for a while. Have you guys heard about the murderer targeting people in their homes?"

"I think I saw something on the news last night." Chet shrugs, glancing around at the others. Ellison and Tyler have made it a point not to watch the news, it's either depressing or fake or all of the above. Besides, most of the coverage has been focused on the upcoming Olympics.

"Well, the guy got another girl last night. She was stabbed, like, forty times and her throat was cut so badly that she was basically decapitated." Montana comes up behind him, wrapping an arm around Xavier's neck to pull him back so she can rest her chin on his shoulder.

"Describing your last date," she asks playfully.

"You're so funny. I don't know what we'd do without you." Montana laughs, letting go so Xavier can face her. "There was a murder a couple days ago in Glassell Park. My cousin works for LAPD Homicide, and they're convinced whoever did it is responsible for a bunch of other unsolved murders in town. Cops are calling him the Night Stalker."

"Wait," Tyler says, holding up a hand. "Is this the same cousin that sold you oregano instead of weed?"

"Yeah, but—"

"The same cousin that made you wet your bed when you were fourteen because he climbed in through your window when he was too drunk to make it to his house," Ray asks. Xavier rolls his eyes and the group takes that as a yes. "You can't trust anything that comes out of that dude's mouth. He's an idiot."

"No, he's not. I mean, he is, but this is different. The Los Angeles Times is saying it's a serial killer."

"I heard serial killers become more active in the summer months when it's hot," Brooke says, speaking up for the first time since she joined the group. Everyone turns to look at her with varying levels of appraisal. She doesn't seem put off at the attention, keeping her pretty head up high. "It's because people sleep with their windows open at night."

"Remind me to shut my window before I go to bed," Tyler mumbles.

"This is Brooke," Montana introduces. "Brooke, this is Xavier, Ray, Chet, and Ellison. Ellis is everyone's big brother, he likes to take care of us."

"Without me, you all would die from alcohol poisoning," Ellison remarks with a dry smile. "It's nice to meet you, Brooke."

"You, too," Brooke says. Tyler nudges Chet and he winks before striding over to Brooke, shaking her hand with the handsome smile that had all their college advisors fooled. "How do you all know each other?"

"We've collected each other over the years," Ray tells her. "Tyler and Ellison are a package deal, they moved here four years ago from some podunk town in Florida." Tyler and Ellison smile in unison, the same tilt to their lips and mischievous light in their eyes. "Xavier and Montana met in traffic and dated for a hot second."

"Met in traffic," Xavier snorts. He grabs his drink and they all move over to the couches, slumping against each other like a pack of wolves. "That's the polite way of saying that Montana made me miss an audition for one of the last episodes of Mash."

"You're an actor," Brooke asks.

"Yeah, but not one of the losers that are just happy to get one line on a soap opera. I'm a serious actor. I trained at Stella Adler. I'm method."

"Chet and I met at the gym," Ray says, him and Chet sharing a fist bump. I think I met Montana at a party in the hills at Justine Bateman's house. I met Ellison at college when he was using a library book to fend off a spider."

"He's my knight in shining Ralph Lauren," Ellison sighs, batting his lashes. "Tyler met Chet at a park, she was working as a nanny and he was very drunk and hanging off the monkey bars."

"You wouldn't believe how pissed this kid's parents were when they got home to find Chet passed out on their couch," Tyler says, laughing. "I got fired, but it was totally worth it. I can't stand those rich parents who don't have time for their kids."

"Tyler wants to be a social worker."

"As stubborn as she is, she'll get there," Xavier says, toasting her with his nasty grass shake. "Anyway, back to the murder spree going down. My cousin was saying they think that this guy's gonna go on a rampage like Son of Sam did in '78. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't plan on being around when that happens."

"How are you gonna swing that? The pay here is garbage."

"I got a gig as a counselor at a summer camp a couple of hours from here. You guys should come, they're desperate for counselors and this shit looks great on a résumé."

"Nah, I leave my job for two months and I'll never get it back."

"Well, I'm in," Ray says. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow after class."

"Why not tonight?"

"Because no one's going to be there until tomorrow. What's up with you, anyway? You've been jumpy all week."

"I'm just ready to get out before the Olympic shit show starts. Los Angeles is about to descend into chaos. If we wait too long, the freeways are gonna be gridlocked. Besides, think of Chet. He doesn't need that shit."

"Fuck the IOC," Chet says, putting on a brave face as he slaps a hand down on Ray's knee. "I'm in."

"I'm between jobs and sick of looking at the beige walls of my apartment, so count me in," Tyler says. "Besides, this will be a great experience. If I can handle, like, thirty screaming kids at a camp, then I can handle anything." She high-fives Chet over the table, then leans back against Montana's side.

"I could teach those little dorks aerobics," Montana muses. "If nothing else, it'll wear them out so we can party at night. "What about you, Brooke? You should come so Tyler and I have another girl to hang out with." All eyes land on Brooke again and this time she wilts a little.

"It sounds like fun, but I'm taking classes at Santa Monica College," she says. "I'm gonna be a veterinary assistant."

"This is a riveting conversation," Ellison says. "It really is and I'm sure I'll regret leaving, but my darling baby sister has promised me a smoothie that doesn't have grass in it." He gets to his feet, pulling Tyler up and after him. "See y'all later."

"Bye, bumpkin," Montana calls. Ellison shows her the finger he's proudest of and then they're out of the gym. The sunlight is jarring after the soft light of the studio, Tyler letting out a groan and ducking her head. She forgot her shades at home and she's seriously regretting it.

"I can't believe you're just going to leave me here."

"I'm sure they have a phone at camp," Tyler shrugs. "I'll check in."

"You'd better. More than four days without a call and I'm gonna pay a visit." He's smiling, loving the chance he gets to play the protective brother. He's never been much of the protective type, he usually leaves that to his girlfriend. Samantha Crowe is a total badass and she's got a killer fashion sense.

"Do you think Mom and Dad will be mad at us for not coming home this summer?"

"Nah, they'll be fine. They got Uncle Jimmy to keep them distracted." Which is true, Uncle Jimmy and his brood are wild enough to keep everyone on their toes. She loves them, though, they always have a minute to spare if Tyler wants to talk. "Are you coming to the meeting tonight?"

"I can't. I have to pack and make a deal with the landlord before tomorrow. If he doesn't agree, then I'll probably put all my shit in storage and look for a new apartment when I get back from camp."

"You can always be my roommate, Ty."

"We haven't shared a living space in two years, Ellis. I'm pretty sure we'd murder each other."

"You're probably right. Mom always did have to pull us apart when we were kids." Their fights were legendary and also the reason that fireworks were banned in their neighborhood. "Well, be careful at camp. Lord knows you can't fight your way out of a paper sack."

"Oh please, this isn't a horror movie. The worst thing that could happen is me getting a splinter."