Page 21 of The Fight

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

BLAIR

I’ve managed to avoid Shay the past few days, keeping myself busy in my room and finishing up all my unpacking. I just need some space to figure things out—figure out what the hell is happening with me. My feelings for Shay are all over the place, and it’s driving me crazy. One minute, I’m furious with him; the next, I’m… well, I don’t know what I am.

I shove the last few pieces of clothes in my hands into the dresser drawer, then move to my bed and flop down. I still feel out of place here, but at least my room has some semblance of me. Reaching for my phone, I put on some music loud enough to drown out some of my thoughts. Closing my eyes, I let the beat wash over me. For a minute, it works. I almost forget about everything, but then the song cuts off, and my phone starts ringing.

I sit up and look at the screen. It’s Hannah. I answer quickly, hoping it’s a quick conversation so I can get back to the music.

“Hey.”

“Blair Bear!” she squeals. “Whatcha doing?”

I sigh and fall back into the mattress. “I don’t like your tone. It sounds like you’re about to ask me for a favor.”

“Well, I am. Kind of. It’s a mutually beneficial favor.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a fight tonight, and apparently, there is some bigwig promoter in town. The coach is looking for another ring girl. He wants to show off a bit, you know, make the place look good.”

“And how is this mutually beneficial?” I groan.

“He’s doubling the pay for the night, plus, you’ll get to hang out with me.”

I hesitate, chewing on my bottom lip. The idea of stepping back into the gym, knowing Shay will be there, makes my stomach twist. But money is always good motivation, and maybe it’s time I show him he didn’t get to me—not by the panties and not by this hot-and-cold game he’s playing. I can just focus on the job, then leave right after. Easy.

“Fine,” I finally say. “I’ll be there. Just for the cash, though.”

She cackles through the other line. “Sureeee. I’ll see you there! Fight starts in an hour.”

We hang up, and I let out a long breath. My phone pings again, drawing my attention back to the small screen. The messages have been back for days now, but they’re pretty far and few between. Normally, they’re just a blank message or a generic “I’m watching you” type text, so I just ignore them. What’s the point in replying? I wasn’t able to figure out who it was before, and nothing has come from them. Whoever is playing with me can keep it up because I won’t be indulging them.

UNKNOWN: I’ll be seeing you tonight. Better stay sharp.

I roll my eyes.

Standing from my bed, I walk to my freshly organized dresser and pull out some simple black Spanx. I’ll just steal a top from Hannah when I get there. Stripping out of my sweats, I slip them on, then grab my phone and walk out my door.

As I’m making my way down the steps, I start calling out for my mom.

She comes from the theater room and meets me at the bottom. “Something wrong?”

It’s hard not to laugh. After Dad died, she did a one-eighty. She was depressed and paranoid—always assuming the worst in anything and everything. Grief makes you weird, I guess. That changed when we moved here, though. She seemed… at peace. Maybe it was because she’s always dreamed of living on the beach, or maybe it was Henry. I try not to focus on the latter, though.

I shake my head with a smile. I don’t want her to pry if she sees my nerves are a little uneasy. “No. I just need to borrow the car. Heading to the beach with Hannah.”

She nods with a relieved sigh. “Okay. Keys are by the door. Don’t be too late, okay?”

I kiss her cheek swiftly, then start toward the front door. “You got it.”

Stepping outside, I slide into the old Honda and start the engine. Backing out of the driveway, I do one last mental check, making sure I have everything I need—mainly just my phone—and head toward the gym.

The drive is short, and I feel like I’ve done it a million times already, even though in reality, it’s only been a couple of times. Turning off the main road, I follow the same routine of dodging potholes until I slide into a space and park.

By the time I step out of the car, I can already hear the noise from inside. I follow it, letting it guide me because my feet feel like bricks. I thought I could do this, just ignore all the bullshit and parade around with some numbers for a bit, but now that I’m here, I don’t know.

Pushing the thoughts away, I trek forward and pull open the door. There are more people than last time, most alreadypositioned in their seats, while others mingle, standing close to the ring. I scan the crowd for Hannah but don’t see her anywhere. My nerves kick up a notch. I should have waited outside for her.

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