Page 5 of The Fight

Since my dad died, things for me have been different. Something switched in my mom, and she became a complete helicopter. When we moved to Saint Bipal, though, the reins loosened. She didn’t constantly ask where I was or try to keep me on some unrealistic schedule. Instead, she encouraged me to go out, make friends, and experience things.

It was like whatever worry she may have had disappeared. Being here, she felt free, or maybe the grief just wasn’t as bad.

And I feel the past three months, that’s exactly what I’m doing—living life and trying to not let the hurt hurt as bad. Sure, I can be a little reckless—the fighter from last night proves that—but God does it feel good to be in control again. Control of myself and what I want to do.

He was hot. All stiff muscles and fucking arrogance. Dark hair tousled almost perfectly like he meant to do it that way. And his eyes… fuck. They were so blue and so intense. And the way hemoved in and out of the ring with a permanent predatory gaze, like no matter what he set his sights on, he would get. He was strong and broody and so damn intriguing.

The thought of Shay—that’s what the announcer said his name was—has me clenching my knees together, and I know that alone can only mean one thing. He’s trouble. His attitude should have told me that already, but something about him drew me in. He seemed so open and willing to kiss me and even go further if I would have allowed it, but nothing else. He’s closed off and cold.

Everything that happened happened fast. And then, when I left… he looked so confused and almost hurt? Or maybe that was just his ego. When I made it to the car, I was running on autopilot. Drove home, took a cold shower, then crawled into bed. I’d like to say I slept, but I didn’t. Hence why I’m still lying here, listening to Hannah bitch about the cousins who made her miss last night.

“Well, tell me how it went. Did you survive the night?” Hannah’s voice cuts through my thoughts and drags me back to reality.

“Barely…” I reply, staring at the ceiling. “It was intense. The crowd, the fight. Everything. It was like being in a different world.”

Hannah laughs. “Told you it’s wild. But you did good, right?”

“I guess. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Pretty simple. I guess the adrenaline kind of takes over after a while.”

“I know what you mean. It’s honestly the best part,” she giggles. “So, are you hooked yet?”

“Not yet,” I say, a smile tugging at my lips. “But there was something. I don’t know. It’s hard to explain.”

“I get it. It’s a rush, right?”

“Yeah,” I admit, the feeling of last night still buzzing under my skin. “But it wasn’t just the fight. There was this guy…”

Hannah’s voice rises an octave. “Oh?”

I hesitate because although I feel Hannah and I have become decent friends within these last few months, everyone always gets weird when I tell them I’m a virgin. And if I give her all the juicy details, I know she’ll ask why I stopped.

“His name is Shay. He was one of the fighters last night. We didn’t really talk, but there was something between us. Like this weird tension.”

There’s a pause on the other end for a few beats. “Shay Cornell?”

“Yeah…”

“Oh, babe. Don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Listen, normally I say ‘do what you gotta do, and do who you want to do,’ but not Shay. He’s a self-righteous prick with a chip on his shoulder since his mom died. Like, don’t get me wrong, he’s hot as fuck, but his demons aren’t worth the trouble.”

I laugh. “Do what you gotta do, and do who you want to do?”

“Yeah. Fucking YOLO or whatever.” Her voice is serious.

“Well, don’t worry. There will be nodoingon my part. We stopped before it went there.”

She pauses again. “What do you mean stopped before you got there? Is that all I get? No details?”

I sigh. “He damn near ran me over getting out of the ring, so I said something. When he ignored me, it pissed me off, and I followed him to the locker room?—”

“Not the locker room.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

“When I got in there, we exchanged some words, then he kissed me. Or I kissed him? I don’t even know. I feel it just… happened.”

“Nothing justhappenswith Shay Cornell. He’s a calculated motherfucker, Blair. I guarantee he wanted you to follow him.”

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