Page 86 of Ours to Lose
I blocked out everything else.
It surprised me how easily my brain and body fell back into the rhythm of a fight night. The long day of waiting that gradually built to those eight rounds of pure adrenaline and physical demand.
We’d been here for hours already, mostly sitting around. After weigh-in and getting checked by the doctor, there wasn’t much to do except rehydrate and fuel up. My dad had come by to give me a hug and wish me luck, and Colin and Jase’s brother, Alec, had hung out for a bit while I ate.
Alec reminded me a lot of Evan. Enough that laughing with him had stung with the longing of not being able to do the same with my brother.
I tried not to let the sting linger. Tried not to focus on why Evan wasn’t back here with me like he had been at the few events in Philly I’d fought in my career. Because if I did, memories of a different tournament would take hold.
With the hand Coach had already wrapped, I reached for my phone and opened Aubrey’s messages. She’d had to work this morning and couldn’t stop by in person to wish me luck, but she’d be here for the fight. I reread her texts from this morning, then scrolled through yesterday’s messages and the ones from the day before, letting her words fend off the shadows creeping into my mind.
“Nerves?” Coach Lou asked, eyeing my bouncing foot.
I forced it still. “A few,” I admitted. Not all for the fight. In some ways, that was the easy part. It was everything surrounding it that was starting to swell like skin around a fresh wound. Questions like what came next once this was over.
Coach seemed to sense it. He tapped my taped hands and nodded toward the center of the room. “Let’s get you moving. Work it out in warm-up.”
That was enough to bring me back to center. Focus on my body, on my form, on my fight. It had been a long time since Coach Lou was the one coaching me through it, but I was glad it was him now.
The crowd’s cheers surged as a winner of the current fight was called, leaving one more to go before it was my turn.
Boxing was what I did. Time for me to do it.
Last round,come on.
I had my opponent pinned against the ropes, struggling to keep his guard up against the barrage of punches I threw at him. My right glove connected with his face as my left came in for a hook to his ribs, forcing his torso down and leaving him open to my uppercut.
Just as it landed, the bell rang, signaling the end of the match. The ref lunged between us so the other fighter could regain his feet, then we stepped together to bump gloves and exchange a quick hug.
We’d both fought hard. I was drenched in sweat, had a few bruises that would be sore for tomorrow’s fight, and felt like I could go another eight rounds right now.
God, I loved boxing. I’d missed this. Never thought I’d have it again, but here I was in the ring, coming down from a fight. Even if I lost this match, it was almost worth it just for that.
I went back to my corner of the ring while the judges deliberated and took the towel from Coach Lou to wipe my face. Aubrey screamed my name, drawing my attention to the front row, my dad and Colin on either side of her, all of them on their feet.
Joy ballooned in my chest. Having her here felt even better than I thought it would. Different from when she’d come with Evan to my beginner matches when we were kids. Like doing well for her was as important as the rest of it.
Almost enough for me not to notice the pinch in my side at my mom not being here too.
I searched for Evan, but the seat beside my dad was empty.
When I rose from my crouch as they called me to the center of the ring, I spotted him. He stood at the rear of the room near one of the exits, arms crossed over his chest, his expression blank.
Still. He was here.
I returned my attention to the ring, where the other fighter and I stood on either side of the ref. He took one of our wrists in each hand as the announcer’s voice came over the speakers.
“The winner…by unanimous decision…is Gabriel Hardt!”
My shoulders dropped in relief as a familiar rush of pride surged through me. The ref raised my hand, and the other fighter stepped around to give me another hug.
“Hey, that was a good fight,” I told him over the cheers. “You keep your head high and go get the next one.”
He patted my shoulder in thanks, and I headed for my corner, slipping under the ropes in time to catch Aubrey as she flung herself into my arms like I’d just won the whole tournament.
“You were amazing!”
I tightened my hold on her waist, resisting the urge to spin her off her feet and claim her mouth with mine. That was probably off-limits with so many of our friends around, not to mention my dad. But her body so close as adrenaline pumped through me had me ready to do a lot more.
