Below The Belt

Round 21

Tyreek's POV

The rest of the month was spent doing everything I love.

Training and preparing for my next fight, spending time with Dre and Twon, and putting my name out in these streets.

At this point, if you didn't know who Pretty Boy was then you weren't paying attention. I don't know what I was doing different from the rest of the rookies, but my popularity was rising fast. I may still be low in the rankings, but the world was falling in love with me.

Thanks to a combined effort of Mr. Raymond and Quan, I now had media training. I was still able to talk like myself, I just learned how to deflect certain questions and not say dumb shit, which really came in handy when it came to the constant questions about my relationship.

I eventually did have to confirm that I wasn't dating Marcus, and just like I suspected now those who were interested enough in my personal life were trying to dig for answers.

Speaking of DeAndre, he's been slowly getting more comfortable being affectionate with me in public. Something about Antwon's birthday flipped a switch in him, and after kissing me in the pool he just slowly started to do more. He'd hold my hand in public and kiss me no matter who was around. He was completely different from the man he was when I first met him, and I found myself falling in love with him more and more with each day that passed.

He still hasn't told me he loves me, but I ain't tripping about that.

He can take as long as he wants considering I already know he loves me. I see the way he looks at me. I see that look in his eyes, and I know that it's the same look I have when I see him.

"You ready for your fight?" That familiar voice asked from behind me, his voice low and gravely from sleep. I was sitting at the edge of the bed going through my phone and he was sitting behind me with his legs spread around my hips and his arms wrapped around my waist while he rested his head on my back.

"Born ready, baby." I answered with a chuckle. "Fernando is a nice lil fighter, but he ain't keepin' me from my goal. None of 'em are."

I felt him nod against my back before we both fell silent again. It was early in the morning again, and we had another flight to catch. This time the fight was set in Orlando, Florida. Antwon was sleeping on my couch again, and though Quan would be coming with us, he decided to just drive from his house to the airport this time around. And of course I actually told my friends about the fight beforehand, so they were all on board and would be arriving at the airport at the same time as us.

"Yo..." DeAndre whispered, making me hum in response to let him know I was listening. "I know I be trippin' 'bout bein' public wit' you and shit but... I've been thinkin' and talkin' to Marcus about my feelings and shit, which you know I hate doin', but he helped me realize that I... I don't wanna keep doin' this secret shit. I don't care about niggas knowin' I like niggas, and I especially don't care about them knowin' I like you. You my nigga and I want the world to know that."

I frowned and turned my phone off before turning to look at him over my shoulder. "You wanna be wit' me publicly? This ain't no holdin' my hand at the store type shit, Dre. I'm pro now and imma just keep on gainin' traction 'til I'm at the top. That'll be the whole world lookin' at you and knowin' you wit' me."

I felt his arms move from around my waist quickly followed by moving his legs as well. I watched him move around on the bed before he threw a leg over my legs and settled himself on my lap, making me look up at him. "I fucks wit' you. You my nigga and I plan on keepin' it that way for a minute. I'm tryna ride wit' you through all this shit, and I don't wanna be ridin' in the backseat. If the world gotta know my business for me to be able to support you and be wit' you the way I want to, then whatever. I guess the world just gon' have to know I like niggas."