Harold Beaumont's Bruises

Toby's Match

Joey's POV
"How about a few shots of you volunteering at an animal shelter? Everyone loves puppies." I recommend.

"I'm not a dog person." Harold dismisses my seventh idea on how to remedy his imagine. Okay, everyone but Harold Beaumont loves puppies.

"A marathon for a cure for a disease?" I recommend, crossing out yet another idea off my list. I sit on a bench in the gym as Harold jumps rope to improve his footing. My camera hangs on my neck, and Harold's sweaty clothes stick to muscular body, I've been trying not to stare.

"To much work." He pants, jumping faster.

"My last idea is a lemonade stand." I sigh, running my hands through my dirty blonde hair in frustration. Harold stops jumping, the jumprope slapping his knees as he gives me look.

"I'll take that as a yes." I sarcastically mumble, crossing out that idea too.

"We need something, and soon." I say, giving him a pleading look.

"I don't care if people like me." He states, strapping on a pair of weights on to his calfs.

"And that confidence is every tumblr girls' goal, but this isn't just about making people like you, Harold. This is for the gym's imagine, and everyone who fights here." I state, looking up at him. Harold sighs, his brown eyes scanning the gym and lingering on every fighter training hard.

"Okay, I'll try to be charitable." He sighs.

"That's more than enough." I say, giving him a smile. "I'll come up with a few more ideas, and run them by you later." I say, rising off the bench, and readying my camera.

"Where are you going?" Harold asks.

"To take pictures of some of the guys." I answer, raising my camera like its a glass at a toast.

"Oh." He grunts simply, then starts jumping rope again, the weights making no difference. Did he want me to stay?

"D-do..." I take a deep breath. "Do you wanna grab lunch?" I ask, my stomach tightening up in knots, and my face reddening. Harold's rhythm falters for a moment, but he quickly recovers, jumping twice as hard.

"Sorry, I have a lunch date." He states, not looking at me anymore. My face goes redder, oh, a date. Of course Harold has a date, he's hot.

"O-oh." I manage. "Have fun." I say, forcing a grin.

"Hey Joey!" Toby yells across the gym, waving me over. Everyone's head turns in my direction, all their unwanted eyes making my skin crawl. Geez Toby, couldn't you just come over here or something?

"S-see you around." I mumble, making my way across the gym to the blonde. Thankfully, everyone gradually stops staring at me, and returns to their training. Toby is tugging on the collar of his sweaty tshirt, brightening when I walk up to him.

"You bellowed?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"Sorry, I got excited and just let one rip." Toby sheepishly apologizes.

"I noticed." I say, my arms falling to my sides. "So, what did you get excited about?" I ask.

"I have a match tonight, I was wondering if you could come." Toby asks.

"My camera and I will be there." I say, tipping my camera at him.

-----
The French Quarter Gym on Canal street is packed with people. Unlike Harold's fight Toby's match isn't a home match. Luckily, Mr. Bernard spoke to the owner of the gym, and I have a press badge hanging around my neck as we speak. The catch though is I have to get a shot of Toby and his opponent- French Quarter Gym's fighter.

I walk up to ring, readying my camera. I do a double take when I see Harold in the front row with that tall brunette girl. Should I say hello?

No... That's probably his lunch date. I'll let them have their privacy. Maybe wave later is he acknowledges my existence. The lights flicker above my head, better get ready. An announcer takes the ring, announcing the fighters- Toby Monroe and Bae Lee.

Traditional Chinese music fills the gym, a fighter in a red robe with printed dragons seizes the ring. French Quarter Gym's fighter is a tall black hair boy, with brown almond shaped eyes. Ripping off his robe Lee revels a colorful dragon tattoo coiled around his left arm, the head at his wrist spews detailed fireballs that reach his knuckles.I make a mental note to try get a picture with that tattoo.

Suddenly Jayz fills my ears, and Toby hops into the ring with a golden robe. Toby blows kisses, and waves at the audience. What a ham. His blue eyes land on me, beaming at me Toby gives me a wave. I wave back and give him a thumbs up.

"Fighters, tap gloves." The ref orders. Red and white gloves tap, a bell goes off, and Toby quickly dodges a punch. Time to work.

My camera captures as much as possible, Toby gracefully dodges Lee's quick blows, making it look effortless. Just as I wonder if Toby will ever strike Toby suddenly snaps, and pulverizers Bae Lee with powerful punches.

I don't lose a second of it. I circle the ring, capturing every punch at different angles. Sweat sprinkles me, but I just try to keep my lenses clean. I can gag in disgust later after I get my shot.

Bae Lee is being cornered by Toby, and his powerful jabs. But Lee suddenly sucker punches Toby so hard his mouth guard goes flying.

"Watch out!" A hand grabs a fist full of my shirt, pulling me back like a fish on a line. I stumble backwards, and land in someone's lap. Toby's mouth guard clatters right where I was just a moment ago. That probably would have damaged my camera.

"Um... Thank y-" My tongue freezes when my hazel eyes lock with Harold's pissed brown ones.

"I told you to be careful, didn't I?" Harold growls, my face reddening.

"You know each other?" A girl's voice says next to me, and I reel off Harold. The two stare at me, Harold is scowling as always but the girl on his right is giving me an expecting look.

"S-s-sorry!" I apologize, and escape to the other side of the ring. I hide my red face behind the camera, and try to shake off my tingling nerves. I don't have time to time to think about cooties or whatever. The second round is starting and I have to get my shots.

Toby comes back into the center of the ring with a bruising cheek, but his tademark grin is surrounding a new mouthpiece. I think that blow only motived him. The bell signals, and Toby lunges, jabbing Bae Lee in the face. Bae Lee throws a strong punch with his colorful left arm that would have crashed into Toby's perfect nose, but Toby swiftly dodges them.

I got my shot.