Leave Your Heart in the Ring

Home for the Summer

"Thank you!" I was addressed by a flight attendant as I stepped off the plane. It had been so long since I was back in LAX airport. I walked further in the terminal and was greeted by my father, I practically knocked him over jumping into his arms as he wrapped his arms around me spinning me. I hadn't seen him since spring break.
"How was the flight?" He asked as we walked towards baggage claim.
" Good!" I said as I took in the LA air again.
I had flown back from college in Texas. It was Sumner break, finals were in, I was free for a few months, and I was excited to be home. We grabbed my bags and headed to the car parked in an overpriced airport parking lot. We loaded my bags into my Dad's white G-Class Mercedes.
"Ready?" He hopped into the car.
I nodded.
We drove home in the famous LA traffic I'd grown up with, I kinda missed it.
"You still willing to work part time in the gym, this Summer?" My Dad asked me as we sat in the back to back traffic.
"Yeah of course." I answered thinking about my dad's family owned gym that had been around since I was a little kid, many professional boxers trained there, even my dad trained with his dad. My dad was Anthony "The Alpha" Wilson, retired champion heavyweight boxer. He'd always work with me on my skills growing up, until I ditched it for ballet but we had a good run.
"Wanna stop by after you get settled in, I'm sure the guys would love to see you!" He sounded excited as we pulled forward in traffic.
"Does 5 work?" I asked looking at the time, it was 1.
"Perfect."He smiled.

We drove up into the Hollywood hills as we approached my dad's multi-million house he'd bought a couple years back. It was in magazines all over when he first bought it, he still had the magazine clippings posted in his office. He had nice things but he was humble, the money never really bothered me either, others made assumptions about me and my family but I'd always worked hard to get where I was. Even growing up I'd help around the gym for allowance, I was just like every other kid.

When we got home Austin my step-brother ran into my arms hugging me tightly. "Mia! Mia! I missed you!" I bent down and wrapped my arms around him tightly. "I missed you too little man!" I said excitedly as I let go. Jennifer my step-mom walked over and hugged me too.
Jennifer and Austin were just as close to me as if they were blood related. My mom died in a car accident when I was 6 and my dad had married Jennifer when I was 16, and now they were as close to me as ever. Jennifer was a tall, thin, blonde woman with hazel eyes and was an executive editor at a prestigious modeling agency in LA, and she always looked the part. Austin had brown hair and hazel eyes, he was also pretty tall for his age.

I finally got settled in my room, unpacked my things and laid in my own bed for the first time in months it was good to be back! I quickly changed noticing the time, it was 4:28, time flew. I changed into a black sports bra and a pair of grey spandex, ran downstairs and grabbed a protein bar, and some water. Once in the kitchen I bent over and tied my long blonde hair into a ponytail. "Wanna drive separately or together?" My dad asked from across the kitchen as he peeled a banana. "Separate... I'm meeting Jacqueline after the gym." I announced as I grabbed my keys from the drawer we kept miscellaneous items. Jacqueline was one of my best friends I've known her since first grade, we went to the same elementary, middle, and high school. However we went different ways for college, she stayed locally in California and I moved to Texas. We FaceTimed almost everyday even being so far apart and tonight we were gonna go out and see each other for the first time in months, I was so excited.
I opened the garage doors with the button on my keys and got into my black BMW convertible. I pulled out of the driveway and headed down to the gym, my dad right behind me.
I walked in, walked behind the desk to greet Marty "the magic" Melrose, my dads co-owner to the gym and uncle to me. "Kid! Your back!" He squeezed me tightly. "Hi uncle Marty." I said excitedly seeing him again setting my bag down behind the counter. "It's a bit slow today, but we have some of your Dad's trainees coming in, in a bit." He informed.
I pulled myself up into the ring and began to stretch as a guy walked out of the locker room, shirtless wearing red shorts and holding a pair of black boxing gloves. He met my gaze. "Hey princess you got a staring problem?" He said arrogantly. I cocked my eyebrow and slipped on my pink boxing gloves. I looked over at Marty who gave me an approving nod.
"Excuse me?" I huffed.
"You even know how to use those,princess?" He said mockingly as he stepped into the ring, pointing at my boxing gloves.
"Wanna find out?" I tested.
"Your on, princess." He teased.
He jokingly jabbed towards me, I dodged and full force right jabbed at his jaw as he stood unprepared knocking him back a few feet. He looked up surprised and stepped forward jabbing as I dodged him again. I covered my face with my right as I swung left hitting him a little harder this time. My dad walked in as the stranger missed again, again, and again. He huffed out of anger. This time he swung faster and harder he grazed me as I ducked. I stepped forward and hit him with a left hook knocking him over, Marty rang the bell, and I hopped out of the ring, as the stranger watched, I stepped behind the counter. "Good girl, you haven't lost your touch!" Marty high-fived me as I took a sip of water.
"Johnny I'd like you to meet my daughter Mia." My dad hopped into the ring gesturing towards me behind the counter. "You're Mia Wilson?" He looked at me surprised looking at the picture of my dad and I in black and white that hung in the gym wall next to my dad's titles, when I was a tiny little thing sitting on his shoulders.
"According to you I'm princess." I laughed sarcastically.
"Mia this is Johnny Valentine, he's my newest up and coming money maker," my dad announced as I stood unamused.
"Alright, alright let's get to it." My dad tapped Johnny's shoulder. I made my way to a punching bag in the corner and continued to my regular workout, Johnny's eyes still on me as I glared in his direction.
My dad and Johnny began their workouts and scheduled training.
A few hours had passed it was 715, I made my way to the locker room that was obviously empty, I changed into a tight pair of jeans that hugged every curve and small sequined top, I was meeting Jacqueline at a bar down town.
I heard foot steps as I finished changing, closing a locker as I looked up it was Johnny.
His black curly hair fell into his face, his toned body dripping with sweat, the red shorts sitting low on his waist showing off his muscular body. I tried my best not to stare but he was right there, in front of me, I was practically drooling.
"Hey I'm sorry about earlier." He walked to a locker across from me unlocking a locker, and throwing in his gloves and towel.
"Oh don't worry about, it's not everyday I get to knock someone on their ass." I smirked as I grabbed my purse from the floor.
"Why haven't I seen you here before?" He asked grabbing a second towel from his locker as he leaned against the metal.
"I just flew in today, I go to school in Texas." I looked up from my phone.
"Texas? That's tight!" He smirked. "You going somewhere tonight?" He looked me up and down biting his lip.
" I'm meeting a friend at a bar." I leaned against the locker.
"Alright well I'll see you around... princess." He backed up and walked towards the showers in the back. As he turned and walked away I noticed his tattoo on his muscular back, it was a Jaguar. It was decently sized going up along the center with a viscous look in it's eyes. I finished admiring and left to go meet Jacqueline.