Right Hook (Gaslight series) COMPLETE

35| Just keep swimming

"Everything," I admit. "I want things to go back to the way they were before I messed everything up. I have a habit of doing that."

His eyes soften, and I feel myself breathe a sigh of relief. "You didn't mess anything up," he says. "I did. I shouldn't have put you on the spot by asking you out like that, especially when you're going through a breakup. I'm sorry."

"So, friends?" I ask hopefully.

He nods just as Miss Granger walks in. "Friends."

***

As soon as school finishes, I rush home to eat, finish off some homework, then change for the gym. My parents are both out doing god knows at what, so at least I'm not bombarded with questions on my way out.

The whole drive there, I'm buzzing with excitement. Not just because I'll get to see Max later, but because training with Maddie makes me feel better, somehow. Safe. It's a strange feeling to have considering I'm not exactly unsafe, but the gym has become a haven, a place I can go and be someone else for a while, and god knows I've needed that.

Maddie smiles as soon as she sees me. She already has a pair of gloves, a helmet and a mouthshield waiting for me on the bench beside her.

"We'll go over a few more techniques today," she says. "Have you decided what you're working toward? Is it a white collar boxing thing you want to do, because we have programs like that here, or you can just carry on taking lessons and sparring. It's up to you, there doesn't need to be some big fight your working toward–" she pauses and adds, "–sometimes it's about the small fights along the way."

I think for a moment. On the one hand, Justin's comment about me not being able to fight makes me want to prove to him I can, and what better way to do that than at a match? But on the other, I kind of like just going along at this pace with Maddie.

"I'll think about it," I say. "Maybe if we just work toward a fight at the club in a few weeks?"

"Sounds good to me," she says.

She helps me to wrap my hands and slip on my gloves before we step into the ring. We recap some of the footwork she showed me then go through a few basic combos. The act of swinging my fist is starting to feel natural, and there's this surge of electricity that runs through me when my fist connects with her helmet.

"Good," she says, grinning through her mouth shield. "That was perfect."

I beam back, because her praise has this way of lighting me up. "Thanks. You know, have you ever considered being a teacher? I think you'd be good at it."

"That's actually what I've always wanted to be," she admits. "What about you, what do you want to do?"

"I have no idea," I say. "I keep hoping I'll wake up one day and suddenly realize my calling, but all I ever wake up with is a dry throat."

She laughs at the same time her fist shoots out, hitting the side of my helmet. "You'll figure it out," she says. "I've realized that things always seem to have a way of working themselves out eventually."

"Maybe," I say, but I'm a little too pessimistic to be convinced.

At one point, when we stop to take a break, Maddie passes me a drink made with electrolytes that she'd specifically bought for me from the store. I raise my eyebrows, surprised at her generosity, and take a sip.

"So, are we going to talk about that thing that mentally scarred me for life?" she asks.

I almost spit out my gulp of electrolytes. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

She laughs and says, "It's fine, I'm just curious about what's going on with you two. You looked pretty...Well, you know."

I do know. "Well, I like him," I say, turning to face her properly. It feels so good to be actually able to tell someone about this without them judging me. I tell her everything that's happened so far, from my relationship with my parents and my friends, to Justin, to Kino, and eventually, to how much I like Max. She listens intently without interruption, but every now and then her eyes go wide or her mouth does this weird little twisty thing.

When I'm finished, I expect her to tell me what I already know, which is that things are too complicated, Max and I could never realistically work, but instead, she grins. "I think you guys are perfect for each other."

I raise an eyebrow. "We couldn't be more different."

"But that's the point," she says. "You balance each other out. You know, I could already sense something was different with Max. In a good way, obviously. Now I know it was you."

I can't help it, I smile, and she smiles back. As much as I love my friendship with Tiana, talking with Maddie feels different, like I can be one hundred percent myself, the same way I feel around Max – it's liberating.

Maddie and I get back to a few more rounds before calling it quits. I take a quick shower in the office and by the time I come out, Max is already meant against the wall in jeans and a t-shirt, no sign of Maddie in sight.

He walks straight over, snakes an arm around my waist, and says in my ear, "Are you done here? I want to take you somewhere." The warmth of his breath feels seductive on my skin, and I feel myself shiver. I nod as in one swift move, his mouth pulls away from my ear to brush against my lips, sending chick waves through my stomach. He pulls away a little and takes a hold of My hand, forcing me to frown.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"It's a surprise," he says, and I notice he has this wild little gleam in his eye.

Excited, I let him lead me over to his car, and as soon as we're inside, we're speeding off down the road in the direction of the city. My eyes are closed as I listen to the gentle hum of the engine, and that's when I feel it, his fingers reaching over and threading my own, squeezing them tight.

I could get used to this.