Peace in a Storm

14 - Max

"Are you alright, Guerra?" Tony's voice broke my focus on Audrey.

I was watching her wander around the gym, hanging up new flyers on the bulletin boards. She's been acting weird all week. She barely spoke to anyone, and she wasn't entertaining our usual spats. Whenever I tried to fuck with her, she'd ignore me or nudge me out of the way. I respected her silent request for space, but I was worried about her. She's never been so quiet before. What the hell did she and her brother talk about?

Tony gently popped me on the head when I didn't respond.

Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from Audrey and glared at him. "I'm fine," I said.

"Then act like it. You've been staring at your girlfriend like she's gonna disappear at any moment."

"She's not my girlfriend," I grumbled.

"I'm just checking to make sure your head is in the right place before your match tonight."

"I'm good, Tony; I swear."

My trainer nodded his head towards Audrey. "Why don't you go talk to her? We both know you're not going to be able to concentrate tonight until you do."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that an order?"

"Yes. Walk your ass over there and go talk to your girlfriend."

I had half a mind to punch him in his throat, but I didn't feel like wrestling with him right now. I shoved my hands into my pockets as I walked over to Audrey. "Hey," I said, leaning my shoulder against the bulletin board she was working on.

"Hi," she replied, glancing at me.

"Do you have any plans later?" I asked.

"No; I was gonna head home after your match."

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could get some ice cream or something after the match."

She turned towards me, her brows crinkling together. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I just thought you could use a little bit of cheering up." I grinned at her. "What's more fun than hanging out with me and eating ice cream?"

"Stabbing my eyeballs out with a fork."

I rolled my eyes. "Listen," I whispered, gently grabbing her waist and spinning her back against the wall in front of me. I took a step closer to her, pressing my chest against hers. "I miss hanging out with you."

She stared up at me with wide eyes and darkening cheeks. The quick thumps of her heart drummed against my chest.

Slowly, I raised my hand and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Hang out with me later. We'll get ice cream, go someplace quiet, and talk for a while. What do you say?"

"Okay," she said. She gently pushed my shoulders, adding some distance between us. "Now, go away. I need to finish these boards before the crowd gets here."

Smirking, I held up my hands and backed away from her.

I spent the next hours stretching and preparing my body for my math.

My opponent was another kid I knew from school named Shawn. I had a few classes with him before, and he seemed like an okay guy. At the start of the match, we touched gloves as a sign of respect.

We danced around each other's punches and kicks for the first few minutes in the octagon. I couldn't help but smirk at him. "I know your hands can be faster than that, slow poke," I teased.

Shawn grinned. "You won't be saying that when I put you on your ass, Guerra," he replied. As if on cue, he kicked me right in the side of my ribs.

The impact, and surprise, of the strike knocked me to the ground.