All is Fair in Love and War

25

Taylor got home, the house was silent. Gabriella was supposed to be home by now. "Gabriella!" Taylor called out. Gabriella emerged minutes after with a suitcase in hand. "Where are you going?" Taylor asked. "I'm not going anywhere, you are." Gabriella glared and shoved the suitcase of her things in her arms. "What?" Taylor asked. "Ian came by the gym today." Gabriella replied.

Taylor's face dropped. "He said I either agree to a fight or he's going to leak the news about Mateo. Have any clue how he could have ever found that out?" Gabriella asked. "I-I...I swear I had nothing to do with that I didn't even know about him doing this." Taylor replied. "What were you trying to do all those months ago when you kept following me?" Gabriella glared. Taylor looked off ashamed. "The truth!" Gabriella shouted.

"I was just trying to talk to you so you would agree to the fight." Taylor quietly replied. "The truth!" Gabriella glared. Taylor bit down on her lip to stop it from quivering as she fought back tears, "I wanted to see if I could convince you or find something to make you agree to the fight." Taylor replied. Gabriella stepped away holding her head in disbelief. "But I swear once I saw Mateo and got to know more, I never said a thing!" Taylor said.

Gabriella turned to look back at her. "Then how the hell does Ian know." Gabriella coldly replied. "I don't know. But I had nothing to do with it!" Taylor argued. Gabriella's eye welled up with tears, "I trusted you." She glared. "Gabriella..." Taylor quietly replied. Gabriella shook her head and scoffed, "I let my guard down and let my enemy know my weaknesses." She softly said to herself.

Gabriella looked back at Taylor and glared, "You're the reason Mateo got taken away." She said. Taylor looked away ashamed. "I thought you were different. I thought maybe all the things everyone said about you weren't true. But they were right, you go for the kill and you don't show mercy." Gabriella said. Taylor looked up at her teary eyed, "I swear I had nothing to do with this." She pleaded.

"You're the only other person who knew!" Gabriella argued. "But I didn't..." Taylor got quiet as she thought about Wes. He swore he would never tell. "I thought you were different. You're just like Damien." Gabriella glared. "I'm nothing like that asshole." Taylor glared. "You went out of your way to be kind just like he was at first. You get what you want, you find a girl's weakness, and then you get your way when she's vulnerable and has no choice but to do what you want." Gabriella coldly replied.

Taylor got silent and looked off. "You just care about yourself. That's all you ever cared about." Gabriella said. "That's not true." Taylor replied. "I want you out." Gabriella glared. "Gabriella please..." Taylor begged. "Out!" Gabriella shouted. Taylor chose not to fight and respected her wishes. She walked out holding back the tears and put her things in her car. Taylor got in her car and the sadness quickly turned to anger. She started the car up and drove off.

--

Taylor stormed into the empty gym. Wes was cleaning up and saw her approaching. "You're back?" He asked confused. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him back against the wall. Wes winced in pain as his head hit the back of the wall. "What the fuck?" He asked panicked. "You told me you wouldn't say a fucking thing you prick!" Taylor shouted and slammed him back against the wall once more.

"What are you talking about I didn't say anything!" He shouted and tried to break free from her grip. The look in her eyes frightened him. That was the same vicious look she gave her opponents right before she went in with the final blow and hurt them. "Taylor please you're not thinking straight just tell me what's wrong!" He shouted. "Mateo. I told you not to say a god damn thing!" She shouted.

"I didn't!" He shouted. "Then how the fuck did Ian find out and why is he threatening Gabriella with it!" Taylor shouted. "What?" Wes asked wide eyed and just as shocked by the news. "Because I keep eyes on you." A man's voice replied. Taylor loosened her grip on Wes and looked back to see Ian standing in the gym. "What the fuck is wrong with you." Taylor glared.

"I'm looking out for my fighter because apparently you forgot what your job is." Ian glared. "I told you I didn't want a fucking fight." Taylor argued. "See, that's the problem." Ian replied, "You let yourself get consumed playing house and forgot your role." He said. Taylor stared at him with deep hatred in her eyes. "You're willing to throw your entire fucking career away for a woman and some snot-nosed kid?" Ian questioned. "You don't know shit about them." Taylor replied.

"When you signed me on, you told me you wanted to be the best. You wanted my help getting you to the top. Well you're about to fucking blow it by throwing away this fight." Ian said. "Do you have any idea how much there is to gain from all of this?" He asked. Taylor stayed silent. "No one wants to see you fight some other bottom tier fighter. They want to see you fight Gabriella. This fight will be what makes or breaks your legacy. This is everything you've been working for, are you going to let it go?" Ian asked.

Taylor stayed silent and looked off. "That's what I thought." Ian said, "Now I'll be waiting for the response from her team and I'll fill you in from there." He looked over at Wes. "Make sure you get her back in working order will you?" Ian said before walking off. Wes looked at Taylor, "Are you okay?" He asked. Taylor wiped a tear that emerged before it slipped. "I'll see you tomorrow." She quietly replied and walked off.