raising hope | s.m

♡Thirteen♡

One month later

Shawn

It's the beginning of December and we have a fight for a prize today. Usually, I would be at the gym early to ensure I do as best as I can. Today, however, I'm taking Hope and Maya with me. We're dropping Hope off at Kate's house. Maya gets back into the car and grabs my hand. She's in a heavy black jacket and has red on her lips. Her cheeks are rosy from the cold.

"Shawn, you don't have to bring me," she comments. "I don't want to interfere."

"You're not going to. I don't trust people and you being there by yourself doesn't help." Glancing over at her, I see her looking out the window. My hand squeezes hers and she reciprocates the actions.

"So you want me to stay in your dressing room?" she questions.

"Unless you want to watch me fight."

"I'll stay in the room." Nodding, I pull into the parking lot of the gym. We get out and I grab her hand. Pulling her around back, we walk into the gym. We walk into my dressing room and she sits on the couch. She takes her jacket off and reveals her plain white shirt underneath.

Maya

I watch him get ready for his fight. My eyes tracking him. He wraps his hands and rips the bandage. His shirt is off and I watch his back muscles move. He turns and I pull my eyes away.

"You sure you'll be okay in here by yourself?" he questions. Standing, I walk over to him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He kisses my forehead.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look in red?" he asks. Smiling, he kisses my lips and I kiss back. His hands are on my hips and he pulls me closer to him. My hands are on the back of his neck. He grabs my thighs and sets me on the counter he was leaning on. Laughing, I pull out of the kiss. "What?"

"You have lipstick on your lips," I laugh, wiping the pigment off with my thumb. He smiles and lays his head on my chest. My fingers run through his hair. He sighs and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I don't want to do this anymore," he whispers. Fear fills my heart like water in a bucket.

"Do what?" I ask the worry leaks from my voice. He looks up at me, eyebrows furrowed.

"No, I want to do you--" his cheeks turn tomato red when he realized what he said. A laugh passes my lips. "I want to be with you. It's the fighting I don't want to do."

"Why don't you stop?" My fingers are still playing with his hair. His eyes bore into mine.

"Because I have to. It's part of me. My dad fought. If I don't, I'm scared of the outcome. Plus, I'm on a two-year contract."

"I want to help you," I whisper. My lips place a soft kiss on his forehead. "how long do you have left?"

"Three months and five days."

"How many fights?"

"Five." He kisses my shoulder. His head rests in the nape of my neck.

"Who's the biggest opponent?"

"Jake. Even before you he was. Now, he wants to take you away from me." My eyebrows furrow.

"What makes you think that? He doesn't want me." His phone goes off. He groans and grabs it.

"The fight is starting soon. I have to go train. Please stay safe." His lips are against mine in a quick peck before leaving the room. When the door shuts behind him I sigh and walk over to the couch. I get on my phone and text Kate to see how everything's going.