Patty came to pick me up and took me to this old vintage-looking diner.
We sat at the green booth and a waitress in a yellow uniform came to take our order. Her name tag said, Clara. She had white hair in braids that reached her waist. She looked old, like in her 40s old, and had gorgeous dark mocha skin that her silver highlighter was shining on her cheekbone.
Patty smiled at her and said, "I'll have my usual, Clara." The lady looked at me and put her hand on her hip"You're a beautiful little thing, aren't you? What's your name sweet cheeks?" I smiled"Caroline." Patty said, "She came for her job interview and is my new friend."
I don't remember agreeing to that.
Clara said, "What can I get you, honey pie?" I smiled and looked at the menu but decided to say"I'll have whatever my friend is having." Clara chuckled"Baby girl, you're in for a surprise how much this girl can eat." And walked away. Patty said"I love Clara so much. I've been coming here since I was a teen. She always slips a strip of extra bacon in my plate." I chuckled and kept hearing her talk about her likes. What she's so passionate about.
Here's what I know: Patty loves crime TV shows, loves clothes and shopping, hardcore fan of Rock music, and is currently single.
I looked past her and saw a tall guy entering the diner, wearing black gym tights with black shorts on top and a black hoodie with the hood on. It was hard to see his face. I saw Clara strode to him and wrap her arms around his torso as he kissed her forehead.
From his height and build, he didn't look a day older than 26 but then again I could be wrong.
Go Clara for dating a young man.
She passed him a take out and he walked out. There was something about him that bugged me. I looked out the glass window and I could see him mysteriously walking to his Jeep. But he stopped in his tracks and I thought he'd turn around... I badly wanted him to turn around but he didn't and just got in his black Jeep and drove away.
I looked back at Patty and saw Clara coming at us with two white plates in her hand. She put one in front of me and the other in front of Patty. It was six pieces of fried chicken with fries, buns, and sauce. It was a lot. I looked at Patty and smiled as she started eating the leg first.
Clara was right. Patty could eat. She ate all her food including all the fires and even ate my leftovers after I offered her because I couldn't eat any more than three pieces.
X
On our drive to the arena, I looked out the window. Maple Town was mostly a forest. I asked, "So what's the deal with Maple Town and wolves?" I looked at her as she weirdly took a deep breath and said"Well, Maple Town used to be called Maple Village. I grew up listening to the legends from my mother and granny. And it's quite popular ones about men that turn into beasts at night, searching for their true love, howling in hope that they find their soulmate one day." I snickered"Sounds like a bunch of single hormonal men." Patty smiles"You'd be surprised."
She took a turn in the forest and there was an opening. A parking lot in the middle.
Yeah, that's not at all weird.
There were other cars parked but no one was there. I asked, "Are we in the right place?" She nodded her head"Yeah, of course." She got out and I did as well. It was cold and I looked up at the full moon in the sky. I wrapped my sweater around me tighter and followed Patty in the woods.
Not even a 10-minute walk and we came to another opening and she was wrong. This wasn't an arena but a warehouse. Abandoned.
They were loads of people outside. The smell of hot dogs, liquor, and sweat lingered in the air. I could even smell peanuts and popcorn. Patty grabbed my hand and lead me inside so I wouldn't get lost in the crowd. The inside looked amazing. The empty ground had a wide big crooked red circle which I think was the fighting area. She leads us to sit and surprisingly we were in the front. I heard screaming around me, laughing. Patty said, "I bought these tickets 2 weeks ago on an offer of buy one and get one free."
We sat right in the front, right in the middle. I asked, "So who we're cheering for?" She smiled at me"Jaxon Moon! He's so hot and his appearance screams dominance. I'll let him dominate me anytime." I smiled and she continued"I'll get us some popcorn! Brb." I chuckled as she ran out of the warehouse. The chairs were more build like high school bleachers. There were a lot of people here for this fight and I feel like it must be something interesting to them.
The crowd cheered as the referee ran inside the circle. He was short and old. He smiled with a vintage silver microphone in his hand as he stretched every single word of his"Ladiessssss and gentlemennnnnnnnnn! We are here for the fight of the nigghhhhht!" The crowd cheered more. At this point, they screamed with excitement.
The referee said"This is the night that y'all been waiting for. A fight between two brutally scary men who've never been beaten up, never thrown out the red circle, never lost!"
Cheers grew and I saw Patty running at me with a large bucket of popcorn and root beer. She asked, "What did I miss?" Passing me a root beer and the bucket. I said"Nothing much. Just the referee talking mostly." before thanking her for buying a beer for me.
The referee shouts "Ladies and gents, the beast, the two-time final champion, here's Tyrooooooon Millerrrrrrrrr!" I heard men screaming from across us, his name as the Tyron guy walked in wearing blue satin shorts and a red silk robe. His hands tapped in white. He looked almost 6'4.
He stood inside the circle, taking his robe off. His hair was blonde and a good-looking fella. Too many tattoos for my liking. The referee again said"Here's everyone's favorite. The hound from hell, thirsty for blood, here's Jaxoooooooonn Moooooooon!"
I heard girls scream behind me and Patty beside me out loud.
Guess he was everyone's favorite.
The Jaxon guy stepped in, with no robe but a black gym tight and black shorts with his hand taped in black. Patty was right, he screamed dominance with his appearance. He had a mysterious look that intrigued me and slowly I realized he was Clara's boyfriend.
He had a handsome face with a sharp jawline and a thin long nose. Jet black hair and black stubbles on his face. I looked down to his eight packs and that v-line of his. His expression was not easy to read, and I couldn't read, even as a therapist.
He turned around and I had a view of his tattoo between his shoulder. It was a geometric butterfly. Every time he stretched his back muscles, it looked like the butterfly moved its wings. He was tall too. Same as the height of that Tyron guy.
He looked up and took a large inhale and exhaled from his mouth as I saw a puff of cold smoke come out. His head snapped at the audience that I was sitting between.
No, not the audience but at me. I couldn't help but stare back at him.
Me?
I looked at him, confused. His eyes were on me and I felt uncomfortable. The women around me pulled their shirts down to show their cleavage. Some tried to pose and some shout his name. But he looked at me. We were looking at each other and for a split second, I saw his eyes. Red. Neon red. I gasped and he turned his face the other way.
Did I just say that? Did that just happen?
No, it didn't. I must be jet-legged.
I shook my head like I was getting all my thoughts out of my head. Patty leaned to my ear"Oh Goddess! He's looking right at me!" She must be right. He's looking at her because she looked so pretty with her purple dress tonight. I mean, why would he look at me? But I still couldn't help but stare into his eyes.
First I was staring at him and the next thing I know is that he's being knocked to the ground because that Tyron guy landed a punch against Jaxon's cheek. A whisper came out of my mouth unintentionally"Get up, Jaxon." He smiled at me, flashing his pearl white teeth like he heard what I just whispered under my breath. He knew. He got up and before the other guy tried to land a kick in his rib, he grabbed his leg in his arms and elbowed hard right in to his knee. I think he dislocated it. Tyron fell to the ground with a loud cry, clutching his knee.
Nope, he broke it.
He kept beating up the guy till the blood started coming out from everywhere. His mouth, nose, and temple. His face was bruised as well his eye. He looked almost lifeless as Jaxon grabbed him by his neck in front of everyone. He was about to punch the guy senseless and I shriek in my seat, covering my face because I couldn't see this anymore. Jaxon was brutal in the fight. My eyes were covered as I heard the sound of the bell as the referee said"It's time for the countdown." I removed my hands and I saw that Jaxon was looking at me. I don't know if he had landed that last lunch or not but the other player was senseless on the ground.
The referee started counting with everyone.
"5! 4! 3!"
Jaxons gaze was still on me.
"2! 1! KNOCK OUT!"
I heard a loud bell as the referee said"The winner! JAXON MOON!" The crowd cheered, applauded, and screamed his name as well as Patty but I didn't. I didn't even get up from my seat like the rest. I just kept watching him without being shy or embarrassed. There was something about him that had a pull inside me. Something different and something mysterious. Something bad.
He walked away into the gate from where he came in. I felt sad. I don't know why.
Patty said"That was the best fight ever! I can't believe that Jaxon didn't land that last punch. He should've."
"He didn't?" I asked and Patty just shook her head in disappointment. I ask again "Why are you so sad about it?" She answered "Because that's his signature move."
X
Our drive back home was quiet as Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles played on her radio. I looked up to the sky with my head resting against my seat. The moon looked bigger and brighter today. Peaceful and calm. I only had him in my mind. Every little detail about him playing in my head.
The way he stared at me, felt impossibly magical. There was something about him that had a pull.
Do you want a relationship, Caroline? After everything, you've been through? Do you want to blindly trust again? Are you ready for that?
I smiled at myself, feeling silly asking myself these questions when I know that I will not be meeting him anymore. He was forever lost to me.
Better move on.
•••••