I conquered myself.
I breathed heavily, looking around with the widest smile on my face. I don't know if I was more excited that I won, or that I completely destroyed my inner demons and took my life back.
I held my hands up in the air, throwing my hoodie back and screaming along with the crowd that cheered for me. Jinx, Cloudy, Amy and the gangs stampeded towards me before they tackled me off the ropes and dog piled me.
"I... can't breathe...!"
They picked me up before Jinx squeezed me and shook his head with the widest smile on his face. I could have sworn he was getting closer.
"You did it! You're back in full fucking swing Mix!" He cheered. Cloudy clapped, running away happily to collect the bets. Amy hugged me from behind and unstrapped my gloves.
I didn't even care about the fame at this moment. I was enveloped in the excitement, the genuine joy that I got from walking away from this battle trumps a kid walking in a candy store ten fold. I inhaled.
This was what it meant to be a fighter.
With the money from the money bucket, we made our way out of the tunnel as the rest of the audience dissipated before Jinx yanked me to the side.
"Ow!" I cried out, rubbing my arm. It felt like it was nearly yanked out of socket. "What the—"
I couldn't speak. Before I could react, heat tingled my lips and the sweet taste of honey with a twinge of marijuana tickled my tongue. My eyes opened in reaction, and Jinx's long and curly eyelashes sat closed in front of me. He smelled like fresh rain from the Amazon, and his hair shone slightly in the underground light. As he pulled away, his eyes stared at me with green, brown, and specks of golden hues.
"I just wanted to get that out of my mind," he walked away, without another thought to the matter. He didn't even turn around. I was stuck in that position before turning around and watching him duck around the corner to the exit.
"...FUCK?"
...
"He kissed you?" Amy squealed, her arms flailing in crazy directions in excitement. I tried to grasp it.
"He just walked away like he didn't do it... like it was nothing!"
"Maybe it was nothing," Amy threw a cheese puff into the air and caught it in her mouth as she sprawled across the couch. Jinx left with Cloudy and their gangs to party and talk, so Amy and I decided to have girl time. "Maybe he just got excited and took his emotions out on you. When you get excited you punch things,"
She shrugged.
My mind buzzed. Jinx is 25 for shit's sake. He practically raised me since my period. Why would that mean anything?
Then again, why wouldn't it?
Did I like Jinx? WHAT THE FUCK?
"I'm feeling feelings..." I panicked.
Amy collapsed onto the floor in laughter.
"This isn't funny!" I yelled, so frustrated that I pulled the leg off of the stool I sat on and fell on the floor. She laughed even harder, so hard that her laugh turned into one with hiccups and coughs. I gave in and laughed with her.
Every now and then, you just have to laugh until you can barely breathe anymore.
"You know," Amy sighed, staring off at the ceiling with her arms behind her head, "I do still have strong ass feelings for you,"
I felt my cheeks get hot. I thought I was the brutally honest one, "but I'm all for team Minx,"
Holup.
"MINX?" My voice dropped a couple octaves. That was a terrible couple name, even if I saw myself that way with him.
"No? What about Jixie?" My skin crawled. I was terribly uncomfortable, scratching my arm awkwardly while she continued. Jinxie, Mixinx, Jimix, Minxie... I was gonna hurl.
She stood up, giggling to herself as she helped me up, "I'm only kidding," she made her way to the door, taking my hand in hers with sincerity on her face as she put her back to the door. My head tilted slightly.
"Get some rest," she started, "and congratulations,"
I smiled, nodding at her as she closed her eyes and made it seem like she was soon to leave,
Before she pulled me to her and kissed me.
Her lips were velvet and plush, with the sweet scent of comfort, like a walk in the park or along the boardwalk. Woodsy, Earthy and warm. She pulled away, immediately slipping out the door and leaving me stuck.
"I had to get mine!" She called from beyond the door. My mouth hung open. "TOURNAMENT TOMORROW, GO SLEEP!"
I stood there for what felt like an hour before I could even say a word, but when I did:
"...FUCK?!"