Brad McCarthy
"Conner, your mad girl is here. She isn't leaving!" One of the bouncers yelled. I gazed at both of them, and Conner's face scrunched up in confusion. His expression shifted as he recalled the person.
"Ugh! What is she doing here?" He groaned in annoyance.
"We don't know she is asking for you. She wants to meet you. Should we allow her in?" The bouncer asked, looking at Conner.
"No, tell her Conner isn't here," Conner replied, handing me the water bottle. I looked away from the wall screen, opened the bottle, and drank water while observing the crowd waiting for the fight to begin.
"Oh really? But I could see the drug master." We heard the feminine voice. My gaze shifted back to Conner and the lady who entered the room with the bouncer stepping away. Conner groaned loudly and wiped his face, seeing the lady.
"Don't call me that. Who allowed you inside?" Conner growled at her.
"Tell me what should I call you then?" she asked him, ignoring the question he asked. As I gazed at them with a blank expression, I realized I had never met the woman before and was unaware of Conner's association with her. He had never brought a female companion to the gym or any other place; he always appeared to be alone.
"Don't call me anything and, for fuck's sake, leave the place," Conner said, pointing his finger at the lady.
"Nope! I'm not going to go away. I'm here to watch our Brad fighting," She said, turning her attention to me with her cheeky smile. I didn't say anything, just watched her boringly when she waved her hand at me. She made a face when I didn't reply to her, she dropped her hand and looked at Logan and the others.
"Our?!" Conner raised his brow.
"Yes! We are a team, Conner and Brad is our man." She cheered happily.
"Not really. You aren't our team. Girls aren't allowed in my gym," Conner commented and she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever..." She said, crossing her arms before her.
"What does that mean? You are leaving now!" Conner said rather loudly. She gave him a challenging look, keeping her hands on her waist.
"Make me." She challenged. Conner growled before taking a step forward.
"Guys...Guys.. knock it off. We are fighting in the ring, not here and mainly it's not between you two," Logan said, pulling Conner away.
"And you young lady, what are you doing here?" he asked the girl whose name I don't know. I heard Logan say that she visits the matches regularly and kind of troubles Conner every time she comes.
"Done?" I asked Conner. He glared at me before we started walking. The girl started following us.
"Where are you going? Do you want those men to see you and trouble you later? Stand here along with Mack," Conner said, turning his head and looking at the lady.
"Mack isn't here, he went somewhere," Tom replied.
"Fine, I will stand with her, Logan will be there and Brad, think with a cool mind. Don't be aggressive. It isn't like the underground fight anymore, keep your senses on alert. Calculate every move the opponent makes," Conner said, standing closer. I nodded my head. Conner is tense and anxious about the match. I walked to the tunnel where I would be walking out to the ring.
As I entered the ring, the crowd erupted in cheers. I couldn't help but glance over at Ava. Her eyes met mine, and I could see the worry and fear in them. It was a new feeling for me, as I had never seen anyone look at me that way when I was in the ring. I gave her a small nod of reassurance before turning my attention back to the match.
*
"Does it hurt?" Ava asked, looking at my swollen cheek. I didn't say anything, as I was grumpy because of the boy she was with. Ava frowns when I don't answer. I shouldn't be feeling anything but how could I not? He was too close and wrapped his arm around her waist. I― I just couldn't erase the boy or the memory from my head.
"Are you Brad's girlfriend?" the girl from before asked Ava. Ava's cheeks turned bright red.
"No―We know each other," Ava replied, looking at the girl.
"Oh, I thought you were his girlfriend, seeing how he reacted before," the girl spoke, shifting her gaze to me.
"Do you have any problem with her being his girlfriend? And firstly, why do you always ask?" Conner said to the unknown girl.
"Shut up." She turned towards Ava, extending her hand.
"I'm Serine," the girl said.
"Ava." They shook their hands while I shared a look with Conner.
"Come on let's all settle down and order food," Serine said.
"Don't you have to go home?" Conner asked her, turning to her side.
"Nah! I stay in dorms, they probably closed the gates and I can't jump the ten-foot wall," she replied, patting Conner's shoulder. He glared at her as my eyes met Ava, who was biting her lip. They both fought as I observed the beauty in front of me. As she looks at Conner and Serine, I check her out leaning back in my seat. She is looking hot tonight in those pants and jacket.
"I'm leaving, I need to meet my girlfriend," Mack announced, walking towards us.
"We can't stay here, we need to go to another place. Everyone is leaving the place," Logan said, walking behind Mack. I looked around to see the place empty.
"Yeah." Conner agreed.
"I will be leaving along with the boys," Logan said. Ava stepped towards me and stood closer to where I sat.
"Okay," Conner said. Ava stood silently by my side looking at Conner. She must've been scared of Conner, that man looks like one. He is a gym freak. He is taller than me by two inches.
"What you gonna do now? Where will you go if not hostel?" Conner asked Serine. She smiled at him and Conner frowned, looking at her smile.
"Be with you guys," she replied, looking at me and Ava.
"No, I need sleep, Brad needs to rest and..." he stopped saying, turning towards Ava.
"I can't enter my dorms now," Ava said sheepishly.
"Why do you girls come to these places? Don't you know how dangerous it is," Conner scolded Ava and Serine. Ava's cheeks turned red and I knew she was nervous seeing Conner.
"Ohoh... Chill out Conner, you aren't our father." Serine commented, rolling her eyes at Conner.
"I can be your daddy and give you proper treatment," Conner replied, raising his brow at her.
"What kind of treatment?" Serine asked with wide eyes and excited smile. Ava's eyes widened when both Conner and Serine started talking about something personal. Ava started looking at me to save her from listening to Serine and Conner. I stood up and pulled her along with me.
"We will be waiting in the gym," I said, walking outside with Ava. I didn't hear what Conner was saying to me. I took the car keys out and walked ahead with Ava following behind.
My eyes were on the road as my knuckles hurt. I didn't show any signs of pain. The right side of my face started paining. There is going to be a swell tomorrow morning.
"Doesn't it hurt?" Ava asked.
"Habituated."
"If your dorms are closed at nights? Where do you think of staying?" I asked her.
"I will be staying with one of my friends."
"Who? With that guy who stood beside you?" I asked. She tilted her head to my side, to see my scowling face.
"Who Julian?" I didn't answer but I was trying hard not to show discomfort.
"You know he wasn't the only one who was there. Others were also there along with me."
"Whatever."
"Brad, you know you are being angry for no reason," she said playfully.
"I'm not being angry."
"Okay." The rest of the ride was filled with silence. I didn't say anything until we reached a place.
"Where are we?"
"Conner's gym," I replied. She followed me inside. She has never been to Conner's gym.
"This place is huge," she said, looking at the big boxing ring in the middle and all the gym equipment.
"Do you have a medical kit here?" she asked.
"You will find one in the changing room."
"I will clean your wounds and bandage them."
"I will clean myself."
"No let me help, your knuckles are also hurt." I looked down at her with my less emotional face. We had a serious staring contest between us.
"Fine!" she gave her best smile. I showed her where the changing room was and the medical kit. She washed her hands and made me sit on the bench. She cleaned the wounds with water, used a gauze pad to wipe the water off my wound.
She repeated the same thing to my face. I was at eye level when she started cleaning the cut on the face near my jaw. Her breath fanning on my face, I tried my best not to look into her eyes, they were so intense right now.
"I can feel your beating heart," I whispered. She blinked her eyes before looking into my eyes. She stopped what she was doing. There was a whole zoo playing in my stomach when I saw the emotions playing in her eyes. I planted my palms on her waist.
Slightly pulling her close. My gaze shifted towards her lips before snapping back to her eyes. She did the same thing as me. Our lips were dangerously close, they barely met...
"Oops... Did we come at the wrong time?" I heard Serine's voice, which snapped me out of my thoughts. Ava pushed me away and fell on the floor in the process.
"No—no, I was just cleaning his cut."
"Oh... Oh..." When Ava looked at me I gave her a blank face. I just felt her lips for the first time and someone had to come at the same time. I gritted my teeth to control my annoyance.
"We brought pizza for us," Serine announced.
"Okay." Ava said, standing up.