Adonis watched as his father, Ricky strapped his gloves on. Tonight there were so many people out attending the match. He'd never seen so many people come out. Maybe it was because they were rooting for Damien. Half of the people already knew Adonis and most of them were always rooting for him but tonight was different.
"How do you feel tonight?" Katrina asked while sitting next to her son. It was one of the first times she'd agreed to attend one of Adonis's fights. Blood flying always made her stomach queasy and her nerves were bad which was why she always stayed home.
Adonis felt like he did every match. Energetic and ready.
"I'm good." He tells her.
"Are you sure?" She questioned.
Adonis nodded his head. This was her millionth time asking him that same question. He could handle himself well out there and she had no reason to be concerned.
"He's well trained, Trina. Don't worry yourself." Ricky said.
"I seen Damien and he's kind of big." Katrina said.
Ricky chuckled, "Size never mattered. It's about your hands, your timing, and the studying of your opponents moves. There is no time to make mistakes. A fighter can always recover, and you'll never know what they're coming back with. Never turn your back. Stay light on your feet."
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see." Adonis finished.
Ricky proudly patted Adonis's shoulder, "Remember, stay focused."
Adonis nodded as he took a sip of water, "Pops, you gotta walk out with me. People gonna be happy to see you here."
Ricky shook his head, "I don't ever want to steal your moment son. I've had my time, it's yours now."
"Come on pops, just this once. You always stand outside or in the corner so nobody won't recognize you."
"We made it!" Malik shouted as he stepped inside of the locker room with his father, Rahman right behind him.
Adonis was quite happy because he hasn't seen his uncle in ages, "What's up uncle Rah? I can't believe y'all came."
Rahman chuckled as he embraced his nephew, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
The moment Rahman heard that his nephew was fighting Ezra's son, he had to be there. There was bad blood amongst them and he wasn't going to let his brother be alone when they were present.
"The match is getting ready to start." Trisha says poking her head inside of the room.
"Pops, uncle Rah, y'all gotta walk with me. Come on." Adonis said.
Ricky shook his head because Adonis had been excited all night as if it were his first match. He didn't decline anymore, instead he just followed them out towards the crowded arena. There were so many screams and cheers once they realized that Adonis had his father and his uncle on his side.
In the front row, Ember couldn't help but to smile. She'd never seen Adonis so happy before. Her parents were sitting next to her, Justin on the other side of her father while she sat in between her mother and Namiko. Her other family member were sitting in the front as well.
Namiko sucked her teeth, "Adonis is a fucking show off. Look at that. He acting like this really professional."
Ember didn't respond to her as she watched Adonis get inside of the ring. His eyes landed on hers for a split second before they shot over to Damien's who was climbing inside of the ring. His father, Ezra stood next to him, giving him a pep talk.
By the looks of it, Adonis knew that this match would be over within the first round. He could tell that Damien was nervous. They announcer started with their names and then the rules while both boys were getting their mouthpiece put in.
After, they were standing face to face in the middle of the ring. Adonis held his arms out so they could bump fists as a friendly fight but Damien didn't. He gave Adonis the dirtiest look that he could muster up. Adonis only chuckled and dropped his fists.
The only person that was in the ring now was the ref who stood in between them. Adonis could hear his name being chanted. He could also hear a few people chanting Damien's name.
Damien was much taller than Adonis and a bit more built as if he were on steroids or something. Anyone would think that he was a grown ass man but he was only seventeen, one year younger than Adonis.
The bell dinged causing the ref to back away from them. Adonis had his stance up as he lightly bounced. Damien stood in one spot, his eyes focused on Adonis. He looked as if he wanted to murder Adonis.
Damien did the unexpected and charged at Adonis, full force, tackling him. The ref immediately jumped in, pulling Damien away. He didn't get a chance to throw fists and that only pissed him off. There were boo's coming from the audience.
Adonis stood to his feet, with his arms raised as if he were asking "what the hell was that."
"No tackling or you will be disqualified. This is your first warning." The ref tells Damien.
They were back at it, in the middle of the ring. This time Adonis threw the first jab, catching Damien in the jaw. Damien swing back in retaliation but Adonis missed.
Damien continued to swing but Adonis kept dodging the swings. He'd even tried to corner Adonis near the ropes but Adonis stayed away from them like his father had taught him. He could see the agitation on Damien's face and he smirked. There was no way that Adonis was losing.
Adonis kept his face blocked ass Damien threw another fist. The next swing, Adonis ducked again, then came back up, catching Damien with a moonshine, right then left, right then left. His hands were swift, and Damien didn't see the combo coming. No one did. Adonis landed one last hard right in Damien's jaw. Adonis had put all of his strength into that one hit.
Damien immediately lost his balance, falling to the floor. His vision was blurry, so blurry that he couldn't get up to his feet. He felt light headed. The ref stood by his side for a second before the bell above dinged.
"He's rocked!" The ref shouted.
People erupted into cheers while Adonis held his arms up jumping around the ring as they hyped him up. Music started blasting through the speakers, and Adonis's family congratulated him while Damien was being tended to.
Ricky was so proud of his son, that he was probably more excited than him. Adonis came out of the fight without a single scratch and he gave all the credit to his father for being such a great teacher.
"We celebrating as a family tonight. It's on me!" Rahman said.
"Good because I'm hungry." Katrina blurted causing them to laugh.
Adonis's eyes darted around the arena as he followed his family back to the locker room. They landed on Ezra, and his brothers who were giving him a death stare. He didn't understand why people got in the ring expecting to win every fight. Although he's never lost one, he knew there would be a time where someone was better, smarter and quicker than him.
Ezra formed his fingers into a gun that he pointed towards Adonis, pulling the fake trigger. Adonis was many things but he wasn't scared. He only smirked at Ezra as he continued walking. He decided not to mention it to his father and uncle because they were ready for everything.
Ember climbed to her feet, Namiko following suit. She already knew that Adonis would win because Damien really couldn't fight. He wasn't ready to be out there but her uncle Ezra couldn't wait any longer. He caused his son to get beat up.
"He cheated. Just like he was with Ty." Namiko blurted with her arms folded.
"How? It was a fair fight. Adonis won, simple." Ember shrugged.
"He's father and his uncle are pro's and they training him. That's cheating. He probably on steroids too."
Ember just looked over at her friend. There were so many times that she questioned her logic. The things that had been coming from Namiko's mouth lately was complete and utter bullshit. She didn't respond to Namiko as she made her way over to her father. They didn't see her approaching but they were in a deep discussion.
"I thought you said he was ready." X said.
Damien sat on the ring with an ice pack on his head. He was pissed off, more pissed than he's ever been in his entire life, "I want revenge."
"Revenge huh?" Ezra asked.
"Don't go messing with that boy. It was a fight that Damien walked into and he wasn't ready for it." Sahara said.
"He think it's a joke. It ain't and we don't play around like that." Damien continued.
"It's okay, son. We'll get our revenge. It's long overdue." Ezra said causing his brothers to agree with him.
Ember listened, her heart dropping to her feet. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was upsetting how Damien couldn't take his L and go. Ember stepped away from her upset family and started towards the locker room. Before they left, she wanted to see Adonis. She traveled up the hall, stopping at the locker room. Adonis was alone, sitting on a bench with his shirt still off.
Ember softly tapped on the door as he looked her way, "Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just wanted to say congratulations on your win. You did real good."
"Thanks, Em but I don't think it's a good idea to be here with me while your people here. Ezra didn't look too happy that I won." Adonis says.
"It was a fair fight. You won and Damien is just going to have to take his L." Ember shrugged causing Adonis to agree with her.
"You busy tonight?" Adonis questioned.
"No."
"Aight good. Come on." Adonis grabbed his belongings before he grabbed Ember's hand pulling her along with him. "Just text your mom and tell her you left with friends and you're okay. I ain't trying to get arrested for kidnapping."
"It's not kidnapping if I agreed to go with you." Ember said.
"Not in their eyes." Adonis tells her.
They were out back where Adonis parked his car. His parents had already left to go celebrate his win. Adonis told them that he would meet them there after he went home and got cleaned up.
"I was supposed to meet my parents at a restaurant but..."
"Then let's go." Ember tells him.
"You sure?" Adonis raised his brow.
Ember nodded, "If that's okay with you and your parents. If not, I understand."
"It's okay, Em. I just need to make a quick stop at home." Adonis opened the door for her as usual. She climbed inside and pulled her phone out sending her mother a quick text saying that she left with a friend. She forgot to tell Namiko that she left as well so she sent her one too. Ember also asked Namiko to cover for her.
Ember's parents only knew that she had one friend and that was of course Namiko. They didn't think that she had more. She knew that Sahara would be questioning her the moment she got home. While Adonis went inside and got himself cleaned up, Ember stayed inside of the car, waiting patiently.
Her phone began to ring and Namiko's name flashed across the screen. Ember answered.
"Seriously, Ember? What the hell am I supposed to tell your parents? They're looking for you." Namiko said as soon as Ember put the phone to her ear.
"Just tell them I'm with a friend please. Alexis."
"Alexis? Girl you're lucky I love you. Be careful because I still don't trust him." Namiko says.
"I will." Ember assured her before she ended the call.
While she waited, Ember's mind began to wander. She wanted to know what Adonis's parents were like. She'd never seen them around before, not even Adonis until that one night when Namiko dragged her out.
Several minutes went by before Adonis returned to the car, "Come on, let's go inside."
Ember stared at him for a moment, hesitating to get out.
"I ain't gone hurt you, ma. You can trust me." Adonis tells her.
"What happened to celebrating with your parents?"
"They're getting drunk and trust me, you don't want to be around my people when they drunk." Adonis said. When his parents were drunk, they didn't bite their tongues for anything. He honestly didn't feel like dealing with them and their shenanigans tonight.
"Okay." Ember climbed out and walked towards the front door, waiting for Adonis to join her. She didn't step inside until he gave her the okay.
Adonis chuckled, "Come in. You acting like I'm gone eat you or something."
"You might." Ember says.
"If you want me to." Adonis raised his brow at her. Ember didn't seem to catch on until a couple of seconds later.
"You're nasty."
"And you late as shit." Adonis said.
Adonis grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the kitchen. He lead her out the back door, towards the empty field. Their property had several acres that didn't seem to end. Adonis led her across the field until they reached a tent.
Ember was quite speechless. She'd never seen a tent so big in her life.
"A tent?" She asked.
"Go inside." Adonis tells her as he unzipped it.
Ember climbed in first, her eyes darting around the spacious area. There were about four rooms in the tent. The one that she was closest to was the movie room, the next one down was the gaming room where board games were stacked up neatly in the corner. The other two rooms were set up like bedrooms.
"This is so beautiful." Ember says.
"You think so? I come here when I'm bored." Adonis says. He left out the part where he suffered from depression some days.
"Bored? There's no way that you can be bored. There's so much to do here." Ember turned to look at him. He'd zipped the tent back up.
There were game rooms inside of Adonis's house, including movie theatre rooms, a swimming pool and hot tub. His father had their own sky zone built on to their house. They had money but didn't flash it. The only way people found out that Ricky was rich was if he invited them to his home which didn't happen too often.
"It get boring especially when you're around it all day. What do you want to do first? I told you that I would make it up to you." Adonis says.
"What kind of board games do you have? You got some card games too?" Ember asked as she made her way inside of the game room. She took a seat, examining the games. "Play Uno with me."
"You asking the champ to play uno?"
"Champ? I'm the champ at uno."
"Bet?" Adonis asked as he took a seat as well.
"Hm, if I win, you have to teach me how to drive in your car everyday before and after school." Ember said.
"Aight, deal."
"You're not going to bet me?" Ember asked.
"You gotta buy me lunch for a week." Adonis said. He didn't want to bet her anything that would get her in trouble so he kept it PG. He knew that she was innocent and wouldn't be down to do anything risky.
"Lunch? Okay deal." Ember said feeling a bit relieved that he didn't ask her to do anything crazy.
Ember shuffled the cards, before passing them out. She held her cards up and glanced over at Adonis he eyed her suspiciously.
"Shorty you better not be over there cheating." Adonis said.
Ember sucked her teeth, "I'm not."
"Let me see your stash, ion trus it. Probably gave yourself all the good cards." Adonis said.
Ember laughed a little, "I'm not showing you my hand. Who going first?"
Adonis studied his hand before he sucked his teeth, "I ain't even got that color, you go first."
Ember happily placed a yellow seven down. It only helped Adonis out because he had a blue seven. Ember sighed in annoyance once she realized that she had to draw from the deck.
Adonis chuckled, "You mad or something?"
"Nope, we just getting started." Ember tells him.
Adonis placed another card down. This time Ember have to draw from the deck. She felt a little bit happy on the inside. They continued to play the game until they were down to their last card. It was Adonis's go, but Ember was hoping that he didn't have the right color.
Once she saw that he was reaching for the deck she smirked but it instantly fell when he placed his last card down.
"You thought I was about to draw, huh?" Adonis laughed.
"Oh fuck you. You cheated." Ember said as she laughed with him.
"How? You passed out the cards."
Ember kissed her teeth, "So. You still cheated."
"Now you gotta buy me lunch for a week." Adonis teased. He wasn't going to let her do that even if it was a bet but she didn't know that.
While Ember gathered the cards, Adonis reached behind the pillow and retrieved his small plastic bag. He already rolled his blunts earlier. He knew that he would need it later after the fight. Ember watched him but she didn't say anything.
"If it's gonna bother you, say something." Adonis said.
"It's not. My dad smokes." Ember shrugged as she finished putting the cards back where they belonged. Adonis didn't buy his weed. His mother grew it out in her greenhouse behind some flowers. She was always jumping down his throat about stealing her weed plants.
"Good." Adonis searched his pocket for his lighter. Once he found it, he lit his blunt.
Ember watched curiously, "How does it make you feel?"
Adonis chuckled at her question, "Calm, relaxed, happy."
"I thought it makes you giggly or hungry." Ember said.
"Different people, different effects."
"Oh." Ember said.
There was a comfortable silence between the two of them. Adonis studied her closely, admiring her from a distance.
"I want to try." Ember blurted.
Adonis was a bit shocked, "You do?"
Ember nodded, "I shouldn't but I do."
"Come here." Adonis says.
Ember slowly made her way over to him before he pulled her down on his lap. She watched as Adonis placed the blunt up to his lips for a few seconds before he pulled it out. Adonis gave her the blunt. He watched her closely as she examined it before putting it up to her lips. Ember had no clue what she was doing and Adonis didn't guide her. He smirked instead. She inhaled a bit too much and Ember immediately started coughing and Adonis started to laugh.
"Damn, Em, you aight shorty?" He asked as she gave him the blunt back.
Ember nodded her head.
"Inhale then exhale. Do you want to try again?" He asks her.
"Nope, I'm good." Ember quickly answers as she got herself together.
Adonis chuckled again, "You're so cute."
Ember blushed. She looked away from him. Adonis put out his blunt, and put his focus on her. He placed his hand under her chin, causing her to look at him again. Licking his lips, Adonis pulled her face down closer to his.
Adonis caught her lips with his, giving her a soft peck. By her reaction he could tell that it was her first kiss. Ember stared down at him for a moment before fully facing him. Wanting more, Adonis gave her another one, this time parting her soft lips with his. To him, her lips were sweet.
Ember's heart skipped a beat, and the butterflies swarmed in her stomach. His lips against hers were soft, but plumped. Snaking her arms around his neck, Ember allowed him to guide their kiss. She had no clue if she was even doing it right but Adonis didn't seem to be complaining as he wrapped his arms around her torso to deepen the kiss, their tongues exploring one another's mouths.
Adonis felt himself getting a bit carried away. He moved his lips from hers, kissing her chin, and then traveling down to her neck where he planted a few soft kisses. It only caused Ember to moan, lowly.
"Don't do that to me, Ember." Adonis mumbled. He'd finally forced himself to pull away from her.
"Sorry." Ember whispered while stealing another kiss. Adonis didn't reject her.
"What time you got to be home?" Adonis asked.
"What time even is it?" Ember questioned. She quickly pulled out her phone, and checked the time. "It's one in the morning. My parents are gonna kill me but I don't want tonight to end."
"Me either."
"Let's watch a movie and then you can take me home." Ember tells him as she climbed to her feet.
"Aight you pick."
Ember picked a movie before she cuddled under Adonis.
***
When Ember walked through the doors, it was almost three in the morning. Her father paced the living room while her mother sat on the sofa, worry written on her face.
"Where you been?" X yelled.
Ember stopped in her tracks, "At a friends."
"A friend? Did you ask me could you go anywhere? Then you got some fucking nerve to be coming in my house at this time of night, Ember." X was so heated. He'd hardly ever yelled at his daughter the way that he had been doing now. Ember and Justin were both good children. He'd raised Ember better than that. Her sneaking around made him pissed off especially because she never told him her whereabouts. It was his job to keep her protected.
"Ember do you know how many kids your age go missing? Why on earth would you be out there at this time of night?" Sahara asked. Her eyes were red and Ember knew that she had been crying and she immediately felt bad. She hated to see her mother cry and the fact that she had been the cause of it.
"I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."
"You damn right it won't. You on punishment until I say you're off. Give me your phone and every other electronic that you have."
"But daddy...." Ember now felt her eyes water while she tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat.
"Now! If I hear you out here running around with some boy, I'll kill both of you." X threatened.
Ember didn't say a word as the tears fell down her face. She gave her father her phone, which was really the only electronic that she had. She could still hear her father angrily fussing as she traveled upstairs to her bedroom. Ember found that her Tv was gone. She knew that this was going to be a long punishment.
A part of her knew that her father wasn't playing around. He didn't want her dating at a young age. He's made it quite clear that Ember couldn't have a boyfriend until she moved out and even then he wasn't going to approve. X never failed to mention it to her. Ember couldn't stop her tears from falling as her father neared her room, not caring that Justin was just a couple of doors down sleeping in the comfort of his bed..
X was the type to never let anything go. He would argue all night if he had to, "The only places you allowed to go is to school, work and back home. Got it?"
Ember only nodded her head.
"Do you understand?" X asked again.
"Yes." Ember said with a bit of an attitude that her father didn't seem to notice. She just wanted him to leave her alone. When he left, Ember laid back on her bed, drying her fresh tears away. Although she liked Adonis, she didn't want to drag him along only for him to get hurt.