Part 37 (2/2)
Chapter Seven.
”What the h.e.l.l was that about?” I ask n.o.body in particular, blinking a few times.
Rose and her boyfriend look at me, grinning. ”He's claimed you.”
I shake my head. ”Claimed me?”
”I don't know,” she says, biting her lip. ”He's never done that before. He's definitely interested in you.”
”You've watched him before?”
”Yeah, heaps,” Jason says. ”His fights are always a good show.”
I laugh, incredulous. ”Don't I get a say in any of this? How can he just claim me? What does that even mean?”
”Oh, come on, don't tell me you don't think he's hot stuff.”
”Hey,” her boyfriend says, but Rose ignores him.
”He's alright,” I lie.
”You're lying,” Rose says. ”I always know when people are lying.”
”That's one of those things people say,” I tell her, ”That's not true and really annoying.”
”Fine, I know when you're lying. Besides, you're blus.h.i.+ng.”
”I am not!” I say, but I know it's pointless to check. She's right. I realize then that my ears are burning too. I look around at all the people who came to watch fight night, and their eyes are all on me.
Some girl is shooting me a death stare. Another winks at me, and blows a kiss.
What the h.e.l.l is this?
”Babe, if Pierce wants you, he's gonna-”
”Going to what?” I say, cutting her off. ”Going to ask me out on a date?”
She snorts. ”Please.”
”It's not like anything can happen, anyway.”
”Why?” Jason interjects. ”You on your period?”
I glare at him.
”Oh relax,” she says, slapping my knee.
”Nothing can happen because his mother is dating my father.”
The small group of people around us all fall silent, and Rose bursts out laughing.
”What's so funny?”
”You really think that's going to stop him?”
I scrunch up my face in disbelief. ”It's going to stop me. And,” I say, realizing that I need to recover. ”It's not like I'm interested, anyway.”
”Yeah. Right.”
”Just shut up.”
”This is going to be interesting,” Rose says with an ultra-annoying grin. ”Where's the popcorn?”
We sit in silence for a while, and then I see a young couple walking up the steps in the stand. They enter our row, and Rose gets up and hugs them.
”Hey Ca.s.sie, hey Chance!”
I realize the two empty seats beside me are for them. I'm unhappy. Rose didn't tell me she was bringing friends. It's not like I came out prepared to really socialize with anyone else but her and her boyfriend.
I smile and introduce myself.
The guy, Chance sits beside me with Ca.s.sie, and he pulls out his zippo and clinks it open. ”Relax,” he tells me when he sees my expression. ”I don't smoke. Just an old habit.”
The bell dings again, and a second fighter steps into the cage with Pierce. The crowd goes silent, but the air is charged.
The man is smaller than Pierce, but he's stocky and obviously strong. Pierce is leaner, with longer arms and a lighter step.
I groan to myself. I'm really not having a good time, and the fight hasn't even started yet.
The two meet in the middle of the cage, and they tap fists. I notice they're not wearing gloves, but instead have some kind of tape or wrapping around their hands.
If they don't wear gloves, then each punch is going to really hurt.
The referee motions for them to step back. Already Pierce is putting on a show, strutting about, and the light plays off the deep lines cut into his stunning body. His shorts are tight, hug his a.s.s.
He turns around, shows his back to his opponent a who I've already dubbed 'Stocky' in my head a and looks at me. He smirks, winks, and again a sea of heads turn to face me, as if they're expecting me to... respond.
I lick my lips, nod my head slightly at his opponent. Pierce shrugs, like he hasn't got a worry in the world. But Stocky is already moving in, charging at him.
”Turn around!” I mouth, shaking my head at Pierce in disbelief. He's going to get punched in the back of the head.
At the last moment, Pierce twists on his heels, and brings an elbow around. Stocky ducks it, but already Pierce is on him, aggressively closing the distance.
Beside me, I hear Chance say, ”He always was a showoff.”