the art of letting go

twentyeight - winning

the art of winning

- - -

Nico's fight came quicker than I expected.

The day started off quiet, both of us rolling to face each other once consciousness greeted us with a small smile, Nico cuddling closer into my side as I nuzzled the crown of his head. None of us spoke for a while; None of us quite knew what to say.

After spending many (and I mean many) hours talking about it, we decided that I wasn't going to attend to watch the actual fight itself. Nico didn't want me anywhere near Jakob's general proximity and, frankly, I didn't want to watch my partner get hurt, even if I was confident that he would win.

He would win.

Brayden turned up at Nico's apartment balls deep in an obscenely large McDonald's order, claiming that he required all the carbohydrates in the world for the shit-storm of a day. The dramatics weren't unusual but with the way he was talking, you'd think it was him doing the actual fighting and not Nico.

The day seemed to pass in a blur. We got to the gym an hour before the fight was scheduled and Shaylah accompanied me into the backroom where I'd decided to stay during the fight. Frankie, Kady, and Brayden were staying outside at Nico's corner, with Brayden having prepared a pre-let's-beat-Jakob-Weber's-ass-playlist that he swore they'd play on repeat. No one could ever say he wasn't original.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But are you-"

"Shaylah, I'm fucking okay!" I snapped without the bite in my voice, "I just need this to be over. Like yesterday."

"How's your family?"

"Annoying." I paused for a few moments before continuing, "Saint's going insane with Sacha, said he's causing havoc with management because they're not letting them leave the hotel without being papped."

"Bodhi said that, a few weeks ago. He doesn't mind much, given that he's got a new girlfriend now. Mom reckons we won't hear from him until this one ends."

"Mayven Quinn, right? The Youtuber?" I'd been following the recent gossip rags, and damn they were obsessed with the new A List couple. "Good luck to him with that one. Kareem can't stand her."

If it was anybody other than Shaylah, I'd be wary that they'd go back to their brother with that information but I knew she held the same reservations that the others did, and that she trusted them with her brother's best interests.

"Yeah, Mom's going insane. He's only been seeing her properly for a couple of weeks and he's already giving us slow replies. As if the whole rockstar lifestyle meant we had fast replies to begin with."

"I'm sure he'll get over his little infatuation soon. I can't imagine having to start a relationship when I'm never in the same place for more than a week. They've only been in London that long because of the albums." I mused, thinking back to the time on the road. It was so chaotic, and I knew they were getting tired of it. Saint was desperate to settle down somewhere, especially with Lennon now in our lives, and I knew Kareem and Sacha were getting angsty with the little control they had over their circumstances.

Shaylah's phone buzzed, cutting off her reply. It immediately sent my anxiety sky-high as I waited for her to tell me what had happened.

"It's over. Two rounds."

"Wait, wha-"

I was cut off by the door slamming open, my bruised and brazen boxer barrelling through. He seemed completely oblivious to the blood dripping down his lip and the bruise on his jaw as he stormed over to me.