Campus

Chapter 28 - Meeting

James POV:

I'm going to the place I always go when I need to let off steam. I didn't have the patience to wrap my hands when I arrived and now I am staring down at bloodied fists with cracked knuckles from repeatedly hitting the bag imagining my father face.

I can't feel the pain from the open wounds, all I feel is fucking anger. How could Reece let him walk back into our lives. I don't know how long I've been here for but it's now dark outside. Luckily because I am on the boxing scholarship and need to practice at all hours of the day I have a key to the gym.

I examine my bleeding knuckles realising I should probably clean them because who knows what fucking bacteria is growing in this place.

In the bathroom I turn the tap onto warm and run my hands underneath the water hissing at the sudden contact on the exposed flesh.

I'm coming back to my senses

I hear the door to the gym open so I shut the faucet off and head back out to the gym and see Luke wrapping his fists.

"Thought I'd find you here, you manage to get it out?"

"Get what out?"

"Your emotions."

no.

I just let out a dry laugh instead of replying.

"C'mon, wrap your knuckles."

I face my broken skin to Luke and he doesn't even look surprised.

"That'll take a while to heal." he says eyeing up my fists.

"Have you told Alyssa about your dad?" Luke asks still wrapping his knuckles in the thin white fabric, weaving intricate patterns of protection over his fists so they don't end up like mine.

"She doesn't need to know, I just got her back I don't want to drag her down through any of my fucked up life."

"Here" Luke tosses the sparring pads to me since I obviously cant fight with him I'll play coach and he can train while I hold the pads.

"I think you should tell her, don't keep her in the dark bro."

He's right of course, like I said, Luke is always right.

"I can't, I don't want him to affect me this much that I have to change everything in my life because of him."

I hold the pads up and Luke begins his assault against the black and blue mitts I'm holding.

We stay for an hour or two before leaving, we didn't talk much after that, I've always appreciated a comfortable silence and I'm glad that Luke and I can have that relationship.

The next morning I wake up to a cute text from Alyssa and a not so cute text from Reece.

Reece: James, just do it, talk with him, ask your questions or you might regret it.

I ignore his text, I don't have the patience to deal with him.

Alyssa: Morning, I'm going to study for most of today, but free tonight if you want to hang or do other things... xx

Mood lifted.

James: I always want to do other things with you gorgeous. I'll pick you up at 6?

Alyssa: perf x

I need to study too but I also promised Daniel I would drive him into the city to pick a computer part and after what he did for Alyssa I'm in no position to say no. On our way he blasts Nirvana and ACDC and is in his own world and so am I. I cant get Reece's text out of my mind.