Burning tapes

1

"Its just a job Mel." I signed frustrated, trying to balance my phone between my ear and my shoulder. 

"Don't give me that shit Rob, it could really be dangerous. It's illegal boxing, you really think if someone touches you on the job, management is gonna do shit about it?" 

I stilled sitting in my car. "I can't live with you the rest of my life. What are my other options, ask James for money." 

"That's not funny." 

"Im being realistic! I need some money to get me through nursing school, you can't pay rent all by yourself, and I don't wanna stress where my next meal is coming from. I know you're worried, if I catch a bad vibe I'll leave immediately I swear." 

I picked at my fingernails hearing her sigh while her brain spun. "You're so fucking stubborn, meet me at Thai when you're done." She hung up. 

I was about to interview for a boxing gym, they needed a part time janitor, and I quote "someone who has medical knowledge." I was in my first year of nursing school. Hardly finished, and hardly a practicing nurse but I was something. 

Melanie was by absolute best friend and pain in my ass. She had the best intentions but grew up stupidly rich, her parents were paying for all of our expenses, not her. And with the slightly less than threatening text messages her father would send me, I could tell they were not cool with paying for me. Which is completely understood. Only if they didn't have as much money as Bill fucking Gates. 

I was a poor college student, they were multi billionaires. But whatever, it's understood. 

 I pulled up to the gym, it seemed to be in good condition. A little small and neon lights could be seen flashing through the windows. Not in the worst part of town, but also not in the best and there was a gas station right across the street. Nothing more than a couple bars a couple miles away. 

I put my car in park, walking up to the building the nerves were coming up my throat. I was always nervous, this is nothing new. My hands started shaking. Robin, you are always nervous you always have anxiety, this moment is no different than all the rest. 

I took a deep breath wrapping my hand around the cold metal door handle. It was November, the chill of Maine could be felt everywhere. 

Shouts, grunts, rock music and thick sauna of sweat mixed with axe body sprayed greeted me. Delightful. 

"Listen lady, I know he broke your heart, I'm sorry they are all assholes its what they do. But having screaming girls in here is bad for business so could you just arrange-" 

"Im robin." I stared at the buff bald man with his hand pointed towards the door, he seemed shocked. 

"Oh, I can't believe you actually showed up." He walked around the counter with a large grin on his face. "In that case welcome! Im Charlie, it's really nice to meet you. Here let me show you around." 

He started walking through the building and it seemed like it could go on forever. I was suddenly aware of what I was wearing when looking around catching all of the eyes of sweaty gym members in athletic gear and 2% body fat. My favorite food was cheese fries and I was winded going up the stairs. 

"Um so, are you here for the janitor position, or do you have slight knowledge of blood and guts?" 

He rubbed his hands together as we stood in front of a door to what seemed like another part of the gym. 

"I could do either, I'm in my first year of nursing so I'm not sure if that qualifies me-"

"Thank god! Fuck my floors, when could you start?" 

I was startled, he didn't even wanna see my school enrollment, my grades? I could be making all this shit up and he'd never know. 

"We do some, not exactly-"

"Legal fighting, yeah i know I've been to a match once." 

It was awful. Sitting in the same seats as rapists, murders, alcoholics and strippers wasn't my cup of tea but my boyfriend at the time wanted to go so I went with him. Of course he didn't do shit about the three different men who grabbed my ass but that's another story for another time. 

"Wow, you are blowing my socks off!" He opened the door and the music became much louder. 

Over the past 5 minutes of meeting this man there was no way in hell he wasn't a dad. 

There were about 5 boys. One was laying on the ground on his phone, another was jump roping, one was sitting on the bench with the towel around his neck, talking to another one, and the last had a water bottle in his hand screaming the lyrics to the song jumping up and down. 

One pair of eyes landed on me and the music shut off. 

"This is Robin!" 

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hi guys! if you couldn't already tell im new to writing on this platform so please be nice. im trying my best and if you have any suggestions lmk! thank you for reading !