Peace in a Storm

16 - Max

The loud thuds of my gloved hands against Tony's punch mitts were a small noise in the symphony of sounds echoing through the gym. I was dancing around the ring with Tony, throwing combinations of kicks and punches at the padded circles on Tony's hands. I ducked every so often as Tony tried to strike back. I was doing my damnedest to concentrate on our sparing, but it was hard to focus when I could feel Audrey's eyes boring into my back.

She was sitting on the bench near our small ring with a notebook in her lap and her math textbook open in front of her. Every few minutes, I caught her staring at me, her plump lips agape with awe and her green eyes filled with wonder. After our conversation on Saturday, she'd been watching me more closely. On our walks home, she'd stare at our intertwined hands. During our shifts, I'd catch her glimpse lasting longer than a moment after I'd tugged her hair or poked her in the ribs. There was always a hint of surprise in her eyes - as if she couldn't believe I existed. While I wasn't complaining about the extra attention, it was strange to think that she really hadn't caught on to my feelings. Even after I'd blatantly expressed them last summer, though admittedly at the worst timing, she seemed oblivious to the way I felt towards her. I guess parading the string of girl toys in her face didn't help. But, I made it very clear they meant nothing to me. In comparison, she meant everything.

I glanced in her direction again, meeting her beautiful green irises.

Scarlet rushed across her cheeks as she immediately averted her gaze back down to her notebook.

I would've chuckled if Tony didn't slap me right in my temple. "What the fuck?" I yelled, stumbling a bit from the surprise impact.

"If you weren't staring at your girlfriend, maybe you would've dodged it," Tony replied.

"She's not my girlfriend," I snapped at him.

"Guerra, I'm far from stupid. You and Nieves have been googling at each other for the past half hour."

I smirked. "You're just mad because no one's googling at your ugly ass."

He rolled his eyes. "Go take a break before I whoop your ass."

I obeyed his command, knowing good and well he'd hold up on his comment if I said another word. I was a good fighter, but Tony was one of the greatest. He could beat me with one hand tied behind his back if he really wanted to. He was one of the few people I wouldn't want to piss off, but that didn't stop me from annoying him every chance I had. As much of a hard ass as he was, he knew he loved me. He wouldn't still be training me if he didn't.

I grabbed my green Gatorade water bottle from the corner of the ring as I slid under the ropes. I threw my leg over the bench where Audrey sat and sat across from her. I slid close to her, caging her legs in with mine and throwing my free arm around her waist. My lips dipped down to her ear, gently brushing against her cartilage as I spoke. "Do you like what you see?" I whispered huskily.

Audrey grimaced. She pushed at my chest. "I don't like what I smell. I thought you were past the anti-deodorant phase."

I grinned, the nozzle of my water bottle lodged between my teeth. "It's all hard work and dedication, baby. Don't act like you weren't appreciating it a few minutes ago."

"Tony told you to take a break, not to mess with me."

"My break is messing with you."

"Well, go find something else to do. I have to finish my math homework."

"Sounds like your problem, not mine."

"If you want, you could help me; you passed Algebra 2 last year with an A."