THE FIGHTER (Origninally called my UFC FIGHTER)

15. Noah

"What time did Ethan say his interview was at?" Jay asked as he walked into the living room. I looked at the text and saw that he has sent the time and in what chanel his interview was so I relayed the information to my brother as Papa and Dad joined us.

Ethan looked as handsome as ever as he sat around a table while a woman and man took turns asking him questions about his upcoming fight with Hans Maverick.

The woman, a sports reporter, was eager to know how Ethan was preparing for the match. "I've been training non-stop," Ethan replied confidently. "I've been sparring with some of the best fighters in the league to make sure I'm at the top of my game."

As the interview came to an end, the pair thanked Ethan and wished him a good luck in the ring.

****

"Damn," Jay winced as we watched Ethan hold his opponent, Maverick, in a chokehold while the male struggled to get free, "he's fucking amazing."

"Right?" Liam said with a grin, "Maverick thought he'd beat Ethan this time."

Watching as Ethan and his opponent throw punches, and kicks at each other and knocked each other to ground where they continued to fight was new to me as I've never been one to watch fights. The match ended with Ethan winning as Maverick could no longer fight and defend himself from the hits Ethan delivered.

"Come on, let's go congratulate him on the fight," Jay said once the event ended and we nodded before following him backstage.

"You can't go back there," a security guard said but we each held the badges that gave us the green light to go backstage and they moved aside letting us through. Perks of having a rich dad with connections.

"I knew you'd win," Liam said once we reached Ethan's changing room where he was being inspected. Bruises were covering his chest, stomach, and arms from the hits Maverick had been able to deliver to him during the fight. He looked surprised when he saw us before he grinned.

"I did say I would win, didn't I?" he asked with a cocky smirk.

"I'll beat you next time Gonzales," we looked toward the voice and saw Maverick being led away by his team, "mark my words!"

"Give it up dude! You said that the last time and he beat you again!" Liam shouted making us chuckle.

Shaking my head, I turned back to the ceremony. "Now please give a round of applause for our class valedictorian, Liam Alexander," Principal Gomez said and cheers erupted around the auditorium. The ceremony was supposed to be held outside but due to the weather, it was moved indoors.

I smiled as I clapped along with the rest of the families present as Liam walked onto the stage and nodded at the principal and I raised a brow when he ignored his hand that had been offered for a handshake making the older male lower his hand.

"Today is a turning point in each of our lives. We have spent the past years wandering the halls of this great school and now we are ready to go on." Liam began his speech as he looked at his classmates. "We have learned, laughed, loved, gotten into trouble, and most of all matured together. But today doesn't just concern reminiscing; it's also about looking forward to our future."

Who knew he was good at speeches?

We sat and listened to him as he spoke to his classmates, teachers, and his parents.

"Life is a series of passageways, and we are leaving one and moving on to the next. When we reach that daunting place next year that has been our destination for three years now, we will start over." He paused to let his graduating class take his words in. "We will meet new people, make new friends, and learn new things. We will grow older, more responsible, and more independent. Then, the cycle begins again in college, and after that, we are left to traverse the unmapped expanse that is our future."