Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

22

"Alright, go grab water." I watched as Rafe set down the jump rope, his shirt soaked from the sweat as he wiped his forehead. I was sweating too as I set my own jump rope down.

"You didn't think you had enough of a workout with Ethan?" Rafe had asked mockingly before we began the five minutes of jump rope. Now he was so breathless he couldn't say a thing. It made me proud.

"You still got ten minutes of work left with me." I spoke as I grabbed my own water and squeezed some in my mouth. "I normally let the trainee decided what they want to do. You have strength training, pads, the bag, or a little spar to test your reflexes." Normally Murphy always makes the trial people spar at the end, however I do things differently. And because I don't have anyone else for Rafe to spar I was hoping he wouldn't pick that option. Alas, boys will be boys.

"Can I pick spar for both?" I rose an eyebrow at his words. I could see the exhaustion on his face but his eyes held a twinkle of hope and excitement. His smirk was forcibly plastered on as I dropped my water bottle on the bench.

"Are you serious?" I didn't stop myself from looking surprised. How?

"What? A little workout and you can't handle it?" Ohhh you've done it now, Cameron.

"You were doing so good. I was going to work you until you dropped," I began as I shook my head moving towards the gear shelf, "but then I decided, no. Let me do what was asked, trial run. But then you had to go and run your mouth, didn't you, Cameron." I spat as I grabbed the head gear and male gloves.

"Oh, we're on last names now? We were doing so good, Tallen." I nearly threw an elbow into his face when he whispered his sentence. His body directly behind mine as I turned to face him.

"Here. Put the head gear on first. I'll get someone to help you into the gloves." I pushed him away using the gear to create the space.

"Why can't you help me?" I turned grabbing my water bottle before starting to walk towards the locker room.

"Because I have to out my own gear on. Hey, Ted! You mind helping the trial out?" I called out to one of the older boxers as he was taking a water break.

"Yeah sure. Poor sap, you going in with him?" I only answered with a devious grin. Ted sighed and made his way over to Rafe who did good to put on a neutral face instead of his cocky one. "Kid, I hope you know what you're in for."

"How bad can it be?" I scoffed shutting the door to the locker room. Ted's words just barely audible.

"I hope the paramedics can scrape you off the floor."

_______•*•*•*•_______

My hair was pulled back into a ponytail and I had changed to my boxing shoes. My head gear was on, my gloves around my neck. I had done a few quick push ups to get my blood pumping before I stalked out of the locker room.

A proud smirk crossing my face as I watched Rafe gulp as he saw me exit. His eyes held a mixture of emotions I didn't bother to digest as I walked up to Ted for him to help me with my gloves.

"Please don't kill the kid. You don't need a murder charge on your record." I laughed as he began to lace up my gloves.

"No promises. That kid has been the bane of my existence since I made it onto the island." I grumbled as I felt the eyes staring into my skin.

"Yeah, well you just about killed him when you walked out of the locker room without your shirt on." Ted added before he patted my gloves testing the tie.

"A little distraction never hurt this bad." I mocked before turning away and hitting my gloves together. "You ready, Cameron? Or am I gonna have to show you how to get in the ring too?"

Whatever daze Rafe was in he quickly shook out of it. His glare settling in as we both climbed up and through the ropes. Ted and a few of the other boxer came over to watch as I began to explain the rules of a spar.

To my surprise, Rafe soaked up every word. Something he had been doing consistently since we started, listening. With a command from Ted we both popped our mouth guards in and we're meeting each other in the center of the ring.

"You know, Cameron." I voiced as we touched gloves, "you've got balls."

"Thanks." I laughed at the smirk that was on his face.

"We'll see if you keep them."

"Wha-" I hit him with a jab, cutting his word off. My next hit was another jab as I stepped inside his reach and hit him with a body shot before slipping out. His arm just barely missing my guard arm as I moved.

"Oh he is done for." I heard one of the spectators say as I dodged his attempt at a jab before returning with a side hook to his jaw.

My eyes widening as I winced. He was supposed to block that.

"You got to block those!" Ted shouted as he glanced down back at his watch. "30 seconds."

I avoided his swings watching as he tired himself out. I gave him a few false jabs to let him practice dodging before I sent a less powerful side hook to his face.

His hand not moving an inch as he let me hit him. My eyes scrunching as I ducked away from him. My mind running as Ted finally called time.

I eyed Rafe down as he went back to his corner where a handful of the guys were talking to him. I went and sat down in my own corner as Ted came to speak with me.

"You hit him like that again and he'll go unconscious." I shook my head.

"No, he's letting me hit him. Ted, his arm was right there, but he let me hit him." Ted didn't say anything as he got me some water.

"Hey, I know how annoyed this Cameron kid is. And honestly, no one would blame you if you laid him out."

"It would teach him how to stand up on a ten count. Thanks Ted." I hopped up and walked to the center of the ring where Rafe was breathing heavily.

"Keep your guards up." I warned him. I still technically was training him.

He grumbled something but I didn't care as Ted gave the starting signal. I moved around the ring as he moved with me, my choices dominating as he followed me around.

"Come on! Don't tell me your afraid to hit a girl." I toyed with him as I moved the two of us around the ring, dodging his attacks. "This is terrible, Cameron. Show me something. Don't just be a waste of my time." I pressed, trying to get him to release whatever restraint he was holding.

His punches got more powerful and I had to put effort to evade them. I pushed one of his jabs away ready to return one of my own when he dipped and got a body shot in on my exposed torso.

The room went silent as the connection was clean. He had taken my jab as an opening and found purchase to my ribs. I buckled slightly, stepping quickly to get out of the way as I stared at Rafe. No emotion on my face as I threw both hands up to guard.

"Now we're fucking sparing." I spat smirking. The slight flare in my side nothing compared to the adrenaline that finally made its way through my blood stream.