"Why does being sad make me feel so tired?"
"Maybe 'cause it's heavy. Like you're carrying something."
"I'm so tired."
"You can sleep, Fox. Right here. I'll stay with you."
"Cross your heart?"
"Always."
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
F O X
He deserved to bleed.
I set my forehead on the concrete wall at the back of Skyfall. That rush of victory hasn't hit. I know it won't.
A door slams open. "Mercy!" Cam's storming over, my belt slung over her shoulder like it means something. Her eyes are wild. I already know what's coming. "You stick to the plan! Two rounds minimum, showcase your moves, make it a goddamn show."
She's right, but she doesn't know everything. Doesn't know what Onyx said.
"You can't throw this away, Fox. This isn't just some street brawl. You want more fights, better contracts? Then you follow the plan."
"Okay." My voice comes out rougher than I intended. I don't look at her, just nod again.
She steps closer, and drops the belt over my shoulder. It's heavier than I thought. "You won this. It means something." She points at me. "You mean something. Okay?"
I roll my eyes to mask the tightness in my chest. "I'm hungry. And I want at least three days off of training. No 5 AM runs, no kale juice. Let me sleep."
"Fine." She grabs my arm and drags me around the back of the building. "Let's go before you get swarmed. Saw a group of teen girls salivating after you walked out on us."
The alley outside Skyfall is overcast and cool. It smells like wet pavement and cigarettes. Not my favourite, I'll be honest.
"You're gonna crash soon." Cam's voice cuts through the fog in my brain. "Get in the car. I'm driving."
I hand her the keys from my jacket pocket and sink into the passenger side, the leather cool against my back. The city lights blur as we drive. I don't even know what I'd say if I tried to explain how fucked up my head feels right now.
We pull up to the apartment complex. My limbs are heavy, dragging, but I push myself out of the car. The lobby smells like coffee and sweets, the elevator smells like pine air freshener, and then we're keying open the door to unit 5.
The first thing I see is Charlie, wagging his tail and bouncing over to greet us. I crouch down and give him a quick rub behind the ears. At least someone's in a good mood.
"Congrats!" Chris's voice rings out from the kitchen. She's beaming, standing there with her hands clasped under her chin.
Jed's sitting on the couch, twirling a flower between his fingers. His eyes flick up to me. "The stars had your mercy."
Cam snorts, tossing my gym bag into a corner. Noah's sitting next to him, lifting a coffee cup toward me in a toast. Yeah, he couldn't care less.
I kick off my shoes.
Noah stands up, groaning like an old man, and walks over to Cam. "Let's go to dinner," he says, his tone already softer, pulling Cam in with his arms
She blinks up at him. "Really?"
YOU ARE READING
Beside
Romance''Tell me how it feels,'' he whispers. "Good," I gasp, my entire body trembling. Deeper. Harder. Perfect. Like we've been doing this for years. His hand finds my jaw, fingers firm as he tilts my head up, making me look at him. And that's it. Waves...
