Chasing Piper

C h a p t e r - F o u r

Maggie walked into the circle with her eyes set on mine and a smirk across her face. She was smug as hell and her confidence caused a smile to spread across my face and the sudden nervous butterflies in my stomach to fade away. I shrugged off the annoying thoughts of bruises and decided I would deal with that later. My smile seemed to make her facade slip but only in the slightest.

This would be a hard fight but a good one which is exactly what I need. Sitting out has made me fearful of becoming weak and slow and this will be a test to tell me. I was determined to get that knockout though I refuse to lose against her.

"Piper" she sneered looking down at me since she was about three inches taller. She was probably trying to decide what bone she wanted to attempt to break first "wouldn't you be in serious trouble if your coaches found out you were here?"

My smile widened and I shrugged her words off so that she wouldn't think that it would affect me, even though it would greatly.

"It's for research Maggie sometimes getting in an easy win helps clear the head" I chuckled as her eyes narrowed "now are you going to fight me or just stand there?"

That was all the encouragement she needed and I found that out when her size 9 shoe slammed into my ribs on the right side of my body and her fist to the left side of my face. I took a step back spitting out blood then smiled before stepping up to her again.

In a fight everything slows down for me and I feel like all of my senses are on fire. Almost as if I'm invincible, it's one of the greatest feelings I know. I dodge two more of her punches and that's when she makes her first mistake. Only four moves in and she leaves me a wide opening which is a rookie mistake. I take no time going in landing three hits to her ribs and one across her face she reacts by shoving my shoulders and kneeing me in my arm that had been blocking my stomach forcing me a step back and that's when everything really slowed. I take the shove as a good reason to step back before going in for the knockout using her forceful movement. I sit back on my left leg and pivot while my right one flies thru the air hitting her in the perfect spot on the side of her face and temple. Just like that she's out.

Cheers echo in the crowd and as soon as she hits the ground water is poured on her face causing her to snap back awake. I don't miss the menacing look she gives me as I'm swallowed up in the crowd. Money is being swapped all around me and even though I'm happy about the
Win I know I had made mistakes. Mistakes that could lead to loses, ones I wouldn't have made mere weeks ago it's infuriating.

"You knocked her out in less than 90 seconds yet you look like you just lost"  

I turn around to see Chase studying my facial expression and I try to shake away my negative thoughts.

"Shouldn't have even took that long" I say looking for Tim over the crowd I don't much feel like sticking around any longer and I'm sure it's late as hell I probably won't even get any sleep tonight before school in the morning.

"You're starting to swell here" I feel Chase's fingers slide across my jaw where I had been hit and try not to flinch away from the pain "you need to get some ice for it or I imagine it's going to be hard convincing anyone you haven't just been in a fight"

"That's not too bad of an idea" I chuckle and finally spot Tim surrounded by money exchanges

"Come on let me collect money and we can head out of here or you're not going to want to wake up for your first day of class"

"I never want to wake up for class"

I nod "Same"

We make our way over to Tim who gives me an apologetic look while handing me over the winnings. I know he had no idea that I would be fighting her because he would have given me a heads up first but I wonder how they got her name past him until the very end. Hell I didn't even know that she was Billy's cousin but then again that could've been a lie and she might really not be she obviously didn't want me to know that it would be her. It doesn't really matter though because I still beat her and learned the fantastic news that I am getting weaker since my coaches won't trust me and work me harder. It really is getting ridiculous, this is always a high stress time for me anyway with school and all of my training my schedule is normally so jam packed. For as long as I can remember it's been school and either gymnastics or boxing every day after, both when I could fit it in and almost every weekend I had a meet or a fight. Now I feel like I have so much time, but it's time that I never wanted.

I fell tapping on my temple and look over to Chase who's watching me "We've been walking for almost ten minutes and you have been zoned out this entire time. What is running through that head of yours?"

I watch him as he scratches at the back of his head almost like he was even a little surprised he was asking. He seemed like a self-absorbed ass hole when I met him this afternoon but he was so perceptive with everything around him like he was always analyzing. He had been doing it to me all night which was a problem since I constantly wore my worries on my face right after a meet or a fight; it was almost if I was too drained to hide how I felt.

"Honestly?" I questioned

"No Piper lie to me" He deadpanned and I cracked a smile which actually hurt my jaw a bit.

"You are extremely perceptive you know that?" I asked and he just nodded keeping quite so that I would tell him what was on my mind.

A few minutes passed before I spoke up "90 seconds is an incredibly long time, at least for me. She got three hits in which is ridiculous, yes I know it's all a part of the show and you have to allow some hits but three? And my face! It is all because of my stupid coaches if they would just ease up and let me train like I need to be doing I would be fighting this weekend I wouldn't have even went underground tonight and all would be well but No, they think that because they are adults and I had one little hospital stay three freaking weeks ago they have my training cut in half. Hell less than half if I didn't train so much on my own. It's making me weak, did you see those mistakes" I finished my rant and looked back over at Chase while mentally banging my head up against a wall, there is NO way he will look past my hospital visit comment.

"First off you did really well in the fight she probably had a good 85 pounds on you and 90 seconds is great although I've never seen you fight before, with that being said there were some steps that were sloppy. Letting a girl who was leaning her weight into her punches hit your face was one of them. Everyone has places where they can approve at least, I believe that." While he was talking a smile had made its way to my face, I loved hearing criticism which made me weird I know but I do my best training when I had areas to focus on "However I'd like to know why exactly you had to have a 'little hospital stay three freaking weeks ago' as you put it" and my smile was gone.

I had a few choices here: I could tell the truth and risk him actually being an ass and spreading rumors about it that get back to people who I would really rather not find out. I could lie about it and make up some elaborate story but if he doesn't turn out to suck he lives across the street so he will probably be around a lot and he knows what he is talking about when it comes to boxing so if we became friends it would be based off of a pretty big lie and I am weird about fake friendships considering most people I know are exactly that. Lastly I could just pretend that I didn't hear the question at all since we are pretty close to the house and it is extremely late, we do have school tomorrow and maybe he will take pity on me and not ask about it.

It's a long shot I know but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"I'll leave the house at 730 with or without you"

"That wasn't smooth at all you know" I could hear the slight amusement in his voice, I knew that he wasn't finished questioning me but I was glad he would let it go for now "I'll be down, but if you leave without me, this dirty little secret of ours won't stay a secret"

I stopped in my tracks and narrowed my eyes at his smirking face "You wouldn't"

"You never know, we only just met don't underestimate me"

"You little-"

"Good Night Pi and make sure you get your face some ice it's starting to look awful and if it's that swollen tomorrow I won't even have to spill the secret" he winked and smirked at me as he walked back to his house and I pulled myself out of the trance I was in noticing we were by the side of the house where we had earlier grabbed the bikes.

I looked back to his retreating form and whisper yelled "Don't call me that!"

Idiot.
_______________

School was the worst.

No actually getting up for school is the worst. I look at my alarm clock and realize I've been lying in bed awake for fifteen minutes debating on not going at all when I could've already been out the shower and dressed. There is no way my Aunt Mary will let me stay home today since I am supposed to be giving Chase a ride.

Groaning I crawl out of bed and into my connecting bathroom wincing when I see my face. The swelling thankfully is gone but I have a pretty nice bruise on my face which means I will have to put on cover up and wear my hair down. 

Getting ready for school is the worst.

After putting on my makeup and brushing through my hair I throw on some jean shorts and a comfortable V-neck grabbing my backpack on the way out of my room. Walking into the kitchen I make sure that my hair is still covering my jaw just in case I didn't cover with my make up well since I never really wear concealer, I normally don't have to cover bruises since everyone knows that I box and when I do need to my aunt or Cami always help. I may need to ask Chase if it's covered well so that Jake doesn't notice it.

That could be a weird conversation though, I can see it now "Hey Chase is the makeup on my jaw even where the bruise is that brawlzillas fist gave me last night? I need to make sure that my overbearing cousin doesn't see it and rat me out or my crazy as hell best friend"

"Piper!" I tune into my aunts voice when I notice her snapping he fingers in front of my face I look at her with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?" she asks point to my hands which I notice are about to pour flour into my protein shake instead of protein powder.

"oh" I look at her sheepishly while shaking my head "I couldn't sleep last night and then went for a run early this morning and when I got back I fell asleep I guess I am still just trying to wake up"

"I'd say" she looks skeptical but I know she is just playing the worrying parent, she does it well honestly.

"Patricia called this morning to let me know if you can't come over for your play date with Alexis since you are grounded she understands but I told her you would be able to make it. I think it will do you some good hanging out with a girl even if she is only seven apparently she wants to do your hair and nails. Honestly you haven't had a boyfriend since Greg I think it is time you move on honey"

I look at my Aunt glaring, how can she even have that many thoughts running through her mind this early in the morning? I can barely decide which shake I want to make and she is trying to inform me that I need a guy in my life.

"You know Auntie Mary your supposed to not want me with any boys" I raise an eyebrow at her "and I've been over Greg since it ended. He treated me like dirt all because I could whoop his ass" Well that's not the entire reason but whatever.

"Language!" she hissed before shaking her head although she should know it is too early for me to be bothered with watching my mouth "I just want you to be happy dear you only have two close friends. One is Jake who is family and the other is Cami and she can't seem to get it through your thick skull either. You are such a beautiful girl"

Wait a second Cami? The little rat.

I cap my protein shake and pick up my bag from the floor "Cami and you are discussing my love life together now? And she is meant to be my best friend. Pfft."

I wave to my aunt she as always gives me a disapproving look before a loving one as I walk out the door towards my jeep where surprisingly Chase is already leaning up against the passenger door hands in his pockets and not surprisingly there isn't a a notebook or bag in sight. I walk past him unlocking the driver door and getting in and without thinking I throw my book bag into the passenger seat which hits Chase right in the chest causing him to make a 'hmfpt' sound. I look over trying not to laugh as I move the bag to the back

"Sorry" I say biting my lip "I'm not fully awake this morning. I almost put flour in my protein shake and my aunt and best friend seem to think it's okay to talk about my love life"

He points to the cup in my hand "Is that what that is?"

"My love life no, it's a protein shake although.." I trail off nodding my head and start up my jeep but before I put it into gear my drink is pulled from my hands and I look over to see Chase taking a drink.

"Shit that is really good!"

"Did you just-" I started then I stopped of course he did. I reached over and took the drink while he pouted out his bottom lip. The one I wanted to bite.

I slammed the brakes causing him to fall into the air bag but I didn't even register his whining.

Did I just say I wanted to bite his lip?

What the hell is wrong with me?

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he yelled

"I was wondering the same thing" I mumbled and looked over at him as he rubbed his forehead where it was red.

"What"

"Put your seatbelt and that won't happen!" I snapped a little more forcefully than necessary but really I can't blame myself I was thinking about biting the guy's lip, a guy that I had just met yesterday. Really I guess its not a HUGE deal I want to bite Channing Tatum's lip and I've never met him so, it's ignorable.

I'm sure of it.

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