Chapter One
"DING-DING" I stepped closer to my opponent. Sweat dripped down his brow as he tried to hide the look of fear in his face. Nice try. I threw an unlucky punch and he charged right at me. He grabbed me, forcing me into a clinching position. I threw my leg around his and tripped him. "Uff!" I was on top of him with my legs around his waist. He tried to stand but failed as I punched his right cheek. He swung his legs over top of my shoulders and locked my head in between them. I stood up and charged forward, bending his body. I ran into the fence and his legs fell. He managed to stand back up, and I smiled. I stepped up, cracked my neck, and swung my leg up to the guys face. This is always my favorite part of a match, when everything goes slow-mo. My foot reached his face and I saw the pain in his expression. Yeah, he's out for sure. He slapped the ground so hard that I flinched. "Enough, enough!" the judge yelled as he examined my opponent. I walked back to my corner as the small crowed clapped.
"Harry! Hell yes!" Coach shouted as I sat down on my chair. Coach Phillis and I have been together for three years now, ever since I started basically. "C'mon, you worked hard today." He said as he patted my shoulder. The guy I knocked out was being carried out of the ring. I waved my good-bye and stepped out after him. "Hey, Coach. What's the pay for this one again?" I questioned as we made our way to the locker room. "Five-fifty and another step up the scale." He answered with a smile. That's not too bad. Recently I've made some pretty big jumps on the scale. I'm in the Light Welterweight class because I only weigh 74 kilos. I sat down on the bench while I put my mouthpiece into its container. "Wow Styles, not a scratch on you." Liam said as he looked me up and down. Liam and I grew up together in our small "town" (if you would even call it that). "Yeah, I wish they would pair me with somebody that has at least a little bit of skill. These lads just suck." I took a drink from my water bottle.
The coordinator walked in with my winnings and a "Congrats". I packed up when my team left to celebrate. I usually just go home and relax after my matches. I zipped up my hoodie and walked out of the gym into the cool English air. It was March so it rained more than it should. I avoided the puddles on the way to my car and jumped in. I bought myself a pretty nice car after my first big fight a year or so ago. When I was in high school I had no intentions of being an MMA fighter, but when I just couldn't support myself I became desperate. Over all I don't regret it though. Yeah I get punched a couple times, but I get a reward for it. You have no idea how much girls will throw themselves at me when they recognize me from a fight or when I get briefly mention on ESPN. Most nights I'm taking home a girl who waits around after a match. Not tonight I guess. I drove home with the radio turned up like I usually do. People really hate it, but I think it's the funniest thing to see them glare at me. I finally reached my apartment a little ways out of the city. I like my apartment, it's nice. It was only built a couple years ago and it wasn't drastically expensive so I just rented it. I have a cat named Erwin that I got from my mom when I moved out. Technically I got kicked out because my mom didn't like me fighting. It's not like she disowned me, it's just that she is a peace keeper and cried when I would come home with bruises. I walked inside and Erwin ran to my feet and rubbed against my legs. I patted him and set down my bag. I turned on the news to see the weather for tomorrow. Of course there was rain, but no thunderstorms. Good, I can finally take a run outside again. I took a shower and ate some leftover pizza from last night. I ended up falling asleep on the couch watching some chick flick. I don't know why, but those are the only movies I like to watch. Erwin jumped on my stomach and I bolted awake. I looked around. Holy shit. I looked at my hands and I couldn't keep them still. It was so real. Its like I actually was there making a fool of myself. I thought back to when I fell asleep.
I remember walking into a training gym like I always do every Wednesday. I walked up to my ring that was reserved for me. Someone was in it, training. He had light brown hair the bobbed up and down with him. His back was built with definition and sweat rolled down it. He was wearing navy blue shorts that had yellow lightning bolts on the sides. I walked up to the side door, still not aware of who was in my ring. "Hey, this is my ring as of ten minutes ago." I told the mystery man who finally noticed me there. As soon as he turned his head I was mesmerized. He had bright blue eyes that seemed endless and pink lips that I wanted so badly to explore. His hair stuck to his forehead from sweat, and he clearly had a six pack. He smiled and walked towards me. "Sorry lad, it's all yours." He said as he brushed against me to leave the ring. I watched as he headed towards the locker rooms. I didn't know I was following him until I tapped his shoulder. He turned around and looked at me with a confused expression. "Uh... uh I'm not mad at you. I mean, if you thought I was I wasn't." I was shaking from being so nervous. "Ohh-kay... its fine?" he said as he turned around towards the showers. I watched as he turned the corner. My heart was beating so fast I thought I was passing out. I went back out to the rings and tried to forget that guy but it was really complicated. I watched the locker room door every time I got. I heard laughing ten minutes in my training and I spun around to find that it was him. His smile... was breathtaking. I have never seen such an attractive person in my life. Not even one of the women I take home can top him. He looked over at me, and it was like I was playing a match. Everything slowed down as his eyes met mine and I got tingles in every inch of my body. He was about to say something to me but that was when Erwin jumped on me.
I swear I have never seen this guy before, I would have remembered it. I turned the TV off and walked to my bedroom. Whoa... what the hell? I never have been attracted to a man. Really, I never was extremely attracted to women either. I laid down on my bed. Is this my mind playing tricks on me, or is that man a real person? I got more tingles thinking about a person like that being real. I don't care; I just can't wait to go to the gym on Wednesday.
Glossary:
Clinch, Clinching: A position in which two fighters are face to face, usually with their arms and upper body locked, performed either for a "breather" or to protect against strikes.
Scale: Pretty much the popularity of the fighter. It's just what I use in the story.
Weight class names:
Flyweight 57 kg, 125 lb
Bantamweight 61 kg, 135 lb
Featherweight 66 kg, 145 lb
Lightweight 70 kg, 155 lb
Light Welterweight 73 kg, 160 lb
Welterweight 77 kg ,170 lb
Light Middleweight 80 kg, 175 lb
Middleweight 84 kg, 185 lb
Light Heavyweight 93 kg, 205 lb
Heavyweight 120 kg, 265 lb
Super Heavyweight No weight limit
just to help ya out
-Meggie
