Into The Ring (Phenomenal: 2)

4 ~ Wake Me Up

                 

"I'm not happy about this, you know?"

Clarissa glanced up from the gym bag she was looking through, looking over to Dante out of the corner of her eye.

They had arrived at the gym about ten minutes before and Damien had headed straight into the changing rooms. While they waited for him and the members of the other gym to arrive, Clarissa had chatted with E-Zee – mock-boxing with him – while Dante and Darcy had spoken to other members of the gym. Until the coach had arrived and Dante had instantly pulled him aside, Darcy following.

"I know you're not," Coach said quietly, folding his arms.

"Then you should listen to me and call off this fight. You have a gym full of talented fighters, leave him out of it."

"He wanted to fight," Coach said with a shrug and Dante took a step forwards, getting right up in his face, his lips twisting in something like a snarl.

"And we both know he's a fucking idiot who doesn't know when to quit. Stop egging him on."

"That's not how you speak to your coach, Donny."

"You're not my coach anymore."

"And let's not drag up old history," Darcy said, pushing them both apart, "He's right though, Coach. he shouldn't be fighting, with that happened at the last fight... come on, he's gambling now."

"What happened in the last fight?" Clarissa asked, walking over.

Dante grimaced and looked away as the other two looked at her.

"Something out of the ordinary happened at the last fight?" Clarissa asked, looking between them.

"Nah don't worry about," Darcy said, smiling and setting a hand on her shoulder. She instantly darkened her expression, folding her arms and he pulled his hand away. "Really," he said quickly, "We'll tell you about it later."

"Dante," she said instead.

"He's an idiot who—"

"Shut up, Donny," Damien said, appearing behind Clarissa, making her jump and she looked around.

"What happened in your last fight?" she asked.

"I'll tell you later," he said, "Coach, the other gym is here."

Coach nodded and walked passed to go greet them while Darcy and Dante walked over to the ring. Damien gave Clarissa a sideling look as she eyed him suspiciously, then held up his gloved hand and, after a moment, she gave him a fist-bump and he walked over to join his brothers.

Letting out an annoyed breath, Clarissa dropped onto one of the foldout chairs and crossed her arms and legs, watching the triplets.

Movement in her peripheral vision made her look out of the corner of her eye as E-Zee slid up next to her, hands clasped behind his back, innocently rocking back and forth on his heels. She looked towards the triplets again.

"So, I don't suppose you'll tell me what happened in the last fight?" she said, her voice low.

"Well," E-Zee said, his tone light, "Couldn't say for sure, wasn't there after all."

"Well isn't that a shame."

"Something to do with the ringside doc calling the fight though, must have been preeeetty serious."

Clarissa looked at him. "But not some broken bones or the likes?"

"Well, we can both see he's still walking," E-zee said, then lifted two fingers and tapped his temple. "But there are scarier things in boxing then a broken rib or busted jaw."