Taken By Creed ✔[Fan-Fiction]

Chapter 4 | An Apology & A Handshake

The sound of a jump rope slapping against the wood floors of the gym was the only sound I heard when I walked in at 5:03 am the next morning. It was still dim, only the lights above the main ring were lit and that's where the sound originated. Eddie stood in the center, shirtless with his earbuds plugged in, flipping the rope over himself rhythmically.

He stopped when he caught my reflection. I met his gaze in the mirror, our eyes clashing against the other, measuring and re-evaluating. With a jolt I realized that our relationship would always be different now. There was a chink that was there before, that may or may not ever recover with the passage of time. I wished I would have known, this was only the beginning of the rift that would tear us apart forever.

He pivoted and turned towards me, ducking under the rope and meeting me halfway inside the gym. We were down on the first floor, in the thick of the equipment. The silence was deafening and roaring, all at the same time.

"Who told you that you could stop? That bell means hell, it means keep going. You know this."

Coach George Michaels came up short when he saw me. He was dressed in his normal Under Armour outfit, matching shirt and shorts, all black Nike's with his clipboard and whistle on his neck. I gave him a short smile that didn't reach my eyes. He shot a look at Eddie with a raised eyebrow, motioned for him to go back to the ring. Eddie's receding footsteps and the sound of the rope slapping the ground was in time with Michaels' steps he stopped about a foot from me and stared down at me.

"Come with me."

I followed him back the way he came into his office. It was expansive, and completely surrounded with glass. On the back wall hung numerous awards, trophies and belts from champions he'd trained along with newspaper clippings, magazine covers and autographed paraphernalia. It still smelled the same, like hard liquor and cigars. A dirty habit he only indulged when Eddie and I were at the gym, otherwise it was only a need to know basis. And well, no one else needed to know.

"Please, sit."

His hand extended towards me and he motioned to a seat on the opposite side of his desk. I sat and watched him lean back into his seat. There was 5 minutes of complete silence in the office as we stared at each other. Finally, he scratched his goatee and freshly shaved cheeks before he sat up straight and leaned over his desk.

"Tell me what happened between you and Eddie." I scoffed. "You don't know?"

He nodded and crossed his legs, "he told me his version. I'd like to hear yours."

"Why?" I gritted out, breaking eye contact and instead staring out onto the street. "Why do you care?"

Michaels' stood and glared down at me. "I've known you kids for 8 years now and there has always been a strong friendship between you two. He told me he messed that up and I wanted to know if the story he says happened actually happened. So, tell me, Le. Tell me, now. I'm not bullshitting with you."

"It doesn't matter." I sliced my hands apart horizontally, "it happened and I accepted his apology. You can continue training him now." I stood to go.

"Sit your ass down." I stopped at the door and debated walking out. "I said. Sit. Your. Ass. Down."

I shot him a dirty look before resuming my seat at his desk, slouching against the luxurious leather. I was fuming inside. George Michaels had never spoken to me in that fashion, but I'd never given him a reason to either. His hawk-like gaze was laser focused on my face and I struggled with wiping all my emotions away before looking at him again.

"I care, Le. You guys are like my own children. I love you and I care for you and I want to know what Eddie did to completely destroy your friendship. Let me help fix it or at least see if there's some way to make this better for you." He meant every word. I could tell.

"You sure you want to know what happened between Eddie and me?" He nodded and leaned back in his chair, crossing his right leg over his left. I settled further into the chair before I began.

"Eddie and I left here and stopped by the diner to get a little late lunch. We got the usual and when our food I arrived I asked him about his change in behavior. He lied, so I pressed him again, and again, he lied. And it hurt me. I wanted him to, no - needed, him to say that he had feelings for me. He started talking about the possibility of not being able to fight again and losing all his money. I told him - what is mine is his."

I clutched at the seat and swallowed the bile in my throat.

"He accused me of being a whore. He asked me if I was an elite call girl and that's where my money comes from. Then he asked to buy me. My best friend called me a whore and asked to buy me."

Michaels' faced softened and he nodded at me. I watched him rummage in his desk before he produced a box of tissues. He handed me two and I dabbed at tears I didn't know where streaming down my face.

"I know I shouldn't have, but I slapped him. After I told him to fuck off I headed outside to my car, he caught me just as I was opening the door and trapped me up against it with his body. He asked again if I was a whore, and if he could buy me. When I didn't answer he-" My voice broke, "twisted my arms behind my back until it hurt." Michaels' face froze. "I kneed him the dick and kicked him in the face. Then I ran."

"Le, I -"

There was a knock on his door, I pushed the last of my tears up and away before turning to see who had walked in. It was two men. The first was white, he was older with wrinkles on his face and wild black hair. He wore a black hat, black overcoat and jeans with boots. I recognized him instantly. My gaze lifted to the young black man behind him.

He was about my age with buttery brown skin and dark brown eyes. He was about three inches shorter and 70 pounds lighter than Eddie, more than likely a welterweight. My eyes roamed lower, taking in his short cropped hair, oversized lips, muscular frame and urbane style. I caught myself staring when the look in his eyes changed when his gaze moved from Coach Michaels' down to me. His lips stretched and he flashed me a sexy smile.

"Michaels! I'm sorry for interrupting."

I scrambled out of my seat and off to the side as Michaels stood and hugged Rocky Balboa as an old friend. They slapped each other on the back and muttered some things that I wasn't in earshot to hear. The boxer hadn't spoken yet, and he was still very clearly staring at me.

"Donnie!" Rocky tapped his shoulder, and the man now identified as Donnie turned and offered his hand out to Michaels.

"I'm Donnie." Michaels nodded at him. "George Michaels."

Rocky and Donnie both turned towards me as Michaels' pointed towards me.

"This is a good friend of mine and also a good friend of my boxer who's exercising in the ring. This is Le."

My smile was polite when I shook hands with Rocky, but I jumped when a jolt of sexual awareness crept up my arm when I shook Donnie's hand.

"Hey! What about me?" A light voice said, stepping into the office and out of the hallway. It was a woman. She was about our age with waist length black braids and a thin willowy frame, like a dancer. She had dark eyes, light skin and blood red bowtie lips. By the way she leaning onto Donnie, I assumed she was his girlfriend. "I'm Bianca."

Michaels shook her hand and nodded at me. "I'm Le." I waved from the side, my same polite smile stretched on my face.

"You're busy, Michaels. We can talk next time." I hurried to leave the office. He called after me when I left.

"Yes, Le. We will be speaking again. Tomorrow, same time, okay?"

I turned and nodded my head, hammering down the urge to roll my eyes. When I went to turn back around I met Donnie's gaze again. It sent a shudder down my spine and I hurried away. I'd seen that look before only once. The last time a man looked at me like that, I nearly died trying to get away from him