Bittersweet Endings

Chapter Eleven

Joey's Point of View

The school day has finally finished thankfully I'm surprised that I lasted the whole day. It was good to see and talk to Megan and Luke again, I hadn't realised how much I had actually missed them both. My cold heart must be melting. What made it even better well for me anyway was the fact that I could hug them. Which to most people would be stupid but it was a huge step for me one I was grateful for, yes I had hugged Luke before I left but it was brief and I wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to do it again. They were both shocked when I did, the looks on their faces was priceless. The best part of my day was to come though, I was off to see my boys, yes I had messaged them to let them know I was okay but I hadn't said much else they would be worried, just as I was worried about what they were getting up to without me. I'm surprised that they hadn't lost it at me, I'm just hoping they realise that it must have been something pretty big to cause me to leave for a period of time.

I went to the office and collected Luke's bike helmet, then walked out of the school building and into the carpark. I knew I was supposed to stop and see the principal but that could wait until next week, it was Thursday afternoon and I wanted to see my boys and I wouldn't be at school tomorrow if all went to plan tonight, I'd be too sore. I'm not sure what his plan of attack would be but I could care less. I could see the two lovebirds standing by Megan's car, I walked over to them fishing Luke's bike keys out of my pocket as I went. I really needed to buy my own bike.

"Hey guys, what are you two up to this afternoon?" I asked.

"Not much, heading back to Luke's for a little while. What about you?" Megan replied.

"Going to the gym, I want to see the boys. It's a wonder they haven't been here terrorising the school to find out more details about where I was. I believe these belong to you." I replied, handing Luke his bike keys.

"Not surprised that was your answer. I think Scott went and seen them once, just after you left. I was surprised he wasn't put in a coma. Thanks, I see it's still in one piece." Luke said smiling at me.

"Of course it's in one piece, what do you take me for? Yeah and it is a wonder that he left in one piece. They don't like him very much." I replied.

They both nodded in agreement. We stood for a few seconds not saying anything, it wasn't awkward like it normally would be you could tell we were all thinking about something and I was thinking it was time to go.

"Alright you two, I'm heading off now. I may or may not see you tomorrow or over the weekend." I said, before turning to go.

"Hey wait, did you want me to drop you off. Luke's going to be taking the bike now, and it's on the way home." Megan asked.

"If you're sure." I replied, it beat walking.

"Of course, come on let's go." She replied, leaning up to quickly kiss Luke. I climbed into the passenger seat to wait for her.

As soon as Luke reached the bike she climbed in and started the car, reversing out. I was expecting to be bombarded with questions, Megan couldn't help herself normally. She must have realised that I would tell her in my own time, which was not right now and I was incredibly grateful she didn't ask. I would be telling the boys very soon I wouldn't be able to keep it from them, and my parents would ask and there was no way to avoid them. I may have gotten to the point of hugging people but I wasn't ready to be opening up to everyone.

A few minutes later we pulled up out the front of my favourite building. I unbuckled my seat belt and leant over to give her a quick hug.

"Thanks for the lift. If I don’t see you over the weekend I'll see you on Monday." I said, before climbing out.

"No worries, anytime. I hope so, don't run off again." I heard her reply just as I shut the door.

I watched her car disappear around the corner before I made my way inside.

It was Thursday afternoon which meant the gym would be full of the fighters that would be participating in fight night tonight training and preparing for the evening, along with any spectators and support people. I hadn't fully decided that I wanted to participate until school finished when I realised despite everything I was still feeling highly strung and I needed to let it out. It had been a few months since my last fight, no one would be expecting it. Not that I needed it but it would be good to add some more cash to my secret account too. My parents weren't expecting me home, unless Scott ratted me out. Not that I cared, one more night wouldn't make any difference even if they did know I was back. I made my way up the front stairs and into the little reception area at the front of the building. I was expecting to find Max sitting in his usual seat however I came face to face with a new face. He must have gotten even busier recently which was amazing for him.

I had no plans of stopping and talking to her, instead I made my way towards the door that lead into the actual gym. I had all of about two steps left when I felt her grab my arm. I may have been getting better at letting the people I know and trust to touch me but not some random person, especially one I had never laid eyes on before now. I snapped. I yanked my arm out of her grip and turned to face her.

"Don't ever touch me." I said, giving her one of my famous death stares. I still had a lot of emotions built up and if she wasn't careful she would be experience the beginning of letting them out.

"I don't know who you think you are but don't you dare speak to me like that. Plus you can't just walking back there you need to pay first." She said, smirking like she knew something that I didn't.

"Is that so? Well why don't you ask Max to come out here and we shall see what he says about all of this." I replied, with no hint of emotion in my voice.

"I don't think there is any needs for that. You just need to pay for your entrance and I'll let you out there." She replied.

Could this person get any stupider, seriously. I believe it was common practice that when the owner was asked for you generally got them.

"No, I think you should get Max out here, or I'll go get him myself." I said, annoyance lacing my voice. After two weeks away I just wanted to see my boys and she was making this way more difficult than it needed to be.

"Like I said, I really don’t think that is necessary." She said, looking a little annoyed herself.

She left me no choice. I will just have to get him myself. I turned to walk towards the door again, when I felt her hand wrap around my arm once again. She must have been thick considering I had just told her not to touch me. I slowly turned my head to look at her, she was smirking at me and not just any kind of smirk but a cocky one, goading me with the fact that was touching me just after I told her not to and almost begging me to show her what I would do about it. Well she couldn't blame me for what was about to happen, she wanted to play that game. I turned my head as if I was going to give in, instead I made a fist with my right hand, swinging around I hit her dead centre of her face, her nose crunching at the impact. It sounded like it broke.

"I told you not to touch me." I said, staring down at where she had crumpled to the floor.
As soon as the words left my mouth she let out a scream, an ear piercing scream. That was bound to have gotten someone's attention. Within seconds the door came flying open and there stood the four guys I had come to see, the first thing they noticed was the receptionist on the ground clutching her nose that was pouring blood everywhere, I might have to pay to have the place cleaned. After seeing where the scream came from they looked up at me, the cause of the scream. I smiled at them and before I had a chance to move Jesse came bounding over and wrapped his arms around me, still hyper as ever. Max smiled back before grabbing the first aid kit off the wall and going to attend to the girl. Caleb and John smiled at me before coming over to get their hugs as well. No one had said two words to the chick on the floor.

As I was about to say something I heard Max asking his receptionist Brooklyn what had happened. I listened to her response, immediately bursting into laughter. Did she seriously think that I went around decking people for no reason and where did she get the idea the boys would believe her, well I guess she hadn't seen me before but still. I heard Jesse, John and Caleb laughing behind me and there was a small smile playing on Max's face. I took two steps towards her and bent down, she instinctively flinched.

"Sweetheart, do you seriously think I would just go around hitting people for no reason. If you had just done as I had asked by not touching me and getting Max, or letting me out there to see him then I wouldn't have hit you, it would have been all sorted. Instead you thought you would be some smart arse who thinks she knows better, and look where that got you." I said smiling sweetly.

Standing back up I stepped backwards and realised that everyone was looking at me. Jesses started laughing so hard he was doubled over, John just shook his head and Caleb muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like 'She's still got it' before chuckling himself. And Max well he was been Max and sorting out another of the many injuries I had caused around here, in particular to people who didn't listen to what I told them.

"By some miracle you didn't break it, just made it bleed a hell of a lot. It's going to bruise massively but icing it should help with that." Max said the first part to me and the rest to Brooklyn as he stood up and helped her up.

"Damn, I could of swore I heard the crunch of it breaking. I'll just have to try again." I said, leaving no expression on my face.

The girl flinched into Max's side, this caused me to laugh. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, she clearly hadn't listened to anything I had said. I smiled at her to let her know I was joking. Everyone but Max and Brooklyn began to make their way out the back and I followed suit. As I walked past Max he leant into me.

"Joey, next time maybe just yell for me instead of attempting to break the receptionist nose." He said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah." I said over my shoulder.

I had been correct about the amount of people here, it was fight night after all. There were a lot of new faces, some even appeared to be new fighters, I felt the smile cross my face I couldn’t help but have fun with new blood. I was planning on telling the boys how I was more okay with the whole touching thing but that would need to be done in private. I may not have fought for a while but I still had a reputation to keep up. As far as everyone who already knew me and the ones that would come to know me I would be the same Invictus that I had always been, and I planned on keeping it that way. Like my name I am unconquered in the ring.

I noticed a lot of the new guys eyes following me but I paid them no attention, right now they didn't know who I was but that would all change soon. I had seen the guys disappear into the back room, damn my short legs. I walked into the room and sat down on one of the arm chairs, smiling. It really was good to see them.

"I've missed you guys. I'm glad I decided to come back now. I know I should have stayed in touch more, just at the time I couldn't. I'm sorry." I rambled, looking over each of them.

"It's okay. We understand. It must have been something pretty big to make you leave town. We knew you would come back to us when you were ready, and then in your own time or way explain it all." Jesse said giving me a full blown smile, not something he did often.

They knew me too well, but that's how family works. I knew they were curious and there was a small part of me that wanted to make them suffer but I had already decided before I left Tristan's that I was going to be telling them about it all, well about Scott and my father. Some things were best left in the past.

"As soon as Max joins us, I'll tell you what happened." I said, as Max happened to walk through the door.

"What about Max?" He asked.

"I was just saying that I was waiting for you before I launched into my story." I replied.

"Ah okay. Before we get into that can anyone explain why a majority of the crowd out there look like they have seen a ghost or something?" Max asked.

I simply shrugged my shoulders, stuffed if I knew.

"Well given in the last two weeks we've had an influx of guys who are ready to move from spectator to participant in the fights and have brought people who tend to be in the crowd, they probably do think they have seen a ghost watching Joey walk through the gym." John said, making complete sense.

"Oh right, that makes sense. Who you knew you were so well known." Max said with a chuckle, knowing that who I was, was actually fairly common knowledge.

"Oh I would never have guessed. Oh by the way I need you to get me onto the list of fighters tonight as I want in." I said giving him my sweet smile knowing he could do it for me, hell he could get me on the list five minutes before the fights start. For some reason the people who ran the show really enjoyed it when I fought.

"Are you sure? It has been a while remember." Caleb asked, always the level headed one well whilst sober anyway.

"Caleb, just because I haven't been fighting doesn't mean I haven't been keeping my training up. I have been running every day, more so in the last two weeks among the rest of the training regime you guys came up with for me. Plus after you hear my story you'll realise I have a lot of emotional baggage right now and I need to let that out before I do something stupid." I replied, I understood his concern but wanted him to remember that I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want it.

"I just wanted to check. Now we're all here tell us what happened." He replied softly.

I launched into my story, telling the news I found out the night before I left. Explaining the arranged marriage, that there was no loop holes, going to see Tristan, who Tristan was, why I stayed as long as I did, discovering I didn't really hate Scott, about my desensitation to touching and then about coming home today. Throughout the whole story I'm not sure any of them so much as blinked and not a single word left their mouths which was a first.

As soon as I was finished that was it, Jesse went off his head in particular about the whole arrange marriage and how I couldn't possible marry Scott right now he had been back for all of five minutes and despite my feelings it just wasn't a good idea. It took a good five minutes to calm him back down. Then he jumped up and hugged me, squeezing me incredibly tight, testing how far this new ability to touch me could go, it wasn't until I threatened his manhood that he let go. I had never anyone as hyper as Jesse but I loved him for it. I could agree with what he said but I also knew I had to make the best out of the situation.

I went on to explain how I wanted to keep my reputation intact and therefore there would be no excessive hugging or touching of any sort whilst people from the fighting scene were within view. I did have to promise lots of hugs to make up for this as I could see their faces drop slightly when I explained it. Yes I had been able to hug them the longest and I was always okay with it but this was different, they wouldn't have to check which mood I was in first. When we finished discussing me I asked about how they were and what they had been up to. They all answered with the least amount of words as possible, some things never change. I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, pulling it out I noticed a message.

Are you coming home anytime soon? I haven't told your parents that you're back yet, thought I would leave that up to you. I don't want to be waiting here all night. Scott.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, I don’t get why he went there in the first place considering I had said I wasn't going to be home. Unless his parents made him and he wanted to keep up the façade of not knowing where I was. Maybe I could invite him to the fight, to give him more insight into me. I know he wanted to talk as soon as possible and I couldn't give that to him yet, but I could give him this.

Not going to be home for a while. I'm actually going to fight tonight. You're welcome to come along if you want. I'll sneak in and see them in the morning. Joey.

I waited to see his response, he agreed to come along. I told him to be at the gym as soon as possible. Hopefully I wouldn't regret this. I was expecting him to have a go at me about fighting but he didn't, maybe he understood this time. Looking at the guys around me I knew that right now until I had gotten this emotion out of my system this was the best place for me, this was my family and he needed to accept that if he wanted to marry me. I let them know Scott would be coming and to play nice, I had to try.

Looking around the room my eyes fell to the clock, it was almost six pm. I had been here talking for over two hours, anyone would think I enjoyed the sound of my own voice.

"Max, do the fights still start at 9pm?" I asked.

"They sure do, why?" He replied.

"Just checking, I'm going to warm up and get a couple of hours of practice in, in preparation." I replied, smiling. I was really looking forward to tonight.

"Yeah, all of you should do some preparation considering you're all fighting tonight. There is some hot shot from another town passing through that got special permission to participate, I'm not sure which league he will be fighting in so you all need to prepare." He told us, smirking.

That was going to make the night interesting, I had a sneaky feeling that I would end up in the same class as this guy. It was just how these things worked. We all stood up and went back into the actual gym, as soon as people realised I had entered the room again they all froze and you could have heard a pin drop. I couldn't help but to roll my eyes, these guys clearly have forgotten how to act around me, even those from the crowds.

"What's the matter boys, never seen a girl before? Staring at me isn't going to suddenly improve your fighting ability you know." I said, smirking as I went over to my favourite boxing bag.

I heard some laughter behind me signalling that Jesse, John, Caleb and Max had all just walked out and heard what I said, I couldn't help but smile. I was about to start a few warm up moves before I felt someone quickly tap me on the shoulder, not keeping their hand around long enough to find out what would happen, so whoever it was had heard about me that was a good sign. I turned around and come face to face with a guy, who could have only been a couple years older than me, he looked like a fighter, had plenty of muscle but it didn't look gross, he must have been around 6' which towered over my short 5'5" frame, yes I know I'm short, no I don't care what you say.

"Can I help you?" I asked with a hint of annoyance in my tone. I was annoyed at all, I just wanted to see his reaction, and apparently I must be scary because he took one step back. I was so hard not to burst out laughing at this guy, he was huge, yet he was scared of me.

"Umm. I was well just wondering if you needed any help taping up?" He asked, smiling slightly. I guess he was a little unsure if smiling was the right thing to do.

"Nah I'm all good, thanks for the offer though." I replied, before turning back around.

A few seconds later I heard him walk away, although I could tell most eyes were on me, which was kind of annoying. I crackled my knuckles, before forming two fists with my hands. Taking a deep breathe I started my warm up routine, involving mainly punches but throwing in a kick every now and then just to warm my leg muscles up properly. After warming up completely I went into practicing different manoeuvres and what not, slowly building up my adrenaline for the evening.

Two hours later and I was done, I had practice every move I could possibly remember plus a couple of new ones, plus I had warm up fights against Jesse, John and Caleb, who all believed I shouldn't be fighting tonight. Not that I was listening to them. Scott had arrived at some point and taken a seat on the mats simply watching me practice, I could tell he wasn't happy with this but let it go. Grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge I went and laid down on the mats, everyone who wasn't fighting had left long ago, so there wasn't many of us here. Still more than I expected, I guess there really was a fair few newbie's since I left. After letting my muscles relax, I suddenly realised that I didn't have any clothes in my bag, I wonder if Max still has the set I left in the locker that night. Only one way to find out. Sitting up I looked for where he was sitting.

"Hey Max, do you still have the clothes I left here that night in the locker" I asked, yelling slightly as he was across the room.

"Sure do. Thought you might need them one day." He yelled back.

I got up smiling, and went to get changed. I walked in to the back room, and grabbed the clothes out. I couldn't believe he kept them, its been a few months since  I put them in there after my last fight. I stripped down to my underwear before pulling on the baggy pants, and tight t-shirt. I shoved my old clothes into my bag and turned around to shut the locker, until I noticed something else in there. Pulling it out I realised it was the hoodie, that I got made. It was black with flames on the sleeves, and Invictus across the back. I put it on too. Putting my hair up into a ponytail, I left my fringe out and brushed it across my face, pulling the hood over my head, I couldn't help but smile at my reflection... just like old times.

Taking the hood off I knew I wasn't going to need it until I got to where we were fighting, then I pull it up and walk through the crowds most likely earning gasps from people around me, considering I haven't been there in a while. Then I wouldn't remove it until it was my time to fight. Sounds like a plan. I left my bag in the back room, and went to join the others, who were deciding who was going to drive. I walked over, and told them that I would need a lift, considering Megan dropped me off. As soon as everyone had decided who was going with who, we walked outside. I was going with Max and Scott would come with us as well, meaning we had to wait until he locked up. Thankfully it didn't take him too long.

Unlocking the car, I climbed in the front, Scott wordlessly climbed into the back. Getting comfortable, I knew it would be a good twenty minute drive. He pulled out of the parking lot, and we settled into a comfortable silence. Which is something I found tough to do with many people, but surprisingly with both of them it was fairly easy.