The First Punch [t.h.]

Chapter 5 - Heartless

The sound of one of Matty's favorite local bands pumps through his bathroom while he holds a thin curling iron to SJ's hair. SJ is buried in her phone, bouncing between texting Travis and Harrison. Travis is making sure SJ knows he won't be home and the door's locked as usual and Harrison is triple checking the address and time, making sure she really wants to go tonight. Mikey is seated in the bedroom that connects to the bathroom, his position allowing him to see his friends while he's laid on the bed.

"You comfortable in there?" SJ quips, looking up from her phone once Matty moves the curling iron away from her head.

"Better than the fumes Matty is letting out in there." Mikey groans as he hears Matty start spraying some of SJ's hair with hairspray.

"Better than the fumes you bring home with you." Matty snaps. "You always smell like a rusty car garage."

SJ snorts at the so-called insult. "Rust car garage?"

"I have a hot curling iron very close to your ear." Matty warns as he goes in for the final strand of hair.

"I was just saying." SJ laughs, trying not to move too much. "How much longer anyway?"

"Why? Nervous?" Matty quips.

"Nervous you're gonna ruin two people's lives?" Mikey chimes in.

SJ's shoulders drop and her expression falls. "You guys are mean."

They've both been at it all night. SJ sat them both down the night before and explained everything. She told that while she understands it's wrong, she can't figure out another way. Matty suggested just having a sparring match at the gym with Tom, see how he is and that's not such a bad idea. But, as it is SJ, she turned it down. The boys kept at it though, telling her to just not fuck with people's feelings. It's not the right thing to do and SJ is very well aware of that. After an hour, Mikey had given up and that's when Matty really started in.

Mikey has known SJ longer but Matty tends to get to be more reasonable. Matty understands a different part of SJ that Mikey doesn't, it's part of why they're friends. Matty's entire point the night prior was that if she really did find any interest in Tom, she wouldn't use his best friend regardless of the consequences with boxing.

Tom's dangerous, gasoline to a lit match. But, he's only dangerous because of the boxing. That's it. That's the only reason. She's interested, very interested and she's never interested in anyone. She likes to remain a one-night stand. It's easy and safe and she finds comfort in it. Real interest, that's scary. But, she doesn't know him and bottom line is that she's not sure if she can give up her freedom or her life for someone she simply might end up truly liking. Someone she doesn't know. Rock and a hard place.

Matty glances to Mikey before rolling his eyes and moving onto a new section of hair. "Sure we are."

SJ sighs. "You guys are never letting this go if I follow through, huh?"