Closer: Tyler, The Creator

27. Jaws

It was the day of the boxing event and there was already a lot of people from news outlets ready to report on it.
The large prize money towards charity had the community excited to see where the money would go to.

I made my way through the crowd as I saw them getting warmed up. His opponent was around the same height and physique, too.

"Hey, you made it." He smiled lightly.

I climbed under the rope to his corner.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you were mad at me."

"I'm over it."

He eyed my glare at his opponent on the opposite corner.

"Ramirez."

"Is he good?" I asked, worried.

"He does this shit professionally."

I bit the inside of my cheek anxiously.

His trainer adjusted T's boxing gloves securely as he placed the mouth guard inside.

I gave him a quick kiss before the referee began to yell out rules to the match.

Tyler made his way towards the middle where his opponent was. Both jumped up and down as they jabbed the air; warming up eagerly.

The three rings signified the start, and they pulled apart from eachother. I watched firsthand as Tyler calculated everything about his opponent. I could watch his eyes trace his hands and the movements they made.

Ramirez threw the first punch, but Tyler swiftly back away just in time. He pulled in closer, almost hitting Tyler again. The crowd cheered loudly.

T punched back, but Ramirez blocked his chest just in time.

The first round was daunting. Each time Tyler would try to punch, Ramirez was able to block. Luckily, neither had gotten severely hit during the first four rounds. Tyler got hit on the left side of his stomach, and Ramirez in his jaw. I could hear the crowd gasp at the sound of the hit.

Once the fourth round was over, Tyler made his way back, his team quickly giving him water as they checked his wounds, if any. I watched as his trainer gave him tips.

They looked more and more tired with every round.

The fifth round began, and instantly Tyler threw a couple of jabs, two hitting straight around his face. Ramirez retaliated, hitting him in the jaw, then later in his stomach. I squinted with every hit; I was getting anxious. The fifth round was definitely the most brutal.

Tyler came over after the round again, the team quickly taking note of his wounds.

I stayed behind his trainer, not wanting to interrupt anything.

The sixth round began, and both looked exhausted and bruised already. Ramirez threw a punch, Tyler's head flinging to the side slightly before he threw a punch into Ramirez's side. Tyler began to throw more subsequent jabs, and Ramirez did too. They backed away from eachother for a little.

I bit my lip as Ramirez moved closer, throwing a punch in into his chest.

"You're doing great babe!" I shouted, "I love you!"

Just then, Tyler's hands moved slightly off of his face, which let Ramirez to perfectly uppercut at a defenseless angle.

Tyler fell to the ground.

Ramirez got on top, jabbing his sides until the ref called it.

Tyler held on to his sides in pain, the ref calling the game.

Ramirez won.

The crowd went crazy, the news crew shoving their way through to get a perfect shot.

Tyler's team ran into the rink to help him up.

...

Tyler's P.O.V.

"...I love you!"

Her words rang through my ears as I realized what she had said. I hadn't heard that phrase in a long ass time. It was the first time Nadine said it to me.

I pulled my thoughts back, but not quick enough.
Suddenly the pain filtered through my body.

I tried hitting back, missing as he hit my sides, air rushing out of my chest as I fell back in pain. I couldn't get up.

The ref called it.

Fuck.

...

I rushed over to Tyler as the medic helped him get onto the chair. Luckily T was responsive. He had a bleeding nose and a couple of bruises around his sides. It looked bad. I watched intently as they wrapped a towel around him, adding different creams and ice packs to his wounds to calm them.

Once they backed off, I made my way closer.

"You were doing so well!" I kneeled in front of him.

"Fuck, I got distracted."

"From what?"

"You, Nadine."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I backed off.

"What the fuck did I do?"

"You said you loved me."

"Because I do!"

"I'm not used to it. I didn't fucking expect it."

I watched as his leg bounced up and down. He couldn't even look at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

He nodded nonchalantly. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it. I didn't get the big deal.

...

"It feels weird having to take care of you instead of the other way around," I helped him on the bed.

"You don't have to do this."

"You can barely stand up properly."

He cursed as he adjusted himself on his bed.

"I'm sorry." I said again, sitting on the edge next to him. I really meant it.

"Nadine you didn't know." He chuckled.

"I didn't think it would throw you off that
bad—,"

"It just reminded me of this girl...we were friends since we were kids. We dated for years when we were younger. Then I fucked it all up and chose this," he alluded to the large master bedroom. "She left for college to become a lawyer. She didn't want me doing all this drug shit. So she left LA to New York after she finished law school." He breathed out as he looked down at his hands. "She was everything I wasn't. Went to the best schools—she was mentally older than me and that shit didn't help."

He realized he went on for too long and shrugged it off.

"What was her name?"

"Danielle. Wherever the fuck she is now...I don't know. We stopped keeping in touch."

I could tell he still cared; something about her kept his mind going.

"Shit don't matter anymore though," he bit his lip as his hand pulled my waist into him. "I love you."