One Wish Left

CHAPTER 27: DUEL

Marco Ramirez, the owner and head Muay Thai kickboxing trainer at Chicago MMA, watched as Jesse sparred with Luke Hawkins. Marco had worked closely with Jesse when he had first shown up at the gym three years ago, hellbent on incorporating kickboxing into his already stellar boxing skillset. For that first year and a half, Marco had drilled the concepts of the Muay Thai fighting style into Jesse's head, literally and figuratively. But eventually, Marco had a hard time not getting his ass kicked by the guy, and feeling that his work was now done, he shifted Jesse over to Luke's care to round out his repertoire with jiu jitsu. Judging by the look on Luke's face now, Marco guessed that even the experienced UFC fighter-turned-trainer was struggling to hold his own against their student.

"We need to set you up with another fight, bro," he yelled out.

"Isn't that what I'm doing right now?" Jesse returned breathlessly.

"Doesn't look like much of a fight to me," Marco teased, and he was promptly rewarded with a middle finger from Luke, who was too out of breath to respond otherwise.

Marco chuckled and beckoned the pair of fighters to the edge of the ring. "I'm serious, J. We gotta match you up with someone new. Shake it up a little. You're getting too comfortable with this old fogey," he said, pointing at Luke, who just rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should call someone in. Your next official fight isn't 'til January, and we need someone to come in here and help keep you fresh."

Jesse chewed on his lip, hoping this line of conversation wouldn't jog Luke's memory.

"Oh, wait!" Damnit. "What about that Chad guy? You know, from your party last month? He was a fighter, right?"

Jesse was already shaking his head.

"Chad who?" asked Marco.

"Reynolds," Jesse muttered, his gloved hands on his hips.

Luke's jaw dropped. "Oh shit, J! That's the boyfriend, isn't it? I can't believe I forgot about this. We have got to get him—," Luke stopped short at Jesse's expression. "What's the deal? Didn't you offer to spar with him?"

"I did," Jesse groaned, running a hand down his face.

"And?"

"I don't want to be around him."

"You mean while he's got your girl," Luke taunted, shifting his feet back into a fighting stance.

"Something like that," Jesse said as he put up his guard.

"Who are we talking about?" More yelling from Marco. "You got a girl, J? And you didn't tell me?! I'm hurt!"

"She's not my girl," Jesse snarled as he landed a fist in Luke's ribs.

"You want her though," Luke grunted as he dodged another punch. He danced closer to grapple with his student. "Then why don't you challenge the guy already?"

Jesse slipped from Luke's grasp automatically and took a step back. "Are you serious, Hawkins? This isn't the 1700's. It's not like we can get out the dueling pistols and fight to the death for her heart or some shit."

"It's too bad people don't do that anymore," Marco piped up.

"What?!" Jesse looked over at him in shock, and Luke snuck up and swept Jesse's legs out from under him. Jesse's back slammed to the ground, but he rocked his body forward to flip back onto his feet in a flash. "You bloody cheat," he growled.

"You're making it too easy," Luke laughed.

Marco ignored them. "Not the killing each other part, of course," he went on. "Although a fight-to-the-death must have made a woman realize who she'd hate to lose more, ya know? That'd clear things up."