Dante Harris was running. Running from an abusive past. Running from a messy break up. Running from the life he left in the small city of Round Rock Texas.
Somehow this small town boy has found himself in the busy streets of New York City, and in t...
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I glanced at my bedside alarm clock again.
It was now almost midnight.
I had meant to get to bed around ten, so I'd be fully rejuvenated for tomorrow's morning classes. Instead, all I could think about was that conversation with Dante.
Every conversation we had, lead me to understand him more and less at the very same time. It was unexplainable. When he told me about both of his parents passing, I couldn't help but feel a little more connected to him in some way. I hadn't told him my parents had passed. I, instead, just listened intently to what little he revealed about himself.
His father being a boxer was a good explanation for Dante's skill, but it didn't explain why Dante loved and loathed the sport.
Clearly something had happened there that affected the way he now saw boxing. Something he had yet to feel comfortable telling me. I just couldn't understand why I was trying to Nancy Drew this mystery together at midnight- on the evening before a work nonetheless.
Why was I so fucking curious?
-
Monday went by faster than I had time to comprehend. One minute, I was yelling at my novices to quickly change and get on the mats for warm up... the next, I was yelling at them to quickly change and get the hell out of my gym.
Kassie had visited during the day to drop off our lunches. She wouldn't shut up about how happy she was that I had let Dante stay with me for a bit. I thought she was being far too over dramatic, but I was glad Dante seemed happy about the arrangement as well.
She also let me know how his schedule was going to look over the next few weeks. He was working long shifts but only for three days this week. That left him with Tuesday and Thursday available. I had my veterans in tomorrow, so that would work well for Dante to focus on the novice fighters.
By the time the day ended, I was so all over the place with the books, Grayson had to help me pack everything up.
He was in a rush to get to Tidal Wave so he could say goodnight to Chris before she left. I was more or less in a rush to get to bed... then I remembered Dante would be walking back here tonight, and I thought maybe he would want some company on the way back from Tidal Wave.
Tidal Wave's lights were still on yet the place had long since been emptied. It looked like Dante was helping Kas clean some glasses, while Aiden and Chris poured themselves a shot. Dante had a warm smile on his lips while he worked. I couldn't tell what they were talking about, but it didn't really matter to me.
It just made me feel good to see a genuine smile on his face.
I didn't realize how little he did that.
Grayson was quick to burst through the front entrance first. "Hello hello. Happy Monday everyone." He announced, taking a seat at the bar.
"It looks like you're in a good mood." Kas noted, as she set clean shot glasses in front of us. Regardless of the alcohol kick we were on, Monday nights were shot nights. I may have been too tired to care much about drinking, but Grayson wasn't going to pass up this opportunity.
