Bell to Bell: A Boxing Story

CHAPTER SEVEN

Gabe sat alone in the cold cell with only one thing on his mind: the tournament. It had been three days since Gabe was arrested, and only one person has came to see him and that was Michelle.

"Gabe, are you okay?" she asked him.

"Honestly, I don't know. Since I've been in here, I haven't gotten any word from the tournament officials on whether or not I'm still in the tournament."

"Is that all you think about? You're in jail; they plan on charging with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. I don't think the tournament is what you should be worried about ."

"I know, it's just this tournament can change everything for me. It can help me turn my life around. It's my path out of the darkness."

"I understand that, but fighting isn't the only thing that can change your life. Your friends and family can help too."

"The only person I call my family has disowned me. And I don't know if you hadn't noticed, but I don't have friends."

"Then what am I? I have been with you since the beginning of this whole thing, I have been there in your lowest moments, so what does that make me? A friend? Family? What?"

"It makes you someone that will abandon me, just like everyone else. They stick around long enough to see that I have no brightness in my life, then they leave. "

"I'm not going to be one of those people, Gabe. Do you know why? I have seen you fight the darkness since the day we met, and I know that, one day, you will beat your darkness and begin to live in the light. Do you remember what you told me the other day? 'Everyone fights, whether it's inner demons or for a better life, they're always fighting. It's up to them, whether they win or not.' I know that you won't let yourself lose, so I will stick by your side long after you defeat your darkness. I am not going anywhere."

"Out of all the people that have abandoned me, none of the pain I felt then will hurt as much as it would if you left. Ever since we've met, my days have been less grey, my pain hasn't hurt as nearly as much as it used to, and it's because of you that I am still on this fight. Everything that I have been through wouldn't have been worth it, if you were not at my side. Me beating my demons has nothing to do with me not wanting to lose, it's because of you. You are the reason I fight my demons. I can't lose to them because if I did, it would mean I would lose you too."

The heaviness in the air was apparent, as Gabe and Michelle took in the situation. They could both tell that from this moment the dynamics of their relationship would change forever. However, neither of them could've predicted just how much that change would affect their lives. 

Gabe sat in the jail for a few days before being released on bail. As he walked out of the jailhouse, the only person that was there to meet him was Michelle. 

"Hey, how does it feel to be free again?"

"It feels great."

"I know you just got out, but I wanted to do something special for you. Meet me at our spot tonight, okay?"

"What do you have planned?"

"I can't tell you, it's a surprise. Just meet me there. Anyways, school starts in a few weeks, do you know what classes you're taking?"

"Actually, I don't know if I'm going back."

"What, why?"

"I don't think school is gonna do anything for me anymore."

"What do you plan to do, if you're not gonna go to school?"

"Get a job, my own place, maybe start my own boxing gym. Start living for myself."

"I think I get it. The pressure of not being able to decide your own future is devastating. I wish I had the strength to break away and live by my own choices."

"Come with me! We can live life together, no school, no rules. Just you, me, and our own choices. You don't have to answer right away, I don't expect you to. I gotta go, but I'll see you tonight." 

Gabe and Michelle met at the bridge. The air was thick with awkwardness and silence, but the silence was soon broken.

"I-I want to apologize about earlier, I shouldn't have suggested that you come with me. I know that you have a lot on your plate already, I shouldn't have added any more." 

"Gabe, it's okay. You were under a lot of pressure and you just spoke your mind in the moment."

"Actually, it wasn't an 'in the moment' thing. I've been thinking about disappearing for a while now. You've been the only thing keeping me here, and I thought that if you were with me, I wou't have to stay. I know it's stupid of me to think that you would agree to it."

"It's not stupid. I would love to go with you, I really would, but I can't right now. It's not an option for me at the moment."

"I understand...can we talk about something else?"

"Yeah, of course."

"What was the surprise that you had in store for me?"

"Oh! I forgot about that, give me a minute. Wait there!" Michelle said walking away.

"Tadah!"

"A picnic basket?"

 "Yeah, I figured that you would like to have a nice meal once you got out, so I brought a picnic basket. I even brought candles so that it won't be that dark when we eat."

"So....a candle-light dinner? Sounds like a date." Gabe said jokingly.

"No! It's not like that, I promise!" Michelle exclaimed as her face grew red with embarrassment.

"Relax, I'm just teasing. It's really thoughtful of you to do this for me."

They sat together, eating their delicious meal by candle-light, soaking up the moment. 

"The sky is beautiful tonight." Said Michelle, staring at the star-filled sky.

"It sure is, today has been amazing. Even though this morning started out badly, getting to be here with you, has made it worth it. I can't imagine anything better than being here with you."

Gabe put his hand over Michelle's, much to her surprise. She looked at him in wonder. Gabe put his hand on the side of Michelle's face, moving her hair away from her. The two locked eyes with each other, before moving closer together. Soon, their lips touched and the moment seemed to freeze all around them.

The kiss melted away their thoughts and troubles, for them, it felt as if nothing was wrong in the world. Everything negative disappeared at that moment. It seemed that the world stopped spinning for them and it felt like they were the only two in the world. They stared at the stars, holding each other close.