Glancing back at the bag a whoosh of air rips from my mouth and I give a one, two, jab, and the bag flies from the impact. Relief blooms through my chest, and I exhale a breath that I’ve been holding in for years.
Debs’ mouth dramatically drops, her eyes looking between the bag and me.
“What?” I question nervous I did something wrong.
She looks at Thomas with surprise on her face.
“I told you she can hit,” Thomas gloats standing by the ring. He’s been instructing Camden for the last hour to give it all he has when sparring. Camden rests his arms on the ropes, his forehead soaked with sweat as he watches me closely. I want to flip him off.
“Do it again,” Debs instructs.
Trying to focus on the bag and not the fact that Camden is watching me, I hit it again, using the same combo as before.
“Alright,” she nods approvingly. “Maybe I have something to work with after all.”
“So you think I can go pro? You think I have a shot at the MFC?” I can’t help but ask. MFC is where everyone wants to be in this career.
She leans in closer, glancing around her. Looking with her I notice everyone’s attention is back on their own drills instead of me. “You think that is where the big money is? Well you’re wrong.” She steps closer, looking around her to see if anyone is paying us any attention before continuing. “Listen to me and we’ll get a fight that will make us both rich!” She waggles her eyebrows, her tongue snaking along her bottom lip.
“I don’t get what you mean.” I shake my head confused. “Like sponsors and stuff?”
“Oh, god no. This is more underground, like black market kind of shit,” she whispers.
“Underground?” I scrunch my nose with distaste. I want more than back alley fights in garages. I could have done those in LA, I want bigger. I want to pave the road for females everywhere.
“I have already said too much,” she huffs, stepping back. “Just do what you’re told, and if you have what it takes you’ll know soon enough.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes and continue to hit the bag. This woman is full of shit.
***
For the next three days Debs has me on nothing but the punching bag. I’ve hit it so much, there are times I forget how to hit. My knuckles are cracked and bleeding, and my wrists are on fire. I’ve told her about the pain, she tells me to suck it up and starts flirting with Thomas.
Friday morning as I’m heading out of Chloe’s house I find Journey sitting on the front stoop waiting for me.
“Hey!” She jumps up, smoothing out her tie dye dress. Her hair is in a messy long braid, and her left eye looks darker than her right.
“He do that to you? Or did you fall down again?” I ask sarcastically.
She opens her mouth to respond, and then looks the other way. She is clearly getting tired of whatever is going on her so called relationship.
“You need me to step in?” I’ve never wanted to cause so much harm to someone in my whole life. The feeling is somewhat unsettling.
“No, I have it under control Tatum.” She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms.
I scoff, irritated.
“You need to get away from him. Are you living with him?”
She grabs the ends of her hair, mindlessly playing with it. “Yeah,” she mutters.
“Leave. Go stay with Dad,” I demand, not ask. I bite my inner cheek as the urge to shake some sense into my sister becomes overwhelming.
“Speaking of Dad, he was asking me to come to dinner tomorrow night,” she changes the topic.
“So?” I don’t like where this is going.
“So, I can’t remember the last time we all sat down and had a dinner together.” She raises her brows, looking at me pointedly.
Rubbing the temples of my suddenly aching head, I sigh. Dinner with my dad is nothing short of a disaster, I know it. “Do it for me,” she whines.
I hate when she does that, I can’t tell her no.
“Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”
She gives a curt nod. “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow night then.” Smiling she heads off back towards Dad’s.
“Looks like she’s still a mess.” Looking over my shoulder Chloe is leaning against the door with a cup of coffee in her hand.
“Yeah, she is. This guy she is seeing, I’d like to get my hands on him.” My fingers flex on their own thinking about giving the asshole what he’s been giving my fragile sister. She’s a hippie, who wants to hit a hippie?
The sky thunders, as dark clouds slowly blanket over us. Looks like a bad storm is rolling in.
“I gotta get to the gym. I don’t want to be late. Who knows what Debs would do.”
“Hey, the camel called, it wants its toe back.” Chloe points down at my crotch laughing. Glancing down I notice I have a huge camel toe. Shit.
Hurrying back inside I pass a giggling Chloe.
“Shut up,” I snap playfully.
“Hey, it’s better me than someone else!”
After changing into a different pair of yoga pants, I pass Chloe sitting on the front steps and head toward my car.
“Knock ‘em dead!”
Camden
The blinds are ripped open and Kaley’s perfume fills the room.
Groaning I flip over and hear an audible gasp escape her mouth.
“Um, good God!” she chokes on her words.
Smiling I open one eye and find a blushing Kaley looking anywhere but at me and my saluting morning wood.
“Why good morning Kaley, so good of you to come in my room first thing in the morning,” I casually state.
“I’m here to assist, um.” She brings a clipboard up over her face.
“Oh, you want to assist me?” I tease.
“NO! What I meant was…”
Flustered she throws her hands at her sides and storms out of the room.
“Just get some pants on and meet me in the kitchen!”
After having a good laugh I peel myself out of bed and grab some gym shorts. My hard cock sporting an impressive tent. Ever since it found out Tate was back in town, it’s hardly soft anymore.
Bracing my hands on each side of the window seal I glance out at that gloomy sky. I sigh, preparing myself for the gym today.
Tatum Fucking Davis. My Achilles heel.
You think being in love hurts? Try falling in love at the age of seven. Tate was a girl that breathed fire and laughter. Everyone else just seemed cold and dull compared to her. She made me fall in love with her.
Pushing off the window I stride into the kitchen and find Kaley pouring a cup of coffee.
“First things first,” she digs in.
“No, no, and no. There, that was easy.” I grab my cracked cup from her, and she scowls.
“I get it, no to everything. But, I did want to let you know that rent is due to this fine establishment.”
“Get the movers to move it to my parents’ place.” My stomach twists thinking about being so close to Tate. I’m not sure if it’s a good feeling, or bad. I can’t stop thinking about her and it pisses me off.
I don’t think I can ever forgive her. However, I find myself more eager to get to the gym than usual.
“Ok, you got it. When do you want to be moved in by?”
“Tonight.”
“Um, really?”
Looking over my shoulder I pinch my brows together.
“Problem?”
She shakes her head anxiously.
“No, not at all. Your,” she looks at my boxes, “things will be at your parents’ place by tonight.”
“Good.”
Chapter Eight
14 Years Old
Tate
Lying in bed I can hear my mother and father talking through the thin wall.
“No, I don’t want the girls to know. Not yet.” My mother insists in a hushed voice.
“Marlow, they can sense these things. I read it in a pamphlet, you need to tell them.”
“No, I’m not dead yet and I won’t have my girls looking at me like I’m already gone!”
I squeeze the pillow, my eyes stinging with the urge to cry. I knew my mother was sick. She has been carted to doctor appointment after doctor appointment after she fainted in the kitchen last month. Her and Dad have been distant, keeping secrets from Journey and I. I expected the worst, and those expectations were just exceeded.
“This is all my fault. I, I should have been here.” My dad’s voice is loud, he’s not trying to hide the shame he is feeling.
“These things are called a secret killer for a reason Nick. Nobody knew, not even I. How would you have known?”
“Yeah, but had I been here, maybe I would have seen the signs. I could have taken the girls off your hands, given you a break.”
“It’s cancer Nick, nobody can predict these things.” My mother’s voice cracks, and I lose it. I start sniffling and bawling into my pillow so loud my door is opened.
“Tatum?” My mother’s voice is soft and I can’t help but break down even more.
“Baby…” She climbs onto my bed and pulls me into her lap.
“I don’t want you to die.” The words just come out before I think about them.
She exhales, her hands smoothing my hair from my face. But she doesn’t say she isn’t dying.
“Is it treatable?”
“No, it’s stage four breast cancer, and it has spread into my lymph nodes.”
“We are still going to try though.” My dad breaks in, leaning against the doorframe. “Your mother needs us all here, to stay strong with her.”
“Does that mean you won’t be boxing next month?” I wipe a tear from my cheek. Dad is fighting in a match that could make his career. There are going to be scouts from all over. If he makes an impression, we could be rich.
“No. I’m not going.”
“Nicky—” My mom’s hand halts in my hair, her face scrunched disapprovingly of his decision.
“It’s not up for negotiation Marlow. My days of boxing are over. My only fight is your cancer. That goes for all of us.” Dad sets his eyes on me, and my heart cracks. He wants me to give up my judo and kick boxing classes.
I can stop my classes for a while, I want to. I want to be here for Mom.
After my parents leave I slip on my coat and shimmy down from my window. The night is bitterly cold, and the tears on my face freeze to my cheeks.
Running in my fuzzy boots, the grass crunches beneath my feet as I make my way to Camden’s window. Tugging it open, I climb in. He’s asleep. His short blond hair is sticking up everywhere, and he’s shirtless. My insides twist looking at his perfect chest. We’ve cuddled before, but we had our clothes on.
The kids at school have been experimenting with sex. The pressure has not been easy.
He stirs, and I remember why I’m here.
“Camden,” I whisper. His eyes flutter open, and a smile fits his perfect face when he sees me.
“I was just dreaming about you.” His voice muffled with sleep.
I roll my eyes, and shove him over.
“Nice line.”
“I thought you’d like that.” He throws the blanket over us, and hovers above me. His vivid blue eyes search my face. His smile slowly fades as he senses my sorrow.
“What’s wrong?”
My hands caress his tight chest, but my mind is hardly thinking about how close Camden’s body is to mine.
“You know how I told you Ma has been going to a lot of doctors lately?” My voice cracks with emotion.
“Yeah?”
“Well, I just found out she has… she has cancer Camden.” Tears spring from my eyes, my heart beating hard.
“Baby, don’t cry.” He lies down next to me, and thumbs my tears. “These things can be treated nowadays.”
I shake my head, looking up at the posters on the ceiling. It’s a blonde chick with boxing gloves over her big boobs.
“No, not this time. I mean, they’re going to try, but Mom pretty much told me there’s little hope.” Saying it out loud, my chest feels so heavy I can’t breathe.
“Shit.” His back rises, as he takes a deep breath. “What can I do?” Turning my head, I palm the side of his face. Patches of stubble are beginning to grow on his face.
“Can I just, can I lay here for a little bit. Mom’s in the living room crying, and Dad is taking down all his trophies. He blames himself, and is going to quit boxing. I can’t be in that house right now.”
“Yeah, of course.” He grabs my hips and pulls me close. I can feel his excitement having me next to him, and if I wasn’t such a mess I’d confront him about it, but right now I just want to be in the comfort of his arms.
Getting comfortable, he spoons me from behind. His hot breath on my shoulder, and the smell of his skin surrounding me.
What happens to my family when Mom is gone? Can Dad raise two girls or will he send me off? How long will Mom live for?
My mind races with the worst of thoughts.
“I can hear your mind from here babe.” He massages my shoulders, and kisses the back of my neck. “Stop stressing, I’m here.”
“Thank you Camden,” I whisper into the dark.