The Fight Club (3 page)

Julie

I had a thirteen-hundred-dollar ring in my pocket. I pulled it out and wondered how foolish I was. What had this all resulted in? I was jobless, scared for my mother, and I wanted to get away from this agony, eliminate this pain in my heart. But to do that, I needed a good paying job, and sitting in Central Park wasn't helping me.

"I need to call someone." I flipped through my contacts. When I worked in the health club, I met dozens of people who offered me a job. Now was a good time to accept their offer. I called few of them, but none had a vacancy for a massage therapist.

What the heck? I can't even get a job.

"I can't give up now. I have to pay for Mom's treatment." So I dialed my next contact, John, who was working at the NY Health Club.

"Hey! Wassup. I'm surprised that you called,” John answered.

"John, I'm in need of job. Do you have a vacancy at the health club? It's quite urgent, actually. " I was so desperate that I directly got to the point.

"What happened with your current job, sweetheart?"

"I quit it. I’ll tell you the reason some other day." I didn't want to talk about Eddie right now.

"Well, I don't have any opening in my club as of now." He paused for a moment. "But, there is one place I think you can try. Do you remember Tom?"

"Tom who?"

"Tom Ross. The Hollywood actor."

"Yeah. I remember him now." Images of a handsome man floated in my mind.

"Do you also remember he offered you a personal trainer job in L.A.?" John asked.

"Yes. I remember that, too." It was a funny story, and we laughed at it afterwards.

"Why don't you try calling him?" he asked.

"No, I can't. He’s in L.A., John, and I'm looking for something in New York." L.A. was a like a faraway, fairy tale place for me.

"But isn't your mother nearer to L.A.?" he asked.

"Thanks, John. I need to call a few more people for a job in New York." I cut the call, because I didn't want to talk about subjects which would lead to my current situation.

***

Half an hour later I had no contacts to call, and no job in hand. I wondered if New York had gone defunct on personal trainer or rehabilitation jobs all together. If anyone had told me that they couldn’t get a trainer job in New York, I would’ve laughed at him, but I was facing the same fate now. The time was dire, and I was feeling helpless.

What the heck am I going to do now?

"Tom Ross." I stumbled upon his contact. He was the only one left I could ask. I remember our first meeting, six months back. A tall man with a sexy beard walked in our health club, all suit and handsome hunk type.

One of my colleagues rushed towards me. "Do you know who is that handsome man?"

"I see hundreds of them walking in our club daily,” I responded.

"God, Julie, you are such a moron. Haven't you seen Space Ship 9? It's like, the highest grossing movie ever?" She chirped out in surprise.

"Yes. Tom Cruise is in it."

"Not that one, dummy, the latest one. Part Nine. This handsome one is in it. This is Tom Ross. God, he looks so sexy. I wish Rima would direct him to my cabin. I would fuck him right in there." She let out a lustful sigh.

I focused my eyes on Ross. She was right, he was way too handsome. But I didn’t care at the time, because I had Eddie.

"Julie, what are you doing?" My boss, Rima, came walking towards us.

"About to attend my next client," I said.

"Can you hand him over to Natalia?"

"But why?"

"Do you see Tom Ross there?" He pointed to the handsome hunk.

"I do."

"He is need of quick physio-therapy for his shoulder pain, and you are the most suited person available here right now to serve him."

"But…my client?"

"Guess how much publicity we will get when people find out that Tom Ross visited our health club. I will pay you double for this appointment,” Rima said.

"Then you have to talk with my client. I'm not telling her to get attended by another trainer." I put the ball in his court.

"Geez. Okay, I will talk with her. But for now, follow me."

She took me to Tom and introduced me to him. One-hour later, I was working on Tom's shoulder. He was a jolly person, and he did a most unexpected thing at the end of the session.

"Julie McCord, isn't it?" he asked as I worked on a knot in his right shoulder.

"Yes. You’re Tom Ross, right?” I giggled.

"How much do they pay you here?"

"That’s a very inappropriate question, Mr. Ross."

"It must not be greater than ten thousand bucks a month."

I kept mum.

"Just consider, hypothetically, if someone paid you fifteen grand a month, would you consider working for him as his personal trainer?"

"Why would someone pay me that much?" What I got paid was enough for me to live in a shared apartment with Eddie.

"Because you’re good. And I'm in need of a personal trainer. I'll pay you fifteen grand a month, plus take care of your rent in L.A." He turned to look at me.

His bare body was intriguing, but his offer wasn't. At least, not at that time. I wouldn't have agreed to move to L.A. if he had offered me a million dollars, because of Eddie.

But looking at it now, the offer sounded great. I wanted to get away from all the mess here, and a new job would be good for me. Plus my mother's care center was close by. John was right. I could move to L.A. if the offer still stood.

I dialed his number, but his secretary picked it up. When I inquired about the job, she wasn't aware of it and she said she’d get back to me.

I felt helpless for a moment, but then I thought that a telephone call wasn't going to cut it. He was a busy actor, and would have forgotten me already. I needed to show up there, and talk to him face to face. Then I could visit my mother as well, killing two birds with one stone.

When I walked back to my apartment, the door was still open. "What the fuck? Eddie must have left it open. God, I
will
kill him."

I walked inside my bedroom. To my surprise, Eddie was still there, laying naked on the ground and watching at the door.

"What are you still doing here, Eddie?" The picture of that beast fucking him was marked inside my mind. I couldn't forget it, ever.

"Waiting for you, babe." He crawled out of bed and stood next to me, holding my hand.

I couldn't bear him anymore. I twisted his hand behind his back and pushed him on the bed. "Get the fuck out of here, Eddie."

"But babe, would you please listen to me?" he pleaded.

"I said get the fuck out of here, or I will squeeze your testicles under my hills." His hanging balls disgusted me to the core. I fucked this man for years without knowing the truth.

"Is it a crime to be gay?" he asked.

"No, it's not. But it's a crime to cheat on me, and lie to me for years."

I broke down. All the remaining confidence in me evaporated like a water bubble. My knees went weak and I fell to the ground, crying. It was too much to take, all I had dreamed and all I faced.

"Julie, I wasn't like this at first. But something changed. You changed, and I found solace in the men around me."

He was fucking giving me an explanation for his actions. How could he put it on me? My chin lifted up. Fire was burning in my eyes, "Eddie, if you dare to speak a another word from your mouth, I will kick you out of this house."

"But..."

He broke my patience. I jumped to my feet and dragged him outside of the apartment. I didn't care if he was naked. I tossed him outside of my door and locked it from inside. Then I slide down, pushing my back against the door until I sat on the floor, tears flowing down my cheeks, my heart burning in pain. I had lost all my strength.

"Julie, babe. Please, open up." Eddie thumped on the door.

But I didn't care. I had my mind set on walking out of there. I would leave New York.

His thumps increased over time, and then he started cursing me. Finally, he told me that I deserved this pain and I was responsible for everything. With every curse word, my determination to leave New York increased. When the thumps on the door stopped, and I heard him walking away, I had come to the conclusion that whatever happened was for the best. God had saved me from marrying a jerk.

But I loved that man. From my heart, and he betrayed me in a blink.
Did I mean nothing to him?

One thing became engraved in my mind. Men are animals, and they don't deserve love.

Julie

I looked out the airplane window, and thousands of memories flooded into my mind. New York had a special place in my heart. I had lived here for years. I would say I was successful in many ways. I went to college here. I found a good job, which I loved.

And then there were bitter memories, with Eddie. I did enjoy my days with him, but thinking about his betrayal always made my mind go numb. I wish it could’ve been different.

Fuck him. If he was in front of me right now, I would have happily killed the bastard.

I was a different girl when the flight took place. I was going to live near my mom's care center. I could visit her weekly, not monthly, like I used to do when I was in N.Y.

The only thing I was worried about was that I didn't know how to meet Tom in person. I made the decision in haste, but now, sitting on the plane, I realized I should’ve talked with him at least once before jumping on the plane to L.A.

What if he refused to offer me a job?

That meant I could only meet my mother, and then search for a job in L.A. If that didn’t work out, I didn’t know what would for me. God, L.A. job looked a long shot now.

A knot formed in my stomach as the plane landed in L.A. The weather outside was calm and dry, but my insides were all stormy. I called Tom's number, and found out he was shooting a movie in Hollywood for Sony Motion Pictures. I had no other choice but to crash in on him unannounced.

Finding the studio wasn't easy. But when I got there, I saw hundreds of people standing outside, waiting for the stars. As I was one of them, I wasn't allowed inside. I tried to convince the security guard, but he insisted that I would get out of there. The studio was off limits for fans.

When I was about to walk away, I saw Tom coming out of the studio. Many people tried to run towards him, but security stopped them with ease. But then, Tom smiled at his fans, and came closer to offer his signature. When he was near me, I shouted his name.

He looked at me, and his eyes widened.

"Gosh! Is that you, Julie? What are you doing here? Come out of there." He signaled to security, and they let me through.

"Thanks, Tom. And I'm sorry for showing up like this."

"No problem. I owe you my shoulder. Tell me, where should I sign?"He flashed his superstar smile.

"I'm not here for a signature. Actually..." I paused. I was overstepping now. "I came here for the job offer you gave me six months back."

"Job?" he looked puzzled.

"Yes, for your personal trainer."

"Oh, yes." His forehead creased. I guess he didn't like the place I chose to ask him. But I didn't really have a choice.

"I'm sorry. I tried calling the number you gave me, but your secretary didn't let me pass through."

“Yes, because that's her job," he replied, looking irritated.

"I hope that offer still stands,” I said, desperate.

"Why don't you come to my office tonight, at eight o’ clock, sharp? We can discuss that in detail. I'm sorry, but I have to go for a shoot right now." He handed me a card, which had his office address.

"Yes, of course, " I replied. He was a busy star, after all.

"Good. See ya then.” He smiled and walked away with security tailing his steps.

***

"It's really you." Tom hugged me and greeted me with a light kiss on my cheek. "I was surprised when I saw you today."

He smelled like alcohol. And I was irked by the kiss he planted on my cheek. It was a bit weird, but I guess that's how the Hollywood starts worked. After all, why would he think about manners? He must meet a thousand girls who are ready to jump in his bed with just one smile from him.

"I'm so sorry to show up like this.” I looked around. No one else was present in his office. But when I was outside the door, the lobby was crowded with lots of people. It was a business complex. Many rich people owned an office there.

"Never mind. Tell me, what would you have?" His hand touched my ass. Now it was weird. I wasn't used to this kind of greetings, maybe it was how people greet in Hollywood..

"Nothing. I was hoping to talk with you about the job offer you gave me six months back." I moved away slightly, so that his hand wouldn't touch my ass easily.

"Of course we will discuss that. But why don't we enjoy your visit to L.A. first? A proper welcome to the city. You shouldn't be telling your friends that Tom didn't even offer you a drink."

"Technically you already offered me one." I giggled. He was flirtatious.

"And you declined it. But I insist you have at least one. I have a hundred-year-old bottle of scotch. You will be surprised by the taste."

Now he was tempting me. A hundred-year-old bottle. Wow. I wasn't a heavy drinker. But drinking for pleasure was fine sometimes, and a Hollywood star was offering it to me.

"I will have one drink. But only if we talk about the business first. If you don't mind." I couldn’t forget why I was here.

"No problem. But I will have one as we talk business." He poured one glass for himself from the mini bar. He walked to me and sat near, with his one hand holding the glass and the other resting on my upper back, where my dress started. "Now, tell me why you’re here?"

I slightly moved away from him. "Does the offer you gave me six months back still stand?"

"Why not?" He moved closer and put his hand on my thigh, slowly crawling up my dress.

"Tom, what are you doing?"

"Just checking how your skin feels. And I must say, it feels good." He winked and forced his lips on mine.

"What the…” I pushed him back and stood up. I didn't like his moves. "Tom, I'm here for job. I'm not one of the girls who are ready to jump in your bed."

"What's the fuss, babe? Don't you want to sleep with Tom Ross? I'm offering myself to you! What greater gift you can get from me?”

“Excuse me?”

“When I hire you, it’ll be loads of fun. You’re going to fuck me whenever I deem so." He chuckled lowly, and it sounded like a growl from a monster.

"You jerk! To hell with your offer! I'm out of here." I turned to walk out of his office. He was an asshole, and I didn't do business with such stupid people.

"Babe, you can't walk out of here." Tom ran and grabbed my arm from behind, yanking roughly. But he didn't know the mistake he just made. I was trained in martial arts, and pinning down a jerk like him was extremely easy for me. I pulled him forward and twisted his hand behind his back. I knew it would get dislocated. He immediately cried out in agony.

I pushed him against the door and pinned him. "You better remember this next time you try this on a woman. We aren’t your pawns to play with,” I growled.

I tossed him away from the door and walked out. Suddenly the sound of people around me increased, and I felt safe and calm.

"You bastard!" Tom stormed out of the door, chasing after me. I turned back to him, to give him another beating. But I froze as I saw a gun pointed towards me. Tom was aiming a gun at my forehead.

"I will kill you, bitch!” he shouted.

Many people screamed, but Tom didn't care for them. Some monster had gotten a hold of him. He slowly moved towards me, still pointing the gun. "I will kill you, bitch. And you will remember it in your next life when a man tries that out on you."

But then something happened. Someone snatched Tom’s hand, and he dropped the gun, crying in pain. A man appeared out of nowhere and pinned Tom on ground, twisting the dis-located hand. Tom cried out again.

"Detective!” the strange man shouted. One guy wearing an FBI jacket rushed to him. He detained Tom and dragged him away. I stood there, frozen. I couldn't understand what was happening. It had all taken place in the blink of an eye.

"Miss, are you all right?" the stranger asked me.

I nodded. “Yes…yes, I’m fine.”

"I need you to come with me. I need your statement." He held my arm gently and walked me to one of the couch present in the open space.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm special consultant to the FBI. Gavin Phillips." He showed me his identification card.

"Officer, what just happened?” I looked outside, where all the drama had occurred.

"Well, we arrested, Tom for putting a gun on you. We had some information that he would be dealing some drugs in his office today, so we were watching him to make a bad move. I'm sorry you had to go through this." He pulled out a water bottle out of his bag "Please have this, you will feel better."

I needed that. My heart was still pounding.

"Now tell me, how did you end up here?"

I told him my complete story, including my need for job. They say that you should hide nothing from cops, so I was as honest as could be. I told him about everything, expect about Eddie.

"I think I might have a solution for your job issue, but only if you want to hear it out."

"What is that? Do you know of any health club here?" A hope emerged in my heart.

"Not a health club. But I help a friend run Mixed Martial Art training facility that is in need of a physical therapist. You said you worked in physical therapy, right?"

"Yes, but a fight club? What would I do there?"

"Well, we have fighters who get injured. Yesterday, our only in-house therapist resigned. I guess that makes a place for you." He smiled.

"I think that's a great idea." I desperately needed a job, whatever it entailed.

"I would say relax for a couple of days, to recover from Tom’s attack, then come to my club and meet me. We need to discuss salary as well. I can't pay as much as Tom offered you, but it will be enough for you and your mom's treatment."

"Thanks, Gavin, " He was the angel I needed from heaven. Finally, I had a job in L.A.