by Claire Adams
The crowd went ballistic, and I headed down the aisle towards the cage. I went down trotting, and felt the crowd going nuts around me as I made my way. I hopped into the cage and stretched out my arms, bouncing around the cage, keeping myself warm and ready
There were more fans of mine than Ford’s at the fight that night. The crowd was screaming in a chant, but I was not my usual cocky self that evening. I didn’t break into a smile, and I didn’t wave at my fans.
The presenter called out for my opponent. “And nowwww, ladies and gentlemen, the man that you have all been waiting for. Watch out for Ford!”
I watched Ford as he walked out and headed down toward the ring. He walked toward me, toward his fate. I was going to destroy him, and move on to the finales. Ford was a strong fighter. He had plenty of wins on his record, but I refused to fear any of them. The moment I started to do that, I would be doomed.
I stood in my corner, and my lack of a cocky response to Ford’s bravado was showing as he headed to the ring and jumped in.
Ford came into the cage and removed his black robe, his body looking no less fit than mine. Ford's eyes fell instantly on mine, and a smile that could only be described as evil spread across his lips; a smile that was already victorious. Why was that guy so happy? Feeling victorious already?
We touched gloves in the middle of the cage and headed to our corners. The bell rang as we both went to the center of the cage and went toe-to-toe. Ford landed a massive punch to my ribs, and then quickly slammed my jaw back with an awful one-two punch. The sickening sound of flesh and bone meeting caused the crowd to go mad. I could hear my corner screaming for me to focus and keep my hands up. I held my ground, but shuddered as I recovered, and continued going after Ford. As I went in again, I made sure to protect my head against another onslaught. In every fight I have had, I never kept my guard down low. It would be suicide for any fighter to do so, never mind an experienced fighter like me.
I got it in on the next one, however, as I went in and rammed a punch into Ford's gut. Then I followed it with an uppercut to the jaw that Ford took far too easily. He straightened up right away and glared at me, almost daring me to come at him again.
The next three punches took Ford in the body again; two in the chest and one in the rib cage, and he had yet to hit me again. I was taking things a step at a time, and I knew if I kept things the way they were going right now, that I could win the fight. I was not sure if Ford's rib cage could withstand any more blows, but I threw them in quickly, in a three-punch combination, hammering him with body shots. I heard the wind come out of him as he staggered backwards. He wasn't getting any punching into me at all. He came at me and lunged, trying to take me to the ground. He pushed me into the side of the cage, but I held my ground. If he wanted me down there, I was going to avoid it at all costs.
Ford swung out with his left hand and landed a good one to my jaw, then landed a straight punch that brought me right to my knees. The crowd was going wild, screaming profanities into the cage. They were not happy with what was happening to their champ.
“Booo! Boooo! Kill him, Jet! Fight back!”
When I stood again, the fight continued in an endless gray world of kicking and punching. I wasn't sure how Ford's body was withstanding the damage I was doing to it. Every time he was punched, he kept coming. My corner was going nuts, and I knew that I had to seriously focus, or I was going to lose everything. Blood was pouring from both of us, and I worried that I was too injured―that it would affect my second round, if we even got that far.
After a serious round of punches to Ford's abs, he dropped to his knees. But he wasn’t ready to give up yet, and I wondered why he didn’t just throw in the towel. Panting for breath, my face dripping with blood, I delighted my fans by jumping back and waiting for Ford to get back up. When he did, I sent out a spinning back kick, and landed it right to Ford's head.
The crowd was losing themselves in that fight. People were screaming, “Ford, get up and fight. Fight him! Fight him!”
When Ford reset and came back in, he landed a punch that took the breath right out of me. I pounded his body and then took a shot to the head, but I reset immediately. I sent out a roundhouse kick, and I heard the crack. Ford fell face down on the floor.
Blood oozed from my body, dripping onto the canvas floor of the ring. I could feel my face swelling, and I was panting for breath. I was sure Ford was down for the count, but then I watched as he planted one shaking hand on the ground, and then the other. The room had grown completely silent as they watched Ford try to push himself back up. I couldn’t understand why he just didn’t stay down; he was one tough mother.
Ford pushed himself up, and spit more blood on the ground. He used his arms to get back up on his feet, only to catch a strong left hook to his temple that swung his head around. My corner was going crazy; they were loving every minute of the fight. This was probably one of the most exciting fights anyone had seen all year.
At this point Ford was hurting pretty badly. The ref went in immediately and called the fight done. It didn't matter anymore how much Ford wanted to continue the battle―the fight was called.
Silence fell over the entire stadium as everyone waited in agony to see what happened next. The medics were in attending to Ford, and as soon as they were sure that he would be fine until they could take him to the hospital, he was brought to the middle for the judges to call the fight.
The crowd started cheering as the announcer spoke.
“Our victor for the night is Jet! The conference semifinals belt goes, ladies and gentlemen, to Jet!”
My corner came in, and I practically fell into the arms of my coach as they helped me out of the cage. I would go back to the locker room and get checked by the medic as well. It had been one hell of a fight. I couldn't even imagine fighting again anytime soon. I would need to heal. As I made my way back to the lockers, I heard the crowd chanting my name. They were thrilled that I had won, but I certainly took one hell of a beating for it. I wondered if Natalie would be up for giving me another massage, ‘cause I surely could use one, that was certain. I had considered inviting her to the fight, as I thought she would really enjoy it. I was glad I didn't, however. She would have found it upsetting that I took the beating I did, despite the fact that I ended up winning.
We went into the locker area and sat down on the bench while the medic looked me over. I had no broken bones and no real damage. But my body was already bruising, and I would be incredibly sore for at least a few days. Maybe weeks. I had a cut above my eye, which was the cause of the blood that kept pouring from my head.
I would have to go to the hospital to get my eye stitched up. It would need to heal before I could fight again, or it would become a weakness. I hated weaknesses, and didn't want to give my opponents anything to go on if I didn't have to.
Coach helped me pack up my things, and we left the gymnasium with my belt around my shoulders. We were headed to the hospital, where I would be stitched up, and could then return home to spend the night in an ice bath to bring down some of the swelling that was occurring all over my body.
Chapter Seven
Natalie
Brenda and I were sitting in photography class, chatting as our fight assignments came back. We had submitted pictures to the dean for the fight, and he had absolutely loved them. These assignments were now being handed back.
I looked in the folder, went through the pictures from that fight, and I beamed with pride. I looked at the assignment sheet and saw that I received an A+ on the photography. It made me feel incredible that I had done so well.
“Great job, girl. That was a pretty great assignment, and you had good reason to do well.” She meant Jet, and yet I didn't think it had anything to do with how well the pictures came out. I put the pictures back into their folder, and made note that I would have to show them to Jet the next time we got together.
“Don't forget that we have that campus costume party to go to tonight.”
“How could I forget?”
“Don't be a party pooper; I think it will be a lot of fun. Plus, everyone is going to be there.”
“Yeah, well, that's usually part of the problem. So what did you decide to be?”
“Ansel Adams.”
I started laughing. “You're kidding me?”
“No. I went to a vintage store and collected a bunch of things together, and I even found an old camera.”
I was still laughing. “Well, good, then. You will probably win for originality, that's for sure. Is your new beau going to be there?”
She smiled. “He's not my beau. This is only going to be our third date.”
“Well, you know what happens on a third date.” I couldn't help but smile when I saw her eyes go round. Brenda blushed deeply. She was really shy when it came to boys, but I thought the guy she was dating was a stand up fella, so I didn't think she would end up in over her head. Not like me.
“So, what did you decide to be?”
“Oh, nothing as original as you. Julie dragged me to one of those costume stores, and that's where we did some damage. Julie ended up getting a vampire costume. You know how she is about vampires.”
Brenda giggled. “Yeah, sometimes I think she would like to be one.”
I nodded. “Yeah, and to be honest, I couldn't find a damn thing that I felt comfortable in, so I just let Julie pick for me.”
“Ohh, that was probably a bad idea. Did she get you something slutty?”
I laughed. “No, I did draw the line there; I didn't want anything that required me to wear a short skirt. So she picked Catwoman for me.”
“You're not joking?”
“No, and although I don't show any skin, the outfit itself is skin-tight. There really are no words for it.”
Brenda chuckled. “Well, that's why I choose to make my own. Had I Googled my costume, I guarantee I would have pulled up a slutty version of Ansel Adams.”
We laughed together. I started gathering up my books, as class was ending. Brenda decided to come back to my apartment and get ready there. Then we would all go to the party together.
“Oh God, I can't be seen in this. I don't know what I was thinking when I allowed you to choose a costume for me. I may have been better off with a short skirt.” I stepped out of the bathroom, where Julie and Brenda were waiting. They looked amazing, Brenda really outdid herself with the originality of her costume, and she didn't even have to look slutty. Julie looked stunning, of course, as part of the undead world. She had found adhesive fangs that were so real looking that they gave me the creeps. They were a hell of a lot better than those fake choppers that used to be worn with vampire costumes.
Although she looked creepy, her outfit was also hot as hell. And that left me, Catwoman. I had the traditional pantsuit that was skin-tight, and a face mask that covered my eyes, and some cat ears. I had curled my red hair so that it was full enough that I could attach my eyes to it, and it would look less like a costume. When I stepped out of the bathroom, their mouths dropped open.
“What? What happened?”
“Oh my God, Natalie, you look ridiculously hot; no one at that party is even going to remember that you are an art student in that getup.”
“Oh, stop.”
“No, seriously. If Jet is there, he may have to fight for your attention this time.”
She managed to make me blush as well, and we decided to have a glass of wine before we headed out to the party. We sat and talked about boys and assignments, and vowed that we would all end up back at our apartment that night without any guys in tow. It was certainly something that I had to keep a handle on, so I was glad the girls were okay with stopping such situations if they happened.
We called a cab, and headed out to the campus costume party.
When we arrived, the place was packed. It was wall-to-wall people, and everyone was dressed up. It was actually a lot harder to find people I knew when they were donned in their finest costumes. There were plenty of zombies, what with the popularity of The Walking Dead. There were also a lot of superheroes and vampires. I saw some Duck Dynasty apparel, as well as fairies and angels. There were a few people whose costumes I couldn't guess, and I wondered if they chose the same type of original idea as Brenda had.
We continued to make our way through the crowds until I saw Jet. He wasn't hard to find at all. He was shirtless that October night, with an open robe and boxer shorts. It wasn't hard to guess that he was Rocky. He had a cut above his eye and some bruising on his face, and I couldn't tell whether it was makeup or not. Kyle was there as Batman, and a few of his other teammates surrounded him in various forms of costume.
He spotted me immediately and made a beeline for our little group.
“My God, Natalie, I almost didn't recognize you. That's a pretty hot getup.”
“What the hell? What do you mean you almost didn't recognize me?”
The girls started to giggle as an awkward look came over Jet's face. “No, that's not what I meant. You always look amazing, Natalie, you know that. But to be honest, I thought you would avoid costumes like this and go with something nerdier, like a famous painter.”
His eyes fell on Brenda, and he looked confused. “Are you a man, Brenda? Like a tourist with a camera?”
Julie was bent over, dying with laughter. She thought Jet was hilarious, but what seemed to be funnier for her were the holes he constantly dug himself into.
“Ahhh no, I'm Ansel Adams, the famous photographer. I apparently went for the nerdy costume.”
He looked like he had some regrets. “Ohh, right, I see. I had no idea what he looked like, that's all.” He turned to Julie, who was still busting a gut. “Thanks a lot, Julie. You're a big help. Nice costume, though; you plan on biting anyone tonight?”
“Oh, we'll see; the night is young.”
“Well, I can introduce you to some of my friends if you like.”
She smiled. “Maybe, we'll see. Anyway, Natalie, we are going to grab a drink. We'll see you in a bit.”
I nodded. “So, Rocky, right?”
He smiled. “I'm glad you can recognize a legend. Yeah, of course. I'm not really big on dressing up for Halloween, but my buddies wanted to come, so I thought, what the hell.”
“Your face definitely matches the costume. I thought it was makeup at first, but clearly it isn't. So what happened? Did Katie do that to you?”
He laughed loudly. “No, she didn't. I had the conference semifinals the other day, and well, I got my ass whooped.”
“Oh, I'm sorry, Jet.”
“No, don't get me wrong. I won my belt, and I'm going to the finals, but I still took a really good beating.”
He moved his robe to the side, and I could see bruises all over his body. “I ended up breaking the guy’s rib; that's what finally ended the fight.”
“Wow, that's incredible. I didn't realize they let things go too far.”
“Well, I don't think they normally do, but the guy kept getting up. He was a monster, and had they not stopped the fight, he would have kept coming at me, broken bones and all.”
“Really?” My eyebrows rose; I had a hard time picturing it. “But you're okay?”
“Yeah, I had to go to the hospital and get stitches, but that was it. Noting major, but I have a lot of healing to do before the finals.”
She nodded. “I have those pictures, by the way, from the fight that I attended. They came out really well, and I got an A+ on the project.”
“Hey, good for you. Wow, teachers actually give out A-pluses? Man, I thought it was just a myth.”
She giggled. “No, Jet. It just requires studying.”
“Yeah, I don't have time for sure things. Maybe now I will, though, since I will be resting a lot.”
“Well, next time you come for the drawing, I'll show you the pictures.”
“Cool.”
Brenda and Julie came back with drinks, and handed us each a glass of mystery punch. It looked like bad news right there, but
thankfully, we girls had vowed to go home alone.
Jet waved over his buddies, and the girls quickly started mingling with them.
“Hey, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?”
There was a long pause before I answered. “Jet, I thought we agreed that we were just friends.”
“Oh, I definitely never agreed to that. But yes, you have mentioned it. The thing is, I wasn't asking you on a date.”
I looked at him, confused.
He explained. “I have to have dinner with my brother and father, and it's bound to be really awkward, so I was hoping you would come as a form of distraction to the whole thing.”
“Now, why is dinner with your family awkward?”
“It's a really long story, and not a very interesting one. Will you come?”
“Won't your family think it's odd that some random girl is coming?”
“You're not some random girl, and I already told them I was bringing you. It's fine.”
I laughed. “Were you that sure I was going to go?”
“No, of course not. I just wanted to make sure that they were okay with it. Please? You would really save my life on this one.”
I nodded. “Okay, I will go.”
“Thanks, Natalie. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
The night went by perfectly, and I kept my drinking to a minimum. Although I mingled with a lot of very different people throughout the night, Jet stayed pretty much by my side for the entire evening. Julie seemed to find one of Jet's friends interesting enough to talk to, and they really seemed to get along great. Brenda, of course, already had her beau, who showed up in a Frankenstein costume.
The night ended well, with awards being handed out for originality, scariest costume, and sexiest. Everyone cheered as I won the award for sexiest costume of the night. I was completely stunned, but accepted it graciously.
I collected Brenda and Julie together, and we decided to catch a cab home. We could have walked, but when you’re drunk, walks like that seem extra long. I said goodbye to Jet and the rest of them, and we headed home to warm beds, alone.