Fight (7 page)

Chapter 14

Eva

"Taxi." I had shouted four times already, but none of the bastard yellow cars were stopping; they just never stop when you need them. I wanted to catch a cab and get into Nathan's arms as soon as possible. The pressure was killing me. My mother had left me on the edge of a cliff and I was dying to spill it out, all in front of Nathan. I couldn't hold it inside me any longer. I needed my boyfriend to listen to me and advise me.

Last night had been sleepless, thinking about my conversation with my mom. Nathan was the person with whom I could share this all. My heart was racing faster with the thoughts of telling this all to Nathan. Only he could give me an unbiased opinion. What I did with my mom over the years, was it bad or good? My head was going to burst if I didn't tell this all to Nathan.

Finally one yellow cab stopped. "Please, hurry." I told him the address. It felt like an eternity in the cab. I cursed the driver a thousand times before I stepped out of the cab.

"Keep the change." I gave fifty bucks to the cab driver and ran up the stairs. I must have pressed the bell ten times before my Prince Charming opened the door.

He was ready in his skin tight t-shirt and track pants. His Pecs grabbed my attention. I wanted to lick them, but my mind was filled with something else. "Eva?" his expression turned to surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I have something to tell you, Nathan. It's about my mom. I can't hold it inside anymore."

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I really have to leave. I have a training session scheduled." He turned back to pick his gym bag.

"But..."

"I'll drop you back home. We can talk inside the car," he replied while closing the door. "I know you have something important to say, but please understand me." He made his puppy face.

I dropped my shoulders. "Okay."

"Are you all right?" he touched my shoulder.

I snapped out of my thoughts about my mother. "Yes." I looked at him with a confused mind.

I asked, "Why didn't you call me? I told you my training is starting today. But you didn't respond.”

"Nothing. It's just..." I decided to skip the talk. "Can you drop me off at Chloe’s?" She was the second person in the world I could share my feelings with.

"Okay. But you didn't tell me anything. Why did you come so early?" He stepped down.

"Nothing, just thought of surprising you," I lied and followed him.

"Oh, my sweetie." He turned back and hugged me tightly." I love you, babe." He kissed me on my cheek.

"Love you, too." He drove the car faster than I had expected. Chloe's dorm was on a different route, and he had some schedule to follow.

"Here you are." He kissed my cheek. I hopped out of the car and waved goodbye to him.

I picked up my key from the mailbox and opened the dorm room. I expected Chloe to be asleep. But I heard crying sounds; somebody was crying. I walked in Chloe's room to find her in tears. "What happened, Chloe? Why are you crying?"

She looked at me with surprise, but then she started sobbing again. Moving near her, I wrapped her in my arms. "Hey, what happened? Why are you crying so early?"

"It’s nothing." Her voice sounded half-hearted. She tried to wipe off her tears and clear her throat. "Nothing. What are you doing here?"

"Nathan dropped me off." I looked at her face, and dark circles covered her eyes. Her cheeks were wet and red because of lots of crying. "Tell me first what happened?"

"Martin."

"What did he do?" I had thought it was going fine between them.

"He is the biggest jerk I know on the earth. He said he needs time to think about our relationship." She started sobbing again. The Chloe I knew was always jolly and happy. The one I was seeing that moment was someone different. Martin must have really broken her heart.

"But why?" I pulled her closer.

"He thinks we are..." she cleared her throat, "not compatible," She said in a low voice.

"Did he break up with you?" I asked straight out. I didn't know their version of break-ups.

"No, he said he just need some time to think. He was all upset after that river rafting event..." She couldn't speak any more.

"But what compatibility? What did he mean by that? And I thought you had fixed things with him, a few nights ago."

"He thinks I'm too up-beat, a happy-go-lucky person. He thinks I don't take things seriously."

"Damn, you are the most mature person I know. How can he say that you are not serious?" I didn't understand Martin’s logic.

"He broke my heart, Eva. We had a huge fight last night and that bastard messaged me this." She handed me her phone.

Sorry Chloe, I need some time to think about our relationship. I don't see this going smooth. - Martin

"What the hell?" His message raised my temper to the new levels. "Why didn't you call me earlier?"

"I thought you had enough tension in your plate." She was worried about me in her grief as well.

"Chloe, my friend, you don't have to think like that. I love you more than any of my problems." I kissed her forehead. "Now get up and wash your face. Don’t cry over this. Look at the bright side. He isn’tt giving up on the relationship and he is willing to spend time thinking about how to improve it." I pulled her to stand up. "Now come on, hop in the shower and we’ll go for breakfast."

"But your classes?" She wiped her tears.

"I’m taking a break today. Now, go and get ready." I pushed her to the bathroom. She walked away slowly. I felt heavy-hearted. I came to unload my baggage, but her baggage was heavier than mine. Mine could wait for some other time. I just couldn't see her in that condition.
'I have to talk with Martin.'
I muttered.

A shadow of sadness touched my mind. I had expected better from Nathan. But maybe he didn't understand my dire situation. It wasn't his fault, though. I hadn’t told him anything about it.

Chapter 15

Nathan

Training: Day One

I dropped Eva at Chloe's, but the question kept hitting my mind. '
Why did she come so early.
' She wanted to say something, I felt that. But I acted like a jerk and told her training was the reason. I should have listened to her. But I already dropped her off.

"Good morning," Mason welcomed me. There was no one in the club. It was too early for anyone to come at that time. Memory of my training with him at college flooded my mind. "It's different."

"What?"

"We were immature that time. Even the opponent was a college student. But this time, we are up against the national champion."

"True. Do you think we can pull this off?"

"Do you believe in yourself?"

"Yes, I do."

"You have lots of surprising moves, Nathan. We just have to polish them. Treat this as your last fight and we will win." He smiled and patted me on my shoulder. "Let's get to squats."

"Let's go. I’m ready." I dropped my gym bag in the locker and came out, ready and flooded with adrenalin.

"We are going to do lots of squats. And then more squats."

"Why?"

"I’ve noticed that you lack quick actions in your legs. To move fast, you must have good balance and core strength. Squats are the best for that."

I threw my shoulders the in air and followed him to a corner. We started doing squats in sets of forty each. At first, it was easy. But after five sets of forty, my legs started giving out. After the sixth set, I dropped to the floor. "Dude, you're killing me with squats."

"Okay, we’ll do some punching now." He gave his hand to help me.

"How am I supposed to walk now?"

He laughed. "Just like this." He dragged me with him to the punching bag. We started hitting different punching bags simultaneously. We trained for almost two hours; the whole floor around us was wet with our sweat. "Let's take a break. And we will continue with squats again," He commented.

"Are you crazy? Squats again?"

"Yes. Squats again. Same five rounds," he commanded.

When we were done with training, I couldn't lift my legs anymore. I don't know how I drove back home. I called Eva before falling in bed, but she was busy with Chloe. For the whole evening, I slept like a dead man. Eva called me that night, but I was half asleep and when I woke up next day, I didn't remember if we had talked.

Training Day Two:

"Good morning, my sweetest heart." I greeted Eva.

"Sorry, but I'm not your sweetheart," Eva's mother answered.

"Sorry, Mrs. Clark. Can I talk to Eva."

"Are you going to listen to me if I say no?"

"Not a chance," I replied in a firm voice. I didn't like the tone that woman was using. I listened to her only because she was Eva's mother.

"Eva, some jerk is on the phone." Eva must have been near her.

"Hey, baby." After a few seconds I heard Eva's sweet voice. "Sorry about her."

"No worries. Your mother doesn’t  particularly like me. "

"She didn't have a good experience with my past boyfriends." She giggled. "What's the plan for the morning? Coming to the college canteen?" she asked with lots of hope.

"No, babe, second day with Mason. That guy is killing me."

"Take it steady, sweetie. You were talking like you were drunk last night."

"Was I? Sorry. I was so tired."

"Yes, you told me that. Take it easy today. Don't get hurt."

"You don't know what kind of training I had when I was in college."

"Oh. I have to go now. I'm going to be late for class. Talk to ya tonight." She hung up the phone.

I drove to the club. Mason was already there, waiting for me. I admired his discipline. That man hadn't participated in fights, but learned every ABC and D of the game. Every day he woke up at five a.m. and practiced kick-boxing. "You should get into the matches, dude. You know I don't have your hard working ethic." I said.

"I don't have your talent and quick thinking." He chuckled. "And I don't have a girlfriend like yours."

I punched him hard on his chest. "Keep yourself away, or else you will die this time." I chuckled. "Which way you are going to try to kill me today?"

"Squats first, then lower training."

We did five rounds of forty squats each. My legs were hurting like hell, but I followed his instructions and before the fifth round, I was feeling normal.

"Okay, now we will go through eccentric lower, concentrating on explosive lower movements. Like hard drop, plyo lounges and many more."

We started our training. He showed me the movement first and then I followed him. It was hard at first, but in time I gained momentum. I could feel the balance developing inside me slowly. His ways always worked quickly on my body.

We finished our training in two or three hours. My legs were again sore and I was tired. I went home and slept until somebody rang my doorbell again and again. I opened the door to find Eva standing outside.

"What a pleasant surprise. Don't you have classes today?"I was still half asleep.

"Mr. Brown, It's seven thirty in the evening. "

"Shit, I slept like five hours straight. Damn Mason. He killed my legs and my energy."

"Good for you. Let me in now."

I smiled and let her in. She went to kitchen and started preparing dinner. I remembered Samantha. In the initial days of our marriage, she used to prepare lunch and dinner for me. I loved Eva for her attitude. "I love you, baby." I grabbed her from behind.

"Let me cook first." She pushed me away.

We ate dinner and sat on the couch watching prime time television. I didn't know when I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I had a sheet over my body. I looked for Eva; she was inside the bedroom, sleeping like a small child, innocent and peaceful.

Training Day 3:

The clattering sounds of pots and pans disturbed my sleep. "Who's there?" I shouted. For a moment, I forgot that Eva was with me.

"It's me, Eva." Her sexy body followed after her sensual voice. She came closer and twirled my hair. "Good morning, Prince Charming. Get up, I've breakfast ready."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Eva," I replied. I didn't want her to take care of me. I liked the messed up way I lived.

"I've done it for you without batting an eye." She kissed me on my forehead and went back in kitchen. She reminded me of Samantha. My heart pounded with sorrow. I wouldn't want to hurt her by any means. Samantha had hurt me many times, but watching Eva caring for me like Samantha had broke my heart. I lifted myself from the bed and walked to the kitchen. Eva was making eggs.

I grabbed her from behind and kissed her hot, exposed neck. "Love ya, babe," I whispered, while drinking in her skin. She hit my head with a spoon.

“Aww, that hurts." I rubbed my forehead.

"Don't disturb me. Get the hell out of here." She acted like my wife. I loved the way she said that, but that again reminded me of Samantha. My heart panicked. I had not thought about a future with her yet. It would be nice and I would look forward to it.  But how to get there? And where the hell would this relationship lead? I didn't have the answer.

Fifteen minutes later she came in with a tray full of boiled eggs and a glass of juice. "I thought, as you are training, protein would help you."

I stood and kissed her cheek."Damn great of you." I remembered my fights with Samantha, like I was living those days again. Samantha was the reason, but remembering Samantha's early sweetness in Eva, made me feel that I was the reason. But I wasn't the reason and that Fucking Samantha cheated on me in broad daylight. "Damn, I have to go to train with Mason again."

"Aren't you happy, Nathan?"

"Happy?"

"You sounded bummed by the fact that you have to train with Mason." She sounded worried.

"Nothing like that, but yes, I still have some doubts left. And you wouldn’t expect me being so friendly with him all of a sudden. It will require some time."

She touched my shoulder. "I feel afraid when you fight." Her voice was filled with concern.

"It's my hobby, sweetheart."

"And you are taking it seriously."

I had no answer for her. "I'm going to be late for training. Can I drop you at college?" I avoided her question.

"Yes, please," she answered coldly.

I dropped her off and drove to club. As expected Mason was ready for the training.

The moment he saw me, Mason said, "Geez, you are looking like a sad girl."

"Fuck you, Mason. Let's get started with training." I tried to punch him, but he avoided my jab and punched me back. "Ouch."

He laughed."We are practicing squat kicks and squat jumps today."

"Okay."

"You didn't ask why?" he said.

"Waste of my time," I replied and started walking towards the changing room.

"It will help you jumping off and getting crap out of opponent’s chests."

"Right now, I just want to beat the crap out of you." I chuckled.

Training Day 4:

Eva

I woke up early. I looked at Nathan. He was lying down on the bed, eyes closed, hands crossed. He had this habit of sleeping with his hands crossed. I went ahead and moved his hands. Still asleep, he crossed them again. Again, I pushed them away. He crossed them again. I took some water and splashed it on his face. He woke up in shock, looking everywhere for the source. I stood behind the door, watching him going crazy like a small child. He searched for me, called my name. When I didn't come back, he lifted his ass from bed and went to the kitchen, searching for me. I sneaked up behind him and jumped on his back. He stumbled, but balanced himself. He swiped at me with his hand, and in next moment I was in his arms, looking into his eyes. His lips stroked mine with passion and desire. His one arm balanced my ass and other traced along my spine, giving me tingles all over. I moaned in pleasure; he was too good in his moves.

"Come on, baby," I whispered in his ear.

"Tonight," he replied.

"What, Nathan." My voice rose in anger. Every night he came back, he was all busted and tired. I wanted him, I wanted to feel his skin over mine, but he..."What the hell?"

"I need to finish this training. Three more days, for my sake." He looked deep into my eyes. Love floated there, but my need was real.

"Damn, Nathan. It's been more than a week now," I replied in disappointment.

"I thought you would understand how important this is to me." He put me back on the couch and sat beside me.

"I do, Nathan." I faced him and wrapped his face in my palms. "But..I’m afraid this training is taking you away from me." I spoke my heart.

He pulled me closer to him. Looking straight into my eyes, he said "I assure you of one thing." He kissed my lips. "You are mine, and no matter what I will not leave you."

"I'm counting on that." I hugged him tightly. "Let me fix breakfast then. I'm heading back to Mom's hotel tonight." I wanted to stay, but Mom had called me yesterday and asked me to come back. She missed me. After hearing the truth from her, I felt empathy towards her.

Nathan dropped me at college. The day passed busily, with lectures and then Chloe. Fortunately, she and Martin had made up last night, so she was happy for the time being. But their conditions and his attitude freaked me out. The last thing I wanted for her was unhappiness. And Martin was a dumb ass. I was tired, even before the day was over. We had homework, lots of it. It took me and my partner three hours, after class, to finish it. I was not only tired but also frustrated from the day. I was planning on going to sleep early.

When I came back to the hotel, I decided to say goodnight to Mom. When I pushed her room door, it opened instantly. My mother was sitting in her chair looking at the ceiling. Her face was covered in wrinkles. Many files were on the table and a laptop was open in front of her. My heart sunk in fear, my mind imagined the worst. I ran forward and shook her.

"What?" She look shocked. "Why are you terrified?"

"Nothing," I sighed. "Really, nothing. I had a nightmare."

"Don't worry, I am not dead." She forced a weak smile. "Though I wish I would be some day sooner, if I continue like this," she said with grief.

"Please, Mom, don't." I put my hand on her mouth. My mind was going crazy, she somehow made me feel responsible for everything that had happened to her.

"Don't worry. I have enough left to do. I will not leave you a broken empire to handle. I don't want to see another me in you."

I turned back with a heart full of emotions. I never thought I would empathize with my mother, ever. But she had turned the tides somehow. I ended up sandwiched between my own dream and my duty.

I needed Nathan to discuss this with me, but he was away fighting for his pride. I couldn't blame him for that, he needed that. But sometimes he worried me. I felt distanced from him. I saw him on other side of the river, a river without a bridge and no boat to cross. He looks at me, calls me by spreading his arms wide open. But I remain on this side, crying, pounding my fist on the surface. I just couldn't do anything.