The Fight Club (6 page)

Julie

Noah’s words remained with me the rest of the day. How could he comment on my body? I carried myself with pride, and he was no one to comment on it. At the same time, I wished he didn’t mean them.

What the fuck. I was right before. He was the biggest asshole I had ever met in my life. But some part of my mind hoped that it was just a joke. Yet why did I feel insulted when he said those words? If he was joking, I shouldn't care at all. If I grasped his nature, he was flirty, and arrogant. I felt kind of bad. Why was he affecting me this much?

No, Julie. You are a fighter and fighters don’t have lots of curves. Fighters have muscles.

There was a spark that flew between us. What was that about? When he wrapped me in his arms, and when my breasts were pressed on his mouth, I felt like he was trying to suck my nipple.

Oh god, what is happening to me? Am I feeling so horny that I'm daydreaming? I'm not looking for any relationship, and fucking my client is out of the question. Come on, Julie. You need to get a hold of yourself.

But then, the way he looked in his sleeveless tee, his muscular abs exaggerating all that he had…wow. I felt like I wanted to touch them, and imprint them in my mind.

God, what was I thinking? I had seen hundreds of better abs in my life. Heck, I worked with them, and still my mind was fixated on Noah's body.

"Julie, he insulted you, so get him off your mind quickly," I whispered again.

"Are you talking to someone, Julie?" someone asked. I turned back to look at them. A fighter was standing in front of me, looking puzzled.

"Was I talking out loud?" I asked.

"I didn't hear what you said. But I wanted to make sure that I didn't disturb you."

"How do you know my name?" I had never met this man.

"Mark told me about you. I'm Tony Wade. I fight in states league."

"Hi Tony. How may I help you?" So he was a fellow fighter. As a trainer, it was my job to help these guys and not have fantasies about them. Yes, Noah was totally out of my league, and he was a jerk on top of everything.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor." His blue eyes lurked with hope.

"Yes. I'm here to help." I smiled at him, to give him confidence.

"Thank God. I was so afraid to ask you about that. You know, I kind of... don't talk with girls."

"No worries. I can understand, people have different orientations." So he was gay. But that was perfectly fine with me. I was there to work with him and not judge him on his sexual fantasies. Heck, I had my own fantasies, and I was trying to run away from them.

"Why would you say that?" He looked puzzled. He was scratching his head now.

"I know your issue. It’s perfectly normal to be different."

"Different? What kind of different? Why do you think I'm different?" His voice was bewildered.

"It's okay, Tony. You don't have to hide it from everyone. I have friends who are like you." I was bitterly reminded of Eddie. But he was gone for good, and it wasn’t fair to hate other gay people just because my ex-boyfriend turned out to be one of them.

"Please tell me what’s going on? I don't get girls." He grabbed his hair, eyebrows pulling together.

"Don't be shy, Tony. I know you’re gay. It's perfectly fine." I touched his shoulder. I saw Noah looking at us from the corner of my eye. He looked furious. He walked towards Rose, who was standing in front of the pool. Why was he going to her? He didn’t work with her, so why would he approach her?

"What? Why would you say that?" The words dropped out of his mouth.

"You only mentioned that you like talking to boys."

"I didn’t say that." His jaw fell wide open.

"Relax, Tony. It's okay. And I will help you no matter what.” I hoped his issue would be something related to training, and not an emotional breakdown. I wasn't ready to hear him crying over some boyfriend running away. My mind was still dwelling on Eddie.

"Okay, lady. I don't know what really got into you, but I'm not gay,” Tony said, a bit angrily. “I have issues talking to girls because I'm a shy person. And I want your help to work on my shoulder. Jimmy told me that you did wonders on his shoulder other day, so I wanted to see if you could help me with mine, too."

"Oh. So you’re not gay then.”

"Why do you sound like you are disappointed? Is it bad that I’m straight?" He rolled his eyes, and I tried not to laugh.

"Never mind. I'm just glad your problem has something to do with your shoulder." Thank God. I was saved from becoming a complete emotional disaster.

"You are weird, girl," he said.

I giggled. "I guess. So tell me, what kind of help do you want?"

"I have a match tomorrow. Nothing big, but with another fight club. For a few days, my shoulder has been hurting. I was wondering if you can check it. If you are not too busy."

"I'll check right that away. Lie down on the bench here for me." I pointed to a massage bench.

"Sure, girl."

He wasn't shy to remove his shirt. He had a marvelous body, chiseled, every muscle popping. But he wasn’t my kind of guy. A giggle spurted out of my mouth when I remembered our conversation just now.

"Why are you laughing? Don’t I look like a fighter when I'm shirtless?" he made another funny face. "Damn. I knew it. This is why I never talk to girls."

"Ease up. Let me have a look at your knot." I pushed him on the bench and examined his back. It looked much stiffer than it should have been. "Aren't you taking regular therapy sessions after matches?"

"Please don't tell this to Gavin, but I have missed some in the last few days."

"That's not good, Tony. You’ll break your back if you continue like this. Physical therapy is a must for fighters like you." I sighed. These new fighters thought they could get away with anything.

"I heard you’re new to the city. Did you get a place?" he asked while I worked on the knot I found in his shoulder.

"Orison Avenue, just four blocks down from here."

"Wow. I live next to that block. We’re practically neighbors." His voice cheered up. This man was like a kid. He was really something. I liked it. He gave me friendly vibes, instead of the lustful ones I usually got from men.

"So how did you get into fighting?" I was getting bored by working on his shoulder. I was hoping for some conversation.

"It's a long story, thanks to Gavin. He literally lifted me up from the slums. I was an orphan boy, worked at a local store back in the day and fought in an underground league in the night. Gavin saw me and asked me to join."

"But I guess the fees here must be more than you were earning?" If Gavin was paying me a huge amount of money, he must be getting a good income from every fighter here.

"Well, Gavin is a billionaire, he inherited his money from his family. He could run this club for plenty of years without getting a single penny from anyone here. Anyways, in my case, he offered me sponsorship. Now I fight for his team. He is a superb person. I wish if I had met him before I got into the underground league." He sounded sad.

"Look at the positives. You seem to be doing good now. And I'm sure you will do great in this fight." I tried to cheer him up.

"Yes, I will do anything to help Gavin's team. He’s my mentor, and a friend.” He smiled.

I finished. "You’re done, neighbor. But you have to promise me that you will get therapy done regularly from now on." I was afraid that he would just continue neglecting therapy after the match.

"Of course. I'm already feeling wonderful. Are you done for today?"

"Done?"

"I mean, is your work finished?”

"Yes. I was actually going out when you called me. I'm leaving a bit early today."

"What about lunch, then? Please, let me buy you a lunch, as a token of my gratitude."

"Don't worry. Gavin pays me for it." I grinned. He was a nice guy.

"I know a good joint around the corner. I'm sure you will like coffee from there."

I could already feel the aromatic taste of coffee in my mouth. I loved coffee, and Tony looked like a good guy. But I had some shopping to get done, so I couldn't join him. "Not today, Tony. I'm sorry. I've some work to do."

"What about dinner then? I know a good place. Please don't say no to that." He asked again, with a puppy face this time.

I relented "Okay. Call me when you’re ready to go." I gave him my number. He lived around the area, and it couldn’t hurt to learn where the best places to eat were. It would come in handy someday.

Noah

When I looked around, I regretted letting Rose choose the place for the dinner. She chose a cheap place, which I wouldn't visit even in my wildest dreams. Apparently, it was the best place she knew.

Why did I allow her to pick? I didn't have the answer. Maybe I was too distracted by the way Julie was talking with that guy. My mind was still trying to believe that it was real. She was exclusive to me, so why would she talk with another fighter?

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I was thinking too much about her. It was because she seduced me by pushing her boobs on my face. It's all because of the dry spell I'm going through. I haven’t had sex in last six days.

But the dry spell would be over in an hour. Rose was my twenty-eighth Monday girl. I would get her to my hotel as fast as possible, and then fuck her brains out. My cock was already throbbing at the thought of getting inside her pussy.

When I came to this restaurant, I felt cheated. But now, thinking about Rose, made everything different. I was scoring tonight.

"Hi, sweetheart." Rose bent down on my shoulder to kiss me, pressing her round tits on my cheeks.

I wrapped my hand around her waist and pulled her onto my lap. Her ass pressed on my rock hard cock.

"Easy, beast. I'm all yours after dinner," She giggled, and I let her go. I could wait. After all, it wasn't the first sex I’d ever had.

"I was just checking. I needed to make sure that you’re good in bed when naked." I winked.

"And what did you find?"

"You’re not wearing anything under that dress."

"What? How did you know?" She sat next to me and pressed her hand on my cock. It jumped against my trousers and kissed her hand. "My, my. Your little man is already ready to jump in. What did you eat for lunch today?"

She sounded cheap. She didn't know how to talk dirty. Maybe she was type of girl I never sleep with. But because of this fighting gig, I didn't have time to find a high-class girl to fuck. And I didn't like empty Mondays or prostitutes.

I pulled her little closer and pushed my hand up her skirt. As I predicted, she wasn't wearing anything under there. She was wet, and I liked it. It would be easy to slide my cock inside her and pin her on the bed.

"Did you hear about Tony?" She picked up my glass of wine. That was another thing. I hated when a girl drank from my glass. It was a tasteless thing to do.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, him and the new girl? Julie?"

Fuck! Why would she talk about other people when I was rubbing my fingers against her clit? She was acting like she had no sensation down there. I pulled my hand out of her skirt. The thought of sex with her was thrown to back of my mind. It wasn’t fun anymore. She fucking talked about Julie, and I didn’t want to hear about her.

"Yes, she’s my trainer. What about her?" I asked with mild interest.

"I think she’s trying to sleep with you. Keep yourself away from that bitch."

"What?" Why did she say that? Julie hated me.

"She’s trying to hook with Tony. He’s a big name out here. Gavin made sure that he got best training, and the best supervision for the next year's league. But Julie is trying to get in his bed. I know that for sure."

"Who’s Tony?" Why was Rose hell bent on discussing Julie’s love life?

"When you asked me out this morning, Julie was talking with him. Didn't you see her?"

"No. I didn't." I lied. I didn't want her to know that I had, indeed, seen them together.

"He’s a seasoned fighter. He
will
get big. And I think Julie wants to cash in when he does. I don't like that bitch. And I'm worried about you too, darling. You’re an innocent person. She’ll corrupt you, too."

She touched my cheek and behaved like she cared about me. Fucking crazy girl.

"I don't know him. And I'm not bothered with him right now," I said in an irritated voice.

"Look at the corner table! Both of them are sitting there," she hissed.

Instantly, I turned my head. Rose was right. Julie and Tony were sitting right by us.

My eyes fixated on Julie. She looked gorgeous. She had loosened her hair and placed the locks on her shoulder. She looked nothing like Tonya. Her lush lips were moving, and I wished I could kiss them.

I shook my head. What the hell I was thinking? I hated her, and all I could think about was kissing those red lips. And the dimple on her cheek. It was killing me with every smile she shared with Tony. Damn, why was she talking with that guy? She should be with me, sitting in front of me, sharing something funny.

But instead I had Rose, drinking the wine from my glass, irritating me with her nonsensical blabber. I remembered this is why I only fucked high class girls, they know manners, and they don't come behind you blabbering all the nonsense in the world. But Julie was something different. She amazed the heck out of me. She was opposite of what I believed she was.  When girls knew who I was, they always jumped on me for some or other benefit. But Julie, she fought with me for what was right.

I could clearly see the smile on Julie's face, and it was mesmerizing. I wish I was sitting next to her, looking in those purple eyes.

No. She looks like Tonya. I can't feel attracted to her. She isn’t for me.
But I was losing myself. She was taking more than enough interest in that jerk Tony. She was my trainer. Only mine.

I was falling into a trap.
Today is Monday, and you have to fuck someone’s brains out. That's how you forget her.

I looked at Rose. She was talking to me, unknown to fact that I didn't care for a single word she said. She was disgusting. I couldn't sleep with her. No, she can't be the one for this Monday. I had no one else to fuck, and every moment I sat there, I got irritated by looking at Julie enjoying her date with Tony.

I stood and threw a hundred-dollar bill at Rose. "Keep the change." I had no reason to be there, and no reason to eat from that fucking, nasty old hotel.

I heard Rose calling my name when I walked away, but I didn't care. I needed a long ride on my bike. But when I reached it, I found the back tire was flat.

"Fuck you." I bit my lower lip. I needed the ride to calm down.  But the bike was fucking dead.

I called up my butler to get the bike back to my house. I couldn't leave it there.

Now, I had to take a cab or walk.

Instead, I ran to my house. It was just a few miles. I looked like a fool, running in a business formal, but I didn't care. I ran until my lungs gave up, until I felt my sweat dripping on my shirt inside the jacket. I cared about nothing.

When I stopped, I saw my uncle’s house. It was a big old house, and I used to love it when I was young.

What the fuck am I doing here?
I had lived here, until Tonya left me. When she was gone, I left the house, and bought another one. But my Uncle Sam was too old and stubborn to leave. He chose to live in the old house.

"Noah, is that you?" Uncle Sam walked outside from the front door. He looked older in the night lights.

"Yes, Uncle Sam. It's me.”

"You’ve been gone for a while. I wondered if you even cared about this old fella." He chuckled, flashing his artificial teeth.

"Come on, Sam. How could I forget you so easily?”

"Come inside. You could use a drink or two."

"Maybe some other time, Sam. I'm in a hurry." He reminded me of the mistake I made in my life, the mistake of trusting Tonya. So better I don't indulge too much in any conversation with him.

"I don't see your car, or your bike. And you’re dripping wet. Were you running in business suit?"

He was an old uncle, but his mind was sharp. I shrugged.

"I guess you can use my car to go to your house. But first come inside and have a drink. You’re here, and I wouldn't let you go without one." He wrapped his hand around my arm and dragged me inside.

"I don't need one." I resisted, but eventually walked inside. It had almost been three years since I’d last been in this house. Uncle Sam used to come and meet me in my new place, but not anymore.

Uncle Sam opened the mini bar he had in the main hall. And then I saw her picture. A picture of the two of us, when we were in school. I grabbed it and threw it on the floor. Tonya

"Why do you still have this, uncle? Weren’t her actions enough for you?" I asked. My emotions had gotten the better of me now.

"I don't know how many years I have left, Noah. I just can't get rid of her that easily,” he replied calmly.

"Why did dad set me up with her? Why did he think that it would end in a happily-ever-after? Didn't he know that there is no such thing in this fucking world?"

I pushed my hand in my hair. My heart was racing faster than ever. Anger was boiling inside. I wanted to punch someone, destroy something.

"Because he believed in love."

"Then he should’ve let me choose.” I grabbed a bottle of wine and threw it on the wall. It shattered in pieces, but that wasn't enough to calm me down. I grabbed another one and threw it on the floor. "Does that dilute the poison in your heart?" he asked, still calm and composed.

"I'm angry with you, Sam. You watched my life get burned in her hands. You never tried to wake me up from the spell of that bitch."

"I know, my son, and I regret it. But I will keep loving you, no matter what."

I laughed bitterly. "You keep doing that."

I left. I didn't care where I was going, because I didn't care about the destination. Seeing her in that picture ignited the memories that I had buried deep inside my mind. I despised Uncle Sam for that.