TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

Garrett

I was looking forward to seeing Raegan at the gym. She skipped out before I woke up and I pray she doesn’t regret anything. Today is the day I’m going to ask her out. I’m on the road to becoming a new man; Whitney is going to think I am possessed. Hell, I’m already beginning to believe it myself.

All of a sudden I realize I’m training with Lance. Raegan’s not here. She should have been here by now.

Shit. I fucked up by listening to her and lying beside her in the bed. I should have slept on the couch. But she wanted me to; that can’t be it. Maybe she’s just running late.

“Damn, Lance, you look like shit.” He appears fatigued, but what I’m assuming was caused by alcohol might be from everything he’s going through at home.

“Yeah, fuck you, Garrett. Let’s get this over with.”

“How are your mom and dad?”

He squints at me for a second before gazing at the mat below him. “Dad and I think Mom’s getting worse but she still refuses to go to the hospital. She was throwing up this morning. I was the only one there to take care of her. Dad had an interview somewhere; I really hope he gets it. I’m so scared to lose her, Garrett.”

I take in a deep breath as I reach out to touch his shoulder. I know none of this is easy for him. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you to help anyway I can.”

Awkward silence. My mind wanders back to Raegan. I can’t help but be upset she isn’t here. I wonder if I did something wrong.

Trying not to sound like an idiot, I mumble, “So uh, where’s Raegan?”

Lance’s expression morphs into a childish attempt to make kissy noises at me, before I kick his legs from under him.

“Shit, Garrett. What the hell did you do that for? She came in earlier and was leaving when I got here. Maybe she’s avoiding you.”

“She’s not avoiding me.” I hope she’s not, but it’s the only explanation I can come up with; just the thought of it hurts like hell. I wanted to ask her out on a real date, treat her like the beautiful woman she is. I also want to make her forget about that ex of hers.

Whitney wanders across the gym, looking less than chipper. It’s got to be the pregnancy hormones. This girl has more mood swings than I can keep up with.

“She’s fine, Garrett.” Whitney puts her hands on her hips and does a few stretch exercises. “Give her a damn break.”

“A break from what? What are you not telling me?”

“Nothing. All I’m saying is…chill out. Leave her be.”

Why the hell is everyone against me right now? If I knew her phone number or even where she lived I’d go see her. I need to know I didn’t scare her off.

I regret nothing from last night. If anything, I’d have made more conversation with her at the bar. I’d have told her just how beautiful I think she is, but I didn’t.

Before another thought can hit me, Lance has me pinned to the mat. Fuck. This is why I don’t focus on anything but fighting. This girl who’s barely been around has consumed my thoughts; I can’t think straight. Maybe it’s best to forget she ever came walking in, leaving her mark on me. I should pretend I never saw her, next spoke to her. Never kissed her. But how in the hell can I forget those beautiful blue eyes of hers?

I’m so screwed.

Chapter 11

Raegan

It’s been a miserable week and a half trying to avoid Garrett at Lou’s. I feel horrible; I am terrified he wants nothing to do with me. I don’t know him well enough, so I can’t just tell him everything even though Nancy thought it was a good idea. He’d run away from me. No one wants the girl with daddy issues.

Howard continued to help me train and even set up a few matches outside of our group; no one from the gym was there. I won all of them, and I’ve never been more proud. With each fight, my ribs endured more pain but I sucked it up. I have to if I want to be triumphant, and I intend to. I managed to tuck away at least five hundred dollars in a shoebox in my closet. Maybe a little less once I put aside money for fuel and food. The two Fs is what I like to call them, since I am pretty much fending for myself. No way in hell am I relying on Dad for anything. It isn’t safe.

There’ve been no more run-ins with James and Adryian, and Dad seems to have turned over a new leaf for the time being. I guess seeing your daughter with a black eye changes your perspective on things. He never apologized but he hasn’t put his hands on me since.

Even so, he still talks to me as if I’m lower than dirt. Once or twice he called me names but that was it. Shit, I’ll take that any day compared to the other things he’s done. Once or twice we’ve even held a civil conversation and it broke my heart to see the side of him I missed so much. The side who loved his daughter and would never do anything in this world to hurt her. I saw the man who used to give me piggyback rides around the house, and build forts with me in the living room. I embraced that, enjoying every second. I know he can get better if he tries.

Relief washes over me as I stand in front of the mirror applying my makeup and the bruise barely shows. It fades day by day and I feel confident enough to step outside without any sunglasses. The gym is the only place I feel like going right now and I vow to myself nothing will keep me from training. I can’t be a coward all my life.

No one is here yet but it doesn’t stop me from stretching. My mind races in about fifty different directions, but most of my thoughts involve Garrett. He’s bound to ask where I’ve been; I’m not ready for that yet.