17
TERA
“How is Jamie able to afford a jet?” I ask Linc. Jamie “Jabs” Royal is one of Linc’s fighter buddies. Their underground isn’t so “underground” anymore. They’ve become very popular, but they like this mid-level status they’re at.
I, personally, think Linc could kick some serious ass at the UFC level, but he keeps telling me he’s not in it for the fame. Every time he says it, I roll my eyes. Helovesthe attention, but then again he does like his privacy.
“He’s made investments,” Linc answers as the car we hired drives us to the airport.
“You’ve made investments,” I remind him.
“I have,” he agrees.
“And?” I prod.
He smirks. “I could buy a jet if I wanted to. But I don’t travel enough to justify the expense. Royal is always going somewhere.”
I nod. “With his harem of sluts.”
Linc laughs. “They’re not sluts, T. They’re his girlfriends.”
I roll my eyes—again. “Girlfriends,” I say making quotes with my fingers. “He should be saying, girlfriend. Not plural.”
“He is who he is,” Linc tells me with a shrug.
“Yeah, well.”
We fall into a comfortable silence, and I take in the sights—sights I haven't been able to enjoy for over a decade. Sights I took for granted and never will again.
“Look at that skyline. It’s so beautiful,” I tell Linc, pointing out the sunrise.
He grunts and takes another drink of his coffee.
“You should learn to appreciate it. You could be like me and not get to see it in forever,” I remind him.
“I appreciate it. I’m just not looking forward to flying.”
Linc’s never liked flying—not even when we were kids. “I told you, we could have taken the train or gone on a road trip.”
“Hell no. There is no way you’d be able to handle being on a cramped train for that long no matter how much therapy you’ve had.Ihave issues with it. And road trip? With you? Listening to your music? Fuck the fuck no. You’d turn on some Bieber or some shit like that,” he replies.
“Maybe I’d play some Biebs, but at least I wouldn’t play she who shall not be named,” I tease.
“All you gotta say is ‘Evil’ and I know who you mean. Ben knew what he was doing when he nicknamed her that.”
I nod. “True story.”
“Are you anxious, Tera?” Linc asks.
I shrug a shoulder. "Of course, I am. I wouldn't be me if I weren't, but I'll be okay. I have my anxiety exercises, and it's really just the airport that I'll have issues with."
“Both here and there.”
“Here more than there. I’ll be too excited when we get there to think much about where we are and who’s around,” I fib.
“Lies. You’ll think. You’ll worry. You’ll fret. But you’ll make it through because you’re the strongest you’ve been since the attack.”
“It’s not easy. It won’t get easier. I’ll always have the anxiety, and that really sucks. I hate that people did this to me. I hate that people are still doing this to others. I hate that it’s more commonplace than it was when it happened to me and that people have actually gotten so used to it happening they aren’t even as outraged anymore.”
