“Pricks,” Jabs mutters.
We order our dinner when the waitress comes back, and I keep one eye on the three assholes by the door.
“I’m going to get an ulcer from all this shit,” Coach states.
“If you haven’t got one already, ya ain’t gonna get one now, Old Man,” Jabs taunts.
“Old man? Fuck off. I’m three years older than you, ya fuck.”
Jabs laughs.
Coach Dave used to be a fighter, too, until he got his bell rung way too hard and got a concussion that left him with intermittent vertigo and some memory problems. He was one hell of a fighter. When he got his bell rung? It was from a cheap shot from Spyder. It’s part of why I hate that son of a bitch. The other part is because he’s a loud-mouth prick who doesn’t know when to shut the hell up.
“Who’s fighting who tomorrow?” I ask.
Jabs gives me a look and I grin.
“Spyder?” I ask.
Jabs grins and nods.
“Now I understand the threesome,” Coach tells us.
I grunt in response, lifting my ginger ale and taking a long drink My eyes cut to Spyder who’s doing shots with the other two and chasing ‘em with beer.
Jabs follows my gaze. “He’s a fucking idiot.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
He thinks he doesn’t need to be in top shape to fight me. This is a first. Must be he heard about me and Ethan. Like that makes any difference as to how I fight.
I fight clean. I fight hard. I fight to win.
That fucker is going down.
23
ETHAN
The crowd’s wild and getting rowdier with each song. Hell, they’ve started a mosh pit—at a charity event. I suppose the sponsors don’t care who gets in, so long as they pay—and pay they did. These tickets were pricey.
I leave my wifebeater on to soak up the sweat so do Ben and Kennedy. We’ve hauled out the bandanas to keep the sting of sweat from dripping into our eyes.
Xander and Jesse have both lost their shirts a long time already. They’ve matched us with the bandanas, and both are sporting wristbands.
Cool air mist or not, it’s hilariously hot right now, even with the sun setting.
We’re on our last song and thank fuck for that. We’ll do a three-song encore, and the I’m hitting the showers immediately. I’m not here for chicks or dicks. I’m here for the charity. We aren’t taking a penny for this show. It’s for kids who’ve been abused, have been displaced from their parents for one reason or another, and for kids to get a second chance to learn what it’s like to be loved.
In other words, it’s a fundraiser for Harmony House so Joan and crew can open more locations.
We finish the last song and head backstage to chug water before we head back out for the encore.
24
LINC
“I’m gonna head out,” Jabs announces. Coach left an hour ago while Jabs and I shot the shit.
