He pushed himself up with weak limbs. Couldn’t get past his elbows.
The crowd chanted again.
I stood over him.
He panted.
My eye closed shut.
“I ain’t got it ref,” he said before his head dropped.
“1…2… 3…”
The bell rung.
The ref shot up, lifting my arm in the air.
“The reigning heavyweight champion, Rayzor!”
The arena was on its feet.
The bright lights blinded out the crowd. The claps and cheers were so loud, I couldn’t hear myself think. Out of my peripheral, I saw Vague’s team helping him up over to his corner. His shoulders hung, head down, staggering to walk.
I subtly nodded.
He accepted his defeat even though he didn’t like it. He respected it.
The world moved slow after being belted.
I scanned the crowd, wanting to see her face, slick hoping it was there, but I knew it wasn’t there. And not seeing it was confirmation. Damn.
My team and crowd hyped me up.
The interviewer came into the ring talking, congratulating me before post interviewing. I didn’t hear her, didn’t see her. Mentally I wasn’t here. This was a win in Vegas, but I’d lost some real shit back home.
After the fight, we hit the club. I stayed for an hour, then opted for the hotel’s bar instead so I left. Vegas was still alive, but it wasquiet here. I was able to fade from the world and be alone with my thoughts.
“Congratulations are in order,” the voice said, smooth and familiar.
I froze.
It was Naya. I hadn’t heard from her in years. That was a time in my life when shit had ups then it went down. It wasn’t her. That was on me. I didn’t blame her. We tried pushing through the waves, but shit got dark. She started to resent, nag and faded, and so I did I.
I turned to her.
“Surprised to see me?” She giggled.
I shook my head, pulling the glass to my mouth and downing the remains.
I slid the glass down the bar, letting the bartender hit with me another one. Ain’t no way she should be here.
“What you doing here?”
“I came to support a once special person in my life.”
I slightly nodded but didn’t say nothing.
I could hear the aggravation when she sucked her teeth.
