A Fighting Chance

Chapter 5

Nick

As I wheeled myself down the corridor, toward Demi's office, I smiled. Maybe it was my ego talking, but I really felt like Demi was jealous, thinking Harley was my girlfriend. I should have corrected her, but the smug guy in me wanted to milk it a little. I wanted to see if Demi was really jealous or if she was just in a bad mood. I tried to make small talk, but she ignored me. I wasn't going to stop trying, though.

Demi didn't talk much as she got me situated, on the table, to work on my shoulder. I tried not to be too much of a motor mouth, so I kept the small talk to a minimum. We'd been working on my shoulder for fifteen minutes, when I cleared my throat. "You don't like me, do ya?" I asked her, watching her face in the mirror, on the wall, directly in front of me. I thought she liked me, but if she thought I thought she didn't, then she'd convince me otherwise. If she did that, I'd get my spirits lifted & I needed that. I know, at first glance, I look like I'm confident & could get any girl I wanted, but the truth is, I'm not that sure of myself. In fact, I'm extremely afraid of rejection when it comes to girls. Unless a girl seems like sure thing, I don't make the move first. So far, it's worked well for me & has helped boost my confidence a little. I'm definitely more confident now than I was in high school. Demi, though, made me feel different. I really could see myself with her, like long term, so I couldn't fuck this up. If she wasn't interested, she wasn't interested, but I had a little feeling that she found me attractive at least. I saw her gaze linger over my physique & I saw her get nervous when I flirted with her. And she sure seemed jealous of Harley.

"I don't really know you." Demi replied in a monotone, bringing me out of my head.

"Maybe it's fighters you don't like." I said, with a smirk, glancing at her in my peripheral before I looked back at our reflection.

Her eyes darted up to look at me in the mirror & she cleared her throat. I had hit a nerve. Something about fighters resonated with her, but I was afraid it wasn't in a good way. "I don't have a problem with fighters. I'd never date one, but I don't have a problem with them." She looked me dead in the eyes when she said that & I felt my heart sink a little. She was making it known she'd never date me. Too bad for her, I don't give up easily on anything. I guess it's the fighter in me. I fight for what I want, in & out of the cage. I don't have to be confident to go after what I want. I'd be subtle & make her come after me, in the end. That was my strategy. I just knew I needed to at least kiss her once to see how it felt & if it was a love connection I felt between us or just a close friendship.

"Did you get hurt by one in the past?" I smirked, as I nodded, like I knew everything. I wished I could dial down the cockiness right now, but for whatever reason, this girl made me crazy & I was having trouble controlling myself. I wasn't sure the cockiness would get her to come after me or if it would make her run, but I was praying it didn't scare her off.

Demi rolled her eyes & clicked her tongue as she placed my arm down at my side. She went to the other arm & started the same exercises. "That's none of your business. And I'm pretty sure I said we were going to keep this professional." Demi pursed her lips as she stared into my eyes through the reflection.

I grinned at her. "I was just being polite. You know... like asking someone how they are, for instance... " I licked my lips, still feeling cocky. "Where I come from, it's considered rude when you don't answer." I was referring to when I came into the office that morning & she ignored me when I asked her how she was. I was pretty sure she knew what I was talking about. She pressed harder into my shoulder, so I looked down & scowled since it hurt.