Everlasting Bonds - COMPLETE

Chapter 45

POV: Lark

The darkness of the arena mixed with the loudness of the crowd felt exhilarating.

It gave me a new perspective on Aidan. He wasn't just a boxer, he was a performer.

Colt, Luka, Greyson, and I walked over to the railing. I know I was too jittery to sit and watch this, but I suspected the guys just wanted a better view.

"Ladies and gentleman get ready for the main event!". The announcers booming voice rolled over the audience and startled me for a moment. "The match-up you've all been waiting for is here... Now make. Some. Noise!".

If I thought the crowd was loud before, the echoing chaos that erupted now assured me I was wrong. Next to me, Greyson hooted and hollered with the best of them and Luka wasn't that far behind him.

Seeing them so carefree made me want to do the same.

Leaning over to Colt I tried my best to shout over the noise. "So is this fight really important? Or is this normally how crazy it gets at these things?".

He kept his eyes trained on the boxing ring below us, but he answered immediately. "This fight is a normal matchup. The UFC likes to put their best fighters together in the off-season though to see what kind of crowd they might get during the finals. Aidan is fighting Torrence Valchek who just so happens to be the only other fighter in Aidan's weight class that would have a chance against him".

I thought about what he said and turned my attention back to the announcer. Valchek had just been announced and I was surprised at how loud his supporters were. In my mind, I had assumed everyone would be rooting for Aidan, like me.

"And now in the opposite corner, the defending middleweight champion at 198 pounds... Aidan Cooooooleman!". This time, all four of us joined the cheers as Aidan stepped into the ring and shrugged off his robe to a bald man with a red beard.

He looked dangerous.

His body seemed to coil and bounce as if he was born to do this. A lot of the nerves I had felt about tonight were centered around Aidan getting hurt. I knew that was still a possibility, but I didn't feel as scared.

He was a weapon and I couldn't wait to watch him win.

Both fighters walked to their corners for a last-minute pep talk and stretch with their coaches, but soon faced each other. Both of them looked impassive. As if they each had better things to do.

The jarring bell signaled the start of the fight and my hands gripped the cold metal railing before me.

They were like two tigers circling each other. When one would jab, the other would slip away. 

The punches that did land barely seemed to faze either fighter. It wasn't until Aidan delivered a hard uppercut that finally got Valchek to show any emotion other than boredom.