You Know Why (on hold till april 24)

Chapter 26: He's a bad guy

"I'm sorry, did you just say 'underground boxing ring'?"

"Yes."

"And that causes you to get beaten up so badly?"

Tyler sighed, taking a sip from his juice and plopping back down in front of me. "Not exactly. I'm really good at it... there's just this one guy."

"Who?"

"I can't really say. He's a freak of nature. Probably on some weird drug, I think he's the son of some big-time mafia guy or something.

I flicked him on the forehead and he winced. I can't believe Tyler was involved in this stuff. He always seemed so... chill. Free and relaxed. I guess I didn't know my best friend as well as I thought I did.

"Alex please. You can't tell anyone okay? Ezra is the only one that knows about this."

"EZRA KNOWS ABOUT THIS?!"

Tyler flinched again, backing away from me as I stood up and menacingly walked over to him. "Please explain to me why the fuck you do this?"

"Hey I'm sorry, okay? I really love boxing and its where my grandfather used to take me. I can't give up on it. I know this sounds stupid, but it feels like... I'd be giving up on him."

Well damn. I sure as hell can't yell at him now. He looked so sad, all the anger in me just evaporated. I gave him a hug, which was a little uncomfortable for me, but it was worth it. He seemed to feel better after that.

"Thanks Peirce. If you want to leave, you can."

"Like hell I'm going anywhere."

After that the two of us drove off together in his car, not sure where we were going yet. We somehow ended up at the school, so we decided to go to the basketball court and practice our skills.

"You shoot like this."

"Wait, so I put my foot here?"

"Yes Ty, do you even listen?"

We had reached the school, just the two of us practicing on the court. Technically we weren't allowed to be in here since the school had closed for today, but we just jumped over the fence. I swear to god, the security in here is pathetic. Literally a child could break in here.

I was helping Tyler with his shooting, in the same way Shawn had helped me. Surprisingly, his advice had actually worked and he happened to be right. It was annoying that he was, but oh well.

Tyler shot and I high fived him. "Whoo hoo! I told you it would work."

"Holy shit, this technique is really something else! Where on earth did you learn this?"

"Oh, um... just a friend."

We practiced for another twenty minutes, until a security guard walked in and we ran for our lives, laughing and tripping along the way like we were drunk. We lost him soon enough since the guy could barely run, and we made it to the fence. Tyler threw his bag over and jumped, landing not so gracefully on the other side. His legs gave away and he fell, groaning as he held his side.

"Shit, Ty are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, don't worry about it." He managed to push himself up, and picked up his bag. "Coming?"

"Yeah."

I jumped over the fence and we walked back together, talking with ease. My phone rang with a call from Megan and I picked up.

"Yeah?"

"Ezra's place. Hang out session for the four of us. Get here or I'll slit your throat."

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