"Drinks?" Kelvin asks motioning toward the servers in the walkways.
"Bae?" Khalil questions looking at Jen.
"Rosé," Jen replies. She blinks and her eyelids remain low and relaxed. She reaches out to Khalil, she welcomes her into his space; she puts her hand on the back of his neck and he leans down toward her.
"How well do you know this guy?" Khalil smirks as though she's told him a spicy secret.
"Rum and coke," he says with a smirk on his lips. He waves Kelvin off, chuckles turns, and walks out of the aisle. Khalil turns to Jen and they're face to face with mere inches between them. He stares into her and she watches as his collarbones rise and fall; her lips part and his eyes flicker to them. Her hand slips down to his chest, she can feel his heart beating at an elevated pace but he remains still and she gently pushes him away. Her eyes don't leave him as he clears his throat. "I've met him before. I checked out one of the normal fights before he told me about this one. Without him, I wouldn't have a lead on our guy."
"All right, all right, ladies and gentlemen," a voice says over the intercom. "Get comfortable and ready to place your bets. Tonight's fighters will be in the ring in fifteen minutes, I repeat fifteen minutes. Remember video recording is prohibited. The only available bathrooms are those right outside the theater and accessing anything other areas during the fight is prohibited. Prepare your bets and get comfortable, the event will begin shortly." Kelvin returns with a waiter in tow. Jen leans toward Khalil again and he bends to her height.
"We can test them with a sip but I don't plan on drinking."
"Neither do I," Khalil replies. He pulls Jen in closer and she raises her head so that they maintain eye contact. She finds herself holding her breath. "Phantom sips only. Pour it out on the floor if you need to."
Kelvin directs the waiter to Jen and Khalil and they take their drink from a tray. The three of them toast and have 'sips'. Jen watches as Khalil places a bet at seven thousand dollars on the club site. After inputting the amount, he pockets his phone and she tugs on his sleeve he leans down to her height and takes her hand. Jen curves around his.
"What's up?"
"You seven thousand dollars to just drop like that?"
"I've got more than that, enough to cover seven k a couple of times over. Don't worry." Jen raises an eyebrow and meets Khalil's eyes. He nods curtly and gives her hand a squeeze; Jen feels her chest swell; Khalil holds her gaze. He leans toward her in assurance and she nods. Khalil directs his attention to the ring ahead. He pushes his hand down in the front pockets of his pants and leans forward trying to get a good look.
"So," Kelvin says gesturing toward Jen with his drink in hand, "What do you do?"
"I'm on break from law school while I train for the Olympics," she replies easily. Khalil's attention turns to her. Kelvin holds his questioning expression for a moment but as his eyes travel up Jen's legs and along her figure. Khalil places his hand on her waist, she glances at him and his calm and collected expression falters. She turns her attention back to Kelvin. Khalil's jaw locks and his head tilts to one side.
"She runs track," he says.
"Smart and fine?" Kelvin muses a little too loudly only to be talking to himself. Khalil's jaw shifts and Kelvin's expression lifts and he raises his hand in surrender.
"My fault. Sorry."
Fifteen minutes dwindle to ten, then five and the fight starts. Jennifer and Khalil take their seat side by side. The first fighter enters the ring with his arms raised. He walks around the ring once then takes his place on the left side. The second fighter, the guy in question, enters with one arm raised turns to the audience then takes his place on the right. A bell sounds and the right begins. Instead of beginning to circle each other while pondering the first strike, Crete bends down into a running stance with his fingers outstretched. The dark turf-like substance on the floor rushes up his hands, and arms, and then over his entire body. His opponent widens his stance, spreads his arms, and, curves them into claws; sharp-looking nails stretch off each finger curving inward just like the claws of an animal. He snarls like a wild cat and charges Crete. The turf-skinned fighter leans backward throwing his arms over his head and shifting his weight backward; as his feet come up one foot connects with his chin sending him several feet into the air. He completes his dodge with a flip and sticks his landing similarly to the way he started with his fingertips touching the floor. He stands and takes a fighting stance again as his opponent slams into the ground. He juts out his chin and seems to smirk as his opponent recovers. The clawed opponent attempts again with another lunge but his claws get caught. Unable to remove one hand from Crete's rubbery exterior, he opts for a kick but Crete pulls his leg out from under him and he loses his footing. The caught claw ripped from his skin leaving holes behind that quickly shut themselves.
YOU ARE READING
Too Strange and Too Strong
Fanfiction"I can't love a weapon pointed at my family," Jen said. For the first time, she didn't offer her presence, sympathy, or her help. "Everybody gave up on me except you," Khalil said. She was the last good thing in his life. The last person who beli...
