Learning to Live

Chapter 29

"Why the hell would you punch someone who fights for a living?" I asked my brother. His split lip could've been worse, considering who punched him.

"He actually got a pretty good hook there," Matt, Scott's teammate, said. 

Hana had dragged us to a small room next to the banquet hall. It was some kind of waiting room, with a plain black couch, a table and several chairs. A first aid kit waited for us on the table. And I patched my brother up while Jason and Matt watched.

I sighed. He probably got it because Hunter let him. My brother was good and all. But Hunter was... Yeah. He was Hunter.

He'd disappeared for a couple of years after high school, then made his debut as a professional boxer, winning match after match and taking the boxing world by storm. A couple of years later, he was an undefeated champion in a couple of weight classes. Then he'd made his debut as an MMA fighter, and swept across the cage like a hurricane, emerging as an undefeated champion.

So Hunter could be considered the best fighter in the world currently.

"How do you know Jamison anyway?" Matt asked as I dabbed some ointment on Scott's split lip.

"I just do," Scott said. "Ow."

I flicked his forehead. "That's what you get for being stupid."

"It's fine. You're here to patch me up, aren't you?"

"I'm supposed to patch up animals, Scott."

"Well," Jason mumbled. "He's not that far off."

Scott glared at Jason as Matt snickered. Hana snorted to the side. I almost forgot she was here. She was standing in the corner, furiously swiping and typing on her tablet, no doubt trying to deal with the press disaster my brother's fight would cause.

I sterilized my hands and closed the first aid kit. "Jason, you should get back to your girlfriend-"

"She's not my girlfriend," Jason grumbled.

Hana and I rolled our eyes. "Your date, then," I said. "I'm going to leave. Scott, you can grab a ride with Matt or Jason, right?"

Scott pulled out a check book from his pocket, signed an empty check and gave it to Hana. "Write an appropriate amount for the charity and put it on my behalf. I'm going home, too," he told her.

Hana took the check. "I should just write myself a million dollars. As compensation for dealing with the press catastrophe your fight will cause."

"You're being dramatic," Scott said, standing to his feet.

"Dramatic?" Hana asked, raising her eyebrow and looking at Scott down her nose. A considerable feat since she was almost a foot shorter. "You'll be lucky if he doesn't sue you."

"He won't," I mumbled.

"Why?"

"Because Sapphire wouldn't like it," Jason said.

I glared at him. Hana and Matt looked at me, realization downing in their faces. Jason just had to open his big mouth.

"No," I said. "Because fighters have a reputation they need to uphold. Suing someone for a punch would make him look lame in front of MMA fans. And it'll blow this thing out of proportion and draw more attention from the public." 

Also, Hunter wasn't petty that way. Unless he'd changed after ten years, which was possible.

Hana sighed and looked at Scott. "Why couldn't you have been as smart as your sister?"

Scott grinned and winked. "I got all the looks instead."

I slapped my forehead. "Let's just go."

I was ready for this day to be over. I felt like I was run over by a truck. As we trickled out of the room, I rubbed my sternum. My heart felt sore, and there was a tightness in my chest I didn't like.