Fighting Shadows!

A Cold Encounter

Blake's POV

The sound of Emily's voice echoed through the office door of the gym, reaching my ears as I went about my business. Lizzy, always one to stir up trouble, seemed to enjoy taunting her, making it clear that I had no interest in seeing her. And truth be told, she wasn't entirely wrong. I had grown tired of people walking out on me, only to expect a warm welcome back once things settled down in their twisted minds.

"Can I please see Blake?" Emily's voice pleaded, but Lizzy stood her ground, keeping her on the other side of the door.

"It's okay, Lizzy," I finally intervened, opening the door to face Emily.

"Blake, you need to train, you can't..." she began to say, but I raised my hand, signalling for her to back off. I wasn't in the mood for her to tell me what I should or shouldn't do.

"Hey," Emily said softly, her voice carrying a mix of hope and uncertainty as Lizzy finally took the hint and retreated to the other side of the gym.

"Hey," I greeted her, my tone guarded. I couldn't deny the flicker of emotion that lit up inside me at the sight of her, but I refused to let it show.

"Can we talk?" she asked, her eyes pleading. I nodded, silently agreeing to her request, and motioned for her to follow me outside the gym.

As we stepped into the crisp, cold air, I couldn't help but feel that the atmosphere mirrored the state of everyone in my life - distant and frigid. I leaned against the brick wall, crossed my arms over my chest, and waited for her to speak. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken words and unresolved fucking feelings.

I anxiously waited for her to break the deafening silence that had settled between us. Her eyes searched mine, as if she was desperately trying to find the right words to say. Minutes turned into eternity, and I couldn't bear the weight of the unspoken words any longer.

"So?" I finally mustered the courage to speak, shattering the stillness that surrounded us. My voice trembles.

"It's been three weeks, Blake," Emily replied, her tone filled with a hint of disappointment. "Every time I try to reach out, your voicemail picks up, and my messages go unanswered."

Her words stung like a slap to the face. How could she act as if nothing had happened in that parking lot three weeks ago? I felt my anger rising, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check.

"What did you expect, Emily?" I retorted, my voice tinged with bitterness. "That I would meekly follow you after you turned your back on me?"

Her eyes, once soft and gentle, transformed into a fiery rage within seconds. Tears began to well up, glistening in the corners of her eyes. The sight of her pain fueled my own frustration.

"I walked away from you?" she choked out, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Blake, are you even listening to yourself?"

The words hung heavily in the air as I stood against the cold, unforgiving brick wall. My heart raced, anger coursing through my veins as I confronted her. "Yes, you fucking walked away," I said with a defensive tone, my voice filled with frustration.

Her eyes met mine, a mix of hurt and anger flashing across her face. "Blake, I never walked away from you. Don't you get it? You walked away when you were supposed to stay. You walked out on me when your mother nearly died," she shouted, her voice echoing through the empty yeard. The onlookers from the gym windows turned their heads, curiosity piqued by our heated exchange.

I grabbed her arm and guided her around the corner of the gym, away from prying eyes. "Can you keep it down?" I asked, my voice softer now as I attempted to diffuse the tension.