Phenomenal

33 ~ Fight Song

Damien didn't win.

He wasn't even remotely close to winning.

The whole thing was as hard to watch as the last time Clarissa had seen him fight.

Well, almost as hard at least.

There was a slight change, so slight she didn't see it. It was Darcy who pointed it out. Damien wasn't as hit as often as usual. He was dodging, weaving, stepping out of range, not all the time, not always successfully, but he was doing something at least, he was reacting. He was seeing the fight through his eyes, at least partially. He was fighting for control against whatever psychological paralysis was choking his confidence and awareness.

The fight was nine rounds.

And Damien landed one solid punch.

Just one, but it was enough to display the pure power he had once had, when he had been a champion, when he had been free from his own inner demons.

The punch had been to his opponent's jaw and it had knocked the man down.

He had slammed to the canvass, dazed and startled, stumbling to his feet as he got his bearings.

Unfortunately that did mean he raised his game and defences, he suddenly turned on Damien as if they were fighting for a title. Whatever had possessed Damien in that one moment fled him and he returned to being a child stood on stage, frozen by fright.

"Like watching a bear fight," Clarissa muttered from her seat at the ring side beside Dante as Darcy, E-Zee and the other men helped Damien down from the ring, the crowd clapping and cheering the boxers as they filtered back out of the hall to return to mingling.

"Well, I'm just glad he hit the guy," Dante said, standing up and gathering the bags.

"Would you like some help?"

"No, you're alright. We're going to go change - monkey suits and such - we'll meet you back out in the main hall, go enjoy the evening."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, tell Damien we'll rework the finer points of our deal then."

"Deal?"

Clarissa smiled at him as he raised an eyebrow before she picked up her clutch and following the crowd out, stopping to chat to various people as she went, keeping an eye out for Brett but really she was looking for Samantha.

"Clarissa?"

A hand at her elbow made her look around and she came face-to-face with Lucinda, who smiled brightly at her, while looking slightly surprised and confused.

"Luci, how are you?" she said, smiling back as they exchanged a hug.

"I'm fine, love, but what are you doing here?"

"Should I not be here?"

Lucinda laughed. "Of course you should be but I thought you weren't coming because of uni stuff."

"Brett told you I assume?"

"Of course else I wouldn't be his replacement date," Lucinda said with a laugh.

Clarissa smile vanished for all of a second before it was back on her face in time for Lucinda to look away and look back again and not notice the change.

"Of course," she said, her fingers tightening on her clutch.

"Honestly, I don't know how to you it. You're probably the most patient girlfriend I've ever met."