By Chance (Accidentally In Luck #1)

27. Well, It Started Out Well Then Got Way Worse - Cora

*Cora*

About ten seconds into the match is when I realized I really don't know anything about fighting. Like seriously, nothing. Not one thing.

I did however know a little something about Theo Archer which meant I knew that this match was serious.

I'd never seen E so tense before. He was sitting rigidly on the edge of his chair with one of my hands clamped in his. I don't even think he realized he had my hand anymore.

I saw E's jaw tense and I quickly looked back out to Jay and Dex's match to see Jay picking himself up off the floor. He didn't look hurt though, so I breathed a small sigh of relief.

The two guys danced around each other swinging fists and feet, but they weren't really dedicated to hitting each other yet and I realized they were testing each other; seeing how the other would react, to plan their actual attack carefully.

Then, like a bell that only they could hear had rung, they both rushed forward, each seeking that one hit, the one that would give them the win.

Everything happened too fast for me and got jumbled together after just a little bit. I didn't make out anything past Jay trying (and failing, damn it!) to pin Dex to the fence thing, Dex getting in a couple good hits to Jay's ribs, and Jay about snapping Dex's kneecap with a kick, but missing by what looked like 2 inches the whole fight.

I could always tell when something was going down though thanks to E. He would tense or relax or clench his jaw, so instead of completely watching Jay like I was supposed to be, I found myself going back and forth between Theo and him to figure out what was happening.

After a whole fight of not understanding what was happening with Jay and watching E spastically tensing and relaxing, he finally tensed and stayed that way. My gaze snapped back to the fight when I realized and I was relieved to see Jay basically sitting on Dex, punching his lights out and Dex trying to wriggle out of his grasp. I could see Jay's corded muscles straining to hold him in place until, finally, Dex was out cold and Jay got off of him.

I breathed another sigh of relief and I felt E completely relax for the first time as we watched Jay jog a victory lap around the ring, hyping the crowd. He stopped at our side of the fence and blew Elle a kiss. I glanced over just in time to see her blow one back. I smiled and looked up at E who had an almost identical expression on his face.

The various crew members from both sides flooded the ring and Dex's team was reviving him as Jay continued circling with his team cheering him on. My smile grew as I took in the crowd that was screaming and cheering, Elle smiling victoriously a few seats away, the colorful lights flashing, and E now with a lazy grin playing on his lips as he watched my head swiveling back and forth taking in the moment I was completely caught up in.

Sure, the fight was exciting, but now I saw the actual pull into all this violence and nonsense. The immediate-after was what this was all about. The excitement, disappointment, adrenaline. It was overwhelming and awesome; how I always imagined smoking weed and then looking through a kaleidoscope would be like. Not that I'd ever smoked weed, but when your mind wanders... you think of some strange crap.

I scanned the crowd again and caught a glance of someone I imagined I would never see after last night. Suddenly it seemed that Daniel was back in my life. Two nights in a row that made and after 4 years, it was starting to hurt my brain. I'd made peace with his death and I'd sort of convinced myself that I'd imagined seeing him last night, but here he was again, showing me that I could never escape thoughts of him, dead or alive.

My hand was still encased in E's on his lap, something I didn't notice until his form suddenly became rigid. I snapped my head from Daniel to him to see him staring at the ring again, jaw clenched. I trained my eyes back on Jay, Dex, and their assorted crews and immediately felt worry lines crease between my eyebrows. Dex was fighting his crew something terrible to get to Jay and Jay was blissfully unaware that it looked as though Dex was out to kill.