The Fighters Girl

7.

Hazel put the final touches on her party outfit and smiled. It was rare that she got all cute and she forgot how fun it was.

She came out of the bathroom and bit her lip, leaning against the wall. She stared at Hawk who looked hot as ever in just jeans and a dark blue t shirt. His hair had gotten considerably longer in the past month and now a stray lock was hanging into his left eye. He ran his fingers through his hair, and it just fell back into place, the rest sticking up in different directions. He turned when he heard her and his eyes widened.

"Holy shit," he breathed, taking her in. "You look fucking beautiful."

She blushed and did a little curtsey.

"Thank you, thank you," she muttered. He took her hand and started towards the doorway of his hotel room, twirling her around on the way there, eliciting a giggle from her.

When they got outside, however, he was suddenly serious.

"Has your stepdad called today?"

She sighed.

"Yeah. I caught some crap for not coming home last night, but he can't really make a huge deal out of it without having to explain how he knows I never came home, so..."

"I hate that bastard," Hawk mumbled.

"I know baby," Hazel said in a soothing voice as the valet pulled her car around. Hawk tipped him and slid into the drivers seat. Hazel hesitated for a second before climbing into the passenger side.

"Um, Hawk, why are you driving?" she asked.

"Because I'm a dude and being chauffeured around by your girl is not the way to keep your man card," he answered immediately. She rolled her eyes.

"All right then, Mr. Man, I'll just take a quick nap on the way there since we didn't get a ton of sleep last night."

She waited approximately three point five seconds before Hawk cleared his throat.

"Um, babe, I don't exactly know where I'm going," he admitted.

"Really?" she gasped dramatically, "I guess I just assumed, you being a proud owner of a man card and everything, that you knew where you were going without being told by your girl."

He shot a quick amused glare at her before returning his eyes to the road, a smile playing on those sinful lips of his.

"All right, sassy, I get the point. Now where are we going?"

She gave him directions all the way there with a small smug smirk on her face.

They pulled up to Josh's house and Hazel was already regretting this.

"God, we shouldn't have come," she muttered.

"What, why?" Hawk asked as he craned his neck, searching for a spot that they could park the car. There were cars parked on the lawn, in the drive, and all along the street. Hawk finally settled on a spot three houses away. Then he turned the car off and shifted in his seat so he was facing Hazel, giving her his full attention.

"Just...you're kind of a rockstar at our school. Our wrestling program is even more important than football or lacrosse here and your fight the other night was all anyone could talk about. Tonight, people will be all over you and I just don't see standing around and giving autographs and pictures to anyone as fun."

Hawk leveled her with a warm stare.

"Baby girl, you say the word and we'll turn around right now and go back, and if anyone gives you shit about it, I'll deal with them personally. But if all you're worried about is not having fun, then I'm pretty sure we're solid. As long as I'm with you I'll be having fun, and I'll do my damnedest to make sure you are, too."