Roni
Relief didn't even begin to describe what Veronica was feeling. She'd finally broken down and admitted to Noah on their way to the gym that she was very nervous about seeing him fight. But she didn't tell him just how much of a wreck she really was. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she didn't have faith in him. She'd heard he was good from his friends and others at the gym, but she still couldn't help worrying.
Veronica had only watched fights on television, but she'd never been a fan, so even when she had, she never really paid attention. Nellie's husband was a fan, and they often had big pay-per-view fight parties at their place, inviting her over. Those were the only times she'd ever sat through an entire fight. She never thought she'd be watching one in person and certainly never thought one of her now dear friends would be the one in the ring, possibly getting hurt.
When she overheard the guy behind her talking about having seen Noah fight several times in the past, she couldn't help asking him about it. There were a few things she'd started to wonder about as she sat there waiting for the fight to start, as in had he ever been knocked out—something she hadn't thought to ask Noah. It helped that the guy was a talker and an obvious fan of Noah's, filling her in on Noah's strengths like his left hook, reminding her after the fight that he'd told her so when Noah used it to knock out the other fighter.
Veronica had just been glad it was over so fast and he hadn't been hurt. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to watching him fight, but now that they were friends, she told herself she better get used to it. She'd never seen him more excited than when he spoke of his fights. This was only the beginning. As dear a friend as he was slowly becoming, she intended on being at as many of his fights as possible. That reminded her that she hadn't talked to Nellie in almost a week. They'd exchanged a few texts in the last few days but hadn't actually spoken. She'd have to give her a call soon.
She stood by the gym exit, trying not to think about what Noah had said about groupies. There were four scantily dressed young girls just outside the door Noah and the other fighter would be coming out of once they finished changing.
When the other fighter came out, two of them were immediately at his side. Which meant only one thing—the other two were waiting on Noah. They were so damned obvious it was ridiculous. Veronica wanted to feel sorry for them. They were young, and clearly their self-esteem was in the gutter if this is how little they thought of themselves. Instead she felt irritated?
Veronica swallowed hard, wondering if Noah would even need a ride home now. They'd come here together in her car, but now these two lovelies would probably be more than happy to take him home—or back to their place.
Abel and Gio walked out first, the girls immediately hugging them. Then Noah came out, and one of the girls wrapped her arms around him. Veronica turned away when she saw his big arm wrap around the girl's waist.
Surprised that the irritation she'd felt earlier had now turned into full-blown rage, she stalked out the door. Don't do this. Hurrying to her car, madder at herself now more than anything, Veronica reprimanded herself under her breath. She knew perfectly well what she was feeling was not just rage. It was utterly irrational, seething jealousy. She had absolutely no right to be angry with him, but she was, and that only made her more furious.
"Roni!"
Taking a deep breath before she turned to face him, Veronica tried desperately to hide her sudden change in mood.
"Where you going?"
She turned to see him walking across the parking lot toward her—alone. "I, uh, thought maybe you already had a ride." She lifted her chin toward the gym.
Noah glanced back, and then his eyes were on her again. "No, well, we're going out for pizza later to celebrate. But I didn't feel much like a cold shower, so I told them I'd go home first to shower and meet up with them later."
Her heart started up again. Them? One wasn't enough?
"You wanna come?"
Her eyes must've screamed how scandalized that made her feel because he laughed. Laughed!
"What's that look about?"
"Come with you?" she asked incredulously.
"Yeah, Abel's treat. Can you pop open the trunk?" he said as he reached her car. She did, and he continued talking as he put his gym bag and boxing gloves in the trunk. "And the place we go to doesn't card, so you won't be the only one able to drink beer."
By the way he was smiling, she was pretty sure now that "them" meant Abel and the other guys. But even then, she wouldn't feel comfortable around him and his friends.
"No, I'll pass, but thanks."
"Why?" The disappointment in his voice warmed her.
"Because it's a guy thing, right? I wouldn't—"
"Nah, there's gonna be other girls there."
Her stomach dropped, and she had a sudden realization. If not tonight, it would happen eventually. Being Noah's friend meant inevitably having to hear about or see him with other girls—a girlfriend even. Could she really do this? Given that she was ready to scream earlier just thinking about him and the groupies, could she really stand to see him with them? "Oh?"
"Yeah, anytime we get together after fights, it's a pretty big crowd. 'Course, Abel's only paying for us. But there's always other girls there too. Even Jack's going." He walked around the car, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. "You're going, Roni. I'll be hurt if you don't celebrate with me."
He opened the car door and got in. Veronica exhaled, unable to come up with a single reason why she couldn't go with him. He was right: she should be there to celebrate with him. This was great: his first time back in the ring and he knocked the guy out in the second round.
Feeling a little guilty about not wanting to be there tonight, she got in and began to put her seat belt on.
"So who was the guy you were talking to during the fight? He a friend of yours?"
Veronica glanced at him as she turned on the car and thought about it for a second. "Oh, you mean the guy behind me?" She pulled out of the parking space. "No, I just met him tonight."
"Is that right?" he said, looking out his window. "You make a new friend, Roni?"
"Not really. He's a fan of yours, I guess." She smiled again, remembering the guy's enthusiasm. "He went on and on, saying you have some major potential." That got Noah's attention and he turned to her. "He called it too. Before the fight even started, he said you'd probably knock the guy out early and it would most likely be with your left hook."
"What else did he say?"
Veronica laughed. She had no idea what it must feel like to have fans, but it must feel good. She didn't blame him for wanting to hear more. "He talked to me even as you were fighting, giving me the play by play of what you were doing up there. It was almost cute how into you he was." She turned to Noah, but he didn't seem as happy as she would've imagined given what she'd just told him.
"Cute?"
"Yeah," she giggled. "Oh, and he even said you seemed a little off your game the second before the guy landed one on you. I almost missed the knock out because I covered my face when you got hit."
She winced, thinking about how her heart had gone to her throat when she saw him get hit and couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"That's what happens," he said, staring straight ahead, "when you get distracted even for a moment."
"What distracted you?"
He looked out his window again and shrugged. "I don't remember. I just know I lost focus for a second and it almost cost me."
They reached her house, and Veronica freshened up while Noah took a shower. Standing in front of her mirror, she studied herself. Nellie was right; she didn't look twenty-eight, and ever since she'd lost the weight and kept going to the gym, she felt fitter and more in shape than she ever had. She wouldn't tell Noah, but the guy sitting behind her had asked if she was Noah's girl. She'd blushed, telling him she was just a friend, but he gave her a knowing look as if he knew better.
Physically she could pass for being around the same age as Noah. She shook her head, frowning at herself in the mirror. "Don't even think about it."
Noah's life was just beginning. There was so much he hadn't even experienced yet, and she was sure he was looking forward to it all—the nightclubs where he could meet a ton of girls, for example. And the way the guy at the fight spoke of Noah, who knew? By the time he was twenty-one, he might even have VIP status at all these clubs. If he had groupies now, imagine what his life would be like then.
Veronica didn't know much about boxing, but one thing was for sure, he looked damn good up there—more than good. Like the guy said, he had major potential and he definitely had the heart. His future held so much promise.
She took a deep breath. After witnessing first hand today her reaction to seeing Noah around other girls and they weren't even involved that way, she knew now, without a doubt, a romantic relationship was out of the question. Moreover, if she wanted to keep their friendship intact—so was a fling.