“The love of your life?”
“I thought she was. I really wanted her to be. But she’s gone. Out of my life forever and the worst part is I think she’s better off without me.”
“Are you better off without her?”
“I train, like, a hundred hours a week. I don’t have time to think about things like that. Deliberately so.”
“Aw, come on now.” Kimberly pressed.
Ava sighed. “I’ve had a single, intense one-night stand since we lost contact. It was great, but she’s still never far from my thoughts.”
“Was the one night with a guy?”
“No. A woman.”
“Have you ever been into guys? Ever tried one?”
“You make it sound like they’re a drink to be sampled.” Ava giggled. “Nah. I had tiny crushes as a kid on boys at school but I always knew... you know? I was different. When I accepted that, finally, there was no going back.”
“It was others that had to deal with their own issues about you?”
“Yeah. So look, I don’t want this to get weird. Well, weirder. Or bombard you with all this heavy stuff from someone you barely know. I just wanted to do something to show you that yesterday was...awesomebecause of you, and it turned to shitnotbecause of you.”
Kimberly nodded. “I’m really sorry things got that way. It was honestly a great session. Still can’t believe you were nervous about having nothing on. You have an incredible body.”
“Not all flaws can be seen.”
“I get that. But some can. One of my boobs is so much bigger than the other it’s not funny.”
“Oh yeah? Prove it.”
Both girls laughed as Kimberly sat forward and playfully puffed up her cleavage. When she sat back, she drained her cup and reached for her bag. “I’d better be going. Thank you so much for the flowers and explanation. I’m glad I didn’t upset you. I’d really like it if you could book a time so we can finish up your deluxe.”
“Sounds good. I’ll treat myself if I win my next few fights.”
Kimberly hugged her. “Deal. I’ll keep my slot open for you.”
Ava lowered her eyelids and pursed her lips slightly in what was an admittedly extremely sexy expression. “Getting my hopes up?”
“Nah... just a bit of incentive to get your cute arse back over here. Seriously though, whatever you’ve gone through, you know what they say: if you’re going through hell, keep going.”
10
Ava “The Animal”Beckinsale v Reagan “Reaper” Daniels
Four months later and Ava had yet to find the time to follow up on Kimberly’s offer to finish her deluxe despite having won her last two fights. Training had been too intense in preparation for the next move in her career. She was no longer in an RSL club. She had been upgraded, in a way, and stood inside a real Cage in an official training complex for Australian MMA hopefuls.
She bounced on her toes, tapping the knuckles of both fists as Ruben’s last-minute instructions were rattled off to her while Chris massaged her shoulders. Though the creaky and rusting structure wasn’t the gleaming and glossy black Veronica Nash and her ilk were accustomed to, to Ava, it was just as good. Her surrounds gave her a sense of legitimacy. The crowd was filled with fight fans, having paid five dollars at the door, but also the people she wanted to stand alongside: fighters. She wasn’t near where she wanted to be, but she was climbing. Slowly but surely.
“Now remember, forget about all the bullshit around you. You focus on her and her only. She’s undefeated in amateur fights, but she’s had one pro fight and lost. She’ll be hungry. Hey,” Ruben said, holding her face with two hands, “you want this more, right?”
“Right.”
“Right?”
“Right!” Ava screamed, now jumping.
“Let’s do it!” Ruben bellowed, giving her a swift kiss on the forehead before stepping out of the structure as Chris held the door open for him.