Punch!

Chapter 11: Got The Hots

Chapter 11

Got The Hots

Suzette bit her bottom lip like it was a warm dinner roll. Reed was walking up to the mat. He looked comfortable, as if he were browsing through a magazine. Even still, Suzette shook her head. 

"You're not seriously nervous for him, are you?" Harmony rolled her eyes, but still had a hint of a smile.

Suzette shifted her glance from Reed to Harmony. "Uh,"

Harmony's eyes widened. "Wait a second. You two have the hots for each other!"

"No!" Suzette countered. "Why does everyone think that?" Suzette turned away from Harmony and flicked her attention back to the mat. Pauly, Reed's overly tanned competitor, had just stepped onto the surface, smiling broadly over the annoying boos of the audience.

As Catty began to count down, Suzette crossed her fingers. Why did Reed give her the address to this place? Why was she so afraid for him when she barely knew him? More importantly, why did Reed do this in the first place?

By the time Suzette was done thinking of hypothetical interview questions, the first punch had already been thrown. Pauly and Reed were breathing down each other's necks. They took hard, crushing swings at one another. Unlike Smithy and Franklin, Pauly and Reed were aiming more towards facial parts. Reed was bleeding slightly from his chin and Suzette saw a mark on Pauly's face that she was sure was the beginning stages of a bruise. 

She couldn't tell who was winning. Neither had been knocked to their knees yet, and the energy was still quite high. "C'mon, Reed!" Suzette slapped her mouth closed after she said it, feeling like one of the money grubbers that surrounded her.

"You're further proving my assumption, kid!" Harmony hollered, her arms crossed crisply over her chest.

Suzette blushed, stuffed her hands in her pockets, and continued watching. Reed had Pauly pinned in a corner, but it only lasted a few moments. Pauly became the obvious leader as he pushed Reed back into the middle, causing Reed to fall hard on his back. But the champ popped back up like a jack in the box, not even giving the audience enough time to react to his blunder. Pauly had a nasty smile on his face as he threw a few more hits in Reed's direction. Reed dodged all of them except for one, which hit him in the hip. 

Clearly not phased, Reed punched Pauly squarely in the jaw, and had him heading back to the corner of the mat within seconds. This time, Pauly was having a hard time weaseling his way out. Reed was overbearing him, focusing on getting Pauly to the ground. Reed continued punching even when Pauly spit wads of saliva in his face. 

After about a minute of continuous, whirlwind punches and jabs, Pauly gave up, realizing he wasn't going to get one decent hit. Pauly sprawled out on the mat, throwing swear words in Reed's direction. Reed ignored him, and not even waiting for Catty to declare him the winner, he threw his arms in the air, a poker face of victory stamped on his face. He took a quick bow and jumped over the elastic mat fencing. He exited into the locker room.

"Harmony," Suzette tapped her on the shoulder. "I gotta go. There's something I have to do." Without waiting for a response, Suzette walked briskly away. In the direction of the locker room.