just a fan // grayson dolan

0.3

I wake up the next morning to my head pounding, the way it usually does after my mother gets angry with me. I reach in my night table drawer for some Tylenol, swallowing three with some water from my water bottle. I grab my phone and push the home button, sighing when I see that it's only six am.

I throw my legs over the side of the bed and slip my slippers on before heading to my bathroom to get ready for the day. I shower every two days and I took one yesterday afternoon, so I simply wash my face and hands. I look into the mirror, sighing in sadness when I see my eye a variety of purple shades. I head to my vanity, tying my hair up in a ponytail so it is out of the way. I put on simple makeup, just enough to cover my black eye and look like a decent human. Once I'm satisfied with the way it looks, I braid my hair into two sections and tie a bun at the end of each, wanting it out of the way.

Since it's so early and a Sunday morning, I decide to go to the gym, thinking not many people would be there. I slip on my favorite workout clothes and grab my keys and backpack before tiptoeing up the stairs so I wouldn't wake my mom and make her even more angry with me. I text my trainer, knowing she is already at the gym and drive to the gym, stopping for a black coffee on the way.

When I get to the building, I quickly chug the rest of my coffee down and walk inside, going straight to the boxing ring.

"Getting straight to the point, I see" My trainer, Elise, speaks up, but grabs the tape anyway. She looks at my eye but doesn't say anything and I curse at myself for not covering it better. She helps me tape my hands and slip them into the gloves before getting in the ring with me so we can start.

We go through the 30-minute workout and I go extra hard today, all of my anger at everything fading away. When the workout is over, I'm dripping sweat and breathing hard. I hate working out, but I love the way I feel after.

"You went pretty hard-core today, you alright?" Elise asks as I rip the tape off of my knuckles and throw it in the trash can.

"Yeah, I'm alright, better than usual actually" I shrug honestly. Last night, before I got home, was one of the best nights of my life. She nods cautiously and pats my back. I stand up, chugging some water down.

"I'll be on the bikes if you need me," I tell her as I walk to another room in the building. I hear her sigh as I walk away, but shake it off.

"Don't overwork yourself, please!" She yells as I shut the door, making me roll my eyes. I sit on one of the bikes and do it for a bit before deciding that I should stop. I get off, my legs feeling wobbly from being on it for so long.

By the time I get back home, it's only 9 am, making me huff in annoyance. I walk in the front door, only to be greeted by my mother shoving a piece of paper and some cash in my face.

"Go get groceries. But shower first, you look disgusting" She instructs, looking me up and down. I frown but nod anyway.

"Yes, mother" I respond, walking downstairs to my room. I shower and leave my hair to air dry, throwing on spandex shorts and the same shirt I slept in, not caring enough to put on anything else. I slip on my shoes and jog back up the stairs with the list and cash in my hand, slipping out the door before she can stop me again.

I get everything on her list with the cash, nothing more, hoping it put her in a better mood, and pay for the things I want with my card. My dad left me all of his money, there being a lot of it because of his high-level job. This, of course, gave my mother another reason to hate me. Most of it is in a separate place so I could pay for college, while the rest of it is on my card to buy gas and food. My mother doesn't like me to eat her food, so I have to get my own most of the time.