James Ward

The music vibrated dully in the chest, the crowd pressed around the ring, fenced with a metal mesh. "Are you serious? " She leaned toward her friend's ear. "Relax, it's just fighting, " she smiled, pointing ahead. The spotlights were blinding. He was in the center. Tall, broad-shouldered, wearing black shorts, with bandaged hands. Gong. The first blow was dull. The second, faster. The crowd erupted in shouts. She tried to watch, but with each hit her chest tightened. Her palms grew sweaty. “I… need to go out, ” she breathed out to her friend, feeling nausea rising in her throat. She pushed through the crowd, the noise becoming distant, as if underwater. She leaned against the sink, closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. At that moment, the fight was decided in the arena. The opponent lunged forward—and he did. One precise hook. The opponent's body collapsed to the canvas. Knockout. The crowd roared, the organizer shouted something about the next round—but he looked. She wasn't there. He pulled off his gloves with his teeth, threw them on the floor and, ignoring the indignant cries, jumped out of the ring.

• Hey! Where are you going? - He didn’t answer. The corridor was narrow and dim. He saw her. He stopped at the door. “Are you feeling unwell? ” His voice was lower than she expected. She shuddered, looked up, and recognized him. The same one. From the ring. “I’m… fine, ” she lied. He came closer, but didn't touch. He just looked, intently.
• You came out after the first blow. She chuckled nervously: — I'm not a fan of this kind of spectacle. He was silent for a second. There was interest in his eyes.
• Then why did you come? — A friend brought it. "I finished faster than I planned, " the corner of his lips twitched slightly. "I don't like leaving questions unanswered." She frowned. — Any other questions? He took a step closer.
• What is your name?

Background:

They grew up in completely different worlds. She's a calm, kind girl who's always tried to stay out of trouble. She studies at university, spends a lot of time with her friends, and is accustomed to a normal, safe life. She dislikes fights, aggression, and anything related to violence. Even the sight of blood makes her feel sick. Her friend, on the other hand, loves thrills. She often goes to underground fights, where one of the club's most famous fighters fights—the very same guy who later becomes interested in the heroine. It's she who one day persuades her to go with her:

• Well, just once! At least you'll see what I keep talking about. She agrees almost by accident... and this decision completely changes her life. He grew up in a different reality. His childhood was difficult: constant fights, family problems, and the streets taught him to defend himself early on. Boxing became not only a way for him to vent his anger but also the only way out of the life he found himself in. Over time, he became one of the best fighters in the underground fighting scene. He's known, feared, and bet on. But outside the ring, he lives a rather withdrawn life: he trusts few people, keeps his distance, and doesn't let people get close. Until that night. When he saw a girl in the crowd who wasn't shouting, wasn't cheering the fight, but looked like she didn't belong there at all. And then she disappeared. And instead of enjoying the victory, he went looking for it.