An Alpha Uncaged

The Colorado sun was shining down brightly over Ashton and Gwen. The rolling fields that sat at the back of their high school looked greener than ever. There was the gentle buzz of conversation in the air, as all the students relaxed in the sun and spoke about the fact that it was their last day before the summer vacation started.

“I think your back is starting to burn up a bit,” Ashton said, as he put his hand on the top of Gwen’s back and felt at her temperature. “You’re going a bit red.”

“You’re such a worrier,” Gwen said with a playful smile pulling across her lips. She leant back against Ashton’s hand, so that her face was hovering below his and reached up, so that she could leave a kiss lingering on his .

“You two need to get a room,” Sammy said with his nose wrinkling as the obvious display of affection we were showing.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you had a girlfriend,” Gwen said quickly, as she pulled her lips away from Ashton’s, to look at Sammy.

“Ouch, man,” Sammy said as he pulled a wounded face. “That’s brutal.”

“It might be brutal, but it’s true.”

“Dude, are you going to let your girl throw punches my way like that?” Sammy said, as he turned to look at Ashton.

Ashton laughed a deep, throaty chuckle, before he said anything. “Dude, if my girl was throwing punches, I think you’d know about it,” he said, as he leant back with a proud smile on his face.

“You know, I still find that hard to believe,” Sammy said, as he examined Gwen. “I mean, no offense or anything, but you’re hardly Mrs Muscle.”

It was Gwen’s turn to laugh. “I don’t need to be. It’s all about turning their strength against them,” she explained.

“Sure, I know that, but like, surely you need some strength of your own,” Sammy said slowly, as though he was trying to find the right words to make his point.

“Dude, she’s stronger than she looks,” Ashton warned Sammy. “Trust me; you don’t want to feel one of her punches.”

“I think I could take it,” Sammy said cockily.

Gwen moved forward quickly. She reached out her fist and let it make contact with Sammy’s arm. It happened so quickly that Sammy hadn’t even realized that she’d moved until he felt the dull, painful ache starting to throb down his arm and into his chest.

She watched as he tried not to let the pain reach his face, but his eyes were starting to gloss over with pain fuelled tears. “You’re really taking it like a man,” Gwen said sarcastically, as his face started to drop from the deep red color it had been when she first hit him to a pink blush.

“I wasn’t ready,” Sammy said grumpily and then he started to rub his arm.

“Do you want some warning next time?” Gwen asked him innocently.

“I’d rather you just didn’t hit me next time,” Sammy said, as his hand dropped from his sore arm and a sudden look of seriousness spread over his face.

“I told you that she hurt,” Ashton said, as he leaned forward and joined himself back into the conversation.

“How does it feel to know that your girlfriend could kick your ass?” Sammy asked Ashton jokingly.

“Probably better than not having a girlfriend at all,” Ashton came back with quickly.

“Dude,” Sammy said as though Ashton’s words had just stabbed him in the heart.

“You know you two fight like you’re an old married couple,” Gwen said, as she watched them both bicker with each other.

“I’m the good looking one, though, right?” Ashton asked quickly with a grin.

“Sure, baby,” Gwen said with a soft smile. “I’ve got to run anyway,” she added, as she started to push herself up from the soft grass that she’d been sitting on.

“Where are you running off to?” Sammy asked as his eyes lazily followed her pursuit to stand up.

“I’ve got practice,” Gwen explained, as she threw her rucksack over her shoulders. “I’ve got a big match coming up and I need to make sure I’m ready for it.”

“It felt like you’re ready for it,” Sammy said, as his hand reached up to his arm, which was still aching from her punch.

“My competitors won’t be as much of a wuss as you,” she said with a grin, before she bent down and kissed Ashton. “I’ll see you after school?”

“Sure, I’ll be waiting by the car,” Ashton said, as he returned her kiss.

“Okay, I’ll see you then,” Gwen said, before she turned back to Sammy. “I’ll see you later man,” she said, and then she turned and headed towards to the gymnasium.

“Dude, how did you manage to get such a hot girlfriend?” Sammy asked Ashton when Gwen had walked out of earshot of them both. He couldn’t help himself, as he watched her perky ass and long sun stroked hair bounce away into the crowds.

“I don’t know man, but remember that she’s mine,” Ashton said with a hint of serious warning to his voice.

“I get that,” Sammy said quickly. “There’s nothing wrong with appreciating the scenery though,” he added, as he turned back to watch Gwen walking away and disappearing from sight.  Sammy turned back to Ashton. “Are you going to her big fight?”

“Sure, I mean I’ve been to most of her fights since we got together,” Ashton said with a small nod.

“Do you think she’d mind if I came and watched?” Sammy asked.

“Dude, why would you want to come and watch? Are you seriously asking whether I’d be okay with you perving on my girlfriend?” Ashton asked with a touch of surprise.

“No man,” Sammy said quickly as his head shook at the same speed. “I mean, I’ve never seen a fight live or anything, I thought it might be cool,” he said with a casual shrug.

******

Gwen could hear the crowd in the stadium talking loudly. She could feel their excitement surging through the air, as she stood in the small changing room and tried to channel herself. It was hard. The sound of the crowd mixed with the surging excitement was making it nearly impossible for her to concentrate. She tried to block out the sound. She tried to block out the feelings that were forcing their way into her body. For a short second she was totally calm, she was totally ready and then a knock on the door broke her focus and she sighed with frustration.

She opened the door and found Ashton standing on the other side. “Hey,” she said, as she stepped to the side, so that he could come into the small room.

“I just thought I’d come back here and wish you luck,” he said, as he bent down and kissed the side of her cheek softly.

“Thanks,” Gwen said, as her eyes drifted closed when his lips made contact. Gwen had been dating Ashton since their first year at the high school. She’d seen him in the cafeteria one day and their eyes had met over the half eaten tuna sandwich, which was sitting on a plate in front of him. She’d smiled and he’d returned her smile with one of his own.

She’d been captivated by him instantly. There was something about the way his dark brown hair sat in messy curls that softened out his strong cheekbones. His green eyes seemed to burn intensely with the darkest shade of green that Gwen had even seen. He was perfect to her. She loved everything about him from the way that he looked to the way that he made her think deeper about the world around her.

“Do you think you’re ready to win?” Ashton asked, as he sat down a small metal framed chair that had been pushed into the corner.

“Well, I’m hoping so,” I said with a small nod. “I mean, I heard a rumour that there are going to be talent scouts here tonight,” she added excitedly.

“Talent scouts?” Ashton asked her. “What would they scout you for?”

“Well, , so all the big gyms are looking for fighters to sponsor,” Gwen explained quickly. “If I got scouted then I’d be given a personal trainer and funding towards my practice. It would be an incredible opportunity.”

“That sounds great,” Ashton said as he bounced off Gwen’s enthusiasm.

“Well, it would be,” Gwen said wistfully. “I mean; I don’t even know if the rumours are true. I’m just going to have to go out there and give me my best, while I hope for the best,” she finished.

“I know you’ll do great,” Ashton said.

The sound of the fight being introduced started to play through the speaker, which had been attached to the wall. “I think it’s time for me to go,” Gwen said, as she walked over to the door. “Wish me luck?”

“I’ve got my fingers crossed for you,” Ashton uttered with a supportive smile.

The fight was brutal. Gwen had taken two kicks to the head, before she even managed to throw a punch. She could see the stadium starting to blur around her, as she tried to focus on the fight, but the blows to the head had left her unsteady on her feet. She managed to throw another couple of punches, before her opponent sent a hard kick into her chest. She stumbled back. She could feel herself starting to lose the fight.

She could feel her bones aching against the weight of her body. She wanted to sit down. She wanted to take five minutes to catch her breath, but she knew that wasn’t an option. She stumbled back into the fight and sent her leg flying out towards her opponent’s face. She felt her foot make contact. For a moment, she wasn’t sure whether she was losing her balance, but then the sound of a body hitting the floor told her that it didn’t matter. She had won.

The crowd started to go wild, but they were all still a blur to Gwen. She could feel a dull ache coming from her face, which told her that both her eyes were probably blackened and bruised. She felt a hand reaching out to hers and then it shook it. “You fought well there Gwen,” a voice said that sounded much further away than it should have done. “I’ve got something I’d like to discuss with you, when you’re ready,” the voice said again and Gwen nodded.

It took nearly an hour for the swelling to go down enough for Gwen to be able to see. She knew that it would be much longer though, before the bruises would fade away. Her whole body ached with the fight that she’d just been in, but adrenalin was keeping her moving, as her brain buzzed about the fact that she had managed to win.

“Gwen, I was hoping we could have that chat now?” A familiar voice said, as a guy’s head popped from behind the door.

Gwen looked at him for a minute in confusion. “Sure,” she said when she realized it was the same person who had spoken to her straight after the fight. “What can I do for you?” She asked when the guy walked into the room and took the same seat that Ashton had been in earlier.

“Well, it isn’t really about what you can do for us,” the guy with a smile. “It’s more about what we can do for you.”

examined the man talking to her. He was middle aged with slight stubble running across his chin. He looked tired, but not worn out. It was like he’d had a late night, but he’d been enjoying whatever he’d been doing. “What do you mean?” She asked him.

“I’m a talent scout,” the man explained with an easy smile. “I think you’re the perfect person for my gym to sponsor for the UFC.”

*******

Gwen had told Ashton to leave her at the stadium. There was much that she needed to discuss with the talent scout and she didn’t feel like being driven home. That was something that Gwen and Ashton often didn’t see eye to eye on. Ashton had been brought up in a wealthy family who thought that they could enhance all areas of their life with gadgets. Ashton’s favorite was his Pagani Huayra, which he drove everywhere. Gwen liked to walk. They lived in Colorado- one of the most beautiful states in the country, she didn’t see the point in driving passed everything in a speedy blur.

The meeting with the scout had gone on late and by the time Gwen left the stadium night had fallen across the unpolluted sky. The stars were out in their thousands and Gwen took some time to appreciate them, before she turned her eyes to the journey home.

She was excited. She was excited about what the scout had offered her, but that excitement was tainted with the bitterness of knowing she would have to leave Ashton for a month to do it. She and Ashton had seen each other every day for years without exception. A month seemed like an awfully long time to stay away from him, when she often struggled with only a few hours.

She mulled over the complication as she walked home. She could feel herself getting frustrated, as no clear solution came to mind. She knew by the time that she turned up her driveway that she was going to have to make a choice. She could go to the sponsor gym for a month and be without Ashton, or she could stay with Ashton and turn down the opportunity of a life time. She knew though, when she put it like that, that there was only one thing she could really do.

She headed up to her room when she got in the house and threw herself down on her bed. She regretted the move instantly as every aching bone in her body called out in pain. She winched and turned onto her side slowly, so that she could ease some of the weight that was pressing down onto her back.

She waited for the pain to face, before she slid her hand down her side and into her pocket. She felt the cool touch of metal from her cell phone and pulled at it, until it had slid out of her pocket and into her hands. She pressed the home button, so that the screen lit up and then she scrolled through the long list of contacts she had, until she reached the scout’s number, which she had keyed in earlier that night. She let her finger hover over the dial button for a moment, before she brought it down and saw the call being connected.

“Hello?” The familiar voice of the talent scout said, as he answered the phone.

“Hey, it’s Gwen, I just wanted you to know that I’m in,” she said quickly, before she could back out of it.

“That’s great news Gwen. I’ll send you everything you need over to you in the morning. I’m pleased to have you on board,” he said and he did sound genuinely pleased.

“That’s great,” Gwen said quickly. “I’ll speak with you soon,” she said, before she hung up the phone and put it on the bed beside of her. She could feel her hands starting to shake, as she realized that she’d just made a deal that she couldn’t back out of.

She wanted to be happy. She wanted to jump around her room and scream at the top of her lungs that she was finally getting a chance to fight in the UFC, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even raise a smile to her lips, because she knew she still had Ashton to tell.

She pulled her cell phone back over to her and scrolled up for his number. She considered waiting and telling him in the morning when she saw him next, but she knew the news was too big to keep, even if it wasn’t really the kind of thing that you would normally say on the phone. She hit the dial button on his number and waited for him to pick up.

“Hey Gwen, are you alright?” Ashton asked in a sleepy voice.

“I’m fine, I just wanted to run something passed you,” Gwen said nervously.

“Shoot.”

“Well, the talent scout has offered me a sponsorship, but it means that I’ll need to go away to train at their gym for a month,” Gwen explained. “It’s pretty far away too, so I don’t think we’ll be able to see each other very much.”

“Oh, that kind of sucks,” Ashton said without congratulating her at all for the offer. “I mean, we should probably talk it through tomorrow, before you make any decisions.”

“Well, that’s kind of the thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Gwen said and she could feel her stomach filling with dread. “I’ve already said yes.”

“You’ve already said yes?” Ashton asked in a surprised voice that kind of sounded pissed too.

“Well, yeah, I mean it’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” Gwen tried to explain her actions.

“Didn’t you think that perhaps, you should have spoken to me first? I mean we’re meant to be partners,” Ashton said and he sounded hurt and annoyed.

“I’m sorry Ashton, I just didn’t want to miss the opportunity surely you understand that?

“I understand that you think fighting in the UFC is more important than us,” Ashton said bitterly.

“It’s not like that,” Gwen said and she’d dropped the nervousness in her voice and replaced it with a kind of defining sternness. “You know that I’ve been working towards this my entire life Ashton, why aren’t you being supportive?”

“I just didn’t realize that getting your dream meant that you had to leave me behind,” Ashton said quietly.

“Ashton, I’m not leaving you behind. It’s only a month. It’s not like it’s going to be forever,” Gwen said, as she tried to talk him around to her way of thinking.

New York was everything that Colorado wasn’t. It was built up with huge shining buildings that seemed to reach up to the sun in the same way that flowers do. The air was thick with pollution and it scratched against the back of Gwen’s throat as she walked down the busy sidewalk. She hated it. She hated the fact that nothing seemed to be alive. She hated the fact that everybody seemed to be in a rush. She hated the fact that there were so many people out on the sidewalk, period.

She turned back and glared at a man who had just roughly bumped into her without apologizing, before she turned back to her quest. She’d been given a map, which had the gym circled on it, so that she would be able to find it easily, but the streets of New York were complicated and she couldn’t see to find her bearings no matter how hard she tried.

In desperation she hailed a yellow cab that pulled up quickly. She asked the driver to take her to the gym and was relieved to find that the cab driver seemed to know where he was going. “You’re new to the city, yes?” He asked, as he weaved in and out of the traffic that seemed to be even worse on the roads than it was on the streets.

“Yeah, I’m from Colorado originally,” she said with a small nod. “What gave me away?”

“You just don’t look like you come from the city,” he said with a small shrug.

She looked down at her clothes quickly. She was wearing a simple pair of black yoga pants and a vest top. She couldn’t understand what he meant. Was she somehow not dressed up enough to be from New York? The cab driver laughed at her, as he looked back at her through the small mirror.

“It isn’t what you’re wearing,” he said with a small shake of his head. “It’s just you as a person. People from New York always look, I don’t know, mean,” he explained.

“You think people from New York always look mean?” I asked him.

“Sure, I think it’s because, it’s a dog eat dog, kind of city,” he said with a shrug. “People around here are always fighting for what they want. They don’t have time to be nice.”

“Sounds great,” Gwen said as she looked out of the window at the grey landscape. “Why would you choose to live in a place like this?” She asked him curiously.

“It’s where all the big things happen,” the cab driver said as his eyes sparkled.

Gwen sat back in her seat and thought about what he’d said. He was right, she supposed. She’d had to travel out to the city, so that she could fight. There was nowhere in Colorado that would have offered her the kind of deal that the gym she had been picked for did.

The cab started to slow down and Gwen looked out of the window. She could see the gym instantly. It was built up high into the sky and its glossy window walls reflected the sun. Gwen had never been to a gym like it. It looked as though it belonged in the future and she hadn’t even stepped inside the building yet.

She paid the cab driver and thanked him, before she stepped out onto the busy sidewalk. The gym had big, glass automatic doors that glided open, as Gwen walked towards them. The whole bottom floor of the gym had been turned into a reception. The hardwood floors shined, as Gwen walked towards the huge reception desk that had a dainty blonde behind it.

“Hi,” Gwen said, so that she could attract the attention of the receptionist who seemed sucked into her phone.

“Oh, hello,” she said with a big goofy smile that looked almost friendly and nothing like what the cab driver had described to Gwen on their ride over.

“I’m Gwen, I’m meant to be starting my sponsorship training today,” Gwen said a little nervously, because she wasn’t quite sure what she was meant to do once she’d got to the gym.

The girl looked at Gwen for a second longer, before she turned her attention to the screen in front of her. “Yes, Gwen you’re on here,” she said with a quick nod. “It looks like you’ll be working with Aiden up on level four,” she said, as she read directly from the screen.

“Thanks,” Gwen said to her with the warmest smile she could muster.

“You’re going to like Aiden,” she said with smile. “He’s one of the best trainers we have here. You’re lucky that you’re getting some time with him,” the girl said with a kind of dreamy look in her eyes.

“Cool,” Gwen said. She glanced over to a set of elevators, which were in the corner of the room, before she walked over to them and hit the level four button, which on the control board.  She walked into the small metal box when the doors opened and then waited for them to close again, before her stomach seemed to sink and rise at the same time, as it set off.

The doors opened and Gwen walked out of the elevator and into a large open space. The walls were made completely out windows, which gave a magnificent view of the city. “Who are you?” A voice demanded to know from to the side of her.

“I’m Gwen,” she said quickly as she turned to see a redheaded man in front of her. Gwen took a second to take in the man. His hair was the same color as fire. It seemed to flicker around his body, as it flowed down a tad bit in a mess of curls. Gwen found his eyes and saw that they were a light leafy green. Gwen had to look up to see his eyes, but the man’s height worked towards his attractiveness, as his whole body was slender, muscular and built.

“Gwen?” He said as she eyed her with suspicion. “Are you the new fighter I’m meant to be training?”

“I think so,” Gwen said with a small nod.

“I thought you were going to be bigger,” the man said with an inspective look. “I’m Aiden by the way,” he added, as he held out his hand for Gwen to shake.

*******

Gwen had been training at her new gym for a couple of weeks, but she could already feel the huge progress she had made in such a short time. Aiden had been pushing her further than she’d ever thought herself capable and she loved every minute of it. Gwen couldn’t believe that she’d ever considered turning the offer down. She couldn’t believe that she’d been so close to never meeting Aiden.

She walked into the gym on the first day of her third week with a smile on her face. She was looking forward to getting back to work after the weekend, but mostly she was just looking forward to seeing Aiden. Aiden and Gwen had become close friends since she’d started training there. Aiden had even taken Gwen out on a couple of nights, so that she could see the city. The receptionist had been right about Aiden; he really was an amazing trainer.

“You’re late,” Aiden called out to Gwen, as she walked into the large open space that had become so familiar to her.

“I thought I’d stop and grab us coffees before I got here,” Gwen said, as she held out a large coffee cup that had been burning her hands since she’d bought it.

“Thanks Gwen,” Aiden said with a warm smile as he took the cup from her and raised it to his lips. “God, I’ve been dying for a coffee all morning,” he said as his eyes rolled back in enjoyment. “Did you have a good weekend?” He asked after he’d finished swilling down the coffee.

“Sure, it was alright,” Gwen said with a small nod. She’d spent most of the weekend on the phone to Ashton who was having a harder time with their separation that she was. She felt kind of guilty about that, but she knew that it wasn’t really her fault that training had been prominent in her thoughts.

“Did you do anything?” Aiden asked curiously.

“No, not really,” Gwen said quickly. “I mean; I was on the phone for most of it. My boyfriend back home is having a hard time with this separation stuff,” she explained with a small shrug.

“You’ve got a boyfriend?” Aiden asked in surprise.

“Sure, I met him in the first year of high school,” Gwen said with a small nod. She didn’t know whether to be insulted or not about Aiden’s surprise.

“Oh right,” Aiden said and seemed to be down hearted. “We should probably get on with the training.”

“Sure,” Gwen nodded. “I’ve got to leave early tonight though. I agreed to fly back home for a night, so that Ashton can see me.”

“Okay,” Aiden said with a deep breath, as though this was inconveniencing him, but she was willing to put up with it anyway. “We’ve got a lot to do today though, so we better get moving.”

They worked out for the rest of the morning and then had their lunch, before they got right back to it. Aiden had been working with Gwen on her concentration and Gwen was finally starting to control her mind, as she fought. She could tell that her fighting was getting better because of it too. Aiden had Gwen meditating for the last portion of the training session and Gwen was relieved to be finally sitting down.

She closed her eyes and silenced her mind to the world around her. She let all the thoughts of Ashton and his unsupportive behaviour wash away from her mind, as she cleared it of everything, but a positive light. Time seemed to melt away. It wasn’t even a concept to her anymore. She sat in stillness until she was sure it felt right to move. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock, which was hung on the back of the door. She gulped.

“What’s wrong?” Aiden asked her in surprise, as she pulled herself out of her own meditation.

“I’ve missed my flight,” Gwen said. “I’m going to have to call Ashton and tell him that I can’t make it.”

“I’m sure he’ll understand,” Aiden said supportively.

“You know, up until a couple of weeks ago I would have said the same, but you know, I’m not sure he will. He’s taking me being away pretty hard,” Gwen tried to explain.

Aiden nodded and stood up. He walked over to Gwen and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders, before he started to rub the tension out of her back. “Don’t worry,” He said softly. “Just focus on your training. You can’t let relationships distract you, when you’re so close to the fighting for your place in the UFC.”

Gwen tried to focus on Aiden’s soothing words but she couldn’t. The feeling of Aiden’s hot breath against her neck was distracting her too much. It tickled as it played across her skin and made a desire filled feeling fill her stomach.

“I’m going to need to call him,” Gwen said, as she pulled away from Aiden’s touch. It had been touch much. It had made her thoughts wonder and now she could feel her cheeks blushing, as she avoided Aiden’s eyes.

“Sure,” Aiden said with a small nod. “Just don’t let him make you feel bad about this.”

*******

Ashton didn’t take Gwen’s news very well. He was actually pretty pissed with her for missing her flight. He’d had plans to take her out for a meal and then he’d arranged for all her friends to come around to his place, so that she could see everybody. He felt like his time had been properly wasted and he couldn’t understand how Gwen could be okay with not seeing him. He missed her from the moment he woke up to the moment that he went to sleep, but she didn’t seem to be giving him the slightest of thoughts.

Of course, it was hard for Gwen though, she was spending so much time in training that when the night finally came, she was ready to crawl into bed and she didn’t want to be having long phone calls that dragged on until the early hours of the morning. That’s what Gwen kept telling herself anyway. Although, she knew deep down that there was more to her not missing Ashton that simply being tired. She just wasn’t willing to admit that to herself. She wasn’t willing to admit that the man she’d been in love with since the first year of high school was starting to lose his appeal.

It was the night of the entry fight though and Gwen couldn’t waste any of her energy or thoughts on Ashton. She had to focus on the fight and nothing else. If she won then she would be staying in New York for an extra month to train for the UFC, if she lost though, then her dream would be over and she’d be returning back home.

She could hear the roar of the crowd from the stadium. It was louder than anything she had ever heard before, but with Aiden’s help she managed to block it out. “You just need to concentrate,” Aiden said in a firm and supportive voice. “You need to find your center and you need to stay there. You need to make sure that you don’t lose focus Gwen. You cannot afford to lose your center in this fight. It’s all down to you. I know you can do this,” he said as he tried to prep Gwen up for the fight.

“Thanks Aiden,” Gwen said with a small nod. Like, seriously, for everything,” she added because she wasn’t sure whether Aiden really understood what he was being thanked about.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s my job,” Aiden said as he brushed off the thanks.

“It wasn’t your job to make me feel so welcome. It wasn’t your job to make sure that I wasn’t lonely when I was out here, but you did it anyway,” Gwen pointed out. She looked at Aiden and smiled, before the smiled faded when she saw the look in Aiden’s eyes. He looked almost sad. The light green color seemed dimmed compared to the way it normally sparkled. “Is everything alright?” Gwen asked her with concern.

“Everything is fine,” Aiden said with a small nod. “Stop worrying about other people and concentrate on what you’re about to do,” he scolded Gwen gently.

“Okay,” Gwen said with a small nod, before she took a deep breath. “I think I’m ready,” she added.

“It’s good that you’re ready,” Aiden said quickly. “You’re about to get called into the stadium,” he added and then seconds afterwards a voice broke through the speaker introducing the two people fighting.

Gwen walked out into the noisy stadium, but she didn’t focus on the crowd. She focused on the center that Aiden had helped her find. She walked onto the large blue mat and waited for her opponent to meet her. He was big. He was much bigger than Gwen, but that didn’t matter. She knew how to use that against him.

The fight happened quickly. Gwen suffered a couple hits to the ribs, which she was sure had broken them, but she continued to fight anyway. She managed to knock out her opponent with a swing of her fist to the side of his head and the crowd erupted in cheers. She could feel her heart beating almost through her chest, as she realized that it was over and that she had fought her way into the UFC.

She felt arms wrap around her and it took her moment to realize that Aiden had run out to meet her. “Well done,” Aiden whispered into her ear, as he pulled her close in an embrace that felt more personal than anything they had ever shared before.

Gwen could feel adrenalin surging through her veins, as her heart continued to race. She could feel Aiden’s thumb slowly stroking the small of her back and she felt herself leaning forward, before she had even realized what her brain had decided to do. Her lips met with Aiden’s and for a moment they were still, before Aiden pushed the kiss forward and filled Gwen’s mouth with the taste of pepper mint.

“What the hell?” Ashton’s voice demanded from behind them both.

Gwen turned quickly with surprised eyes. “Ashton?” She said, as she tried to wrap her head around his sudden appearance.

“I flew all the way over here to watch your fight and you’re getting off with your trainer?” Ashton said in disgust. “No wonder you haven’t been missing me,” he said as he quickly made the situation a lot worse in his mind than it actually was in reality.

“It isn’t like that,” Gwen said desperately, as she felt torn between Aiden and Ashton. “Please, you have to let me explain.”

“I don’t have to do anything, Gwen,” Ashton said firmly. “I’ve been so stupid. I’ve just been sitting at home, missing you and all this time you’ve been getting it on with your instructor? I mean what even is that?” Ashton asked in desperate confusion. “He’s a guy, Gwen. Did you think it was alright because he’s your trainer?” He demanded to know.

“Ashton this isn’t the time or the place,” Gwen said, as she felt the eyes of the crowd fixing in on her drama.

*******

Gwen looked over at Ashton. He was sitting next to a curve in the Colorado River and the sun was pouring down onto him. She could see the small strips of deep honey that were appearing in his hair, as though the sun was stroking through it and leaving light lines wherever it touched. He turned to look at Gwen when he felt her eyes burning into his skin. He frowned slightly. “What’s wrong?” He asked as he took in Gwen’s fixed stare.

“Nothing,” Gwen said as she turned her stare away from him and out into the rushing waters of the river. The scenery around her was beautiful. The river was one her favorite places to go in summer, but it wasn’t filling her with the same job that once did. She could feel everything being tainted by the choice she had made after the fight and where it had left her.

“You’re not still thinking about the UFC?” Ashton asked her. “You know there will be other fights,” he said, as though he understood, which it was clear he didn’t.

“I’m sure there will be,” Gwen replied. “I don’t think any of them will ever compare to the UFC though,” she said with a small sigh. She hadn’t really spoken to Ashton about what she had given up since she’d returned home. She knew that it was hard enough for Ashton to ignore what had happened between her and Aiden without bringing up the fact that she’d given up on her dreams to be with him.

“Well, it seems you kind of did that to yourself, didn’t you?” Ashton said spitefully.

Gwen didn’t know what to say. She’d never experienced this side of Ashton before and she didn’t like it. She knew though, that she deserved the cold shoulder. She knew that she had crossed the line in her moment of Passion with Aiden. “I made a mistake Ashton,” she said finally.

“Well, it’s a mistake that you won’t be making again,” Ashton said with a severe tone.

Gwen opened her mouth to reply, but she closed it again when her cell phone vibrated against her leg. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered the unknown number that was flashing on the screen. “Hello?”

“Hi, is this Gwen that I’m speaking to?” A woman’s voice said quickly.

“It is,” Gwen said.

“Right that’s good then. I’ve been searching for you everywhere. The opening fights for the UFC will be starting this Saturday. I was wondering whether you’d be arriving then or the night before.” The woman said.

“Oh,” Gwen said. She was a little taken aback that the woman was calling about the UFC. She had thought that Aiden had told them that she wouldn’t be fighting. “Well, actually I won’t be able to make it.”

“Nonsense, everything has been arranged. Now, will you be arriving on the Friday night or the Saturday morning?” She asked without hesitation. “Oh, and will your trainer need a separate room or are you okay to share?”

Gwen didn’t know what to say. She could feel Ashton’s eyes burning into the back of her neck, as she stood mutely with the phone in her hand. “I’ll be there Friday,” she said quickly, before she hung up the phone without answering the question about her trainer.

“Where are you going?” Ashton asked her, when she turned back around to face him. He was looking at her curiously, as though he could tell that she’d just agreed to something she shouldn’t have. Her hesitation to answer caused his eyes to narrow.

“That was one of the official UFC reps,” she started to explain, before Ashton cut her off.

“No,” he said simply, as though it was as simple as that.

“What do you mean no?” She said sharply. “Look, Ashton I get what I did was wrong, but I can’t not go and fight. I’ve earned my place. Why shouldn’t I get my moment? Because of a quick celebratory kiss?”

“How could you possibly expect me to be okay with this?” Ashton asked with a look of disbelief on his face. “We’ve only ever spent a few weeks a part Gwen and you cheated on me,” he explained as though it needed to be explained. “You cheated on me with your trainer. There’s no way that I’m letting you out of my sight again.”

“Don’t you care about what I want at all?” Gwen cried out in frustration.

“How could you possibly want to be away from me?” Ashton asked her in a guilt evoking way.

“Ashton, I need to do this,” Gwen said weakly. “I need to do this because it’s what I’ve been working towards my entire life. If you can’t trust me, then that’s fine, I’ll accept that, but it won’t stop me from going.”

“So, tell me Gwen,” Ashton said with eyes full of hurt and deception. “Where does that leave us?”

“It leaves us where we’ve always been Ashton. You are the only person who is implying that anything will change.”

“So, what, I’m just supposed to be okay with you going? Will you see Aiden while you are there?” He asked me, as though his response to all of this was hanging on the edge of her answer.

“I don’t think so. I think I can be without a trainer,” Gwen said softly.

“I’m not happy about this,” Ashton said, as he realized that Gwen was going to go no matter what he said.

“I’m sorry I’ve made you feel this way,” Gwen said honestly. She had never meant to betray Ashton. She had never meant to hurt him. She’d just been lost in the excitement of the fight. She’d just made a small mistake, but that didn’t mean that she should be paying with such a big price.

******

Gwen arrived at the fancy hotel with her squeaky suitcase on wheels trailing behind her. She could tell from the marble flooring and expensive looking pottery that the hotel would probably have a huge nightly fee and she was glad that the UFC covered the fighter’s accommodation, because she knew she’d never be able to afford to stay there otherwise.

She walked up to the large reception desk and smiled at the receptionist, who mocked her smile in return, before rolling her eyes. “How can I help you?” She asked in a nasally drone.

“I’m trying to check in,” Gwen said quickly. “My reservation should be under Gwen Suthers,” she added.

“Right, sure I’ve found you,” the girl said. “Your roommate has already checked in, but here’s your key anyway,” she said, as she passed over a small card key.

“Thanks,” Gwen said as she took the key from the girl behind the desk.

It didn’t take Gwen long to get to the hotel door. She could feel herself getting nervous with every step she took towards the room though. She’d known instantly who the receptionist had meant, when she’d said that she had a roommate.

She got to the hotel door and knocked quickly, before she slid the card through the reader and it flashed green. She could hear muffled footsteps coming from around the corner of the room and she walked in slowly. “Aiden,” she said and she couldn’t stop the smile from pulling at her lips, as she took in the fiery red hair that she’d became accustom to in training.

“Gwen,” he said with a small smile and surprise in his eyes. “I wasn’t sure whether or not you’d come,” she added.

“I didn’t know myself,” Gwen said, as she pushed her suitcase against a wall, so that it wouldn’t fall. “I mean, I thought you’d told them that I wasn’t going to fight. You knew that Ashton wasn’t happy about what happened between us.”

“I know,” Aiden said and she looked almost guilty. “I was going to tell them, but I just couldn’t. I just felt like you had too much of a chance of winning this thing. I couldn’t just let you walk away from your dream because your boyfriend told you to.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Gwen said a little defensively. “He didn’t tell me that I couldn’t do it. He just said that he’d be unhappy if I did.”

“That’s the same thing Gwen,” Aiden said with a look of pity in his eyes. “I don’t know why you’re wasting your time with him. He seemed so unsupportive about your dreams. Doesn’t that bother you?” Aiden asked Gwen.

Gwen shifted a little on the spot where she was stood. Aiden’s questions were making her feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about all of this stuff herself. It was just that she and Ashton had been together for so long. It seemed wrong just to throw it all away because he was being unsupportive.

“Look, I didn’t mean to ambush you with questions,” Aiden said with an apologetic look. “I just think you deserve more than what he has to offer,” he said with a small shrug.

“He’s rich you know,” Gwen said, as it was the first thing that came to her mind.

Aiden stopped what he was doing and looked at Gwen in surprise. “Is that why you’re with him?”

“No,” Gwen said quickly.

“Then why bring it up?” Aiden asked her with a quizzical look.

“I don’t know. It was just the only thing I could think of, to say that was good about him,” Gwen answered honestly.

“Doesn’t that tell you something about the relationship?”

Gwen didn’t say anything. It told her everything she needed to know about her relationship with Ashton, but that didn’t mean that she had to listen to the facts. Love wasn’t something that could be dictated to by facts. It was irrational and consuming, and nothing like what Gwen really felt like for Ashton if she was being truly honest with herself.

“Are you okay?” Aiden asked as he took in Gwen’s sudden change in expression.

Gwen shook her head, but she didn’t speak. She couldn’t. Her throat was too full with rolling sobs that were forcing their way up from her chest. She felt Aiden’s arms wrap around her, as he pulled her closer into his embrace.

“It’s okay,” Aiden whispered to her, as he stroked down Gwen’s hair softly. “It’s going to be alright,” he said, because he wasn’t sure what else he could say.

Gwen shook her head into Aiden’s chest. “It won’t be,” she said, as the last few years of her life suddenly became pointless to her. She’d spent so long focusing on Ashton that she hadn’t stopped to think about what would happen if they broke up. She hadn’t stopped to think about the fact that she’d grown up with him as both her best friend and her boyfriend and now that things were ending she would lose him as both.

“I know it seems like that now,” Aiden said as he tried to soothe Gwen.

“How is any of this even possible?” Gwen asked in frustration. “I was totally in love with him a couple of months ago. We had everything planned out. Everything was going just fine. How could everything change so quickly? How could I fall out of love with him?” She knew that Aiden didn’t have all of the answers. She knew that no one really had all of the answers, but she felt compelled to ask the questions anyway.

“I’m sorry that you’re hurting,” Aiden said, as he placed her fingers under Gwen’s chin and pulled it up, so that Gwen’s eyes met his.

Gwen started into the beautiful leafy green eyes that were burning into her own. She couldn’t help but feel the same rush of happiness that she often got when she stepped out into summer, when she looked into them. She wondered for a moment whether Aiden was going to kiss her. She could feel the urge to lean forward and start the kiss herself, but then Aiden pulled away, as though he could sense what Gwen was about to do.

“I don’t want you to think that I’ve led you on or taken advantage of you,” Aiden explained when Gwen’s eyes filled with questions.

“I don’t think that,” Gwen said almost instantly.

“Gwen, you’re not thinking straight right now. You’ve just realized that things are coming to end with your boyfriend, it isn’t the right time,” he said softly.

“Stop telling me what to do,” Gwen said as she stepped forward and kissed Aiden roughly. She felt Aiden push back against her body for before he gave in and kissed her back deeply. The taste of peppermint filled Gwen’s mouth and compelled her tongue to reach into Aiden’s so that she could explore his body further.

Aiden’s hands were pulling against the hem of Gwen’s top, as though they were afraid to move further up it. Gwen reached down and took control of Aiden’s hands, as she put them on her bare stomach and pushed them up towards her breasts. She returned her hands to Aiden’s body and traced soft lines against his skin.

Gwen could feel Aiden’s heart beating hard against her chest. He took his shirt off so that the electric feeling of skin against skin burned between the both of them. Gwen moved her hands over his chest until her fingertips were rubbing over Aiden’s hardening nipples.

“Oh god,” Aiden said, when Gwen started to roll them around her fingers.

Gwen could feel Aiden’s body shaking under her touch. She let her hands fall from Aiden’s nipples, so that they were tracing lines across his waist, before she unfastened his jeans quickly and let them fall to the floor. Gwen took in the black briefs that were covering his well-endowed package. She could feel herself getting wetter, as she knelt down, so that her face was aligned with the boxers where the outline of his hardening penis was visible.

Aiden’s hands found the way to the back of Gwen’s head and he pushed her forward. She couldn’t help herself. She was unable to contain the anticipation for what was about to happen. He cried out into the room, as Gwen’s hot tongue started to draw circles against his cock. He could feel each lashing of Gwen’s tongue pushing him further to the edge. It was getting hard for him to support himself, as his legs shook. He could feel Gwen’s tongue getting rougher, as it pushed down harder against him and forced pleasure filled cries to escape Aiden’s lips.

Then an explosion took a hold of Aiden’s body. He felt his legs going weak, as pleasure filled every thought in his mind. The world started to blur. He was sure for a moment he would pass out as the pleasure kept on rolling through him in heavy waves. “I think I owe you something in return for that,” Aiden said breathlessly, as he pulled Gwen over to the bed and fell to his knees in front of her.

******

Gwen had won the fight. Her entire body ached like it had never ached before, but she had won the fight. The stadium had gone wild. No one had expected her to win, but they seemed pleased that she had. Gwen stumbled forward, so that she could wave to the cheering crowd and she felt the familiar feeling of Aiden’s arms wrap around her waist.

“You did great,” Aiden said over the roar of the crowd.

“Well, I suppose I really should put it down to my trainer. He’s pretty good you see,” Gwen said with a playful smile on her face.

“Oh, I’d say by the technique that you’ve just shown that’s he’s really, really good,” Aiden said as he gently squeezed Gwen’s sides, so that she squirmed under the tickling feeling it created. “So, should we go somewhere and celebrate?” Aiden asked when the crowd had started to disburse and Gwen had started to head back towards the changing room.

“Actually there’s something I want to do first,” Gwen said with a small grimace.

“What is it?” Aiden asked curiously.

“I need to call up Ashton and tell him that it’s over,” Gwen said quietly.

“You’re going to do it over the phone?” Aiden asked in surprise.

“Well, I’ve got the next fight in a few days, so I can’t go home to do it,” Gwen said with a shrug. “It’s better that I tell him now though. I don’t want him showing up to another one of my fights for him to see you and me together,” she added.

“I suppose you’re right,” Aiden said with a small nod. “I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said, as she watched Gwen pull out her cell phone.

Gwen nodded. She turned on the bright screen and scrolled through the names until she reached Ashton. She took a deep breath, before she hit the dial button. “Ashton,” she said when he answered.

“How did the fight go?” Ashton asked.

“I won,” Gwen said and she couldn’t help, but smile, even though she was about to break up with him.

“Does that mean you’re going to have to stay away longer?” Ashton asked in an unhappy tone.

“Actually, that’s why I’ve called you,” Gwen said slowly. “I think we need to talk about what’s going on between us. I know you’re not happy about what happened between me and Aiden and I knew you’re not happy about me being away to fight. To be honest, I think the only way forward for us both is to break up. I mean, Ashton, I nearly gave up on my dream for you. Imagine if I had have done? I’d have resented you for the rest of my life.”

“Is this about Aiden?” Ashton asked and his voice was seething.

“No, this doesn’t have anything to do with him. I just don’t love you anymore Ashton,” Gwen said. She felt brutal for putting it so coldly, but she didn’t know how else to make him listen.

“Well, I’m glad you told me,” Ashton said, before he hung up the phone.

Aiden came back into the room, when he had realized that she hadn’t heard Gwen speak for a while. “Is everything okay?” He asked, as he took in Gwen’s sad expression.

“I’ve done it,” Gwen said quietly.

“Do you want to go out? We could get something to eat?” Aiden suggested.

Gwen nodded. She knew that she was going to hurt for a while over things ending with Ashton, but she couldn’t help but feel as though Aiden was going to make it a lot easier for her. She wasn’t in love with Aiden, but she could tell from the way that her heart simmered whenever she looked in Aiden’s direction that there was a very real possibility that she could, once she was over Ashton.

 

*****
THE END