The Fighter and His Tiger (Unexpected Love #1)

6. Friday Week Two

6. Friday Week Two

I was woken from my amazing dream about Nutella to the smell of something burning wafting through the house. I sprang upright in bed and jumped out so quickly I ended up getting tangled in my sheets and falling flat on my face.

"Ow," I groaned, real smooth Rei.

I bolted out of my room and down the hall into our open plan living room/kitchen, my Nan swivelled around on her heel at hearing me come in and gave me a sheepish smile, "Oops."

I shook my head at her with a knowing smile and pointed at the note I had written on the fridge in block capitals:

NAN, DON'T COOK BACON.

I don't know why but my Nan could cook everything in the world but bacon. She always, and I mean always, ended up burning it.

"I know honey I just wanted to do something nice for you today and I know how much you love bacon," she explained to me as I went about opening the windows.

I gathered her into my arms for a hug after turning off the gas, "You don't have to do that for me, Nan, I'm all good."

I could practically sense her rolling her eyes at me, "I wanted to monkey, thought it would be a nice start to the day, you know, considering..."

I pulled away and placed my hands on either side of her heads, "I am honestly fine Nan," I pulled her back into my arms and kissed her head, "I'm going to go get ready for school. Let's just have cereal today, yeah." She chuckled at me and nodded with a solemn smile on her face.

It was the 23rd of August today, my Dad's birthday. My Nan was from my mum's side so today hurt less for her than it did for me but over the years I had developed a way to deal with the days like today.

Dr Fredricks was my psychiatrist who helped me after the death of my parents. She had always said that I never fully grieved which was bullshit if you asked me. I had soaked my pillows in tears. I had sobbed as we spread their ashes. If that wasn't grieving I don't know what was.

Fredricks had always said that after their death I had taken up the role of being strong for my Nan and Ty which meant I had never given myself the opportunity to fully hurt and then heal. During all our sessions together she said I only ever discussed my memories of my parents, never my future without them. Why would I want to discuss something that brings me pain?

Anyway, on my 14th birthday, she gave me this idea to use my creative side to create albums. She said she'd seen me sketching in the waiting room of her practice before, creep, and that I should use my creativity as a way to remember them. So I made three albums; one for mum, one for dad, one for all of us.

Days like today I used them to remember the memories of how we celebrated rather than think of all the ways that we wouldn't be able to celebrate in the future. I found that it actually helped.

I pulled my 'dad' box out from under my bed and spent five minutes just going through it, soothing the ache which had started to blossom in my heart.

I dressed in a spotty white and brown dress with my vans and a few rings and necklaces to tie it together. I tied my hair in a messy bun and put on some mascara, eyeliner, blush and clear gloss before smiling at myself in the mirror.

You can do this Rei, just smile and wave. God, I loved Madagascar.

I heard Noah honk his horn from his car, obnoxious prick couldn't wait longer than 30 seconds, and gave my Nan and Ty a kiss on the cheek before grabbing an apple and walking towards his car.

"What's up buttercup?"

I scrunched my nose up and shook my head at him, "Buttercup? Yeah, no, don't like that one."

He rolled his eyes at me, "It's not a new nickname monkey," I swatted him with my hand as he mocked my Nan's nickname for me, "It's just one of those things people say. You know, like the one, 'see ya later alligator, in a while crocodile'."

He turned his head to face me at a stoplight and I burst out laughing, "You idiot!" I said gasping for air between laughs.

He scowled at me, "Ha-dee-fucking-ha. You can stop laughing now bitch."

I just continued to shake my head at him as my laughter died down to the occasional chuckle.

I bit down on my apple and decided today was going to be a good day.

—————

The song Gold by Kiiara was playing through my one headphone in my ear as I did my sketch whilst chatting to Kiara, now Kie, in art class, told you I was a multitasker when my phone buzzed with a text.

Boxer Boy:

412 Greenthorn Rd, Lendale

Maxon's Fighters

free from 11 sunday, dont give a shit if you arent, train then or not at all.

Eli

Me:

Maxon's Fighters? Lemme guess, he's the owner, how unoriginal 🤪

And since you asked ever so nicely, I'll be there.

He read it but didn't reply, rude.

"What are you smiling about?"

I looked up from my phone to find Kie staring over at me with a knowing look on her face. We had gotten on really well that night we went out and now we sat together in art and ended up chatting for the whole lesson, who knew we would become such good friends?

"Nothing. Just this thing I've been excited for, I guess."

She smiled slyly at me, "A thing involving a boy?"

I rolled my eyes, "No." Yes

She nodded her head with a disbelieving look on her face, "Mmm-hm."

I rolled my eyes again and got back to work, all the while smiling and thinking about Eli and how our next encounter would go.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

1050 words^

Edited ✅