FINDING AZURE

T H R E E / N I C O

                                    N I C O

"Uh-huh, there we go. Don't stop. You ain't the best until you can fight like the best. You ain't the champ, until you can fight like the champ!"

Nico could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead as he swung, fist after fist, landing precisely in the middle of his trainer's palms.

He drained out the background noise, only focusing on the words his father spoke as he continued to pump up his son. Nico could feel the swiftness in his joints as he began to amp up his speed, throwing his fist viciously towards his opponent.

"Alright, that's time." Muhammad said, as he dropped his hands that were being used for practice.

"You're doing good," Ron, Nico's older brother commented as he climbed into the ring, "You'll be ready for that fight in a few weeks, no doubt."

"Hope that nigga ready to get his ass beat." Nico grinned devilishly, as he threw a few punches in the air.

"Ay, language!" Muhammad barked, giving his son a knowing look.

"Pops, we grown now" Ron laughed, "You can save all that for the neighborhood kids."

Muhammad had always been very strict on his only two children, Nico and Ron, who had the unfortunate experience of losing their mother at a young age.

Now a single father, Muhammad did his best to instill discipline and responsibility into his boys, and for the most part he had exceeded his expectations. From boyhood to adulthood, he had trained them physically and mentally, to be the best men they could be and to conquer anything life threw at them.

Now at a solid twenty one and twenty four, the two were well paid athletes that were beginning to dominate in their fields. While Nico's choice was boxing, his brother preferred MMA, a different style of traditional boxing. Either way, it was no doubt that the young men were in the greatest shape of their lives and talented enough to go to the big leagues.

Aside from his own kids, Muhammad trained a lot of the younger boys from around the way in efforts to get their minds in a positive place instead of to drugs and senseless violence. He was known on the streets as Big Muh, the neighborhood dad.

"Grown my behind," Big Muh responded, "I ain't too old to knock yo ass out."

"Try me." Ron dared his dad, playfully opening up his arms to signal he was ready to fight.

"I'on know bro, he hit you with that left hook I ain't tryna back you up." Nico laughed as he climbed out of the ring.

Seeing his phone light up on the chair where he left it, he grabbed it to see who was hitting him up.

Juicy 💦

Wya. I'm missing you
Sent. 1:00pm

Smirking to himself, he closed out the message and placed his phone into the pocket of his gym pants. Juicy was a shawty around the way that was on his heels something serious.

The two had only been talking for a few months, but within that time he had done just about everything to her that she had allowed him to. He began to get bored with her, because all she ever wanted to do was chill over his apartment or parade him around Lasalle campus, however Nico was no arm possession.

Juicy tried her best to get him to come around, but he just wasn't feeling the idea. He didn't have a girl for a reason, so it would be pretty pointless to pretend to be with someone. With that, the lustful relationship stayed in the 'friends with benefits' area, somewhere Nico was glad to leave it.

"Where you headed bro? You tryna slide to the crib and bet on madden?" Rob asked coming out of the ring as well.

"That's cool, but a nigga kinda hungry right now" Nico shrugged, "What's close?"

"Shit, they just opened up a new breakfast place down the block. We could try that out."

The two brothers gathered their gym bags, next saying goodbye to their dad before they left the gym for the day. After waking up early morning for an 8am class and then straight to practice, Nico just wanted to spend the rest of his day relaxing.

However he had only been going off of a few eggs and a shake, so now was the time to definitely put some food in his stomach.

"Damn, if I wasn't cutting out carbs I would definitely get this three stack French toast with blueberry jam," Ron shook his head solemnly, "Egg whites and turkey bacon it is."

Nico laughed at the disappointed look on his brothers face, although he too felt his pain. Their father didn't approve of anything that he labeled "waste food", also known as food that couldn't contribute to your energy or nourishment of the body.

When they were young it was easy for Muhammad to control their eating habits, but now that they were grown he could only preach what he believed to be right. Both Nico and Ron had their share in guilty pleasures, but overall tried to live a healthy life.

"Man, I'm starving. No egg whites gonna fill a nigga up." Nico fussed.

The two began to discuss their meal options back and forth, not aware of the Spanish waitress that was making her way to greet their table.

"What can I get for you two?" She asked, breaking up their conversation.

"Well first off, your number." Ron smiled up at the young Puerto Rican girl.

"What about my name?" She flirted back.

Nico smirked as he watched his older brother solicit the pretty waitress, the two going back and forth before she slyly passed over her number on an extra napkin she carried in her apron. As always, it was easy for Ron to bag a female quickly - his pretty caramel skin, chiseled face, and dark waves proving to entice any woman he came into contact with.

Nico shared his brothers handsome features, but looked a bit younger as he possessed less facial hair. He too could grab any female he wanted, but enjoyed watching his big brother in action.

Nico couldn't help but to change his gaze as the waitress and his brother continued to talk, his eyes watching as a short brown skin waitress made her way out of the bathroom. She began to pin her lengthy silk pressed hair into a sloppy bun, next sticking her pen through a tiny loop that she created.

Her ass, perfectly shaped was begging to be looked at in her black work pants, and he just couldn't help but to stare as she made her way behind the counter and disappeared into the back.

"Damn, who that?" Nico spoke his thoughts out loud.

He wasn't the type to usually be hype over a beautiful girl because nine times out of ten they spotted him first, but he just couldn't help himself.

"Who?" The waitress, now introduced as Mia asked.

"The other waitress."

"Oh, that's Azure. She got a boyfriend though as far as I know." Mia shrugged.

"I'll knock her boyfriend the fuck out." Ron boasted.

"Bro you wylin," Nico laughed at his brother, "I'ma head to the bathroom. Just order me whatever you get."

"Cool."

Leaving the table, Nico made his way to the bathroom. While he did have to take a quick piss, he also wanted to check himself out before he approached the young waitress.

He was dressed in an all grey Nike sweat suit and slides to match, a quick workout outfit for the chilly day. He wasn't dressed his best, but he still looked good nonetheless. He quickly used the bathroom and exited, only to be disappointed to see the brown skin beauty dashing out of the door.

"Damn." he mumbled to himself.

Before he knew it, she was jumping passenger into a Nissan Altima and driving away.

"Damn bro, I guess you missed your wave." Ron said as Nico sat back down.

Nico shrugged, "It's whatever. When one window closes, another one opens."