Once inside, she took her time going through all the gadgets and gizmos the car came with.
'Really like that sunglasses holder up there, don’t you?' I asked, as she pushed it open and closed again and again. She grinned.
'Actually,' she paused, looking down, 'I like the height of your console.'
'My what? Why?'
'It’s perfect, really, if you’re on a date, and you want to,' She reached over and put her hand on my thigh, making my throat catch, 'you know, do a little touching.' An evil grin lit her face as she patted my thigh before taking her hand away.
I missed it.
I breathed deeply, as I tied my ti, making sure it looked good. This was a huge day for me, and I was so glad that I had asked Haley to come. She sat in the audience with my mom and Chris, ready to watch me try and defend my title for the third year in a row. The first time I had won, it had been difficult, as it was my first championship, and I had been so nervous. Then last year had been a joke, my opponent obviously having no place here. But, this year I wasn’t so sure. I had heard that Jared Bell, a 20-year-old third-degree from Indianapolis, was very good, and very tough.
I’d just have to be tougher.
'Round one!'
The announcement was made, and the crowd cheered as Jared and I took our places in the center ring. He was large, but not ridiculously so. But then, compared to me, most men looked large. The command was given, and we began.
As the fight went on, I realized that this would not be easy at all. I knew my lip had already been sliced open, and I could taste the coppery taste of blood starting to fill my mouth. I spit a bit of it out, and continued to fight. I flipped him, trying to pin him, but he managed to get out from under me, the crowd cheering wildly. I so badly wanted to look up and see my family and Haley, to gain support from them, but I didn’t dare.
My eyes squeezed shut as I was slammed to the mat, the air knocked out of me, but somehow, I managed to find that hidden vat of strength that I had heard about, but never had to tap into. I was determined that this son of a bitch was not going to take my title away from me.
The fight was nearly over, and we were nearly tied with our points. If only I could get just one or two good moves in, trip him up. Concentrate, Andi, concentrate.
He went to give me a roundhouse, missed, and I saw my opportunity. I brought my fist up, pounded him under the jaw to daze him, then flipped him. I could tell he was tired, and just as bloody as I was, as he squeezed his eyes shut when he landed. I took the chance, and pinned him with every bit of strength and endurance I had, until the count was made, and I felt myself being pulled up by the arm, my hand raised high above my head.
'Andrea Littman, reigning champion for the third year in a row!' The crowd was on its feet, the sound deafening in the gymnasium used for the matches. I searched the faces of the crowd until I saw Chris, his hand pumping in the air, his mouth open as he hollered his excitement. Next to him was my mother, doing much the same thing, and then finally Haley. She had her hands cupped around her mouth, yelling and cheering. She looked at me, her hands fell away from her mouth, and she smiled, giving me a thumbs up. I smiled back, wiping my hand across my forehead telling her I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. She smiled wider, and I could see she was yelling my name.
Combined parts 7 & 8
'Come on, Andi. Just listen. Please?' I looked at her, those blue eyes that had been beckoning me for months now, that full lower lip sticking out in a pout. I stared at the lower lip, then up to the eyes again, and finally nodded. How on earth could I possible refuse that? 'Yay!' Haley clapped her hands together, slid the CD into the player, and pushed play.
'So, what is this again?' I picked up the jewel case and turned it over, reading the song titles.
'This is called ‘A Little Bit of Heaven’.'
'She’s kind of cute,' I said absently.
'Who, Linda Eder?' Haley asked, pointing to the CD in my hand. Realizing what I’d said, I slowly looked up at her to see she was smirking.
'Yeah.'
'Good. I think she is, too. Her voice, though. That’s what I fell in love with. And,' she took the CD case out of my hand, 'she’s a Minnesota native.'
'Wow. That’s cool. So how did you hear about this chick?' I laid back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling in Haley’s basement. We were coming off of Spring Break, our last official day before the weekend where we’d be getting ready to go back.
'I first heard her on my ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ soundtrack. God, I love that show.' She sighed, eyes staring off into space as she thought back.
'I’ve never heard music from a musical before, and don’t really care to.'
'Andrea Littman! I’m surprised at you.' I glared at her for using my full name. She hit play on the stereo then laid next to me, her leaning on her elbow, looking down at me. 'Did you have fun this week?' she asked. I smiled and nodded.
'Oh, yeah. I had no idea I could spend so much time with one person, you know?' I looked at her to see she, too was smiling.
'Yeah, I know what you mean. I’m really glad I didn’t go with Kelly and her folks to ski.'
'Yeah? Why?' I needed to hear what I hoped would be the answer.
'Well,' she brushed some hair off my forehead with her fingertips, tickling my skin with the soft touch. 'I wouldn’t have been able to spend so much time with you, now would I?' I shook my head. 'You have such gorgeous hair, you know that?' Again I shook my head. 'Well, you do.' She looked at me for a few minutes more, my stomach roiling at the up-close attention.
Since my championship, we had become even more closer, impossibly so. Haley was so attentive to me, always talking with me, even in school she’d hunt me down from my usual isolated haunts, to chat or to give me a hug. I’ve even had to kick her out of my house so she could go out with Kelly. I had realized back in December that I had been very wrong, and didn’t want to put her in that kind of position again. She meant too much to me.
'So, what do you think?'
'Of?'
'Linda.' Oh, yeah. I stopped thinking, and listened. The voice that came over the speakers was clear, powerful, yet feminine, sounding something between Barbra Steisand and Judy Garland, at least what I remember Judy Garland sounded like singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.' The music was fast, lots of brass instruments, but it wasn’t as bad as I’d figured it would be. Classical music really wasn’t my forte, except maybe a few composers, like Beethoven. He was delightfully deep and dark and foreboding. My kind of guy.
'Well, it’s actually not that bad.'
'Not that bad?' She hopped up to her feet, hands on her hips. 'Listen to that angel!' She pointed at the stereo, her eyes closing as she began to sway to the music, which was almost like a tango, but jazzy. As Haley sang along, her body still moving, I sat up, grinning as I watched her dance around the room. 'Come on! Up, up, up!' She grabbed my hand, yanking me off the floor, nearly slamming me into her as she pulled me over onto her make-shift dance floor.
I felt odd, not real sure what to do as I watched Haley move her body in ways I had no idea you could move your body. Her hips swiveling, arms waving in the air, her face lit up.
'Come on! Dance.'
'Nah, that’s okay.' I waved her off, turning to look at the couch.
'What? Why?' She moved so she was standing in front of me. 'Dance.'
'Eh, I don’t know how.' She stopped moving, her brows drawn.
'Huh?'
