Tales of the Underground: Crestfallen - 20. Patience

For the first time in forever someone’s weight on me didn’t bother me. I looked down at Jayden, and caught the most meaningful stare I had ever seen. Breaking down Jayden’s wall hasn’t been easy, but boy has it been worth it. I still have a long way to go…but if this is what it's like when I’ve just scratched the surface…well I can’t wait to see what the real Jayden is like.

Finally Jayden pulled away and sat up “You’re really not comfortable you know that?”

“Hey!” I giggled “It’s because I don’t have any fat!”

“Is that even possible?” Jayden asked with skeptical eyes.

I shrugged “I mean I have some fat, but not a lot.” I felt a blush starting to grow on my face “I’m too small to get bulky; it’s why I have to work twice as hard.”

Jayden noticed my face turning red and laughed “For someone so confident, you really are self-conscious about your height.”

“It's beause I want to be a heavy weight, but instead I’m gonna be stuck in featherweight my whole life, it sucks!" I pouted "I’ve already beat anyone that was worth beating in my division. We’re trying to get me on protein shakes and stuff, but nothings working!” I confessed, letting Jayden in further.

“Well, there’s gotta be some advantages to being small…er” he dragged out, trying not to insult me “Like faster, and harder to hit.”

“I mean I train to be quick and all, but still I want more power ya know?” I sighed.

Jayden looked around and made a face “I saw something on youtube once” he spit with determination on his face “Some smaller fighter bounced off the side of cage and kicked someone else in the face.”

“Yeah!” I shouted “Anthony Pettis, he nearly knocked out Benny Henderson with that, but I don’t know, moves like that take a lot of timing and practice.”

“Aidan” Jayden shook his head “I’ve never met anyone in my life that practices more than you. At least try it here with the trampolines.” A small grin crossed his face “You’ll never know if you don’t try.” He teased, echoing my words from before.

I nodded, with a proud face and jumped to my feet. I narrowed in on one of the angled wall trampolines and took a running start. I pounced off of it, got much higher than I anticipated and landed on my back. I laughed it off and tried again and again, until I finally got the form I was looking for. The more I practiced the easier I found it was to manipulate myself in the air. I could feel my kicks in the air getting more powerful as I slowly figured out how to move my hips. Jayden smiled and laughed with each attempt I made.

“See, now you just have to learn how to do it on a cage!” He smiled, with a small amount of pride glowing off of him.

“I can definitely do this off a cage!” I yelled “I just have to run off of it with enough speed! I know exactly how I’ll do it too! I’ll back someone into the corner and lay it into them!” I bounced high into the air with excitement “I know I kept you around for a reason!” I teased.

“You’re a goof you know that?” he laughed, observing my motions.

“It takes one to know one!” I teased

He laughed at my immaturity “What is this 3^rd grade?”

“You wish you knew me in 3^rd grade!” I yelled, letting myself fall to the floor “I would’ve rocked your socks off!”

“I know you now, and my socks are still on.” He teased.

“Well just you wait, I’m just getting started.” I let out, with a determined face.

He looked over at me with curious eyes and half a smile “Oh yeah and where exactly are you leading me?”

“Don’t know” I shrugged “but if you’re patient enough I promise you it’ll be somewhere great.”

“Good because I’m all about taking it slow.” He giggled.

“So then this is it?” I sighed, with an increasing heartbeat.

Jayden’s face turned the brightest shade of red I have ever seen “This is what?” He nervously asked.

My heart began to bang even faster in my chest, as I remembered just how sheepish Jayden actually was “You and I…we’re official?”

“Official?” Jayden slowly repeated “like…ugh..like boyfriends?” he let out in a shaky and stuttering voice.

“Yeah” I forced out in an almost whisper.

Jayden tried to smile through his nerves “Didn’t I just say I like to take it slow?” he teased, trying to gain some sort of confidence.

“Sorry” I spit, beginning to blush just as hard as Jayden “I guess I got lost in the moment.”

“Don’t be.” Jayden exhaled “That wasn’t a no…but I guess it’s not a yes…it’s just…you know how confused I am…I just don’t know where I am in this.”

“It’s okay, I understand” I nodded, but still felt disappointment in my heart. Jayden used the trampoline to pounce over, and before I knew it he landed a kiss on my lips. “Woh” I involuntarily let out as he pulled away.

“Sorry I…I just…It felt like…I just really wanted to do that again.” He nervously let out, shaking slightly “I just…I’m not sure if I want to label anything, but I want you to know I…I…I care about you.” His voice grew shakier and shakier as he spoke “I do like you, but it’s going to take time…I’m going to need time, but I’m committed to you…I’m here to support you…I believe in you, and I guess I just need you to know that.”

My heart felt like nothing I had ever felt before. It was warm, and calm and yet it felt like my soul was going to explode. “Jayden, it’s alright” I comforted “I wanted to do that again too! I’ll wait as long as you need, I promise you I’m not going anywhere! You’re like no one I’ve ever met; I’d be stupid to leave.” I giggled as relief filled his face, he shrugged his shoulders not sure what to do or say next. I fell onto my back, and he slowly crept up next to me. “I think I could live this moment forever” I confessed.

“So could I” he whispered staring off. We spent the next 20 minutes just lying in silence. There was just nothing that needed to be said, and yet everything was perfect. The silence seemed to speak enough for both of us.

When it was finally time to go, I walked him to his car, and shook his mom’s hand goodbye. She thanked me for having him to hang out with “everyone”. I guess J couldn’t find it within him to tell her it was just me and him, but that’s okay. He’ll be able to in time. From there I went straight to the gym, and made up for lost time. I went through the normal sets and stayed even later than usual to practice my running kick from off the wall. The older fighters I trained with laughed me off, and tried to convince me that I would have to be lucky to land something that complicated…but they don’t know me, they don’t know what I do. I’ve got a new reason to stay undefeated…a new fire, and his name is Jayden.