I have the entire hour-long drive to change my mind about seeing Ghost, but I don't. I remain firmly planted in my decision, I don't even go home first to change into an outfit that's more suited for a bar, I just go straight there.

The sun is starting to set by that time, and being that it's a Saturday night, the place is unsurprisingly busy. There's a line out the door and I take a moment to be happy for Ghost's friend that his business is doing so well, but I also can already feel the claustrophobia setting in before I even get out of my car.

I decide it's best to text Ghost that I'm here so I don't have to search through the crowds to find him. He texts back quickly that he'll come out to get me, which immediately eases my mind.

I strum my fingernails against the steering wheel as I try not to obsess over the situation with Daisy. I can't stop worrying about it, but I don't want to be a burden all night and annoy Ghost with my bad mood.

There's a tap on my window that causes me to jump and pull away from my thoughts. I glance over to see Ghost peering at me through the glass with an amused smile. I huff a sigh and turn off the car before climbing out while he lets out a small chuckle.

"You're a really jumpy person, you know that?" He remarks.

I roll my eyes at him, "Yes, I'm aware. I have the resting heart rate of a hummingbird."

He just tosses me a smile as we begin to head towards the entrance of The Scrap. I notice a bouncer at the door and the people at the front of the line are either flashing tickets in his face or handing him money to be let in.

"Do people have to pay for entrance here?" I ask Ghost, thinking that's strange for a bar.

He nods, "Only on fight nights. People can buy tickets online or at the door. The money goes into the pot for the winners to take home."

"Are you fighting tonight?" I ask, feeling excited at the prospect of finally getting to watch him."

He nods proudly, sending me a cocky grin as he states, "I'm the main event, baby."

I shake my head at his cocky attitude as we saunter right up to the front of the line. Ghost nods at the bouncer, who is a tall, intimidating, bald-headed man, and the two slap palms in greeting.

"Clive, my man, this is Rose." Ghost introduces, gesturing to me with a proud smile as he remarks, "She's with me."

Clive nods his head approvingly, and when he smiles he actually looks really nice as he says, "Nice to meet you, Rose. You both can go on in."

"Thank you." I tell him in a small voice with a shy smile.

He steps aside as Ghost takes my hand and tugs me along. I want to pull my hand back, knowing that I'm already hurting Brody by even being here in the first place, but once we enter through the door I realize why Ghost took it in the first place.

The room is packed, people are everywhere, making it nearly impossible to move through the room without getting pushed every which way. Ghost's hand in mine is like an anchor, keeping us together as he moves through the crowd much easier than I could. Probably because he towers taller than most everybody in here, and he has a presence about him that sort of just commands people out of his way.

The lighting is low and the loud music accosts for most of the noise in here. It appears that the fights haven't started just yet, which is why so many people are up and mingling around rather than scrambling for good seats in front of the ring.

Ghost pulls us straight to the edge of the bar, where the crowds are really swarming. I feel bad for the three bartenders who are working, attempting to keep up with the large demands.

"What do you wanna drink?" Ghost asks, leaning closely into my ear.

I think it over for a moment before replying, "Gin and tonic."

He smiles and nods approvingly, and instead of hailing down the attention of one of the bartenders, he slips behind the bar himself and starts rummaging around for glasses beneath the counter.

This catches the attention of one of the workers, a girl around our same age with several piercings and heavy eye makeup. She shoots him a deathly glare and snaps, "Ghost, you know the rules, you can't be back here."

He shrugs her off as he sets two glasses on the counter and fills them with ice, "Rules don't apply to me, Tay."

She sneers at him as she finishes the drink she's preparing and passes it to a customer. The guy tips her and she shoves the money in her bra before turning back to Ghost and remarking dryly, "It's a miracle you're able to fit through the door with that big head of yours."

He smirks, pouring a few shots of gin in the two glasses as he quips back, "It's a miracle you're able to keep your eyes open with those big eyelashes of yours."

She scoffs and rolls her eyes, "You're a fucker."

Ghost mock gasps, sending a worried glance her way as he scolds, "Language! You're going to scare off the customers."

She just shakes her head and walks off, flipping him the bird as she goes, earning a quick laugh from Ghost. He finishes mixing up our drinks and rounds the bar again to hand me mine with a small smirk.

I take it graciously, noting that we haven't paid, but judging by his interaction with the bartender I'd say he does that a lot.

I glance back at her before looking at Ghost and remarking, "She's your biggest fan."

He snorts, nearly choking on his drink as he replies, "Oh yeah, Tay loves me."

He surprises me when he takes my hand and once again leads us through the crowds. We head towards the back of the room, where the ring is but he steers us off to the side, towards a door with the sign Employees Only.

Clearly he thinks this means him as he pushes through the door that leads into a small hallway. To one side are two bathrooms, which I'm guessing are where the fighters go to get ready for their matches, and on the other side is another door which appears to be an office with a nameplate on the door that reads Dane Simmons.

This is where Ghost takes us, opening the door and ushering me inside with him right behind me. I'm not sure what to expect, but it's certainly not what I walk into.

The room is more like a lounge than an office. There's a desk with a computer in one corner, but that's the only office aspect about it.

The lighting is low with music playing but at a much quieter volume than the music outside. A large flatscreen takes up one wall, beside it is a minibar and a refrigerator. There are several bean bag chairs spread out across the floor and two couches pushed into the corner.

Sitting on those couches are two guys and a girl, blinking over in our direction with slight confusion, which quickly washes away when they see Ghost.

I smile shyly as he saunters in their direction, pulling my along behind him. I realize our hands are still clasped and I know there's no need for it anymore, but I don't pull away. I don't know why.

"Dane," Ghost addresses the guy with dark skin and buzzed hair, who holds a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other as he leans back easily on the couch, "Your girl really needs to work on her customer service skills. She was very rude to me just barely."

Dane smirks at him with a small huff of amusement as he mutters, "I'm sure you deserved it."

"Not at all." Ghost defends with a dramatic gasp, "I was perfectly amicable."

I'm guessing this is the guy who owns the place, given that his name was on the door. I also deduce that the bartender is his girlfriend.

Ghost falls down onto the couch, dragging me down with him. I end up sitting a bit too close, our legs pressed together and I shuffle over a little, letting go of him to hold my glass with both hands. Everyone's eyes are on us and I feel my normal awkwardness creep up, not really knowing how to interact.

Ghost breaks the ice by finally making introductions, "Everyone, this is Emerson Rose."

I smile shyly, glancing around the room as I feel the need to mutter, "You guys can just call me Em."

"That's Dane," Ghost tells me, gesturing to his friend who sits on the same couch as us before he turns to the two on the other couch, "That's Troy, and that's Mila."

Mila smiles warmly at me, raising her fingers in a small wave. I notice the fancy looking camera hanging around her neck and wonder if she's responsible for the framed photos on the wall outside. Troy merely nods in my direction, only halfway paying attention as he eyes are glued to his phone for the most part.

"It's nice to meet you all." I speak meekly, clutching the glass in my hands for support.

"So this is the infamous Rose?" Dane remarks, leaning back and slightly turning in his seat to face us better.

My cheeks heat up at his words and I send Ghost a confused frown, "You've told them about me?"

Ghost seems slightly embarrassed as he shoots Dane a look, who merely shrugs with an amused smirk, before Ghost remarks, "Yeah, a little. I've mentioned you."

"You don't have to be embarrassed to admit it, Ghost." Mila speaks up with a knowing smile. "We all think it's very cute that you made a new friend."

Troy scoffs beside her and mutters under his breath, "Friend. Yeah right."

I frown at his remark and can't help but clarify, "We are just friends. I have a boyfriend."

Everyone passes meaningful glances around the room, as if they're all in on some big secret that I'm not. Ghost shifts uncomfortably beside me, clearing his throat as he attempts to change the subject, "Anyway."

"Yeah, anyway," Dane rolls with it, leaving me confused but moving on as he asks me, "Have you ever been here before, Em?"

I shake my head, "No, first time. I was going to come last weekend but I... something came up."

"You're going to love it!" Mila enthuses with a bright smile, before adding with a suggestive wiggle of her brows, "You never forget your first time."

"Unless you get drunk off your ass and blackout through the whole thing." Ghost remarks, sending Dane a pointed look with a sly smirk.

"Oh my god, did that really happen?" Mila questions with amusement.

Ghost and Mila laugh and I have a feeling they aren't talking about boxing matches anymore.

"Hey, we're not talking about me right now." Dane defends before pointing a menacing finger at Ghost, "And I told you that in confidence."

"Has Tay heard that story?" Mila asks and Dane is quick to shake his head.

"Does that sound like a story I would want to tell Tay?"

"I'm gonna tell her."

"No you're fucking not."

They continue to joke and tease each other but I can tell it's all in good fun. I have that familiar sense of longing that I get when I'm around Brody and his friends. That sense of comradery that I don't have in my own life. That want to have my own special group to be a part of and share all the inside jokes with.

"Hey, fights are starting soon, aren't they?" Ghost speaks up among the bickering between Dane and Mila.

Dane turns his attention to the clock on the wall and nods, "Sure are. Let's go."

He finishes his cigarette and snuffs it out on the ashtray on the coffee table. We all stand up and I stick close to Ghost as we trail out of the back rooms and into the main area. People have started to settle into their seats in anticipation of the fights starting.

Dane leads us to a row of empty seats in the front. We all settle in and I end up in between Ghost and Mila. The lighting lowers around us while stage lights above the ring illuminate it brightly. I notice a large scoreboard on the wall with a timer and three judges sitting at the table on one side of the ring. 

"Do you know the rules?" Ghost asks me, leaning in closely to be heard over the intense music and buzzing of the crowd.

I shake my head, "Not really."

He begins to explain it. Basically each fight is three rounds of three minutes. Up to ten points can be scored and whoever gets the most points wins. The way the fighter's hit and where they hit determines the points, along with whether they knock someone out or not.

I understand enough of it that by the time the first match begins, I'm not completely lost. The first match is two girls, who are each rippling with muscles that automatically make me feel like a lazy potato.

They circle each other in the ring and the ref blows the whistle. It's nothing too exciting at first as they each attempt to get the upper hand. But then one of them shoots out and hits the other square in the face, and I feel myself flinch in my seat. I've never seen anything like that in person, so up-close.

It just gets better from there. For the remainder of the match and the next few after I just get more and more into it. I shout for whoever I want to win, which is solely based on who Ghost wants to win. I cheer when something good happens and get upset when there's something I don't like.

The whole time I can feel Ghost watching me more than he's watching the fights. I continually glance over and catch him smiling with amusement at me. It makes me a bit self-conscious, but thanks to the few drinks I've had I can feel myself letting loose a little more. I'm actually having a really good time.

The crowds are roaring with every fight as they just get better and better. They started with the lighter-weight matches but now they get more interesting as the larger guys are coming out. The hits are more brutal and there's definitely plenty of blood to be drawn.

As the current fight is coming to an end, Ghost leans close to me and says, "I gotta go get ready for my match now."

I pass him a worried frown, not wanting to be left alone, but I can't exactly beg him to stay. I nod my head and remark, "Okay. Good luck."

He smiles before turning to Mila and asking, "Can you stay with her while I'm up there? So she's not alone."

Mila nods without hesitation, "Of course."

I smile graciously at her as Ghost sends me one last glance before he stands up and saunters to the back room to get changed. Mila raised her camera up to snap a few pictures of the fight. She's been doing so all night, occasionally getting up to move around the ring and get better angles.

"Thank you." I tell her with a smile, "You don't have to stick with me if you need to move around to get pictures."

She waves her hand at me, banishing the thought, "Not a problem. This is all just casual. Sometimes Dane will buy the good ones, but I mostly just do it trying to build my portfolio."

"Oh." I nod, feeling slightly more outgoing than usual as I remark, "I saw the pictures behind the bar. They're really good, I'm guessing they're yours?"

"They are, and thank you." She grins brightly at me before gesturing up to the guys in the ring and remarking, "I mean, it's kinda hard to get a bad picture when your subjects are a bunch of jacked, shirtless dudes."

I think back to the photo of Ghost on the wall with his rippling back muscles and can't help but nod in agreement.

The fight ends, one of the guys leaving the ring in a bloody mess with some assistance from his friend, and then it's announced that the main event will be starting.

Heavy rock music plays as the fighters come out while being announced and one of them is Ghost. His incredible physique is on display as he is shirtless. I try not to let my eyes linger on any one spot for too long. He raises his gloved fists with a proud grin as the crowds grow louder than ever before and I notice a lot of the cheering comes from the women in the stands.

His opponent doesn't receive nearly as much fanfare, which seems to anger the guy. They climb into the ring, and Ghost bounces on the balls of his feet with unbridled adrenaline as the ref has them step forward and bump fists amicably. They do so and then step back, waiting to begin.

Seconds before the timer buzzes to start, Ghost's eyes find mine in the crowd. He sends me a knowing smirk and a wink before the match starts and he jumps into action. I can feel a flutter in my stomach as I watch with both excitement and worry. I'm scared of him getting hurt, but I also believe what he said about being a good fighter, despite my teasing him about it.

They dance around for a moment. Ghost is fast, but his opponent looks like he may be a little bit stronger. I remember him telling me that strength isn't all you need to get the upper hand in a fight. I hope he's right.

The timer ticks down as they each make swings at each other. Ghost lands a few to the guy's head and chest, while the guy mostly misses. It almost looks like Ghost is just playing with him, like a cat swatting at a mouse, knowing there's no sense of urgency in the situation as he has the power to end it at any time.

The first round ends with the points in Ghost's favor. They take their brief pause and Ghost trots to the corner of the ring, smiling down at our section with an easy grin, like he's having the time of his life up there.

I notice a few girls around us shooting confused frowns in my direction and I push aside the feeling that I'm being judged right now. Clearly he has a fan base that I'm intruding on.

The second round begins and this time Ghost seems to be a little more down to business. He's quicker and sharper with his strikes. He puts more power behind every punch and the other guy is slowly starting to wear out trying to keep up.

There's only about thirty seconds left on the timer. The other guy seems to be getting desperate to get the upper hand. His moves become sloppier and he leaves himself open with every jab.

In a final effort the guy takes a large swing at Ghost, and quick as a viper, Ghost ducks the flying glove and shoots his arm out, hitting the guy square in the jaw that he left unprotected. The guy's head snaps to the side and he stumbles back, crashing down onto the mat. The crowd lets out a large gasp and a cheer as the ref begins to count down, but it's pointless. The guy is out cold.

The ref takes Ghost's wrist and raises his hand above his head, announcing him the winner and the room explodes with cheers. The loudest of those is probably me. I jump up to my feet and clap enthusiastically while I yell proudly.

Ghost takes in the applause by raising his other arm and turning in circles to soak in the entire crowd. He shouts victoriously with a triumphant grin on his face before turning back to me. He locks his eyes on mine with an intense gaze and it's like everyone around us fades into the background.

And there, in the center of the ring, with over a hundred people watching him, he lowers one gloved fist and points it into the crowd, directly at me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN;

What do you think? Do we like Ghost's friends? I hope this chapter reads well, with the fight scenes and everything. I hope it wasn't confusing or anything.

Please vote and comment if you're enjoying so far! Thank you for reading!

-Sarah xo