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“Well, nothing you’re saying is constructive. So maybe you should keep it to yourself.”
His lips thin, nostrils flaring. “She knows I’m helping. I’ve known her way longer than you have.”
“I’m actually finished after all,” Tessa says, stepping between us to block our line of sight. “Maybe we could pick this up another night?” she asks me.
I draw in a steady breath, willing myself to cool off. “Sure.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
I follow her the few steps across the hall to my apartment door, shutting her front door behind us.
“Sorry about that,” she whispers. “About him.”
I tilt my neck toward my left shoulder, then my right, enjoying the crack and accompanying release of tension. I’ll definitely be going through the long version of the applied relaxation sequence she taught me tonight.
“I didn’t like hearing him say that stuff to you,” I admit. “It didn’t serve any purpose.”
She shrugs lightly. “Maybe in his mind he thought he was helping.”
“Do you always see the good in people?”
She gives me a soft smile. “Not always. But I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. With all my time living with different foster families, I found it was better to do that, for my own sanity. To be thankful for the things I did have rather than focusing on what I didn’t. I would have driven myself crazy otherwise.”
“There was no other family to take you in?”
She shakes her head. “My grandparents died before I was born and Mom was an only child. I have no idea who my dad is.”
I look down at my feet, not knowing what to say. How hard did she have it growing up?
“Maybe we could get together tomorrow night again?” she asks, changing the subject. “Without Joel.”
“Yeah. How about eight?” That way I have time to stop by the gym first. I already wish it wasn’t too late to go tonight.
“Okay. I, um, have to get back in.”
“Right. See you.”
She returns to her apartment, but I don’t head inside yet, walking in the direction of the parking lot instead. The night air is blisteringly cold against my skin, but it does little to focus my mind elsewhere. Should I have not said anything to Joel about his comments? Should I have spoken up sooner?
Maybe their friendship is different than what I’m used to, but this wasn’t the boxing gym where it’s a trainer’s job to point out what you’re doing wrong. She was learning the basics. She needed praise and reassurance, not unending criticism. Couldn’t he see that?
At the very least, he won’t be with us tomorrow night. And she’s made progress, regardless of what he said. I think it’s time we kick it up a level.
As long as she’s on board.
* * *
I roll my shoulders back, the ache gratifying despite the pain. I shouldn’t have gone so hard in the ring earlier, but it barely felt like anything at the time. And if I’m being honest, I may have pictured Joel as my opponent once or twice.
Or maybe the whole time.
I still don’t get what Tessa sees in him as a friend. At least she said she wasn’t interested in him.
I push that thought away, knowing it doesn’t matter. She’s not interested inme. She made that clear from the beginning.
Even though she’s a hell of a lot more comfortable around me now. And no longer flinches after us working on it earlier in the week. And even hugged me goodbye on Sunday…
What the hell am I thinking? We’re becoming friends. It doesn’t mean anything more.
