[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/OPLZOm4.png[/img][/center][right][sub][color=slategray][b]Location:[/b] The 365 Combat Club
[b]Time:[/b] Sunday afternoon
[b]Starring:[/b][/color] [color=f4dd2e]Zachary Webb[/color][/sub][/right][hr][indent][indent][b][color=#f4dd2e]“You okay, man? You look… distracted, which is… like, super weird for you.” [/color][/b]Zach asked, looking over at Owen on the other side of the ring. Owen looked back at Zach and shot him a glare. Zach helplessly shrugged his shoulders and found himself wondering why he even bothered with this guy. At least Owen was a good teacher. Zach had gotten a little stronger since he’d started doing Owen’s weird ‘training exercises,’ between that and fucking around with gym equipment until Owen showed him the right way, Zach had bulked up just the slightest bit. At least he liked to think so!

Was he going to beat Sam anytime soon? No, probably not… but dammit, he felt like he was on the way. There was a chance, even if it was slim...

[b][color=#a52521]“I got a lot on my mind, young grasshopper.” [/color][/b]Owen explained, as he moved over toward Zach and adjusted the heavy bag that he had been practicing on. [b][color=#a52521]“Breathe, with each of your hits. You know, considering you’ve only been at this for like, what, a week? You’re not doin’ too bad. Don’t get a swelled head, either. You’re not that good, but you’re learning, it’s good to see. Watch.” [/color][/b]Owen took a step back and gestured for Zach to stand on his side of the bag. Owen made sure Zach was out of the way, before he slammed his fist into the bag, and began to… vent, so to speak. [b][color=#a52521]“I’m sorry, dude, I’m just a little mad. Because. I got this bitch Jamie writing things about me. And Trixie thinks she can just go talk to my fucking mom. After I told her to just stay with Ophelia! And then my mom gave her one of those fucking BROWNIES! AND SHE DOESN’T COME BACK TO THE GYM! [i]LIKE I TOLD HER TO! SHE JUST FUCKS OFF! TO OPHELIA’S HOUSE! DOESN’T ANSWER HER PHONE! DOESN’T ANSWER MY TEXTS!” [/i][/color][/b]Zach watched as Owen exploded on the bag and in his words, and when he finished the final kick, the bag slid down the line, and Zach was staring with wide eyes, wondering if Owen was going to beat [i]him[/i] next. [b][color=#a52521]“See? Ya gotta breathe… young grasshopper.” [/color][/b]Owen said, breathing slowly as he caught his breath from the outburst, prompting Zach to nod slowly and look around the empty gym. Was this how Owen acted when he was alone?

[b][color=#a5a5a5]“Hey, should I come back later, or…?” [/color][/b]

Zach turned to look at the new voice, the one he hadn’t heard before. Owen, still breathing heavily, spun around slowly to look at the voice, and then he smiled. [b][color=#a52521]“Hey, you came.” [/color][/b]He said, and he seemed like all his problems had been lifted off his shoulders; in fact, if Zach didn’t know better (Owen wasn’t capable of expressing [i]positive[/i] emotion, was he?) he would have reckoned that Owen looked [i]excited[/i], maybe even… did Owen look happy? There was no way.

[b][color=#a5a5a5]“Yeah, I thought about it and I figured… why not. This is basically what I’m built for, isn’t it? Screw it.”[/color][/b]

Owen nodded his agreement to the mystery man, and gestured for him to come inside. The young, handsome blonde man did as was suggested, and stepped deeper into the gym from the doorway he was standing in. With a duffel bag on his shoulder, he looked almost like any other gym goer, but from the way that Owen was reacting, Zach knew that wasn’t true. [b][color=#a52521]“Zach, Sean. Sean, Zach. Zach, go close up. We’re done for the day.”[/color][/b]

At that one, Zach was confused again. He should have learned a while ago not to [i]really[/i] question what Owen said or wanted, but unfortunately… Zach either didn’t care or just was an idiot. [b][color=#f4dd2e]“Wait, but why? Don’t we usually close at like, 10:30? We can’t close now, what about the people who come in late?” [/color][/b]Zach asked, before the ire of Owen was turned onto him.

[b][color=#a52521]“Man, you must be real fuckin’ stupid. Sean, you were just outside… The sign on the door say 365 Combat Club, or 365, 24/7 Combat Club?”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#a5a5a5]“Sign says 365 Combat Club.” [/color][/b]Sean piped in, throwing his duffel bag on the ground. Zach looked at Owen, who nodded his head, and Zach groaned, but walked away from the heavy bag. As he walked around the room, closing the windows and the blinds, Owen was in the ring, and gesturing for Sean to follow him. Sean, who seemed confused, ultimately obliged. Watching Owen throw off his shirt and put on his gloves, Sean shook his head. [b][color=#a5a5a5]“Wait, hold on. There’s no… there’s no reason to fight,” [/color][/b]Sean protested. He didn’t want to fight Owen! Didn’t the Lyon boy get he message when Sean kissed him instead of hitting him?

[b][color=#a52521]“You ain’t got one? Well, brother, [i]I [/i]do.” [/color][/b]Owen said in a blunt, terse voice. He wasn’t going to let it stand. There was no way that he let Sean go without figuring out which one of them [i]really[/i] was the baddest dude at Beverly Hills High. Without waiting for a response, Owen threw a pair of gloves over at Sean. Sean stared at Owen, and realized that he didn’t really have a choice. Sighing, he took his own shirt off and tugged the gloves on.

Zach finished up, just in time for Owen to yell for him again. [b][color=#a52521]“Zach! Come here.” [/color][/b]Like clockwork, Zach walked over, and then he looked between Owen and Sean with great interest. Was he going to get to see a fight? Between two people who knew what they were doing? That was enticing! It was going to be great — Zach had heard about the blond kid’s fight at the boat party, and Zach [i]knew[/i] what kind of person Owen was… [b][color=#a52521]“You’re gonna ring that bell, then you’re gonna count when one of us goes down, and can’t meet the ten count. Got it?”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#f4dd2e]“Got it!” [/color][/b]That was easy, Zach could do that in his sleep. He went over to the bell, and picked up the striking hammer. Before h e could hit it though, Sean spoke again.

[b][color=#a5a5a5]“We reeeally [i]don’t[/i] have to do thi—”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#a52521]“Yes we do. Ring the damn bell, Zach.”[/color][/b]

Sean sighed, but put up his hands.[/indent][/indent]

[center][i]Ring ring ring![/i][/center]

[indent][indent]Almost as soon as the bell rang, both competitors rushed across the ring toward each other….

[b][color=#f4dd2e]“Whoa…”[/color][/b][/indent][/indent]