Eye on the Prize

by Dmytro Holmes

  “You just punched a dying man. Why kind of asshole kid punches a dying man? You’re no kid of mine,” Michael muttered, backing toward the door, his face the color of the greying apartment walls.

  “I know,” Mikai taunted back. “You should go ask your newborn son for a kidney. And stay the hell out of this house. If you manage to stay alive somehow and I see your face here, I’ll kill you.”

  Michael guffawed but his eyes reflected pain rather than humor.

  “Oh Mike, you got lucky with one punch. Don’t get over confident now. In this neighborhood, that’ll get you killed.” Another left hook landed on Michael’s unsuspecting nose and this time there was a definitive crunch as the cartilage splintered. Michael’s face went waxen as the blood loss ensued and Mikai was afraid he going to faint from the intensity of what was happening. But for the first time in his life he did not let his weakness show.

  “You sure about that, old man?” Mikai hissed. “And my name is Mikai. Mike is your son. You named him after your ego. Get out!”

  In was in that moment, watching his father slink off like a wounded hyena, his heart thumping out of his chest, that Mikai realized that he was much more powerful than he had ever given himself credit for. He decided to do something with that newfound power.

  Mikai grimaced at himself in the mirror of the bathroom at Entrance, trying to ignore the feeling which wearing the customary black and white security guard gave him. Mikai always had flashbacks of being a nerdy, bullied child when he got into the get-up, as if his true purpose was suffocated within the fabric. He closed his vivid eyes to block out the man in the glass. This is a means to an end. You are not the reflection staring back at you. You are the NABF champion. He waited for the pep talk to calm his nerves before opening his eyes, quickly averting his glance away and leaving the washroom. This was his first afternoon shift and he was not looking forward to it. He knew from the other guards that the afternoon shift was the worst of the three. There were still enough people around that napping was not an option but by the three o’clock start, most of the executives had left for the day, leaving little to do to occupy one’s interest. It’s going to be a long night of playing online poker, Mikai thought to himself bitterly, pulling open the door to the restroom. Instantly, he collided with a body and without looking he instinctively knew it was Caitlyn. Her pheromones filled his nose and for a brief second, he shut his eyes to relish her sweet scent before abruptly stepping back. He peered at her, a scowl on his face.

  “Do you ever watch where you’re going?” he asked rudely as she caught herself on his arm. She glanced up in surprise and for a moment she frowned. Then, recognition colored her face and she broke into a gorgeous smile which lit up her face.

  “There you are!” she declared. “I was beginning to think you had quit this hellhole and gone onto greener pastures.”

  Mikai tried to maintain the stern look on his face but he found himself softening at the sound of her mellifluous voice.

  “Were you looking for me?” he asked despite his determination to remain aloof. She cocked her head to the side and blinked alluringly, her surprisingly dark lashes tickling the bottoms of her eyebrows.

  “Would it surprise you if I was?” she answered. Mikai was at a loss for words suddenly. He could not understand what it was about this woman he found all consuming but with a mere glance she turned him into a puddle of desire.

  “I guess so.” Caitlyn answered her own question. Her smile faded slightly and her full pink lips parted as if she wanted to say something.

  “Why did you disappear so quickly last week after we met?” she finally asked. “Was it something I said?”

  Mikai felt himself tense at the inquiry and he subconsciously glanced uncomfortably toward her left hand.

  “No,” he responded evasively. “I had to get back to work.”

  “No you didn’t,” she countered flatly. “You were upset about something. What was it?”

  Mikai stared at her. How could she possibly have sensed his mood that day? She had only spent two minutes with him. Yet, somehow, she had known. He paused, choosing his words carefully.

  “You’re engaged,” he blurted out. Idiot. Why did you say that? Mikai’s bronze complexion flushed a deep red with embarrassment. Caitlyn pursed her lips thoughtfully and regarded the attractive man before her. He watched as her aqua colored eyes seemed to drink him in.

  “Is that a problem for you?” she asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “Yeah, it is,” he replied, feeling a flash of anger as Caitlyn’s mouth curved into another smile.

  “Good,” she said and walked away, leaving him watching after her curvy figure.

  4

  Chapter Four

  “How long have you been boxing?”

  They were sitting in the lunch room, the following afternoon. Caitlyn had bought coffee and croissants from La Baguette, the French bakery across the street, before covertly gesturing to Mikai to follow her into the back of the building. The sun was starting to set outside the twenty-sixth storey break area but Mikai barely noticed the glorious sunset as he was completely fixated on the gorgeous woman before him. She had flawless peaches and cream skin which crinkled sweetly at the eyes when she beamed. He found himself enraptured by her voice, her golden halo of curls, her luminous orbs. He could not stop staring at the flecks of gold and green in the depth of her irises glinting like precious gemstones.

  Baffled, he sat back, suddenly aware that he was leaning in toward her.

  “How did you know I was a boxer?” he asked, shocked. She laughed and it reverberated in his ears long after she had stopped.

  “Mikai, I’m a web designer. I live on the internet. Google is a wonderful thing,” she told him, her eyes twinkling.

  “What did you find out?” he asked, flattered that she would take the time to seek out information about him.

  “Everything except how long you’ve been boxing,” Caitlyn replied.

  “Since I was fifteen. I found a boxing gym in my neighborhood and walked in one day. My trainer, Joe, was the owner and he took me under his wing right away.”

  “Yeah kid, you’re gonna need to get rid of those glasses and get some meat on your bones if you want me to help you,” Joe had told the gangly teenager when he timidly walked through the doors of SkyTrain. Dejected, Mikai turned to leave. A warm, gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him.

  “I didn’t say no,” Joe said. “What’s your name?”

  “Mikai.”

  “That’s an interesting name. Have you ever boxed before, Mikai?”

  “No.”

  “Something tells me you’re a quick study. Welcome to SkyTrain. I’m Joe Barone.”

  “You still train at the same gym, all these years later? That’s remarkable!” Mikai nodded. He didn’t mention that Joe had paid his mother’s rent for six months, taken care of his braces and laser eye surgery and kept him fed until Mikai had graduated high school. Mikai had always harbored a fantasy that Joe would start dating his mom and become his step-dad but Dianne had passed away when Mikai was twenty-two. “Don’t cry, Lefty. I will always be your parent,” Joe had told him at his mother’s funeral. Of course, Joe had paid for the arrangements.

  Caitlyn leaned forward, placing her slender thighs in a straddle position and reaching out to touch his arm. Again, the glint of the diamond on platinum caught Mikai’s eye and he tensed. Caitlyn immediately recognized her mistake and sat back.

  “When are you getting married?” he finally asked after an awkward silence. She took a sip of her almost cold coffee and sighed.

  “January.”

  “That’s a strange time for a wedding. Or are you one of those weirdoes that like the cold.”

  “It was Patrick’s idea. He wants to have a ski wedding in Aspen. I would much rather a beach in Costa Rica.” Mikai smirked.

  “I thought that the wedding was more for the woman’s benefit than the man’s.” Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed at the s
exist remark but she smiled frostily.

  “How completely caveman of you to think that way. Is it that hard to believe that a man would want to marry me so much that he wants to have a say in the wedding?”

  Another silence ensued and Mikai instantly regretted his tone. He quickly moved the subject back to the original topic of conversation.

  “Do you like boxing?”

  Caitlyn nodded, apparently relieved by the shift.

  “Very much. My dad was a huge Ali fan. My half-brothers got hooked on UFC, but the new stuff because they’re much younger. I preferred the original ultimate fighters. I always knew that the trained boxers would win matches over any other fighters.”

  “Is that right? Well, I should take you gambling with me if you’re so sure of yourself.” Caitlyn laughed.

  “Maybe I’ll just start betting on your fights all by myself.”

  Mikai grinned, humbled at the attention she was lavishing upon him.

  “I have a fight tomorrow night,” he told her. “It’s a rematch actually. I won the last one against this guy but he is a sucker for punishment.”

  Caitlyn shrugged and smiled enigmatically.

  “Most people are. I would wish you good luck but it sounds like you don’t much need it.”

  “Don’t say that! I can always use good energy!” Mikai pleaded, his eyes wide. Her face seemed to soften as she took in his boyish expression.

  “In that case, I wish you the best of luck.” She glanced at her watch and her face went serious.

  “Oh, we better go, Mikai. We’ve been in here for an hour and a half. There are cameras everywhere. You’ll get in trouble if they catch you.”

  “I know. I’m supposed to be watching them,” Mikai joked but reluctantly rose to his feet even though he did not care about being discovered taking an extended break. While he was astonished at how much time had lapsed since trailing Caitlyn into the room, he could easily have spent another two hours in the same uncomfortable plastic chair, discussing everything and nothing with her.

  “Are you going to take a break later? Maybe you can come and get me?” he asked with naked eagerness in his voice but Caitlyn shook her blonde curls.

  “It’s almost six. I need to get home. Patrick and I have dinner plans with his parents tonight.” An unwarranted stab of jealousy almost brought Mikai to his knees but he simply nodded.

  “Okay then. Have a nice weekend,” he said gruffly, turning toward the front desk.

  “You too,” she called after him, sounding forlorn.

  Bouncing back and forth from one taped foot to another, Mikai tried to concentrate on what Joe was hammering into his ear but he found it increasingly difficult to focus. The arena was jammed that night, an improvement from the seventy-five percent fill the previous fight. Mikai wondered if Miles had anything to do with it but he had no way of knowing for certain. He had spoken briefly with his agent a few days earlier and Miles had promised that he was working on making him a star. He offered little more than that but Mikai had faith in the man. He was practically a legend in the world of sports. Mikai knew that Miles would make him huge. He just needed to be patient, something Joe endlessly drove into him, something Mikai could not seem to master. He was overwhelmed by the sights, scents and sounds surrounding him as he warmed up in the ring, waiting for Sam “The Giant” Gillies to appear.

  “…really important that you focus on the switch-hitter exercises we practiced,” Joe continued. “He expects you to use your signature southpaw moves so change it up. Keep your face covered. Don’t forget, he’s a slugger by nature. Just stay on your feet and keep moving.”

  Mikai nodded absently and rolled his neck about his shoulders, hearing a slight crack as the muscles popped. Joe rubbed his shoulders and a cheer rose through the crowd as “The Giant” emerged from the change room, spitting and glistening. One of his two trainers doused him in water as he plowed his way down the aisle and “The Giant” raised one huge hand, swiping the plastic bottle from the man’s hand. The trainer’s face went pale and Mikai thought he looked terrified. What a douchebag this guy is, Mikai thought with contempt. It was going to be a pleasure beating him once more. Sam climbed into the ring and shot Mikai a look laced in venom but Mikai smiled back, blowing him a kiss.

  “Mickey! Stop that!” Joe hissed in his ear but the fans loved the gesture and howled with laughter. “The Giant” bared his teeth and Mikai winked, waving coquettishly. The crowd went wild.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Brooklyn’s North Side Arena! Tonight, we have a royal treat for you, a rematch between two of the most up and coming boxers of our day!

  In the blue trunks, weighing one hundred seventy-six pounds, Manhattan’s finest south-paw, it’s Mikai ‘Left Eye’ Duquette! In the red trunks, weighing in at one hundred ninety-two pounds is Sam ‘The Giant’ Gillies! Gentlemen, let’s get ready to rumble!”

  The announcer dropped the mike and a bikini clad redhead with large breasts and a winning smile walked around the ring holding a black sign declaring “Round One.” Joe gave Mikai one more encouraging shoulder squeeze and Mikai met “The Giant” in the middle of the ring with the referee. The men touched gloves and assumed proper stance, tersely awaiting the go-ahead. The bell chimed, and instinctively Mikai bounced backward, avoiding a lumbering blow. Caught off guard from the get-go, Sam staggered forward and Mikai sprung forward, delivering a series of switch-hitter jabs to his opponent’s now exposed kidneys. Sam grunted and struggled to reclaim his footing while Mikai nimbly stepped back, gently kicking his shin to keep him unstable. The ref stepped in and both men separated. Mikai tossed his head back to whip a bead of sweat off his face. As his gaze shifted back to “The Giant” his eyes landed on someone in the horde of encouraging people. Tensely sitting on the edge of her seat was Caitlyn, her slim hand on her mouth as if resisting the urge to yell out. Startled, Mikai dropped his hands. Is that really Caitlyn? Did she come to see me fight? Suddenly, a blow hit his face, and dazed, Mikai fell sideways into the ropes.

  “What the hell happened Mickey? Get it together!” Joe screamed and Mikai instantly heeded his advice. Rolling off the ropes as Sam approached, he took the man from behind, administering a rally of jabs about his shoulders, neck and skull. Sam fell to his knees but Mikai did not relent. He followed up with a series of hooks until his opponent lay face forward on the ring. The ref snatched Mikai’s gloved hand, preventing him from causing any more damage and he forced himself to calm down. His heart was thudding so severely he thought he might be having a heart attack. The crowd was going insane and the announcer was speaking but even Mikai could not hear his words above the incredible din. Realizing the futility of his actions, the speaker was silent, waiting for a lull. Mikai wiped the sweat from his brow and scanned the seats frantically. He did not see Caitlyn but he was sure she was there. He could sense her.

  "Ladies and gentlemen!” The announcer tried again. “We have a winner! Mikai ‘Left Eye’ Duquette!”

  The hysteria commenced once more and Mikai was pelted by roses and panties as the ref held his blue gloved hand into the air. A microphone was shoved in his face and he was suddenly facing a barrage of questions as Joe and this crew joined his side, rubbing his shoulders and patting his back in congratulations. Somehow, Mikai answered the reporter’s inquiries but his mind was not on anything they said. He could not stop looking for Caitlyn. He felt like he was floating above his own body and as Joe finally led him to the back, Mikai realized that the feeling had very little to do with his second victory against “The Giant.” His heart was racing for Caitlyn.

  “You were there on Saturday night.” The words sounded much more accusing than Mikai had intended but he could not hide his hurt that she had not stayed to see him bask in his victory. Caitlyn glanced up from her computer screen and her mouth pursed into a fine line, a gesture that Mikai already recognized as a sign that she was thinking.

  “Yes,” she confirmed, “I was.”

  Uninvited, Mikai ente
red the spacious office and closed the door behind him, causing Caitlyn to look around nervously.

  “Mikai, I don’t think that you should – “

  “Why didn’t you stay and celebrate with us? I would have introduced you to my trainer. My agent wasn’t there but Joe is a good guy. You would like him.” Caitlyn cleared her throat and again gave the door a furtive glance.

  “I wanted to…” she answered evasively. “I – you fought really well.”

  Mikai was puzzled by her behavior.

  “Thanks. I don’t understand why you didn’t stay though.”

  Caitlyn sighed again and rose to her feet, closing the distance between them.

  “I guess I was just a little overwhelmed. When Sam Gillies hit you, my heart dropped into my stomach. I didn’t want to see you hurt. I didn’t even stay to watch the end,” Caitlyn confessed breathlessly. She put a hand on his arm and they stared at each other, the familiar spark of electricity coursing between them. Mikai grinned at her.

  “You were worried about me?” he asked laughingly, touched at her emotion. She nodded sheepishly and looked down at her open toed sandals. She has beautiful toes, Mikai thought admiringly. I would like to kiss those. “I thought you were a boxing fan,” he chided, placing his hand casually over hers. An unexpected jolt surged through him. This was the first time they had mutually touched one another.

  “I am,” Caitlyn cried. “But it’s different when it’s someone you care about!” Mikai blushed at her words, his entire body warmed by the thought.

  “You care about me?” he murmured, drawing closer as Caitlyn turned her surreal eyes toward him. Abruptly, a sharp knock on the door forced them apart guiltily. The portal flew open and a tall, intelligent looking man stood in the doorway.

  “Are you ready, babe?” the man asked, entering the room in long, even strides, barely glancing at Mikai. Casually, the man splayed himself into Caitlyn’s chair and examined his perfectly manicured hands. If he noticed the closeness between Mikai and Caitlyn, he did not mention it.