Chapter 70
Damon walked out of the hall, closing the door behind him. He let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of relief and satisfaction.
As he made his way down the hallway, he noticed some of the staff nodding in congratulations. He smiled and grinned, acknowledging their recognition.
He continued walking towards the room assigned to him, his footsteps echoing off the walls.
The hallway was quiet, with only a few people milling about. Damon’s mind was still on the fight, replaying the moments that led to his victory.
As he turned a corner, he saw Mr. Steele standing outside his room. Mr. Steele was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face. Damon felt a slight sense of unease, wondering what Mr. Steele wanted to talk about.
“Hey, Mr. Steele,” Damon said, approaching him. “What’s up?”
Mr. Steele pushed off the wall and stood up straight. “Damon, congratulations on your win,” he said, his voice firm but neutral. “You’re doing well on our Challenge.”
Damon nodded, feeling a sense of pride. “Thanks, Mr. Steele. I’ve been working hard.”
Mr. Steele’s words hung in the air, his voice low and serious. “I can see your improvement, but now, your next match, might be the last time we meet, or the start of something.” Damon nodded, taking a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth.
He knew what was at stake. If he lost, he would lose the opportunity to have Mr. Steele’s support.
Mr. Steele’s eyes seemed to bore into Damon’s soul, as if searching for something. “Your next opponent will be dangerous, and I mean this.”
He paused, his gaze intensifying. “He will want it more than you.” Damon felt a shiver run down his spine. Who was this opponent that would want it so badly?
Mr. Steele’s hand came down on Damon’s shoulder, his grip firm but not crushing. “So Damon, I don’t want you to tell me you want this. I want you to show me.” His voice was firm, commanding.
Damon nodded again, determination rising up inside him.
Mr. Steele fixed his suit. He began walking away, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Damon watched him go, his mind racing with thoughts of his next opponent. Who was he? What made him so dangerous?
Damon walked into his room, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
He went straight to his bag and pulled out a fresh set of clothes, eager to change out of his sweaty gear.
But first, he needed a shower. He had been yearning for one since the match ended, and now he couldn’t wait to feel the warm water on his skin.
He made his way to the showers, his feet carrying him towards the sound of running water.
When he got there, he saw that one of the showers was already in use, but he didn’t mind. He got into the next one, feeling the cool tile beneath his feet.
As he undressed, he couldn’t help but think about the match. He was happy about how it had gone.
Not many hits had caught him, and if any had, they hadn’t been hard enough to leave a mark. He felt proud of himself, proud of his training and his skill.
The water was warm when he turned it on, and he stepped under it with a sigh of relief.
It cascaded down his body, washing away the sweat and grime of the match.
He closed his eyes, letting the water soak into his skin, and felt his muscles relax.
The sound of the water was soothing, a steady beat that blocked out all other noise.
Damon felt himself becoming calm, his mind quieting as the water washed over him.
He stood there for a long time, just enjoying the feeling of the shower, and the satisfaction of his victory.
Once he finished his shower, Damon dried himself off and got dressed in fresh clothes. He left the locker room and headed back to his room to grab his bag.
As he made his way out of the building, he bumped into Edward, who had been through a rough match.
Edward’s face was busted up, with bruises and cuts all over it. His eyes looked like they had taken a beating, with dark circles and puffy skin, especially the left one.
Damon approached him, stretching out his hand to Edward. “Sup man,” he said, with a friendly smile. Edward smiled back, despite the pain in his eyes.
He shook Damon’s hand, “Hey man, hahaha, nice match,” he said, complimenting Damon on his win.
Damon scratched his head, “To you as well, even though you lost, you did amazing, so don’t beat yourself over it, you’ll get next time,” he said, trying to reassure Edward.
But Edward’s face changed, his expression turning serious. “You don’t understand, my dad -” he started to say, but Damon interrupted him.
“Hey, I think Mr. Steele is calling for you,” Damon said, nodding towards Mr. Steele, who was standing across the hallway, pointing at Edward.
Edward’s face showed a flash of fear, before he turned and walked towards Mr. Steele. “Wait for me,” he said, looking back at Damon.
Damon waited, looking at Mr. Steele talk with Edward. He wondered if Edward had gotten the same offer as him.
Maybe that’s why his loss had gotten him so emotional.
Damon began to sympathize with Edward, thinking about how tough it must be to face such high stakes.
As he watched, Edward smiled at Mr. Steele, but when he turned around, his face was serious and cold.
Damon walked towards him, but Edward passed him by as if he didn’t exist. He was confused as he watched Edward’s back disappear into the distance.
He stood there for a moment, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why had Edward ignored him like that? And what had Mr. Steele said to him to make him look so serious?
Damon’s mind was full of questions as he watched Edward walk away. He felt a sense of unease, wondering what was going on.p