Page 167 of The Breaking Pointe
“The bigger the better,” Daniel continues on.“The point is to crush your opponent.If you’re fragile, just say that,” he scoffs. I furrow my eyebrows, taking a gaze to Trey, who is fighting for his life to keep a straight face. That’s the only confirmation I need.
Another reporter butts in, adding to the question faster than I can recognize who they are. “Do you have a routine that you swear by, Mr. Aguado? What is your secret?”
Daniel, pursing his lips temperamentally, speaking into his microphone. “It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, now would it?” he snarls.
Now I’m getting second hand embarrassment. How can someone be so self-absorbed, yet so absent-minded and lacking self-awareness?The room is becoming really muggy with tension, and silence is brewing.
The blonde reporter chimes in, “We’re gonna move on to the next person.”
The next person is another man, tall in height and very corporate ready.
“I noticed a bit of animosity, Mr.Aguado, about this weight class topic.Would you say some of that anger is driven by recent tabloids? Rumors?Anything you wanna clear up with you, and maybe Mr. Kennedy?”
Ohfuck.
Daniel is quick to respond, not holding back.“There aren’t any rumors. That man is just as unprofessional and unwell as they claim I am.You can believe what you want, but it’s a
fact.There’smoretothestory.”
There’s more to the story, but none of the details would change the fact that he’s insane, and he’s the one at fault. I don’t have to expose anything, but I’ll be damned if I don’t defend myself.
“Mr.Kennedy?”Thereporterlooksatme.
I think hard about my choice of words, waiting a second to speak.
“I won’t dissect the situation deeply.It’s simple.Self- defense is appropriate when protecting yourself and those you love. Those who are defenseless,” I tell him, looking at Daniel at the end of my sentence.
Already grimacing at me, we both give each other unset- tling stares.
“Can you tell us who’s defenseless in this situation?” he asks, sneaking in another question.
Trey then grabs the microphone, turning it his way to talk. “He doesn’t want to dissect the situation.Next question, alright?”
I bat my eyes over to him and suddenly we are moving on. The next reporter is readying herself to ask something different.
“Mr.Aguado, if you beat these charges, do you plan on changing your image at all?Or any habits?With all these misconceptions that you claim are untrue, it must be hard to come back from. Do the misconceptions anger you? Like the rumors of illicit drug abuse?” she asks, loudly and with ambition.
It’s as if she is telling him that we all know, and asking what he plans to do about that.
Daniel’s hand smacks down on the table as he begins to
talk.“First of all, everything and all of it are misconceptions. Anyone who even wants to believe that I’m on drugs is a psychopath. My image has been perfect until recently.”
Thethudofhishandmakesafewpeoplejump,while others stare uncomfortably.
“Mr.Kennedy?Thoughts?”she asks.
I give her a warm smile. “Can I pass on that question? Do I get another pass?”
This fills the room with more laughter than before. And at Daniel’s expense.
42
present
COLTON
There’s an entire set of rules topped onto the ones that I already knew when it comes to professional boxing.Rules that take a while to read through, and loads of fine print to make sure that I remember. Reading it all is a reminder that I made it this far, which is the part of my life that feels unreal. The same way being with Noelle makes me feel. I’m sure of everything, but I did get mild curiosity about the idea that she loves me, and that I’m living the life I live.Every horizon is in front of me right now, and for the first ever, it’s like my life that has just begun.
