CHAPTER 98: GOING PROFESSIONAL?

Lamai helps Kevin back to his feet. He is still a little dazed from the knockout.

"You look good, but let’s have you checked up by Frank," Lamai says and sends him to the gym doctor that her father hired to keep an eye on the fighters.

Once Kevin leaves, she looks at Adam.

"You didn’t have to hit him that hard," She says.

"I didn’t. I held back a lot. I had no idea he would actually get knocked out from that," Adam says. And he is not lying.

Sure, he wanted to hurt Kevin a little for trying to pull that elbow strike, but he didn’t expect Kevin would hit the ground like a wet towel.

Lamai just stares at him, hearing his answer. She knows Adam didn’t hit Kevin that hard; in fact, guys weaker than Adam hit much harder than that and fail to knock out their opponents.

The reason Adam was able to knock out Kevin was that his punch was extremely accurate. Right to the chin at the perfect angle. The punch shifted Kevin’s brain inside his skull and slammed him into it, knocking him out instantly.

"Have you thought about it?" Lamai asks.

"Thought about what?" Adam asks.

"You know, going professional," Lamai says.

Adam raises his brow. "Me going professional? Why do you suddenly care? I just started, and it’s not even been a week," Adam says.

"Exactly, and in these few days, you have managed to do what people take years to accomplish. Just look at what you did to Kevin. He started two years ago. And even though he didn’t look that good against you, he is quite good.

My father would have never allowed him to enter his first amateur bout if he didn’t think Kevin was ready," Lamai says.

"I didn’t expect that," Adam says. He really didn’t find Kevin that impressive.

"You know what else my father said? You should join the amateur tournament," Lamai says.

"I don’t know. I didn’t really join the gym to pursue a professional career. I have other things I want to do as well," Adam says.

"Most people here who are trying to pursue a career in this sport are also doing something else with their lives. Look, you really don’t have to sacrifice much.

You just need to come to the gym five times a week and fight once in one to two months. It really doesn’t take much of your time in the beginning.

Once you earn a name for yourself and bring in money, you can put all your focus on it," Lamai says.

Adam takes in what Lamai said, and just like she said. It won’t take much from his life, and if things progress just like they are right now, even in the future, he won’t be consumed with it because he will be so much better than the rest; he won’t need to put everything into it like other fighters.

"If you agree, my father said, he will take over as your head coach. There are very few people in the world who are as good as my father," Lamai says.

"Hmm..." Adam makes a thinking noise.

"Just think about it. If you become the world champion, you can have everything, money, fame, any woman in the world would throw themselves at you," Lamai says.

Hearing this, Adam raises his brows and looks into her eyes. "Any?" He asks with a smirk, being vague but also clear with what he is implying.

Hearing his question makes Lamai blush a little. "Don’t push it, I am your coach," Lamai says.

"Well, if I agree to pursue MMA as a career, your father with be my coach," Adam says, earning a scoff from her.

"That’s it for today. We will continue your training on Monday. By then, you should have an answer, whether you want to be an MMA fighter or not," Lamai says and gets out of the ring.

Adam watches her leave as her juicy ass bounces and shifts with her every step. Lamai turns around and sees him staring at her ass and then proceeds to wink at her.

She scoffs and turns away to show resistance, but she is blushing a little.

Adam too exits the ring and heads to the locker room, where he sees the same guys he saw when he walked in here before.

"Hey, what’s your name?" The guy with dark skin and curly black hair asks. He is lean, not much muscle, but he is tall, as tall as Adam. He also has long limbs. He probably fights in the lightweight to middleweight categories.

Adam gives him a quick rundown. He has calluses around his knuckles, showing experience; his ears are deformed, a clear sign of being in multiple fights.

"Adam," Adam replies. "And you?" He asks. "Name’s Crill. This is Zydan," Crill points to the pale short dude. He has short buzz-cut hair, tattoos all over his body, short but thick arms, wide shoulders, and a thick waist. He also looks like an experienced fighter, as he has all the signs of having been in multiple fights.

"Well, Crill, Zydan, nice to meet you," Adam says, smiling.

"We saw you knock out that idiot, Kevin. You are good. How long have you been in the game?" Crill asks

"Just started. It’s been a few days," Adam says.

"Haha, nice joke. Come on, I am being serious," Crill says, smiling, thinking Adam’s joking around. But Adam just gives him that serious look about not lying.

"No way, you’re serious?" Crill asks, shocked. "I am, you can ask Lamai if you want," Adam says, putting back the clothes Clara gave him.

"Fuck. You already have this good? I have been training for over five years now, and we still get tagged by amateurs like Kevin. His fist barely even scraped you," Crill says, very impressed.

"Well, I was just a little faster," Adam says. "No shit, I saw how you were moving, never seen anyone do that. Not even Zydan knows anyone who’s your size and can move like that," Crill says.

Adam looks at Zydan. This guy clearly likes to keep quiet, but Adam can tell he is far more of a threat than Crill.

"Zydan here is a state-level wrestling champion. He switched to MMA because wrestling doesn’t pay as good as MMA," Crill gives a little more background to the mystery that Zydan is for now.

"Oh, how long have you been training?" Adam asks.

"Eight years of wrestling experience and three in MMA," Zydan finally speaks.

"Cool, well, I need to leave, but it’s nice meeting you guys," Adam says.

"Sure, have a good day," Crill says. "You too," Adam says back. Zydan just waves his hand. Adam gives a final nod and leaves.

___________________

Back in his car, Adam looks at the time and sees that it’s time for him to go to Leila.

She must be waiting for him. A smile appears on his face as he wonders how things will go with Leila once he makes a move on her.

She clearly likes him very much. Adam is not blind to all the looks, stares, and biting of lips Leila has thrown at him. She just has a hot and cold personality and doesn’t like to express what she feels.

But today, Adam is going to make her say it.

Adam arrives before Leila’s apartment and takes a look at it.

It’s clearly an old one; the outside walls are covered with dirt and moss, some of its pipes are rusted, and the door up front is very old-fashioned with a small arched window at the top.

Adam walks up to it and pushes it open. Before him is a corridor, a row of mailboxes on the side, each dedicated to a certain room.

Adam realizes he doesn’t know the exact room that Leila lives in so he gives her a call.

The phone rings and she picks up.

"What is it?’ She asks.

"I am downstairs.." Adam says. He suddenly hears Leila panic and move around frantically.

"You are here?" She asks. Her voice elevated.

"Tell me your room number, and I will come up there," Adam says. There is a few seconds of pause before she speaks again.

"My apartment is on the fourth floor, room no 403," She says. "Okay, I will be there in a minute~" Adam says, dragging the last word with a teasing tone.

Suddenly, an old woman walks out from one of the rooms that’s at the end of the corridor.

"Can I help you, young man?" she asks as she slowly makes her way towards Adam. Once she is close enough, she adjusts her glasses and checks Adam from head to toe.

"My, what a dashing, fine young man you are," She says.

"Thank you," Amon answers with a smile.

"What are you doing here? You don’t look like someone from around here," She questions. "No, I am here to meet a friend, Leila. She lives on the fourth floor," Adam says.

"Ah, yes, young Leila. She is a sweet child. I hope you kids use protection. You don’t want to end up with a kid now, do you?" She says. Adam looks at her, surprised.

"Don’t give me that look, young man; I know what young folks do. I did the same. I remember back in the day, my husband, who was just my boyfriend back then, used to sneak into my hostel, and we would make sweet love for hours."

"Whoa, okay, Grandma, I get it. I will be careful. I need to leave. Leila must be eagerly waiting for me," Adam says and rushes up the stairs before the old lady starts going into detail.