Max wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning against the punching bag as he caught his breath. The gym was nearly empty, save for a few other guys still wrapping up their routines. He could feel the familiar ache in his muscles, the kind that came from pushing himself harder than usual.
Chris handed him a towel. "Man, you're gonna destroy that guy on Saturday."
Max smirked, taking a gulp from his water bottle. "I'm not worried about him. Just need to keep my head straight."
Evan walked over, grinning. "You always say that before a match, then go in like a beast. You're good, bro. Just don't overthink it."
Max nodded, but his thoughts drifted to Scarlet. He wondered if she'd want to come to the match. Would she think it was too brutal? Or would she be cheering him on?
Just as he was about to head to the locker room, Scarlet appeared at the entrance, holding a bottle of electrolyte drink. She waved at him with a small smile.
"Hey, tough guy," she called out. "You look like you're about to collapse."
Max chuckled, walking over to her. "I'm good. Just pushing my limits."
She handed him the bottle. "Thought you might need this. Electrolytes are important, you know?"
He took it with a grateful nod. "Thanks. You didn't have to do that."
Scarlet shrugged, trying to play it off as casual. "You've been training hard. Thought I'd help out."
Chris smirked as he passed by. "Scarlet, you better be there Saturday. Max is gonna need his cheerleader."
Scarlet raised an eyebrow, turning to Max. "Saturday? What's happening?"
Max took a long sip of the drink before answering. "My next boxing match. Three days from now."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You're fighting again? You didn't tell me."
He shrugged. "Didn't know if you'd want to come. It's kinda... intense."
Scarlet gave him a playful shove. "Of course I want to come. You know I'm not scared of a little action."
Evan snorted. "Trust me, you'll be impressed. Max is an absolute monster in the ring."
Max shot him a look, but Scarlet seemed intrigued. "Guess I'll see for myself then," she teased.
As they walked out of the gym together, Scarlet couldn't help but glance at Max, noticing the way his shoulders were still tense despite the workout. She nudged him with her elbow. "You nervous?"
Max scoffed. "Nah. Just... hoping it goes well. I don't like losing."
Scarlet smiled softly. "You won't. You're too stubborn to lose."
He couldn't help but grin at that. "You might be right about that."
Before they parted ways, Max hesitated, then looked at her. "You'll really come?"
Scarlet tilted her head. "Wouldn't miss it. Besides, I have to see if all your bragging is worth it."
Max chuckled, feeling his pulse quicken. "I'll make sure it's worth watching."
She flashed him a warm smile, and for a moment, Max almost forgot about the fight entirely. As she walked away, he couldn't help but feel a little lighter, knowing she'd be there cheering him on.