For Two years Mike kept his promise.

He treated her like gold and I’d never seen Lilly happier.

Both Mike and I continued to train hard, trying to make it big in the MMA wrestling world.

We trained at one of the best gyms and had a coach who swore our big break was right around the corner.

He was right.

Mike was closing in on a deal with a big time sponsor, and I was about to sign a pretty big endorsement deal with a sponsor myself.

My first professional fi ght was scheduled for one week away.

At almost 24, my dreams were finally coming true.

I was so wrapped up in my own world…I never noticed the signs.

I never noticed when my sister’s innocent blue eyes lost their sparkle.

I never noticed when her bubbly personality changed.

I almost didn’t notice when she stopped showing up to watch us train.

“What’s up with my sister? I haven’t talked to her in like two weeks. She hasn’t shown up here lately…why is that?” I asked Mike as we headed to the locker room after a training session.

Mike shrugged. “I don’t know, she’s been studying really hard. I think she wanted to go shopping today. She said something about wanting to get a new outfit for the big fi ght next week.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Her boyfriend and big brother are having their first professional fi ght on the very same night.”

I knew that no matter how hard Lilly’s intense course load at Harvard was, she wouldn’t miss the fi ght for the world.

He looked down and I watched as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Yeah…”

Something was off. I put my hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

He shrugged me off and walked toward the showers. “Just a little nervous is all,” he called out.

I finished showering before he did.

I walked over to our lockers and proceeded to get dressed. He stupidly left his locker half open…and that’s when I noticed it.

A tiny bottle of something that wasn’t labeled…along with a needle.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what it was.

$te roids.

I swiped it from his locker and waited for him to come out. “What the fk are you doing, Mike? Are you trying to ruin your career before it even starts?” I screamed.

He looked around the locker room. “Keep your voice down. What if coach hears you?” he hissed as he reached for the bottle.

I pulled back. “Over my dead body. No way am I letting you ruin everything you’ve worked so hard for. What the fk is the matter with you? I never thought you would do something like this!”

He pu n€hed the locker beside him. “Everybody in the sports industry uses, Jackson. I’m going to stop after I win the next few fights…it’s just enough to put me on the map.”

“You’re an id!ot. You’re about to sign a deal with a big sponsor! You don’t think they’re going to test you for roids? Even more than that, you’re ruining the integrity of the sport. All sports. Passion is what should be flowing through your body…not this sht.”

“Look, some of us don’t have it like you do. Some of us need a little help from time to time. And I’m not the only athlete to ever try it, most have. It’s just a little pick me up.”

I shook my head and glared at him. “This isn’t a ‘pick me up’, this sht will send you straight to h’ll in a hand-basket. Train better, work harder…don’t do this sht.”

He sighed and slumped down on the bench. “You’re right. I fked up, I’ve just been so nervous and I’m second guessing myself. I don’t want to lose.”

I sat down next to him. “I understand. What makes you think I’m not feeling the same way? This is a huge deal for us, and it’s normal to be nervous. Use that nervous energy as positive fuel. This sht will ruin your life.”

He nodded. “Don’t tell Lilly about this, please.”

“I won’t. Besides, if she knew, the fi ght next week would be the least of your worries. I’m pretty sure she’d kick your a$s so bad you wouldn’t be able to train for weeks.”

He grinned and began changing into his street clothes. “Yup, you’re right about that. God, I love that woman.”

TO Be Continued
https://sirimysister.com/blame-it-on-the-pain-episode-2/