Chapter 224: Rekindling Dreams

Book:FAKING LOVE Published:2024-8-5

Chapter 224:
Rekindling Dreams
Megan’s Point of View:
The gym wasn’t that crowded this morning. It was only me and some trainers getting ready for the sessions that day. Actually, I wasn’t into it this morning. Yesterday, Miles’ surprise visit lingered in my mind with things he said. I felt like there was unfinished business, what I had with him.
Chris had been a steady presence in my life, helping me with my book and just being a good friend. I had come to count on him in ways that I hadn’t known I would. He seemed to sense my mood and stepped into the ring with me as I worked on my jab.
“You’re hitting the bag like it’s personal,” Chris said. “Everything okay?”
I stopped, rubbing the sweat off my forehead. “Just had a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
Chris arched one eyebrow, questioning. “Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head, trying to smile. “Not right now. Maybe later.”
Chris nodded understandingly. “Alright. I’m here when you’re ready.
We resumed training in an awkward silence, much as I tried to focus on giving perfect punches and kicks, my mind wandered far away from where it was supposed to be, right at the mention of Miles and the hope that I had carried for him to revive old dreams.
I showered up quick and changed into casual clothes, ready for my break. Just as I was leaving the gym, though, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Josh. “Meet me at the cafe,” the message read. “Got something important to talk to you about.”
I texted him back to say I’d be there in fifteen minutes. This cafe was pretty tiny-a hideaway from cameras and all that jazz part of the job.
By the time I walked in, Josh was sitting at a table in the corner, deep in thought. I took a seat next to him and reached for a cup of coffee.
“What’s up, Josh?” I asked and took a sip of my coffee.
Josh turned to me with eyes crystal pure and sincere. “Man, I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened recently-about you, Chris, even Miles.”
I arched an eyebrow. “What about Miles?”
Josh hunched forward. “I think he really does wish to make things right. But more importantly, I think you need to sort out what you want.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.
“You’ve just been moving so forward, trying to make such a statement, that you lost sight of what you want. Maybe it’s time you got reacquainted with those,” Josh elaborated.
I frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
“Remember why you started boxing in the first place. It wasn’t about winning, but proving to yourself you can do something great. And maybe now, with everything that’s happened, it’s time to rediscover that passion.”
I exhaled deeply-his words were hard to swallow. “I ain’t really thought about it like that. I have been so caught up about everything else, man; I lost sight of why I started.”
Josh nodded. “Exactly. And in the process, maybe you will sort out what you want for yourself in your personal life, too. Chris has been wonderfully patient, but he can’t hurt to remember that there is you and your wishes and desires involved in all this, too.”
I turned to the window as my thoughts sifted. “I appreciate what you say, Josh. I just don’t know where to start.”
Josh smiled encouragingly. “Start out thinking about what really matters to you. You could even talk about it with Chris; he seems to understand you better than any of us.”
I nodded my head again, feeling more clear-headed. “Thanks, Josh. I’ll think about it.”
Leaving the coffee shop, it seemed that all types of possibilities were boiling inside me. I felt the need to spend some time alone to sort and reflect on my own goals and dreams, not just the ones that seemed to be pressed upon me by others.
I found Chris working on my book manuscript on the couch when I got home. He looked up at my entry, his face warm with a smile.
“Hey,” he said, shutting his laptop. “How was your meeting with Josh?”
“It was good,” I replied, sitting down beside him. “He had some really insightful things to say.”
Chris looked curious. “Like what?”
I took a deep breath and tried to collect my thoughts. “He reminded me that I need to get back to the things that matter in my life, my dreams, my passions. Lately, I’ve been focusing on everything but what made me start boxing in the first place.”
Chris nodded thoughtfully and replied, “That actually sounds like great advice. Sometimes we get caught in life’s vortex and forget where it all began.”
I looked at him, a mix of gratefulness and vulnerability in my eyes. “I had focused so much on proving myself, on being able to cope with all that was going on in my life lately, that I didn’t even realize how much I lost sight of my own goals.”
Chris’s eyes softened. “It is easy to lose sight of things when one is in the midst of chaos. But one should remember why one started in the first place, why it matters to one.”
I nodded. “Yeah, it is. I just need some time out to rediscover my passion and sort out what I want moving forward.”.
Chris turned to me, took my hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. “Whatever you decide, I’m here for you. This isn’t easy; I know that. But you are strong, and you’ll find your way.”
I squeezed his hand back in mine, comforted by such support. “Thanks, Chris. Means so much to me.”
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Miles: “Can we meet? I need to talk to you.”
I showed it to Chris, who seemed deep in thought. “Do you want to meet with him?”
I was very indecisive. “I don’t know. Part of me would like to hear him out, know where he’s coming from. Another part of me is concerned that it would just make it all that much more complicated.”
Chris looked at me knowingly. “Ultimately, it’s your choice, and if you think it’s going to be helpful for you, seeing him or knowing that one can find perhaps closure or clarity in meeting him, then it may be worth it. At the end of the day, put yourself first.”
I nodded deep into myself, inhaling breath. “All right, I will see him. I just need to see there are things to resolve or to know that it is better to move on.”
Chris smiled reassuringly. “You got it, Megan. And no matter what goes down, I’ll be here.”
Finally satisfied, with renewed resolve, I replied to Miles’s text and agreed to meet him the following day. Just this act of taking out my phone brought a wave of calmness around me. I was taking control of my journey back to my dreams and meeting my past with clarity.
Chris and I sat up a bit into the evening, speaking some about the future-mine and his. We spoke of the book and plans for what we wanted to do, where we wanted our personal lives to go. It was good to be able to have these conversations and to share in the dreams and aspirations of it all.
That night, I lay in bed, staring out the window, thinking about this day. It felt like I was standing at the leading edge of something, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and growth. And with Chris by my side, this now more braced sense of purpose, I was ready for whatever came next.