She sat across from him at the kitchen table.
"You should have told me."
Damon looked down.
"I didn't want you growing up thinking violence was something to admire."
"But you're good at it."
"That's different."
"How?"
"Being capable of violence and wanting violence are two completely different things."
Tessa looked at her mother's watch.
"No wonder Mom trusted you."
Damon smiled sadly.
"Your mother trusted me because I knew when to walk away."
Tessa became quiet.
Then she asked:
"Are you afraid of Travis?"
Damon shook his head.
"I'm afraid of what he might become if nobody stops him."
Travis's Obsession
Travis stopped sleeping properly.
Every night, he replayed the festival.
He remembered Damon standing calmly in front of him.
He remembered the crowd.
Most of all, he remembered the watch.
He became obsessed with it.
Why had Damon removed it?
Why had he handed it to Tessa?
Why had he looked so calm?
Travis began training harder than ever.
His coach warned him.
"You're fighting angry."
"I need to beat him."
"He's not your opponent."
"He humiliated me."
"No."
The coach shook his head.
"You humiliated yourself."
Travis walked out.
That evening, he drove past Roark Cycle & Auto.
The garage was closed.
Tessa was outside alone, carrying boxes.
Travis stopped.
He rolled down the window.
"Where's your dad?"
Tessa froze.
"Why?"
"I want to talk."
"He doesn't want to talk to you."
Travis stepped out.
"I'm not asking him."
Tessa backed away.
Then the garage door opened.
Damon appeared.
He didn't run.
He didn't shout.
He simply looked at Travis.
"Get in your truck."
Travis stared.
Damon repeated:
"Go home."
Travis clenched his fists.
Then he noticed something.
Damon wasn't angry.
That somehow made the situation worse.
Travis got back into the truck.
But before leaving, he shouted:
"This isn't over!"
Damon answered:
"I know."
The Breaking Point
The next week, Travis's behavior changed.
He stopped bullying people at school.
He stopped showing off.
He stopped bragging about his championship.
But it wasn't because he had become humble.
He was unraveling.
His father finally confronted him.
"You're obsessed."
Travis said nothing.
"You've already lost."
Travis looked up.
"I haven't fought him properly."
Richard sighed.
"You don't understand."
"Then tell me."
Richard hesitated.
"Damon once saved three men during an armed robbery."
Travis stared.
"What?"
"He could have killed the robber."
"Did he?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because he didn't have to."
Richard sat down.
"That's what you're missing, Travis. You think winning means proving you're stronger."
"What does it mean?"
Richard looked at him.
"Knowing when strength isn't necessary."
For the first time, Travis didn't have an answer.
The Storm
A violent storm hit Cedar Ridge.
The river rose.
Power failed across half the town.
The festival grounds flooded.
Damon opened his garage as a temporary shelter.
People arrived with blankets.
Tessa organized food.
Travis's family arrived too.
For the first time, Travis saw Damon helping everyone without asking who they were.
An elderly man.
A frightened child.