We both pulled away when we felt a presence in front of us. I could feel the whole mood around the table change. I pushed Bridget off my lap and took in this pale, frumpy, and frail girl who was standing before me.
She was tiny, and the giant black sweater and leggings she had on made her look even frumpier and smaller. She had a serious and guarded expression on her face as she focused only on me and had her back to the rest of the table. I was slightly amused that she had the courage to come up to me, especially in front of people, but I was also annoyed that she forgot her place and thought that this was a good idea.
“Can I talk to you? Alone?” she asked after staring me directly in the eyes for a few moments.
I raised an eyebrow at her. I didn’t know what game she was playing at, but she had to know that I wasn’t going to give into her whim and even entertain whatever her idea was. I didn’t deal with people like her.
Who is she anyway? I had no idea. I didn’t think I had ever even seen her before.
I faked a laugh harshly as I looked her up and down.
“No,” I deadpanned and dismissed her while grabbing another girl by the waist. I was annoyed that I was interrupted by the little girl, but it was slightly admirable how brave she was being. Poor girl should have tried someone else before me.
Instead of leaving like I practically told her to, she walked forward carefully and sat down slowly in my lap. I was shocked; completely and utterly shocked, along with everyone else. This was a kind of girl whom I had never even seen before. Who was she to be acting like that?
She brought her lips to my ear and whispered lowly so no one else could overhear. “Meet me in computer lab two thirty-two in exactly ten minutes, or I will go around and tell everyone where you were last night. We both know that if all the girls around school know about your extracurricular fighting activities, then they’ll go and watch and probably get the place shut down. So, ten minutes, computer lab two thirty-two, got it?”
She gave me no time to protest.
“Good.”
She didn’t even wait for an answer. She just got up with a soft grunt and snatched the apple from my tray and sort of limped out of the cafeteria.
I watched her leave with narrowed eyes.
Who the fuck did she think she was?
“That bitch,” I muttered under my breath, turning to my food. Who the hell does that whore think she is? She couldn’t blackmail me into sleeping with her. I realized that everyone was looking at me, so I wiped the look off my face quickly and pretended that nothing had even happened.
I looked at Bridget and smiled, pulling her into me.
“What was that about?” she asked with her arms crossed.
I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at her. Maybe I should stop fucking with her as she seemingly was becoming too attached if she was already jealous of the little freak.
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “You know how those weirdos are. Why? Are you jealous?” I asked, smirking at her. Right then, I realized that I didn’t even like the blonde-haired monster that was pouting in front of me. She was annoying as hell, wore too much makeup, too desperate, and was becoming too attached to me. But hey, she was a good fuck.
“Pshhh, of that freak? No,” she replied too quickly, letting me know that I was right. It was time to cut her loose. She would soon be wanting more from me than just a hookup. I couldn’t, nor did I want to offer her more than a meaningless fling. I don’t do feelings.
We all talked amongst ourselves for a few minutes and then I got up to leave.
“Where are you going? Maybe I can come too?” Bridget purred in my ear while running her hand down my chest.
I pulled away from her and removed her hand. “No, I have something to do,” I stated. I caught Brandon’s curious look, and I gave a slight shake of the head letting him know that I’d tell him later.
I left the cafeteria without even a backward glance and made my way to the computer lab. I stopped outside the door for a moment and composed myself. I was pissed at how she was going about this, but I also kind of respected her for it. She was resourceful, I’d give her that. I just had to wonder how the hell she found out and why she was at the Underground.
I walked into the room briskly and took her appearance in again. She wasn’t ugly, she wasn’t my usual type, but she definitely wasn’t grotesque. So hey, maybe this will be nice. I could give her what she wanted, and I could have fun. I’d get my answers afterward, I suppose.
I walked up to her and kissed her roughly while pushing her against the desk. Most girls thought it was hot when I did that and took control. She weakly pushed me back, but she needed to understand that I was the dominant one in this transaction, not her. The next thing I knew, she punched me square in the jaw. It really didn’t hurt at all, but it was a surprise, nonetheless.
I released her and spun around so I didn’t have to face her. I might get too pissed if I saw her face. I had never hit a girl before, but she was seriously pushing my buttons, and I could feel my temper flaring.
She screamed at me emotionally, and I explained what I thought this was—a quick fuck. I thought that it was obvious.
I turned around to face her, even more pissed that she not only hit me but also disrupted my lunch and brought me into that room for no damn reason.
As soon as I saw her face though, I wasn’t mad anymore. I couldn’t be. She had blood pouring from her nose, and since I was focusing on it, I could see that it was crooked and swollen. On top of that, her lips were bleeding as well and dripping blood down her chin. On top of all that, I was starting to see the various bruises on her covered up face. I didn’t think she had any idea that her injuries were bleeding as she stared at me on high alert.
I started towards her, and she slowly backed away from me like a scared animal. I made it to her first and grabbed her arm. I definitely didn’t miss the way she cringed and lifted her hand to block her face.
I said nothing as I looked around briefly. I finally spotted some paper towels on the desk. I tore some off and put them on her nose asking her to hold them there. I then slowly wiped off her lips with more paper towels. I could see the shock in her eyes as I helped her.
No wonder she hit me. She must have been in a lot of pain from my kiss.
She was in bad shape, I realized as I looked her over more. Her right eye was significantly swollen and severely discolored under the makeup. She had a gash on her left cheek and bruises on her neck as if someone had tried to choke her out. Her lips were busted in few places, and her nose was no doubt broken. Her whole face looked messed up. I felt bad.
She threw the paper towels for her nose away and blew all the snot and blood out like I had asked her to. She barely even flinched when she did that which I know hurt like a bitch. She was either a good actress or super strong and could handle pain like a champ.
“Do you want me to fix it?” I finally asked, surprising even myself.
She nodded and I warned her about how much it was gonna hurt. I knew from experience that fixing a broken nose was even worse than getting it broken in the first place.
She took a deep breath and grimaced. I fixed her nose as quickly and gently as possible. She only flinched once which surprised the hell out of me, seeing how most people couldn’t even stand it and would just leave their nose all fucked up.
She looked at her now straighter nose in a computer screen and wiped away the tears that had involuntarily fallen from her eyes during the fix and then genuinely thanked me. I started feeling uncomfortable and asked her what she wanted.
I needed to get out of there. I didn’t like how nice I was being to this girl. I just definitely didn’t expect what she asked.
“I need you to train me,” she said quickly.
“Train you for what?” I countered, feeling confused as hell.
“I need you to train me to fight so that I can do it at the Underground,” she stated as if it was the easiest thing in the world to do.
; Hell no. I don’t train people exclusively. Especially girls, and especially girls that blackmail me and piss me off.
It had to be a joke. Yes, a joke.
“You fight? Ha ha ha. You weigh what? A hundred pounds. No. Hell no! Besides, I . . . don’t . . . train . . . people,” I said, taunting her and turning away to leave.
“Wait, I’ll pay you! Um, Ten percent of my earnings!” she cried out desperately.
Now that was insulting.
“Wow! A whole ten percent!” I yelled, sarcasm lacing my voice.
“Half,” I deadpanned.
Wait. No, I’m not doing this.
“Twenty five percent,” she countered.
“It doesn’t matter, I don’t train,” I said finally with a sigh and turned to go.
“Please just give me a chance!” I heard her say. She seemed deadset on this, and walked towards me.
“I’m not going to leave you alone . . .” She was for real pissing me off now, I didn’t even listen to the rest of what she said.
“Have you ever even fought before, little girl?” I asked as I looked at her. She was tiny and puny. No way could she fight people like me.
Her whole demeanor changed at the name I called her.
“What did you just call me?” she said, walking me into a corner.
Okay, so she might have a little bit of smarts and spark, but that didn’t mean that she would be a good fighter.
I laughed tauntingly at her. “What are you gonna do, hit me again? You didn’t even leave a mark.”
“I might,” she stated with a tight-lipped snarl. It kind of impressed me that she didn’t back down from me. I’m a pretty scary person, so I’ve been told.
I could tell that she wasn’t going to leave me alone until I at least pretended to consider it.
I sighed. “I’ll tell you what, I kind of like your spunk as annoying as it is. Come by Johnny’s gym at the fifteen hundred block of Third Street. I’ll think of something that’ll impress me, and if you do it, then I’ll train you.”
I smirked at her and finally opened the door to walk out.
“Don’t leave for at least five minutes after me.” The last thing I needed was people thinking that her and I were together.
I already knew what I was gonna make her do to prove to me she was worth my time to train. It was pretty impossible for a person who’s never fought before.
I smirked to myself as I walked to my next class that I was already super late for.
Maybe I can see that bitch get knocked on her ass.
Chapter Six
Biceps
Aubry
The school bell finally rang, signaling the end of the day. I let out a sigh of relief, only for it to be replaced by anxiety and fear.
I needed this; I needed help. I just prayed that I could impress Aiden and that he’d help me. I retrieved my clothes for the next day from my locker and then I was off to see what my future consisted of.
The address that he gave me was a long way from the school, especially on foot. I was trying to get there quickly, but I gave up on that fast due to the increased traffic all across town and my horribly aching body. I was breathing heavily by the time I made it to the address. Each breath felt like an ache that I couldn’t even describe, it was just pain all over.
I stood in front of the big warehouse-like building that I was instructed to go to. There, red letters across the top of the building spelled out, “Johnny’s Gym” in faded paint that was almost illegible. The building looked old, but judging by the cars in the parking lot, there were quite a few people in the gym.
I let out a pent-up breath as I walked up the pathway to the black door. I opened the heavy door and walked in, trying not to outwardly show the pain that was plaguing me. I tried to be quiet but due to the slamming door, that didn’t happen.
As soon as it closed, all eyes were on me. I almost cringed because of the looks I was receiving, but I schooled my emotions instantly. I didn’t want to give away my uncomfortableness with the attention, nor did I want to give away my physical injuries.
I quickly spotted Aiden across the gym. He was quite hard to miss, and he was also looking at me. As soon as I caught his eyes, he scowled at me.
Well hello to you too, jackass.
I made my way to him and mockingly saluted him, though it was very painful. Everyone else slowly went back to what they were doing, I could tell they were still trying to see what business I had there.
“Reporting for duty, sir,” I said, chuckling and trying to break the tension.
He wasn’t amused. “I told you to be here right after school. It’s past four now! I don’t like to be kept waiting.”
“That’s not even that late. School got out at three-thirty! Besides, I had to walk here! This place is far from school, genius! We’re lucky that I made it here in just thirty minutes anyways.”
“Whatever,” he grunted at me. “Brandon!” he yelled across the gym, making everyone look at us again. I couldn’t stop myself from ducking behind him away from everyone’s stares.
“What are you doing?” he asked with a scowl as I realized how close to him I actually was.
I gave him a sheepish smile as I searched for an answer in my mind.
“Um . . . I was admiring your biceps?” It came out as more of a question. I wanted to facepalm myself for being so awkward, but I had pretty much no good social skills, so I had absolutely nothing to go off of.
As Aiden stood there studying me, probably trying to figure out the best way to get rid of me, the boy with the shaggy blond hair walked up to us leisurely.
I immediately panicked—once again, presumably for no reason. Luckily, he hadn’t even glanced at me yet as he was asking Aiden what he wanted.
“Brandon, this is—”
My eyes widened, and I found myself ducking behind Aiden again as he spoke, not wanting to face the blond guy to explain the night before to him.
I don’t know why I never put two and two together. I guess I had other things on my mind, but obviously the boy’s friend was going to be at the gym and train too. I really didn’t want to deal with any of this right then . . . I was too tired and hurt to be dealing with things like that.
“What are you doing?” Aiden asked again in an annoyed tone as he gently pulled me out from behind him. I looked down to the floor in shame, not answering him.
“This is . . . um . . . actually, what is your name?” Aiden asked.
I looked up to find both boys staring at me. “Aubry . . . Hello Brandon, nice to meet you.”
Brandon scrutinized me for a few seconds. I looked around uncomfortably and tucked my loose hair behind my ear nervously. His eyes widened at my action.
“Oh my God! You’re the girl! Aiden, this is the girl I told you about from the Underground last night!” Brandon exclaimed excitedly.
I flinched back at his loudness. Oh great, he remembered me. “Yeah, um . . . Thank you for the shot by the way,” I said, awkwardly shifting nervously as both guys stared at me.
“Wow . . .” Aiden commented thoughtfully. “Not a crackhead, whore.”
My eyes met his, quickly making me raise my eyebrow in disbelief that he had just said that.
“Wait, I mean . . . you’re not a crackhead whore, right?” he asked with a smirk on his face.
I scoffed. “No. I do not do drugs, asshole.” I crossed my arms over my chest as he laughed at my expense, making me glare at him.
Brandon watched Aiden with a thoughtful expression for a moment as he calmed himself down from laughing. “Was there something that you needed, Aid?” Brandon finally asked when he got himself under control.
“Yes . . . You see, I kind of have a deal with Aubry that if she can impress me then I’m going to train her.”
“You? Train? You train her?” He laughed but quickly realized that it wasn’t a joke because both of us were serious. “Um, well okay . . . Good luck with that. But I don’t see what that has to do with me?”
“Well I’ve decided that if she can last seven minutes, the average time of a fight at the Underground with you in the ring while you fight your hardest, then that would impress me,” Aiden stated nonchalantly, making Brandon’s eyes go wide and shake his head vigorously. “Also, if you go easy on her, then I won’t train her. I know how you fight, so you better fight how you would against me or Tommy.”
I shrugged, it seemed fair and easy enough.
Brandon spoke up after finally wrapping his head around the conversation, “Nope. Absolutely not. Aiden, I have been fighting for twelve years. There is no way that I will subject her to my full fighting capabilities. Look at her. She looks like she’s never even hurt a fly! I’m not fighting against her. It will be a one-hit knockout, and I’ll feel awful for it.”
“Don’t I get a say in this?” I finally cut him off from talking. “I’m not as fragile as I look.” Though with the condition that Daniel left me in, I might have been. “And I might surprise you, both of you.” I didn’t know how exactly, but hey, maybe I could surprise them. I mean, I had dealt with drug-crazed men bigger than Brandon for my whole life. Brandon was big, but I wasn’t scared of him.
“Fine, we’ll do this . . .” he said after studying me intensely. “But if I hurt you, don’t be mad at me. You’re literally asking me to do it,” Brandon said, shrugging.
I nodded quickly and looked at Aiden. “Eight minutes? That’s all?”
He nodded. “It’s easier said than done.” He was smirking at me in almost a malicious way.
I suddenly had a bad feeling about it. What did I just get myself into?
“Everyone, gather around. Little Aubry has to last eight minutes with Brandon on the mats.” I gave him a glare as he spoke, making him smirk even wider at me.
“We have to make this as authentic as possible, right? At the Underground, there’s a lot bigger audience than just the gym members here today.”
Fighting For Life Page 5