metal links, “Don’t get killed,” and takes a step
back. It’s worked the last ten times so I take it in stride, put up my fists,
and look at the rage-filled eyes of Beyer who is jaunting back and forth,
throwing practice punches in the air. It only makes me want to hit him harder.
The crowd taunts us, urging
us to get closer. Beyer puts his arms out and pumps them in the air, rallying
the crowd. I didn’t want him to go down like this; after all, it seems too easy
and formulaic. But I decide to call him out as the jackass he is and close the gap
between us with two quick movements. I raise my left fist and explode it into
his face.
‘No Crier’ Beyer is on
his back seeing stars before anyone can blink.
The crowd is silent for
a few seconds and in this moment, I see the look that is going to change the
rest of my life. I stare past Beyer’s blank face to see Olivia smiling at me
from the other side of the fence.
Mick rushes toward me
and raises my hand amid the noise from the crowd. It’s like a swirl around me
as I keep my eyes focused on Olivia and her lips that have clamped together. I
can tell that she’s holding her smile in. She suddenly averts her eyes and
begins to look concerned as the guy next to her climbs over the fence and
huddles near Beyer with a small vial. I see Beyer’s small movements out of my
peripheral vision, still maintaining my attention on Olivia. She’s acting
concerned, but I think it’s just that. It’s an act, and that’s when I think Olivia
and I could get along pretty well.
The sound of Piper
Sullivan’s voice finally pulls me out of the haze. “Way to not get yourself
killed.”
“Thanks,” I mutter as I
take a few steps back toward her. Olivia’s head disappears as she is jostled
into the crowd.
“You know you could
have made it last a little longer,” Mick says as he pulls a wad of bills from
his back pocket. He knows I don’t like staying longer after a fight than I need
to. “You pissed off a few people who came here tonight for a good fight. We can
usually expect a brawl from you. Some showmanship at least.”
“I wasn’t in the mood,”
I reply as he shoves the trust fund bills into my unharmed hand.
“Not in the mood, eh?”
Mick asks. “You know some fighters would kill to be able to turn it off and on
like that. You’re something else, Kelly. You sure you don’t want to take my
brother’s offer? They make some real good money out in Vegas. The kind of money
that you’ll never see as some nerd in a lab coat.”
“I’ll pass,” I say,
clenching my hands around the bills. What Mick and the majority of capitalist
America don’t understand is that it’s not about the money. I do this because I
have to satiate the need to buff the dullness every once in a while.
“Nice try, Mick,” Piper
says through the fence. “Just consider yourself lucky that he even keeps coming
back here.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see
you next Tuesday?” Mick asks.
I think for a fleeting
second, trying to get Olivia’s smile out of my head, before I reply. “If you’re
feeling lucky.”
***
Piper slides the scissors underneath the
tape on my hand and cuts hard, releasing the tension on my skin. “Man, I take
all this time to tape your hands and the fight’s over within ten seconds,” she
complains.
“Yeah, yeah. I know
deep down you’re happy. At this rate, rent will be paid next week,” I reply as
I hold out my other hand. I don’t want to get into all the shit about why I
really fight with Piper here. “Imagine if that was my hourly rate. I could get
paid ten grand an hour just for knocking people out. Now that’s one helluva
paycheck.”
She rolls her eyes. “I
can’t believe I tolerate half your shit. And as far as rent goes, you know damn
well I pay good money for that couch.”
“You or your dad?” I
tease. Piper jabs the scissors deep beneath the tape, ramming it into my skin.
I pull back my hand. “Damn. It’s not my
back. It’s worked the last ten times so I take it in stride, put up my fists,
and look at the rage-filled eyes of Beyer who is jaunting back and forth,
throwing practice punches in the air. It only makes me want to hit him harder.
The crowd taunts us, urging
us to get closer. Beyer puts his arms out and pumps them in the air, rallying
the crowd. I didn’t want him to go down like this; after all, it seems too easy
and formulaic. But I decide to call him out as the jackass he is and close the gap
between us with two quick movements. I raise my left fist and explode it into
his face.
‘No Crier’ Beyer is on
his back seeing stars before anyone can blink.
The crowd is silent for
a few seconds and in this moment, I see the look that is going to change the
rest of my life. I stare past Beyer’s blank face to see Olivia smiling at me
from the other side of the fence.
Mick rushes toward me
and raises my hand amid the noise from the crowd. It’s like a swirl around me
as I keep my eyes focused on Olivia and her lips that have clamped together. I
can tell that she’s holding her smile in. She suddenly averts her eyes and
begins to look concerned as the guy next to her climbs over the fence and
huddles near Beyer with a small vial. I see Beyer’s small movements out of my
peripheral vision, still maintaining my attention on Olivia. She’s acting
concerned, but I think it’s just that. It’s an act, and that’s when I think Olivia
and I could get along pretty well.
The sound of Piper
Sullivan’s voice finally pulls me out of the haze. “Way to not get yourself
killed.”
“Thanks,” I mutter as I
take a few steps back toward her. Olivia’s head disappears as she is jostled
into the crowd.
“You know you could
have made it last a little longer,” Mick says as he pulls a wad of bills from
his back pocket. He knows I don’t like staying longer after a fight than I need
to. “You pissed off a few people who came here tonight for a good fight. We can
usually expect a brawl from you. Some showmanship at least.”
“I wasn’t in the mood,”
I reply as he shoves the trust fund bills into my unharmed hand.
“Not in the mood, eh?”
Mick asks. “You know some fighters would kill to be able to turn it off and on
like that. You’re something else, Kelly. You sure you don’t want to take my
brother’s offer? They make some real good money out in Vegas. The kind of money
that you’ll never see as some nerd in a lab coat.”
“I’ll pass,” I say,
clenching my hands around the bills. What Mick and the majority of capitalist
America don’t understand is that it’s not about the money. I do this because I
have to satiate the need to buff the dullness every once in a while.
“Nice try, Mick,” Piper
says through the fence. “Just consider yourself lucky that he even keeps coming
back here.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see
you next Tuesday?” Mick asks.
I think for a fleeting
second, trying to get Olivia’s smile out of my head, before I reply. “If you’re
feeling lucky.”
***
Piper slides the scissors underneath the
tape on my hand and cuts hard, releasing the tension on my skin. “Man, I take
all this time to tape your hands and the fight’s over within ten seconds,” she
complains.
“Yeah, yeah. I know
deep down you’re happy. At this rate, rent will be paid next week,” I reply as
I hold out my other hand. I don’t want to get into all the shit about why I
really fight with Piper here. “Imagine if that was my hourly rate. I could get
paid ten grand an hour just for knocking people out. Now that’s one helluva
paycheck.”
She rolls her eyes. “I
can’t believe I tolerate half your shit. And as far as rent goes, you know damn
well I pay good money for that couch.”
“You or your dad?” I
tease. Piper jabs the scissors deep beneath the tape, ramming it into my skin.
I pull back my hand. “Damn. It’s not my
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