On Your Level ~mlm~

~ Chapter 6 ~

Time has surpassed me, but if I was to guess, I would assume that it was a little after two in the morning. I knew my mother would be worried about me if she knew where I was, where I was about to go - but alas, I had already texted her earlier, assuring her I was safe and was staying at a friend's. They were used to me disappearing and staying at my "friend's" house, I've done it a few too many times.

Instead of being at my friend's house, I was currently walking through a dark alleyway. I would say it was abandoned just to add to the feels - but it wasn't. Instead, to the left and right of me were groups of people. There were two guys completely tearing some old guy apart with their fists - it was probably for money - and to my other side was a woman and a man practically reproducing against the brick - probably also for money.

Everything is about money, in this world and in every other. There was no such thing as peace, or a perfect world - a perfect person. Everyone has their flaws. Some are just more in the sense of lying and manipulating, whereas others are prostitution and murder. But even amongst all of this, everyone had a goal - a purpose - and the ones that didn't were the ones who came here. The Fight Club.

It's actually pretty ironic to think about. When someone hears the name 'fight club' their first thought would be a reference from the movie. For example, "the first rule of fight club, don't talk about fight club." I mean, I'm sure there were people whose first thought wasn't an old-school movie reference, but I have yet to meet them.

The bell above the door rings at my entrance and no one even turns to look, no one cares, not even a tilt of their head or a pause in conversation. I'm a ghost in here, and it feels fucking fantastic.

I head over to the back where I know a room is set up, just waiting for me, and so is the owner.

"Hey Buck," I greet as I enter the room.

"Hey kid, what brought you back this time?" He asks in his deep, rough voice, aged decades with the amount of smoke and nicotine entering his lungs. He takes a deep inhale as I respond, puffing the smoke into the room, only slightly fogging my view of him.

"Pent up frustration," I say curt. I don't really feel like getting into the nitty-gritty of my limp dick with Buck. We don't have that kind of relationship.

"Sexual or..." Buck trails off.

"Shove it where the sun don't shine asswipe," I scoff as I continue taping my wrists.

"I'll take that as a yes," he concludes, and I send him a death-glare over my shoulder. I'm not surprised that Buck is curious and asking questions. It has been over three weeks since I last appeared here. He probably thought I was done for good. In reality, I had just been swamped with work, because while semifinals, training and games were occurring, so were the exams. Exams that I had to at least pass if I ever wanted to leave this hell-hole. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love my family - but this town? Oh, I could do without it.

My goal for the last three years has been to finish high school with grades high enough to get me scouted and through university with as little student debt as possible, play on the uni soccer team and then hopefully make it to the big leagues. It is true that you don't need good grades to achieve this, but we all know how low the chances of this actually occurring are. I needed a back-up plan, and I had one. Was it boring and would it leave me forty-five and depressed? Yes. But would it give my family a good life away from this small town and its small ideas? Also yes.

Mama would never see the set of Master Chef here, Papa would never see the inside of NASA here, and Delany would never see her designs at Fashion Week here either. And so what if I couldn't have my dream? They would get theirs, and that was all I ever needed.

I stood before the ring, waiting for my introduction. The loud speakers boom as Buck introduces my opponent, Razor - how very original. I roll my eyes and step up as he begins to introduce me.

"He's undefeated, he's deadly, and he's named Reaper!" The crowd roars in anticipation, vultures, all of them. Waiting with their jaws open, waiting for the blood and violence - they get off on it. They'll spend their money and leave their families behind with barely a pizza box, take their mistresses and forget about their life, all for just one night of bloodshed.

I steel my gaze on my opponent and smirk a little, it's always fun to see if I can knock them off their game before the match even starts.

Robyn

I don't know what's up with Raven, and to be frank - I don't care, because I have Scar on my arm and we are walking into a local pancake parlour. Life couldn't get much better than this, liquor flowing through our systems, and not going to lie, I think some weed may have made an appearance at some point.

We were both giggling and practically falling over each other. I honestly don't even remember how we got here and I'm not going to bother trying to figure it out.

"Chocolate chip?" Scar manages to get out through a fit of giggles.

"Duh," I answer, "and maybe some water to clear us of liquor."

"You never fail to surprise me with your ingenuity, Robyn Lee," she states with a grin.

"You're not the only one," I wink and head to the cashier. It may have taken a little while - I think I may have actually trampled a kid on the way. Oh well.

Raven

I wasn't doing so well. Blood was hazing my vision and a tooth flew out when I spit blood onto the sidewalk. There was a blinding pain searing through me, and I knew where I needed to go. I didn't like it, it was another one of the reasons that I hadn't gone to the fight club in so long, I had to slum it out with the helpless, the less-fortunate.

I grunted as I sat myself on a park bench, I wouldn't be there for long and I knew that. No one wanted to be out for very long in this area of town, at this time of night. After a few measly minutes of surveying my injuries, I grunted and ground my teeth together to hold back a scream as I stood up.

Luckily, my destination wasn't far, just a street or two down. I hobbled my way over to the shelter and was quick to pass the guards with a mumbled introduction and found a vacant bed in the back right of the crowded room. It kind of reminded me of the orphanage in Peter Pan, though there were no pirates coming to steal us away to Neverland... damn I must have hit my head hard.

I lay my head back onto the concrete pillow and looked up at the popcorn ceiling above me. It was covered in green, black and white mould. There were more than a few bubbles full of sewage water hanging above my head and I could only pray that they wouldn't burst onto my head and I'd wake up to shit in my mouth.

I let out a loud sigh and closed my eyes, breathing heavily.

"Why are you so fucking loud? Either quiet your breathing or I'll smother you with a pillow!" A random scraggly guy cursed out beside me.

Ah I forgot how loving they were here.