The Demon's Ballerina

Ch 3: Part I - Charlotte

It was hard to concentrate the next few days. Between classes, homework, and teaching the four-year-old classes at the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the five-year-old classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, I was utterly beat by Thursday night. Not to mention anytime I found myself alone, and relaxed, Zane seemed to cross my mind. The way he smelled when it had just been the two of us at the front door. The way his voice seemed to simultaneously make me shiver and annoy me was fascinating.

On Friday afternoon, Mom and Dad invited Gram and Grampa over for dinner. They usually always came over for dinner during the week but had been putting it off. We'd been busier than usual at the gym since summertime and had to make two classes for each age group, which meant both me and Grampa were beat by the end of the night.

The only problems this Friday night were that one: Zane would come with them, and two: I always went out for Friday Night Fights with Danny and a couple of friends from school. And they weren't aware of Friday Night Fights. Mainly for the fact that it was an underground fight club. Everyone knew the golden rule of fight club was that there was no fight club.

When they got here, I tried to be on my best behavior. Gram also forbid me from touching a single piece of homework, so it really was nice to simply sit and enjoy their company. I always rested on Fridays anyhow to make up for the brutal week load. The classes provided me with the endurance I needed for the fights. Who said a class of four-year-old's couldn't really do some damage if they wanted to?

"Charlie?" I blinked, focusing on Grampa's face. I'd been so lost in thought; I must not have noticed the turn in conversation. "I asked if you thought you could handle a surprise class on Saturday every two weeks?" I pondered it for a second, until I remembered how I looked sometimes Saturday morning. I'd sweat the makeup off within the first ten minutes, and I'd be caught in so many lies I'd have no choice but to confess. No, absolutely not. My savings account needed the money from Friday Night Fights.

"I would say yes, Grampa, you know I would. But, that is the day I use to get ahead on college classes so during the week I can focus on high school-."

"Quinn, you ask too much of her already." Gram interrupted, having pulled away from her conversation with Mom to listen when I started talking about homework. "Weekends should be her own time to be a teenager." I chewed the last piece of my broccoli, knowing an opening when I saw one.

"Speaking of being a teenager, Danny should be here shorty to pick me up." I started, pausing to wipe my mouth. I took a few sips of water, ignoring the glaring soldier across the table from me. "I know I ask every week, but you don't mind if we hang out at the gym, right, Grampa?"

"No, kiddo. I don't mind."

"Hangout at the gym?" Zane pressed.

"Danny, Charlie and a couple of their friends hang out at the gym on Friday nights sometimes." Grampa explained with a chuckle in his tone. "As if they don't get enough of that place throughout the week."

"It could be worse." Mom joked, Gram nodding in agreement.

"Have you met any of these punks?" He continued, looking at Mom and Dad for an answer.

"We have, yes." Dad's tone said it was time to drop the topic, not that Zane got the memo.

"A bunch of teenagers hang out at the gym, and you aren't the least bit suspicious of what they're doing there all night?" Grampa shrugged, and Mom offered me a soft smile.

"We trust Charlie." Mom cleared her throat before continuing. "Plus, Danny is a responsible kid. He'd never let anything happen to his little cousin. The kids they hang out with are a good bunch. Abe's a bit on the wild side, but Everett and Danny balance him out."

"We know where they are, and they know we can pop in at any time to check what they're doing. It's good for the kids to get out of the house and get some freedom, but with a safe place to do so." Grampa added. Danny and I had been using the gym as an excuse most Friday nights because we knew our parents wouldn't get out that late to check on us. Not to mention now that Danny was eighteen and I was months away from it, we didn't have a curfew on Friday or Saturday. So, if we said we were at the gym all night, who was to say we weren't? If someone did happen to check, our cover story was that we must have left to head to the Burger Shack, which conveniently was a twenty-four-hour diner.

By the time Mom brought out dessert, I'd already gotten the weekly anonymous text that went out to all fighters and anyone who'd given their number to Joker, the guy who took the bets.

Five minutes after Mom had cut the cake, Danny was honking outside.

"Oh, couldn't you ask him to come in just this once?" Mom asked as I stood from the table to head upstairs and grab my bag.

"He's probably got Everett and Abe with him." I offered with a shrug, darting away at the nod and look of defeat on her face. By the time I got back downstairs, Grampa had wrangled Danny and Everett into the house. They were sitting at the table, eating cake and talking about hanging at the gym and a possible Burger Shack run afterwards.

"Now, I know we've always been lenient with you two." Dad started, giving all three of us a stern look. "We don't need to tell you that you should be safe and come home at a reasonable hour, correct?"

"Right, Dad." I assured him as I began passing out kisses to everyone except Zane, who watched me the entire time. With a wave and a promise to text if anything occurred, we were out the door.