Aria

26- Aria ( NEW )

I told Gunner a few weeks ago that my next fight, win or lose, would be my last. And after learning more about the plots against Gunner and me, now more than ever, I'm dead set on quitting the league.

It's not that I'm giving up in fear of Felicia and her cronies; that's not the case. Instead, I'm hanging it up because I have a family to care for. They're more important to me than some stupid boxing match, leaving me with cuts, bruises, and sore ribs for days after the fight. Quitting would also be better for my sanity and mental health.

With that said, I've got less than twenty-four hours to figure out how to leave the arena alive or do what I'm there to do, and that's to win the fight. However, if I were to win against Felicia, I better have a backup plan because the last thing I want is Wyatt growing up without his mother because of my poor choices.

Be smart, Aria... just be smart.

"What are you thinking so heavily about?" Walter asked as he entered the dining room, pushing the wheels of his wheelchair toward me.

"Everything," I breathed, returning my gaze to the wild lightning show brightening the sky.

"Why don't you come away from the patio door and sit at the table with me so we can talk about whatever this everything is that's on your mind?"

Since coming home from my father's, I've been doing everything I could to avoid talking to Walter about my conversation with Stella for the matter that I don't want him worrying about me-worrying so much that it'll kill him.

"I'm waiting..." Walter desperately emphasized when I continued staring at the sky. "Come on, Aria. Talk to me," he begged as I rested my forehead on the glass. "It can't be that bad."

"It is, Walter. It really is," I muttered, then sighed as I turned around. "I feel like everything in my life is fake and that my life isn't real-it's like it's a damn video game."

Walter furrowed his brows. "Why would you think that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I quickly replied.

Walter's hand extended to the table's edge, then patted it. "Sit," he ordered. "I think it's time we have another heart-to-heart talk, woman."

As much as I look forward to and enjoy having these types of talks with him, this is one I'm dreading having with Walter, but I sat in the chair beside him, anyway.

Walter snickered, then teased, "At least you're still listening to your elders."

"Well, if I didn't, I'd be disciplined, right?"

"I'd love to discipline you, but I don't think that's something Gunner would approve of," he grinned. "If Gunner were to walk in here and see me spanking your cute little patootie, he'd be one jealous lover boy. If it wouldn't make him jealous, he'd be pissed enough to make my lights go out forever."

I laughed. "No, he wouldn't."

Walter smiled, showing me his dentures as he spoke. "You wanna bet?"

"You're something else," I said, giggling.

"So are you... anywho... start talking, woman. Tell me why you think your life is a video game when we all know it clearly isn't."

"Look at how my life has been for me. It's been nothing but a gigantic mess. And it has me feeling the only way I can continue living is if I were to pay. And if I don't, someone will pick up on it and destroy me within seconds. Just think about it, Walter. When I met Gunner, I was nothing. It also scared me to do anything involving going out of my comfort zone. Gunner picked up on it, and then he worked with me-teaching me how to level up my skills, intelligence, and strength by showing me the ropes on how to protect myself with self-defense. Not long after learning to do that, Nikki and I were kidnapped and nearly killed. Then, to save our lives, I had to do the unthinkable-something I never thought I could do. And to this day, even though she wasn't a good person and deserved what she got, it still bothers me that I ended someone's life."