Fighting For Life (published)

We're taking it easy today

Aubry's POV-

School was out and the nights were getting colder. The temperatures were hovering right above freezing. Some nights were worse than others... Most nights I could find a warm enough place to hide in. But sometimes, I was out of luck. Some nights, like that night, I was kicked out of the bus stop, or whichever place I found to be at, and could find no other place to stay. Those nights were the worst.

My head was pounding and my teeth were chattering as I walked down the street. The wind was brutally assaulting me, and I knew I had to find some place to get out of it at. I just needed a little bit of a wind shelter. I could deal with the cold if the wind wasn't cutting through me so badly.

I shivered as I continued walking around one of the nicer neighborhoods near the bus station. I walked around aimlessly before I came across a nice park that was nestled in the middle of the subdivision. It was obviously fairly new.

I made a bee line to the play set and looked around for an opening. I figured, that if I could get underneath the playset, I could camp out there like some sort of animal. I knew that sounded really awful, but that was the harsh reality of the situation that I was in.

I found no openings to somehow get underneath. However, I did find a tunnel that was connected to the playground. It was fully solid except for the two entrance holes on either side and then little eye holes cut out at the top for little kids to look out of. I knew that it would be a decent place to get out of the wind for the night. Really, it was the only option that I had at that moment, so I speedily climbed up the playset and huddled myself into the tunnel. I just prayed that morning would come soon.

----

The sun had just begun to rise when I got up. My joints ached and I couldn't feel my hands. The gym was a little ways from the park, and I just hoped that someone would be there to let me in.

As I made my way to the gym, people in cars that were passing me by were looking at me like I was crazy. I sighed heavily at the looks. When I breathed out, I saw my breath due to the cold temperatures and scoffed to myself. The wind was whipping around me and I huddled deeper into my winter jacket. I had no idea how I was going to get through the winter. It was barely the beginning and I was already having issues finding warmth and wanted to give up.

I arrived at the gym in a bad mood with my body was shaking and shivering seeking out warmth. I leaned on the door and prayed that it was unlocked. I twisted the door knob and stumbled into the warmth.

"Oh thank god!" I exclaimed gratefully.

"Aubry," Aiden said looking up from the punching bag and smiled slightly.

I almost smiled back, almost.

"You know I can come and pick you up, if you'd like at least..." He offered as I put my stuff in my locker.

I would love that, I thought. However, the no house situation complicates things a tiny bit. "No thanks, I could use the daily exercise. Besides, we won't even be here over the next couple days," I tried to sound convincing.

He shook his head and stalked back to his punching bag. I joined him shortly after in my sweat pants and t-shirt after removing so many layers of clothes. I began taping my knuckles together and started getting ready to spar as I stood in front of the bag that he was at.

"What are you doing?" Aiden asked in a stern voice.

"Um... getting ready to spar?" I said in a questioning voice. "You said during my last fight that I needed to get more face to face time because I'm too stiff with my punches... Remember?" I said looking at him confused.