Crazed Minds | ✔️

thirty

"Don't push me, 'cause I'm close to the edge."
-Heart on Fire, Indiana
________________________________

"I see you didn't back out," Naomi says harshly once we arrive at the centre of the ditch where an eager crowd is forming.

I clench my fists and reply dryly, "I'm not afraid of you."

She raises an eyebrow, before turning her attention to Alec, standing aggressively beside me.

"You're taking her side, I see," she grunts, to which a few of the Fighters at her side scowl.

"I'm not taking anyone's side," he murmurs darkly, cracking his knuckles. Everyone around us is silent, clinging onto every word like he's feeding his words to them.

"Always were a sucker for the pretty ones, weren't you, Alec?" she says mockingly. I look away as he frowns even further. I don't know what she meant by that, so I choose to ignore it and keep my mind focused.

"Shut your trap, Naomi," says a new voice behind us. The boy with the olive skin and blonde hair that was talking to Alec at lunch the other day pushes through the crowd and takes place beside Alec, and I assume he's the owner of the voice. He's tall, maybe a little over six foot three, but he's lankier than Alec, skinny arms and long legs. He looks friendly enough though.

"Stay out of this, Seth," snaps Naomi, eyebrows angling inwards at the blonde boy, who has a playful smirk toying at his lips.

The boy—Seth—rolls his eyes and turns to me. "What's your name, doll?"

"Olivia."

"Oh, boy, have I heard a lot about you," he says, motioning with his eyes to Alec, who is glaring at his friend. "I'm Seth."

"What are you doing here, Seth?" Alec asks, changing the subject.

"I heard what's happening, and couldn't wait to watch this thing go down. But are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asks me unsurely.

"I'm sure."

"I like your enthusiasm," he remarks with a light chuckle, turning to Alec and patting his chest. "She's a keeper."

Alec shoves Seth in the arm, who laughs playfully. They are obviously good friends, despite Seth being far more playful than Alec.

"Are we done with the chitchat? I have a fight to win," hisses Naomi, who is rolling up her sleeves.

The crowd steps back to create a large circle around us, until the only people left inside the circle are me, Alec, Seth and Naomi.

"Bit of advice, Naomi is mainly all bark but no bite," Seth says quietly as Naomi stretches her arms about ten meters away. "But her barking throws people off, which lets her win fights with ease."

The fire is blazing and crackling nearby, but the area surrounding the pit remains unnervingly dark and silent.

"Seth's right," Alec says as I watch Naomi from afar. She has a big build, and I can tell she's much stronger than me. Her size also gives her an advantage. But if her body mass is higher, it means I'm faster. That could be my advantage.