Behind The Hoodie

(Part 2) Chapter 5: Fight Time

It's Gray. He is wearing loose yet extremely see-through white shirt, long boxing shorts, and boxing shoes. Figures he has a six-pack. He grins at me. I look at him, puzzled, is he really going to fight?

"You remember when you first met us as Tori? You asked if I was interested or going to fight. I wanted to but I didn't want to end up fighting you. But now that you're not fighting..." he trails off.

I cross my arms and raise my eyebrow as I turn completely to him. He just chuckles and signals for me to follow him. 

He walks back through the crowd and so does the other guys and I follow, sticking my hands in my pocket and putting my hood up to just cover my head and not my face. The guys glance at me. It's almost like a nervous tick or tradition.

We walk over to Liam who comes out of the corner of the ring of people. I end up being even tenser than before as I come up next to Gray in front of Liam. He puts his arm back around my shoulders.

"Who am I fighting?" Gray asks as Liam looks to us.

"You will be fighting after this next fight and his name is Drew," he says pointing to another guy standing in the crowd.

"Alright. He's rank twenty-three, right?"

My jaw drops. IT TOOK ME YEARS TO GET TO THE TOP!!! HE DID IT JUST BY SHOWING UP?!?! Oh, there better be more to this. 

"Yep. Would you mind if I talked to Tori, I mean Beth for a moment?" Liam says taking a quick glance at me.

"Sure," Gray says backing up into the crowd with the other guys so I know he can eavesdrop without Liam noticing.

I turn back to Liam and cross my arms as I look at him.

"Look I know your upset you can't fight but you were in a coma for two months and shot twice. I can't just let you come back in here and fight again."

I pull out my phone and type before showing it to him, on it said, 'how can I get back into fighting?'

"Beth, everyone knows you now, no one will want to fight a sixteen-year-old girl who just saved a school, got shot and went into a coma. And you used to having your identity hidden is what made so much money and brought in so many people. I'm not even positive you still know how to fight. No one will want to fight you," as he says trying to act reasonable.

I am honestly speechless. Don't know how to fight? I may be a bit weak but I could get rid of you in five seconds, tops.  I fought since I was eight! And me being hidden is what brought in bids and people, is that all you cared about? Fine. Forget. You. 

I keep an emotionless face.

"It's not worth even trying, now if you'll excuse me, I have a fight to get to," he says walking away. 

I sigh and I look over to the guys as they come out of the crowd, looking at me.

"Don't take it too roughly. You can always find some other streetfighting place," Mason says putting his hand on my shoulder.

I give him a hopeless smile, dropping my arms and he takes his hand off my shoulder. But it would never be the same. I lost my lively hood.

"Come on, let's get to the fights," Alan says putting his hand between my shoulder blades on my back and pushing me slightly towards the crowd 

I walk with them as the next fight finishes quickly. And Gray is called over to Liam's side. He comes over as the fight is announced and they shake hands and the fight begins.

They both start with a stance and Gray keeps his arms up while the other guys' arms are low. The other guy throws a punch and Gray quickly moves his head, dodging it and returns with a punch of his own that just barely misses.