Songbird

Chapter 7 ~ Secrets

"You don't have to pretend," said Jace, rolling his eyes.

"No, we really were worried for a while!" exclaimed a man leaning against a locker. His dark skin was streaked with blood from the fight in which he had just won. He dabbed his cuts and winced.

"Yeah, even this place's new owner Drake was worried," spoke up another from the corner of the locker room. He was sitting on a bench, an earbud in, nodding to the music as he bandaged his bloody knuckles.

"Probably worried that I was gone for good, and then I couldn't win him any more money," spoke Jace nonchalantly.

"True," said Gabriel, the one dabbing his bloodied face. "Every fighter here knows the crowds come every fight night just to maybe get a glance at you."

The other, named Mark, laughed, showing rather crooked teeth. "So, what brought the mighty Songbird to pause his fighting for a month?"

They both looked to Songbird. He stared back, trying to think of a response.

"I needed a break," replied Jace curtly. He couldn't have guys like these two knowing anything about his personal life, let alone his girlfriend.

Gabriel and Mark gave each other clear we know he's lying glances, but they didn't push the conversation further. Although they would never admit it, Songbird put a degree of fear in them. His anonymous identity and silence while he fought only added to the fear that was already there by his ability to take down any opponent.

And Jace would definitely not consider Gabriel and Mark his friends. They were illegal fighters, just like Jace, that earned some money from their bets while fighting at the Pit. But they led more dangerous lives outside of the Pit than Jace. He knew for a fact that Gabriel was involved in gangs, and Mark was a drug pusher. He didn't speak to either outside of the Pit.

Most of the nights that the Pit was open – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights – Jace could count on these two being there. He kept his mask down and spoke around Gabriel and Mark; it was only in actual fights that he would cover most of his face and resume silence. But he still kept his distance from them emotionally.

"Hey, I think the ref's calling for you, Songbird," spoke Gabriel. Jace also didn't share his name with anyone at the Pit. Everyone knew him as Songbird, even those to which he spoke.

"I'd better—"

"Before you go," Mark cut Jace off, "do you want to go out with Gabe and I tonight? The owner Drake and a few others are going, too."

"I'll think about it," said Jace, probably too hurried. He knew his decision already.

Gabriel caught on quickly that Jace wasn't planning to go. "Eventually, Drake will force you to join us!" shouted Gabriel as Jace started out the door into the main room. "Eventually!"

Jace tugged his mask over his mouth and nose and pulled the locker door shut behind him.

Isaac came up to him immediately. "They're looking for you – your match is gonna start soon," he warned Songbird.

Jace simply nodded once and continued toward the makeshift arena that he was to fight in that night. His sweeping eyes caught Devin placing bets at the tables along the other side of the room.

It was quite crowded for a Thursday night, Jace remarked. Even so, the people naturally backed off and made a path for him to walk to the barricade arena where his opponent for the night was waiting.

Songbird moved the metal crowd-control barrier to enter the octagon. His opponent was pacing, staring, puffing out his bare chest. He was completely bald, and his shirtless torso revealed a huge tiger tattoo that spanned across his entire front. For some reason, it amused Jace. It was such an ugly tattoo.