GIRLS BREATHE FIRE - Paul Lahote

Chapter 1

Song: Love Potion No. 9 (The Clovers)

RORY'S POV

"Your Belongings were sent to Seattle with your car. You'll find them at the airport when you land and Aurora? Please, try not to forget why you're in this mess."

It all began as a joke.

A rebelling act if you may.

First I bleached my hair. That dark chestnut hair that my mother thought looked best pulled up into a bun much like her own.

Then there was the Tattoo. A quote down the spine of my back that my father used to say to me every time I said something I wasn't supposed to.

Not too long after, My fancy clothes were in a donation box at a second-hand store, and my new style of boyish attire, Oversized clothes, and flattering crop tops piled in.

But it was my last rebellious act that turned into something bigger. 

"Trust me, Leslie, this is working out for the both of us. You get to go home and fuck that money tree of yours, I get a year away from you. It's a win-win from my end."

Leslie Stoke was the woman who carried me for 9 months. I guess the more formal term would be to call her my mother. However, the few people who actually knew the woman would know, that this woman was no mother of mine.

It was my father, Joseph Swan, who actually raised me for the 13 years of my life he was around. He was the first one to hold me, the first one to hear me speak, and the only one to tell me that my future belonged to me.

Then he died. A terminal illness caught up to him and just like that, his career as a successful lawyer, his obligations as a father, and his life came to an end. 

The funeral was tragic but not nearly as bad as what I would come home to. 

My mother was furious with the outcome of his will as he had put everything under my name for the day I turned 18 and until then it was to be kept under bank ownership. And even now, This was information I had yet to find out about.

From that point on in my past, the woman who stayed in the same house as I, became my live-in nightmare. 

My anger issues that were originally just short temper tantrums, became aggressive acts of blind rage simply because my freedom had been stripped. My Therapy stopped working because any progress I made would be stomped out by my pile of social obligations to speak with naturally intolerable pricks. And eventually, the only thing I had left to be proud of was My father's last name still intact with my own.

Leslie Remarried, Ironically to Daniel Stoke. One of my dad's business associates. And when I turned 14 I met Eric Dalton, the son of a well-known CEO and supposedly my arranged fiance. 

That was when the rebelling began and something crazy happened.

My last little rebellious act was joining a gym where I started learning MMA. Leslie had always told me that martial arts weren't a fitting set of skills for a hostess because they diminished the effectiveness of male superiority in a household.

Some feminist she was.

Regardless, I started learning as a bit of a "fuck you" to the woman. After a few months, I had my first match and lost. But I kept trying. Eventually, I started winning and that's when people began to notice. By the 6 month anniversary of my first match, I had begun fighting at bigger venues and suddenly, the name Rory Rebel was the talk of the MMA industry. 

To avoid being caught by Leslie in my first match, I had Used my nickname, Rory, as well as my middle name, Rebel. That way there would be no link between my MMA personality and Aurora Swan, Daughter of Millionaire Lawyer, Joseph Swan. Also, It sounded way cooler.

My tutor and only friend Jennifer who at the time of my first match was 18 with a 2-year old daughter, opted to be my manager and by the time I had turned 16, My fights were being internationally broadcasted. As for my social life, I had become The godmother and aunt to Jennifer's daughter, Maxi. My life was finally turning around for the better.

"As for the child. Here's her ticket. And a list of foster families in the area for when you come to your sen-"

"I'll be just fine raising Maxi while her mom is away but thanks for your concern. I really feel the love"

It was my biggest match yet that got me busted. 

Leslie didn't know about the MMA thing and I expected it would stay that way. What I didn't expect was for Mr. Eric Dalton to be a fan of mixed martial arts. 

It was a harsh reality to face but when I looked up after my victory to see him smirking beside my mother who looked at me with disgust, I knew one thing for sure.

My career was over.

Jennifer was offered a job in international affairs for the government a week after my own "Retirement", as well as her dismissal from her previous job as my tutor, and I made sure she took the job but when it came to the matter of Maxi, she didn't know what to do. 

I found out days later that my mom was sending me to live with my uncle in Forks for a year and that's when I decided to offer that I take Maxi with me. It was weird but the little girl now just shy of 5 years old, had this way of calming me even during an episode and Jennifer knew I would protect her with my life so she agreed. 

So now here I stood Facing the California Airport with Maxi in my arms as we prepared to leave on a flight that would bring us to the middle of nowhere. 

And to be frank I was excited.

"Next November I will send someone to pick you up. Your wedding is set for December 10th" Leslie kept her voice calm, knowing we were in public. I on the other hand was forced to cover most of my face to not be recognized. 

"Ya, super excited for that. Great Birthday present." I drawled sarcastically.

"Hopefully this year will be a nice wake-up call for you to realize just how lucky you are to have been born into my side of the family." 

And with the remark from Leslie, I was off to my flight, not bothering to turn back for even a moment. 

This was my new beginning and planned to use it.

***

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