A Gun To My Heart

16

Before we step into the square, we have to change clothes. I drag the small pitch-black wardrobe up from the floor and step into it. The door closes, as the dim lights turn on. Folded clothes that are ready to be worn, are put perfectly on the shelf in front of me.

I step into the black and red fighting clothes, making sure everything sits in place. The shelf disappears, and a floating box gets visible right in front of me. I open it and see a red hair tie, but I also notice a small note under it.

I take the hair-tie and read the note.
You better win.
-Alora

As I braid my hair effortlessly, my eyes are glued to the note, reading it over and over again. It was all planned out, the partnering with Aries. All to make me look powerful. I roll my eyes as I tie the end of my braid, getting ready to walk out of the narrow closet.

In Insuria, every person with long hair gets a hair tie before they're going to practice fighting. We're not allowed to fight with any other hairstyle than a braid. I don't know why my mom selected those specific rules.

They don't make sense. Perhaps it's just another sick master suppression technique, to indicate and remind us that she controls every, single, little thing. That she holds all the power in Insuria. One sickening woman.

One sickening monster.

The lights disappear, leaving me in the pitch-black darkness again, just before the box gradually disappears too. Revealing that I'm now standing in the invisible square in front of Aries.

We put our fists defensively in front of our faces. His eyes are now cold, blocking any emotion from showing. He barely looks human anymore.

Ambroz rings the loud bell, and everyone starts to fight.

He tries to throw a fast punch but I barely manage to dodge it. His brows furrow and express anger. It makes me want to laugh. I carefully approach him, but before I know it, his fist collides with my jaw. Leaving a pulsing pain.

A sneer escapes my mouth, as I try to throw another punch. But he dodges it like nothing. I feel stares fixated on us. It adds on after every minute because the other fights are done. While we're still here, trying to win.

We go back and forth dodging each other as the fighting speeds up.

He throws a punch.
I dodge.
I punch him.
My knuckles hit his mouth.
He groans as, sweeping away the blood dripping from his mouth.
He kicks my leg.
I back away.
He throws another punch.
He hits my ribs.
I grunt from the pain.
He throws another punch.
He hits my chin.

"You need to focus, " he says quickly and quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear us. His breath is controlled, while I'm here panting like an animal. Everyone is now standing around our square eyeing our fight in pure detail. Analyzing every move. Trying to find out which moves are bad, and which moves are good.

I throw a punch.
He dodges.

I hiss irritated through my teeth, and he laughs making me even more annoyed.

We continue to fight each other. And he hits me successfully every time.

"Think before you try to punch, and stop wasting them," he says again. I feel peer pressure sitting on my shoulders. My mom is watching me. Expecting me to crush him. But I underestimated him. He's a good fighter. Maybe even better than me.

"Stop trying to lecture me, " I snarl through gritted teeth as I throw another exhausted punch towards him. I don't think it will hit, but it does. I knock him down to the floor. Winning. Just like that.

Everyone gasps loudly and cheer.

"Maeve! Maeve! Maeve!"

I meet my mom's gaze. Her eyes are piercing, and her face is indifferent, but not uninterested. She doesn't do anything other than nod once. Delivering a minor message. Even though it's small, doesn't mean that it's insignificant.

'Good work.'

I don't know what to show or what to do. She never tells me these things. M eyes just linger on hers, but she doesn't look away. Indicating superiority. I won't play her games, so I cut my gaze from hers. Probably letting her feel good because she'll think she won.

But, she didn't win any other thing than a harmless, silly game of power.

Aries rises from the floor next to me, holding up my hand, and lets me enjoy the victory. You would think I would be smiling, probably enjoying the victory. But instead, I furrow my brows irritated as the others chant my name.

"You lost on purpose, " I mumble, not wanting to even look at him. I could have won this myself. He didn't have to lose this on purpose. It was all too easy. Aries chuckles as he removes his touch from my hand, letting it fall.

"I didn't want you to be ashamed in front of so many people, love."