Once Upon A Lie

Twenty-one: Summer between freshman and sophomore year

Twenty-one:

Summer between freshman and sophomore year

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aleksander asked from the back seat of the car.

"Come on," said Vasily, who was in the driver's seat, "don't be such a fucking pussy man. How hard can it be?"

"It's underground boxing," said Aleksander, "there's no rules. It's not like the wrestling matches. No ones going to stop if some guy decides he wants to bloody you up."

Nikolai grinned. "Scared, Aleks?"

Aleksander sighed. "Of having to explain to our parents why you two are in the hospital with concussions? Yes. Of a fight? No."

"Really?" said Vasily. "Figured you just didn't want to get your pretty face all messed up because you were worried Alina wouldn't like you anymore."

Aleksander scowled. "Don't talk about her. And we've got to get home in time for her birthday tomorrow. She turns fifteen. If I miss it, my parents will kill me. Hell, she might kill me."

"Alina?" Nikolai and Vasily exchanged looks, and chuckled.

"She's like a kitten," said Nikolai, "I don't think she could get angry at anyone."

Aleksander rolled his eyes. "Kittens have claws, idiots."

"Has she scratched you?" Vasily asked.

"No," Aleksander replied, "but she did hit me once."

"What did she do?"

"She punched me on the arm."

"What for?" Nikolai asked.

"I called her Shortstack. She didn't take kindly to it."

The Lantsov brothers chuckled.

"Come on," said Vasily, "let's go see if we can beat the shit out of some assholes."

They got out of the car, and they made their way up the hillside of the abandoned lot that they had come to. There was a huge crowd of on lookers, all eagerly watching as a tall guy with a buz cut and a tattoo of a burning sun on his back with a long sword. I am become blade was written along the center of it.

The guy was pummeling someone onto the ground. Someone hit a bell that rang out, and the crowd let out a cheer.

"MAL! MAL! MAL!" the crowd chanted.

"Alright!" the guy with the tattoo shouted, blood on his face. "Who's next?"

Vasily stepped forward with a grin. "How about me?"

          The stranger named Mal laughed. "Alright, rich boy. Let's see what you got."