I'm Here

Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Discovery within recovery
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I felt better from the whole Valium thing and my mom let Lilly and I back in the house. I let Lilly go to her room and I decided to go for a walk with Chris. I called him and we walked downtown to the ghetto market area.

"What the hell are we doing here?" I asked.

"You'll see, there's a big thing that's hot right now that you should try," he answered.

"I swear to god man, if it's Valium I'm out, I already promised Rachel I wouldn't." I said getting mad.

"No man it's not drugs, it's....are you ready? Street fighting, Huh?" He said smiling hoping to have convinced me.

"Wait am I just going get my ass whopped is that what this is?" I asked.

"No, look you get paid," he replied seriously.

"Okay I'm in it then we're is this?" I asked.

"Follow me, to the pit," he smiled.

I followed him into this dark alley way down an old subway tunnel. We used the stairs because the escalators weren't working due to being an abandoned subway. Once we're halfway down I heard screaming and chanting. Yep, this is the pit. I mad it down and saw people everywhere. It's like it's a whole other city down here.

Chris directed me to the sign up founding area. It said I needed a sponsor/manager. Chris did it. He got me a wrist band to fight at all times.

"Don't lose this it costed me one hundred bucks man," he said.

"Holy shit why that money could've saved me regardless!" I looked at him likes crazy.

"Dude you'll get way more with this wrist band, are you ready because you're next?" He laughed.

I watched in the arena as a guy got repetitively punched everywhere. He screamed out of agonizing pain, for him to stop.

"I'm done no more," he yelped.

What if this happens to me I'm not that good.

After a few minutes passing by I heard a loud noise.

"Okay next we have Scruffy Dawg!" He said and loud clapping everywhere.

A guy that looked way taller than me and more muscular and older.

"And we have Rain Man!" I walked on and no one clapped. They all stood there.

They all looked at me. I'm only 12 I guess that's something they all find funny. But no, they're all African Americans. My opponent is African American. Chris is African American. I'm the only white kid here. That's why they don't like me.

"Fighters are you ready?" The announcer asked.

The big guy that I'm facing nodded by I looked at the people. They all had terrifying looks on their faces I'll never forget.

I was about to say "ready" but all the people started to chant. "He's failing" all against me. I ignored it and got ready.

"Fight!" The announcer yelled.

The guy took the first punch but missed. I dodged out of the way and kicked his leg. He fell down. This is gonna be easy. I ran over and kicked his head while he was on the ground. He was trying to get up but I kept hitting him with my legs and fists. I kept hitting and hitting. I didn't back off until his nose bursted with blood. Then I stopped. I noticed he had a baby sister watching her older brother get beat up by a white kid. But then again it's vise versa for me and my sister. Half of me is saying stop the other is continue, they'll fear me. I stopped

"Don't stop keep going idiot!" The announcer said.

"I believe I won." I replied.

The whole crowd got quiet. I helped him up and grabbed a rag for his nose. I walked him to his sister.

I left him and got over to Chris. I looked at the betting money. No one better for me except one. I looked the money. They bet 20 bucks on me? Are they crazy? Crazy genius because I did win.

"Oh hi nice win man," a kid my age said.

"Thanks." I replied.

"I'm Brady Wilson, I work here," he smirked.

"I'm Logan Harrt, wait you said you work her?" I asked.

"Yeah I hated school so I decided to form here to work because it's like the highest paying job around," he explained.

"Is is illegal?" I asked.

"I have no idea I don't think so because we're in the paper and on the news a lot if it were illegal, the cops would've been here a long time ago," he explained.

"Does anyone make it pro who come here?" I asked.

"No one."

Chris and I gathered our money earnings. I got 167 dollars. And I gave Chris 42 bucks. So from one fight I got over 200 not bad.

I got to Rachel's house and Chris got home. Lilly was already here. Rachel opened the door and let me in. She took my jacket and put on a hanger. She then wrapped her arms around my neck she rested her head on my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her waist remembering us at the dance.

"So what were you doing?" She asked.

"I don't think you want to know." I answered.

"Why is that? Logan you can tell me anything, you just had an addiction on Valium for god's sake. I think you can tell me this." she looked into my eyes.

"Okay well I have a way to make money for you Lilly, and I.....it's street fighting." I said waiting for her reaction.

"Look....Logan I know you're doing it for the money but it's dangerous but, I can't stop you, so I'll support you," she smiled and kissed me on the lips.

I grinned and stared at her beautiful eyes. I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer I put my my hands on her back and started to kiss her. Our kiss wasn't rough, it was sweet.

I grabbed her arm and noticed a mark.

"Rachel what's this?" I asked looking very suspicious.

"My dad," she answered back.