Burning tapes

3

It was thursday morning. 

I woke up having a hard time opening my eyes due to one of them being swollen shut.

Today was the match, I wasn't sure who was fighting but I knew due to my appearance it wasn't going to be fun. 

I had to be there at 9 tonight but charlie wanted me to meet him at the gym early because he had the medical kit I had asked him for. 

I pulled my long black sleeve up over my head and layered it with two jackets. I got cold easily. 

I figured I would try to cover my busted lip and the cut on my cheekbone the best I could before I got there. 

I really wasn't in the mood to answer anyone's questions or feel pity dripping onto me like honey, it was hard to wash off at the end of the day. 

Mel was in New York so I didn't have to deal with the high drama at ten in the morning. I made a cup of coffee and sat on the balcony having a cigarette. It was nice to have every once in a while. It brought pain to a different part of my body and offered a distraction. 

My phone rang. It was my mom. 

I quickly picked up the phone bringing it to my ear. "Hi sweetheart! Your father and I were wondering if you would come down for dinner tonight? We made your favorite pasta and I'm really missing my girl so-" 

"Hey I'm sorry mom but I'm working tonight." I grimaced at how easily she could call that bastard my father. 

"Oh! Where are you working?" 

I paused thinking, "A clothes store off 22nd and 12th street."

"Oh goodie! How much are you making?" My stomach dropped at this question. Another reason why I never had a lot of money. Dad didn't let mom work and the little money he made off of being disabled he spent on alcohol. 

"Not much, I have to go my boss is calling me I love you." I hung up without hearing her response. 

My childhood situation pained me more than I cared to admit, I allowed a tear to fall. But one is more than any and I stood up. 

-

It was now 8:00pm as I stood outside the gym. It seemed normal, more vacant than usual and darker than it was the last time I was here. 

The inside was cold which was strange to me and the drop of Charlie's face when he saw mine all but made me want to scream. "Kid, you okay?" 

I loved makeup but even the best Sephora shit couldn't cover up a swollen lip and eye or a cut on my cheek. 

"Yeah yeah I'm good don't worry. Where's the stuff?" 

His eyes lingered on me for a few seconds longer before leading me to the back where he ultimately tried to explain the medical supplies but failed due to his less than skeller educational background. 

He offered me a ride to the stadium but I wanted to be there on my own terms and leave when I wanted to in case things went South. It was an Illegal boxing ring after all. 

"So Luke is gonna be the one fighting tonight, he's usually really good so I don't have to worry about patching him up to much. But experience is experience and I thought I would help dip your feet in the sand." 

We reached my car and with knowing eyes I could tell he had a million things he wanted to say but landed on, "Listen kid, I know its hard to talk about but you're part of the family now so if someone's giving you grief-" 

I opened my car door cutting him off. His words meant more to me then I cared to show. I wasn't in the mood to cry the rest of the night I just wanted to push through it and get my job done like I was used to doing. 

"Thanks Charlie, I'll see you there." 

I sat down in my seat taking a shaky breath in. I wanted this to already be all over. 

--

Thinking the gym was loud, boisterous and sweaty had nothing on this place. I was sure I could catch hepatitis C just from being in the building and breathing the same air as these cock suckers.

I headed to one side of the main arena. Security guard's stood stoic and not even giving me the expanse of a single glare. 

"I'm Robin, I'm here for-" 

The door's began to open before I could finish my sentence. One of the guards who had to be at least 7 feet tall pointed to a rusted green door on my right. 

"Thanks." 

I opened the door without really thinking about it and dropped my duffel by one of the benches.

I kept my eyes on the ground the best I could and heard the shrilling sound of who I gathered was Lex shouting my name. "The woman of the hour! Robin we missed you!" 

I smiled looking up at him and the silence in the room was deafening and made me want to crawl into a hole and die. 

"Rob you-"

"Missed you too Lex are you guys excited for Luke's fight?" 

I looked around the room and suddenly everyone had sad eyes. 

"Yeah yeah stoked." 

Charlie cut off the awkward tension by walking in the room and explaining the opponent and his bets on what he assumed was going to happen. It was a tradition I gathered for everyone to make small bets on moves they thought the opponent who in this case was 'Slap Demon' and our boy Luke was gonna make. 

Figuring by the lack of brooding eyes and mole above his lip Luke was the one who tried to give me shit yesterday.