Revenge of the Former Fat Girl.

Chapter 2

"Hey dad, think I could start working at the gym after school?" I looked toward my dad for an answer.

He grinned before stating, "Like you had a choice, I could use the free labor. You'd be more reliable than some of the knuckleheads I have there now."

He let out a booming laugh as flip him off. We always had a good relationship and I loved coming out to visit, especially when I started taking an interest into boxing. I had joined a gym in New York, and the gym owner there and my dad had gotten acquainted pretty well since my dad wanted to make sure I was safe, even while he was across the country. When mom started to get sick I cut back how often I was there and stopped competing. Taking care of her had become my job, luckily my school was understanding and let me do most of my course work online from home. The pain began to bloom in my chest at the thought of mom. I pushed it down and put it into a box labeled, "fighting fuel" and pushed it to the back of my mind.

I looked at my dad, and a flood of memories hit me of how he still took care of my mom and I, even after they split up. He always reminded me of how he loved her and wished nothing but the best for her. I knew he felt guilty for not going to New York with us, but he had a business here to run. I never felt any hard feelings toward him because he made sure to keep me in his life. He called me daily and on the days he couldn't he made it a point to call me twice as much the next day. He sent us money every month to make sure we were okay, even though mom was working full time. He never made me feel like he had just forgotten me. I was a priority to him and I still am. He doesn't just leave the gym for anyone. The gym is his other child, one he raised and opened by himself. My dad made it a point to be loving and overbearing with me because he wasn't so lucky to get the kind of parenting I did. I never met my dad's side of the family. When I got old enough to understand he explained that my grandad was a gang member. My dad left that scene as soon as he could to make a life for himself. He never talked about my grandmother, because she had been murdered because of the gang influence my grandfather was involved with.

The drive back to Ava is about 30 minutes and we sat in the company of low music playing. I heard Phoebe from the backseat mumbling the words under her breath and I laughed to myself. We had spent all of our elementary and middle school days together, and when I moved to New York we spent summers and breaks together. My dad always paid for her flight out because her mom couldn't afford it. Her mom worked as a waitress to pay for things, as her dad left long ago. The second my dad knew about what happened, he treated her like a daughter ever since, making sure that she had a father figure to look up to. Her mom was also so sweet to me and treated me like a daughter as well, my mom and her were best friends so it helped. Thoughts about mom started to hurt too much and I felt the tears sting my eyes, I quickly pushed the thoughts out of my head and focused on the music. I hoped that if I focused hard enough the tears would disintegrate.

"You okay, Sal?" I heard my dad ask, voice filled with concern. I nodded.

"Yeah, just got some dust or something in my eyes." I lied, hoping he got the hint. He did, because he didn't push any farther.

"So, senior year, are you girls excited?" He changed the subject and I smile at the subject change. Phoebe becomes a ball of bubbling energy. No, she literally started to vibrate with excitement.

"YESSSSSS, OMIGOD! I am so excited now that Sal is gonna be there with me. Ugh the last few years have been a total nightmare trainwreck because Helen has just been such a raging bitch for like no reason other than the fact that I don't think she's ever removed the stick that has been permanently glued up he ass, and don't get me started on the fact that Dane looooovvvvvveees to annoy me every time he sees me. Mr.C can you please teach me how to box so I can open up a whole case load of cans of whoop ass?" She excitedly explained in one entire breath. She pants while she waits for my dad to put together the chaos that just came out of her mouth. When he finally got an understanding of the word vomit that was just thrown at him he replied.