If the Story Aligns

Chapter 17-Finalizing Decisions

Rhea Griffin

The rest of school flew by pretty quickly and I am now at the point where I only have an hour until the fight starts. I've spent the past hour practicing but not wearing myself out too much. I quickly take a couple ibuprofen, then grab my helmet and mask and leave my place, but before I walk out my phone buzzes.

From Asher Reed: Hey, why'd you leave first hour so abruptly?

To Asher Reed: Boss called me, it was urgent.

From Asher Reed: You have a job? Wtf, since when?

I choose not to respond when my phone buzzes again.

From Asher Reed: We need to finish our project, it's due next week. Come over tonight.

To Asher Reed: Cant. Busy.

From Asher Reed: Rhea, we need to finish it this weekend. What's so important that you're too busy to finish a project that's practically worth our whole grade?

To Asher Reed: I seriously cant tonight, fucking drop it. I may be able to tomorrow.

From Asher Reed: Fine.

I shut off my phone and finally leave. I brought the knife Cooper gave me because of the potential threat, but I will just carry it walking in and leaving.

After a short 15 minute drive I reached the building, I parked my bike in the back and put my mask on and hood up. I grab my knife from my pocket making sure I have it at a good angle ready to defend myself if I need to. There are already thousands of people here, how they all fit in the building, I have no clue. I keep my head down and walk towards the back, I have a spot where I keep my stuff while I'm fighting, it's also where I go to collect my cash.

"IS EVERYONE READY?" The announcer booms, and is met with the crowd's cheers, "THE MATCH WILL START IN 15 MINUTES. LAST CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR BETS. WELCOMING BACK OUR BELOVED, FRIGHTENING, SKULL CRUSHING, 'CHAMPION' AGAINST THE STRIKING NEWCOMER WHO HAS YET TO LOSE A MATCH. WILL CHAMPION OUR 6'3 220LBS FIGHTER FINALLY LOSE AGAINST THE SCRAWNY BUT FAST FIGHTER?" Rude. I'm not scrawny. It's always way too loud in here but you gotta do what you gotta do.

I plug in my headphones for the remaining ten minutes hyping myself up for the fight. Spacing off pretty quickly, before I realize it Cooper is in my face waving his hands yelling at me.

"What the fuck Cooper?" I quietly say.

"Rh-Storm, you're up in two minutes. Please don't fucking die."

"I'll be fine." I quickly mumble as I walk towards the ring, 'Champion' is already in the ring when I step up to the arena.

"Look who we have here..." He deviously grins, if I didn't know any better I would think he's up to something. Oh wait he is. "You really think you can beat me? You're the size of my arm you pussy." I continue to not respond. "Can you even fucking talk? Are you a fucking mute? Or are you just too scared? You know you can still drop out loser?" I'm going to kick his fucking ass. He is majorly fucked in the head.

I take my chance to look at the surroundings, find the fastest possible exit route if I need to. When I find the exit and the route something else catches my eye. Asher. What the fuck is he doing here? How does he even know about this place? Does he know I'm me? He brought River and Roman too, god I'm screwed. He probably saw my bike. Thankful in this moment everyone is too stupid too realize I'm a woman. Literally it wouldn't be hard for anyone to assume, especially Asher. He's seen my bruises, he saw a video of me fighting Mark, he knows I'm randomly busy, and now he's here, and yet I doubt he thinks I am the one fighting. I know he's smart and if he wanted too he could figure it out, but he hasn't. I quickly shake him out of my mind, so I don't distract myself.

"THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS HERE. CHAMPION AGAINST STORM." The announcer interrupts my thoughts. "FIGHTERS STEP INTO THE RING." I notice 'Champion' keeps reaching for something in his pants, as if he's making sure it's there. "GET READY. SHAKE HANDS, MEN." I roughly grab his hand and do a quick shake before backing up. "THREE... TWO... ONE.... YOU MAY BEGIN FIGHTING.

I stayed back a bit waiting for him to make the first move. He hasn't made another move for his pants so I assume I am good for now. He starts off with an attempt of a right hook to my jaw, before it connects I duck and flip back around. He goes for a left hook this time, but uses it as a distraction for an uppercut with his right hand.

His left hand is a lot weaker, most of his hits are coming from the right, he gets a few hits on me but I avoid most, still not fighting back yet.

"Hit him back!" Someone from the crowd yells.

"Kill him, Champion!" Another adds.

Champion is looking at me confused on why I am not trying to hit him back, but he uses it while he can while throwing a kick in there, he's tiring himself out enough, that'll I'll be able to have the upper hand. He aims a punch directly for my nose, and I react a little late and his fist connects with my cheek. Fuck, that's going to bruise. Maybe I should start hitting back now.

I start off with a quick right hook to the jaw, he's a bit surprised I actually started hitting back so he stumbles a bit. I take this opportunity to hit him with a left hook too, he may be weaker on his left side but neither of my sides or weak.

Champion quickly regains his composure and comes back at me with more force and rage.

"Take the win, Storm!" A fan yells.

"Kick his sorry fucking ass!" Another yells, and this time I'm not really sure who it's directed towards.

I continue my assault upon 'Champion' with a fury of punches and to wrap up the punches I firmly kicked him in the abdomen pushing him against the ring ropes. He starts fumbling around in his pants as he stands up. Fuck, he's grabbing the knife, I'm going to have to hurry.

I quickly get back to sending punches and kicks towards Champion, he's able to block a few while sending punches back, he gets one right around my right eye, causing my mask to fall off. My hood is still covering the majority of my face and right now Champion doesn't have an opportunity to use the knife.

He stumbled backwards trying to get his balance, so I step forward to attack, but he didn't actually lose his balance, he was trying to present a situation where he could use the knife and I fell for it. He aims for my chest, but I see it coming and back away but I'm not fast enough the knife lands in my leg, and I loudly groan. The cheering stops for a second while people try to figure out what happened.

"Did he just stab him?" Someone from the audience asks.

"Is that even allowed?" Another adds.

"No, he didn't fucking stab him idiots, Storm would be down." Someone else yells. Well actually he did stab me.

I reach for his knife and I'm able to grab it and throw it outside of the ring, but as I'm doing that he grabs my hood trying to get to me.

He loosens his grip when he sees long blonde hair falling out of the hood, and everyone goes silent. I pull away and back up.

"Shit. He's a girl!" Some guy yells.

''FUCK, she do be hot as hell though." A man adds, being met with a number of people agreeing.

"A girl that can fight? What the fuck? She has to be cheating." Someone else says.

While I have a few seconds from Champion being distracted by realizing I'm a woman, I rip a strip of my hoodie off and tie it around my leg.

I stumble back over him ready to finish this when I hear Asher.

"Rhea?"

. . .