Everybody Deserves a Fighting Chance // ₛₕₐₘₑₗₑₛₛ

Chapter||2 My Job

    The cheers of the crowd roared out loudly, my grunt following out with it quickly as I was knocked back forcefully. Huffing out sharply and ducking under the other flying fist that was heading my way to follow the first one. Going in to throw a punch of my own. It connects my opponent's face, whose name I didn't care to remember.

   This is what I do, kick ass and get my ass kicked. Like I said, it fucking hurt but well.. It used to be a rush. Honestly..

   I'm just tired now. I'm so fucking tired. I'm sore, my body hurts. I miss my family, I have no friends. I've.. I don't even know the last time I've been on a date or even had a good screw. I seriously can't even remember the last time I had a drink, not since starting all this bullshit I can tell you that. If my coach found out I drank, he'd kill me.

   No. I train, morning, noon and night. Fighting what seems like every fucking night. It's kinda hard to tell, all my days just kinda seem to blur together now. With everything going on at home, with my family, training, fighting, it's just- It's fucking exhausting.

   But this is what I signed up for. I have to do this, I need to do this. I need to provide for my family, and this 'job' gives me enough to help contribute towards my family in Lip's absence, Ian's mental meltdown and Debbie's teenage bitch fit. I need to be there for Liam, and for Carl when he gets home. It's been a while.. I should go visit him soon. This 'job'.. is the only way I can go and see my brother too, my boss being such the.. nice, sweet, caring man that he is, giving me rides to see him more than just the once in a blue moon visit we do as a family. He's not, I'm lying the guy's a fucking cunt. But there's not much I can do about it. Any of it, what's done is done. I get to see my brother, and in return I put in more hours. Fair trade in this world.

   Any thoughts of me wanting to finish school was gone, any hopes that Carl would somehow stay out of juvie or the system to begin with period, was gone, and Liam never almost ODing all just.. gone. I feel like such a shit guardian..

   It wasn't me that was granted guardianship over them anyways, it was Fiona. Fiona and Frank are our legal guardians but I've been there since day one helping Fiona with these kids. Growing up far, far earlier than I had wanted to but, oh well. Can't be changed now, and I wouldn't change it anyways. I don't regret it, not entirely, I'd choose being there for them over and over again but.. I had to become an adult, while I was still a child.

"Nice match there, kid. Here. And you know the drill, same time tomorrow." My boss, Tony, hands me my cut, waiting outside the shower room. Luckily this cheap ass place at least had separate showers, it was gross, I wouldn't suggest going in there barefoot but, after a fight and all you wanted to do was wash at least some of the nasty ass sweat and blood off of you, you won't be too picky either. Besides baby, this was the fucking Westside.

"Yeah, 'bout that. There anyway you could take me to see my lil' bro soon?" He rolls his eyes, puffing harshly on his cheap cigar. See, I said he'll bring me, never said he was exactly happy about it. Like I said, he's a cunt.

"It's barely been two Goddamn weeks!" I looked at him placidly, him knowing full well I won't leave till he gave in, no matter how much it cost me. I try not to push him because, well he may be a cunt, but the guy scares me. Not gonna lie, the people he's got working for him in this place, plus well, he controls my money. But this was about Carl. And I wasn't gonna abandon him, no matter how much extra blood, sweat, and tears I was gonna have to shred for this asshole just so he'd bring me to see him. Fiona was too busy, dealing with her husband, who she was ignoring, while sleeping with her boss. Yep. I need to be there for him, so he knows we're still here for him. That I'm still here for him.