Once A Fighter

Chapter 14

Ria's P.O.V-

As I sat in the principal's office with Kyle just a couple chairs down from me, I attempted to get the blood off my hands as best as I could. The principal -Ms. Jankowski- walked in and sat down in front of us, and only sighed when she saw the red liquid smearing my knuckles.

"Anybody care to explain what happened?" Her voice was calm and tired sounding.

"She just like, attacked me!" Kyle exclaimed as he held an ice pack over the left side of his face. "I don't even know why."

"Would it have anything to do with this?" Ms. Jankowski pulled out one of the pictures of me that Kyle hung up around the school. I looked down, embarrassed once again. She nodded her head knowingly and gave Kyle a week of detention and then excused him. I was about to get up too when she told me to wait a bit.

"What is this picture?" She asked me. "When were you in a fighting match?" I didn't answer her, just looked past her out the window. She sighed again. "Do you have anyone we can call to come pick you up? Your hand looks like it might need to see a doctor."

"No, I um, don't have anybody you can call." I replied quietly. She pulled out some paperwork and said, "Your emergency contact is listed as somebody named Matthew Loka. I'll call him." 

"Whatever," I answered, "am  i going to be punished?" She looked at me with sad eyes. "No, Ria, you're not going to be punished. But I highly recommend that you start making some friends. High school will be a rough time if you try to spend it alone." After that she got up and dialed Matthew's number.

Matthew's P.O.V-

Josh and I were throwing around a football in the backyard when my phone rang. When I saw the school's number, I immediately knew something had happened to Ria. "Hello?" I answered. "Okay, I'll be right over."

"What's going on?" Josh asked. I gave him a knowing look. "Ria got in a fight."

Josh smirked a little bit, "Surprise surprise." He said. "Want me to pick her up?" I shook my head. "One of you guys have to pick Levi up though." Josh nodded and went back inside as I started up the car.

When I walked into the school office, I saw Ria sitting alone in the corner and I immediately felt bad for her. "Hey," I said softly as I walked up to her. She looked up at me with dead eyes. "Let's go." She said coldly. But just as we were about to walk out, a voice called my name. I turned around and came face to face with the man I've been trying to avoid for years. The hallway was empty, quiet, and he stood there in a suit, hair slicked back with a sick smile on his face. Ria's father.

Ria was frozen next to me as she stared at him too. "Hello, Ria." He nodded at her, still smiling as he took a step closer to her. I stepped in front of her as I pressed the button on the side of my belt to send a signal to Zach, Josh, and Sam. "That's close enough." I told him.

He put up his hands and laughed a bit. "Oh, Matthew. How many times do I need to prove to you that I always get what I want? Just give up, and hand her back over to me. You can keep the boy." I shook my head. "Not this time, sir." Ria stepped out from behind me, fists clenched, eyes curious and angry. 

Her father raised his eyebrows at her, "Something you want to ask me?"

She cleared her throat and took a step towards him before I stopped her. "If I go with you, you'll leave Levi alone?" He smiled and nodded. "Of course, sweetie. You're the only one I want. Come with me." 

"Ria." I said sternly as I pulled her back. "Go find Tristin, have him drive you home." She looked at me like she was confused. "You can trust him." I told her. 

She shook her head, "I should go with him. To protect Levi." 

My heart warmed for a second at the fact that she loves her brother so much she was willing to sacrifice herself for him. "I'm going to protect him. And you. Go get Tristin. Now." She looked at her father again and then turned and began to walk away. Her father's face turned angry.  "We'll be seeing each other soon, Ria! I always get what I want."

"Leave now, sir. You have no business being here." I would have shot him by now, if we weren't in a public high school.

"Why are you so set on protecting my daughter?" He questioned. 

"I made a promise to your wife. I don't break promises."

He took another step closer, "Or is it because you feel guilty about what you did to her?" He tilted his head and stared into my eyes, trying to get a reaction out of me. "That is it, isn't it? You've loved her ever since you started working for me. But you feel guilty about that night, don't you? You do remember what you did, right?"

"I only did that because YOU made me do it!" I yelled at him as I reached for my gun. I pulled it out and pointed it at him, completely forgetting about where we were.

"Matt!" Zach's voice screamed from behind me. "Put down the gun. Now. It's not worth it." I turned around to look at them and when I turned back, Ria's father was turning a corner and leaving but as soon as I was about to go after him, Josh held me back. "It's not worth it man. He's just in your head."

At this point, I was shaking with rage towards this man so completely devoured by evil. I thought about Ria, how fearless she was. And I envied her for that, for I am still terrified of what he is capable of.