Memoirs Of a survivor

65. Packing

I got Nate to drop me off at my house, and then go to get Joe, and meet me at the ring. He agreed reluctantly, for which I was thankful. I knew I had to work fast, in case my father came home; there were 20 minutes, before I had to get to the ring. I was thinking as I gathered everything that I needed, maybe I can forgive Aron and Logan tonight, I may as well make amends. As I pondered this, I pulled out a travel bag, and crammed in, my purse with all my new details in it, leaving my purse with all my old ones behind. In a large bag I put a baggy t-shirt, 2 clean outfits, and underwear, a pair of shoes, and a blanket. The bag was getting full, but I still managed to fit, makeup, my gym clothes, and the jewelry that my grandma had left me. Pulling out a handbag I went to my father's room, and took the picture of me and my grandma off his bedside table then I found the money that he had made off me, leaving $100 for him, as I went downstairs, I picked up the first aid kit, and left the house still cramming things in. Walking to the fights for the last time a smile graced my lips, and I felt as light as a feather, I wasn't even nervous for the fights that day, I just needed to leave.

As I arrived, I made sure to say my goodbyes to those who I decided were worth the attention, but since the list had about halved over the day, I figured it wouldn't take long. I made my way into R's office, to find Mark sat at the desk,
"hi," I smiled. He looked up, putting down his pen
"ah hello young crimson" he grinned up at me. I smiled but shook my head
"don't call me that remember its Ruby now" I chuckled as I referred to the name he and Rita had bought for me, he nodded
"so tonight's the night" he looked at me I nodded, worriedly
"yeah" sanding, mark reaches into his desk draw and pulls something out, handing it to me
"don't worry kiddo, we are always here to help you" I looked down to find a small bag being handed to me I pulled it open, and found a picture frame that was already filled, there was a picture of the two of us dancing, both times, and I am smiling in both pictures. The frame had writing on the bottom of it, and it said 'just keep dancing baby' written on it. Looking up shocked I found him Grinning, down at me, well I wouldn't want you to forget your first dance he swooped in gathering me in his arms, and span me around picking my feet up off the floor. I squealed and laughed clutching onto him as he took us round his office, and he only stopped when we heard the door close.

I turned around to see Rita grinning at me from across the room. She had a black pencil dress on, and looked all business ready for the fight. She walked across the room with open arms, and engulfed me in a hug.
"I'll miss you" she whispered into my ear, before she set me down. As I stepped back, she extended her hand to me revealing a small velvet covered box. I smiled and took the box out of her hand gasping when I saw that she had bought me a grey ring, with a black rim running round the bottom of it, I smiled as I looked at it
"look inside" she gestured with her hands the inner part of the ring, as I looked I noticed righting. It said

"Nobody can hurt me without my permission."

As I stood smiling at the ring, she held out her hand again, this time there was a small silver tube in her palm reaching out she said,
"it was called crimson, I thought you would like it" I took the lid off to find a bright red lipstick. smiling, I began to bounce with joy,
"I love it guys, if I'd have known we were doing presents, I would have put them here in my purse and oh look" I pulled out two necklaces that had dog tags attached to them both with the phrase,

"- love your red xoxo"

and a small picture of a fist engraved into them. Placing the necklaces in each of their hands, I laid a kiss on their cheeks,
"I really don't know how to thank you, you saved my life" I smiled feeling tears well up in my eyes. Committing both their smiling faces to memory, I turn and step out of the door.

I found Joe and Nate together. Hugging them both I said my goodbyes, and they both had given me a present, Joe a locket with the three of us in it, and Nate had given me a set of knuckle dusters, which were jewel encrusted. He was grinning the whole time I stood and played with them. I slipped the necklace over my head and the dusters over my knuckles, grinning, and striking a few poses. They made sure to prep me and give me a pep talk before I went into the ring, making sure I remembered the 3 rules "conserve your energy, get knocked down, get knocked out and don't lose concentration" I was smiling as I walked away from them, until I saw Aron looking at me with a grim smirk on his face.

I took a deep breath and walked over to him, dodging the questionable puddles of what was probably piss and or blood on the floor. I decided that I should make amends before I leave the state, but as I got to him, I realized that I had no reason to make amends with him. So I stopped just in front of him and opened my mouth to say something witty, but he opened his first and said "ah it's the village bike; to what do I owe this pleasure?" I grinned an evil grin, not giving him a chance to think about it swung for his face. My knuckles still covered in my nice new toy, collided with his face just below his eye, and I grinned as I heard the satisfying crunch of his eye socket collapsing in on itself. I could hear Nate and Joe in the background, cheering, and laughing at Aron's misfortune I smiled and crouched down to whisper in his ear
"I told you I would break you." Standing up I turned to look at Logan, he had his hands held up defensively.
"I didn't say anything. I just want to be your friend, how about we call it no hard feelings and be done with it?" I tilted my head to the side, recalling what he had said on the video
"I can't believe I got hit for this, you said, what am I supposed to think about that" I asked, gazing past him, I must have looked insane, and slightly homicidal, but who's to say I wasn't
"I- I don't know, baby please look at me" I snapped my head up,
"don't call me that" was all I said before looking back over his shoulder, keeping an eye on the current fighter

"please, just let me explain, I feel really bad about the whole thing" when I didn't reply, he carried on "look I didn't mean for you to get hurt in that video, they just wanted to see where you lived, you mean more to me than that, for fuck sake I kissed you" he exclaimed, while he ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation, eventually he leaned forwards and grabbed my face forcing me to look at him "baby please, am I still in your plan, are you still going to say goodbye to me?" he heled my face in his hands, "please" he begged one more time. I pulled his hands off my face
"you knew just as well as he did what would happen if you showed people that video. Trust is earned, and you have lost mine." Dropped his hands, and stepped out of arms reach. His shoulders sagged, as I let go of him
"baby, I'll do anything" I saw his eyes well up, but it had no effect on me
"maybe you should've thought about that before you made that video," my mind was made, I was leaving tonight, and I couldn't trust him. I steeled my resolve. Taking a deep breath looked into his teary eyes
"fake crying, does that ever work for you?" I shook my head as I thought of what to say next "you lied the whole time, and you're still lying now. Why don't you go back to Gemma and her lap dogs, you don't belong here" my voice was low and calm, almost threatening. With my last comment, his face changed
"what the fuck, I've been here since before you, how can I not belong here, you don't fucking belong here you slag!" he was upset at my comment, and his name calling was as good a reason as any to hit him. Still brandishing my newest gift, I swung gracefully for his face, and caught him in the nose. Grinning, I leant into him, he was surprised and angry,
"looks like I could break you too" smiling slightly I turned away from him, letting my feet take me wherever they wanted, calling over my shoulder "and stop calling me baby, my name is scarlet"

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