A part of me

Chapter Twenty Eight

I narrow my eyes and focus on my opponents breathing. It's slowing down which means he's getting tired, good. I block out the screams and chants coming from the audience and move to attack. My moves are nothing from what I was trained to do, these punches are much more raw. My eyes look up for spilt second and meet their smirks. They did this, they are the ones turning me into this monster.

The so called referee pulls me off of my opponent who is laying on the floor barely moving. It's clear I won this match which is a step closer to winning the big fight, it's what I wanted. Or what they wanted all along.
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"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mom asks, as we pull up to the dark abandoned gym which the fight will be taking place. I suck in a sharp breath and closed my eyes. It's too late to turn back now, I have to go through with this. In some way, shape, or form I'm protecting my family and they mean the most. After a few seconds I open my eyes and give mom a small smile before exciting the car.

We walked in and the guard snickered at my small frame. "It's a tuff scene out here baby girl maybe you should try cheerleading." He teased as he looked my mom up and down. I clenched my fist noticing his tongue swipe over his lips as he looks at her like a piece of meet. "Give me ten minutes in a round with you and I'll knock your ass out cold." I glared hard at him until I felt an arm snake around my waist.

"Is there a problem?" The voice immediately calms me down and I smirk at the dumbfounded expression the guard held. "Jason? This is your girl?" He asked, surprised still evident in his voice. While Jason continues to grill the guard I took this chance to look around and take in my surroundings. There was a table set up in the back which looked like a small bar. The ring was directly in the middle, while benches covered the exposed areas.

"Let's go." Jason whispered in my ear and I let him take my hand to lead. I quickly looked back making sure the creep of a guard didn't give my mom any trouble. We headed over to a fairly quiet space and waited for the others to arrive. "Rosey!" Chase called out as he lead the rest of our group through the crowds of people who have just shown up. I gave them all a quick hug, but Gigi almost chocked the life out of me. Once realizing I couldn't breathe she finally let go, "Sorry, just kinda nervous." She chuckles shyly.

I glance at Dylan giving him the sarcastic you-think look, and he just returned a well knowing smirk. "So Rose you're first up, you ready?" Logan asks, I try not to glance at his crutches. I feel guilty that he had to break his ankle in order for me to be able to  fight. Just as I was about to answer I was cut off by a deep voice, "Rosélinda, you don't listen do you?" There's only two people that ever call me by that name.

"Dad?" I asked while taking a good look at him, wow he looks good for his age. "Why are you here?" He glares coldly. Taken back by his hostility I glance at mom and noticed she's glaring at him just as hard. "What's going on?" Dad's glare slowly dies down only to be replaced by a small smile. "You think you can win the big fight? If I were you I'd back out now before you put a shame to the family name." I couldn't believe the words that flew out of his mouth.

Jason put his hand on my shoulder for moral support but I quickly shoved it off. I'm strong, I don't need his help. "I'm doing this for us, so our family won't have to hide anymore. So you and Isaiah can come home." I explained hoping he'd see the bigger picture. But he didn't, he only laughed in my face. "You silly girl you should have listened to your brother. I gave him permission to warn you. You loose tonight's fight and we'll leave you with nothing, no protection. Say some how you win, you join your brother and I, and continue to fight for a living." My jaw completely dropped and I couldn't believe this man standing in front of me was my father.

Tears dared to spill out of my eyes as I watched him walk away to meet up with whom I assumed to be my so called brother. Crying before a match was something I never did and I wasn't going to start now. I blinked away the tears before turning around and facing my friends. Mom was shaking her head furiously with clenched fist, "I'll kill that man before I let him take my baby girl!" She screamed. Moms not a fighter but if I were dad, I'd be very afraid.

"Mom it's okay." I cooed trying to calm her down, but she looked even more pissed by the second. "What are you gonna do?" Gigi sobbed into Dylan's chest. I looked over all their faces and they were clearly upset for me. Jason looked like he was torn between beating the crap out of my dad or trying to stay calm. I had just a few minutes before I have to go up for my first matched but I couldn't move. Seconds later Jason stood right in front of me. His hands cupped both sides of my face and he looked intensely in my eyes.

I felt the urge to ask him what to do, to tell him to save me yet some how I couldn't form the right words. He bent down and whispered gently at my ear, "When you go up there don't think about what just happened. When you fight up there fight for you. " His hand moved in an upward motion pulling back a stray piece of hair behind my ear. Now with both hands firmly on my cheeks, "I want you to know I'll always fight for you. I'm in love with you." He whispers right before pressing his lips against mine.

I smile into the kiss and wrap my arms around his neck pressing my body on top of his. All the nerves leave my body which leaves me with pure rage and determination. I slide my tongue into his mouth long enough to pick up the taste of delicious mint before softly ending the kiss. I peck his lips one last time before opening my eyes and catch him smiling down at me. It dawned on me that I didn't say it back, but it doesn't bother him. I want to say it when it feels absolutely right and not because he said it to me.

I walk up into the ring, and glance at Jason once last time hoping in a way it'll calm me down. Then my eyes scatter over the room and meets theirs smirks. It was enough to make me want to attack every fighter here in this room. The bell rings and I let rage take over.