Thanks to The Boots

Chapter Fifteen

My jaw drops, "Really?!"

"Nah, it's actually woods on the bad side of town."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No."

"Good, because it doesn't. Why did I have to change my clothes for just a different fight?"

"Because you need to blend in with the crowd. Especially if a fight breaks out."

"Does that normally happen?"

"This doesn't normally happen so who knows."

"Oh," I look out the window of the car, we're pulling into the woods now. There's a path/road thing.

"Remember, do everything I tell you to."

"I know. What if we get separated?"

"Then either find your way out, or find me. Which ever is closer to you."

"Okay. My first gang fight."

"Excited?"

"Not at all."

"Don't be scared."

"I never said I was scared."

"You're easy to read."

"I am not!"

"You are."

I huff and cross my arms. I watch as trees pass us. "Are we close?"

"Yes," is all he says.

After a few minutes, we reach a clearing in the trees. There's several cars parked but no people.

"Ryder?"

He gets out, as do I. "Stay close."

I stick to his side and he wraps his arm around my waist. I look around, but there's no one. I don't question it though.

"After this, remind me to start training you."

"Training me?"

"Yes, we're going to need you to be able to handle yourself without me."

"We?"

"You and me."

I stop walking, "What?"

"What?"

"Me and you?"

"Both of us are going to need you to know how to keep yourself safe."

"Why do you need it?"

"Because if you die, I'd always blame myself."

"Why-" I get cut off by a battle scream. "What the heck was that?"

"We've made it to the battlegrounds."

We reach another clearing in the woods and I stand up taller, feeling confident in myself. There's a lot of people here, surrounding a makeshift stage in the center. It's made out of wood and doesn't seem safe, but there are two men standing on it.

"Here we go," Ryder whispers in my ear. A gun fires, making me jump and curl into Ryder. I look around, to see who shot it and who it hit, but no one is on the ground. The two men have started fighting.

"Oh, that was a shot to start the fight!" I finally realize.

"Okay, now that you've had a dumb moment, stay sharp."

"Stay sharp?"

"Watch out around you. Pay attention to what's happening. Listen to what people are saying."