Ace's Raine

Chapter 2: The Reason

I stare at my reflection in the broken mirror.

My dirty blonde hair is glistening with sweat, and my green eyes are dull. My body is on fire and yelling at me to take an ice bath. I unwrap my hands to find them bloody and bruised. The blood seeped through the wraps, and stained them.

This is my life now, and I'm used to it.

Fighting...

I fight and man am I good. I've only lost a few times in the beginning. Then again they were my first fights and I was only fifteen.

Now I'm seventeen, and undefeated.

I hate fighting but that's how I live now. Always looking behind my back to see if anyone is watching or about to strike. Never feeling safe, always pretending to be tough. Even though deep inside I'm crying and afraid. I can never go back to how I was, not with what I've done. Always regretting what I've done and never living up to the mistake. My mistake will forever rest in my mind and lock itself down. Never coming out, always haunting me.

I peel off my sweaty sports bra and spandex shorts, slowly because of my sore body. I slip into the bathwater filled with ice.

Feeling as if a steaming pan was dropped into cold water. I could almost feel the sizzle. My muscles automatically loosen and calm down. Now I'm sitting back feeing numb.

I slowly dunk my head under water as I recall the memory that brought me here.

(Flashback...

It's been two days since my mother died and now I'm sitting on my bed. Waiting to be picked up for the funeral. I haven't talked nor have I slept. Every time I close my eyes, I see myself back in that alley way two nights ago. Staring into my mother's frightened eyes, as she's pleading for help.

I shake my head from my self-pity party. I need to be strong for my dad; he's taken it the worst. After that day in the hospital he disappeared. We never saw him until last night he came stumbling in drunk. I asked if he was okay and he replied "Like you should know? It's your fault she's gone." He stomped to his room and hasn't come out since. I'm afraid to go in there but I'm going to have to when Raine gets here.

I hear the doorbell and soon hear footsteps to my room. In comes Raine in a black suit, looking handsome. If this were any other circumstance I would have drooled but these past days have put a damper on my mood.

"Are you ready?" He asked cautiously. He came and sat on my bed next to me, grabbing my hand.

"Hold on, Let me grab a few things." I say going into my bathroom.

I look at my mirror and look at myself. Only it isn't me, it's a silhouette of a girl. She's wearing a black dress that goes to her knees and a thin shawl over her shoulders. Her normal wavy, frizzy hair was curled in tight blonde ringlets. Her makeup done with a smoky eye and dark red lipstick.

She grabbed her handbag and shoes slipping them on. Then she walks to the the room, to find Raine where she left him. A sad lost look in his eyes. He loved my mother as his own, as did she him.

When he noticed her, he smiled faintly. Only then did she realize he was being strong for her. That thought alone made her want to cry, but she couldn't will herself to.

"Where's your dad?" he asked confused.

"He came home drunk last night and hasn't come out of his room since." She replied looking down at her hands. She left out the part where he blamed her.

"Do you want me to get him?" He asked softly as if I would break.

"No I need to, but thanks." I said as I walked out of my room and towards my dad's at the end of the hall.

I was about to knock when I saw the door was slightly ajar. I heard my dad talking on the phone.

"Then we have a deal. You can pick her up at the funeral; she doesn't even deserve to be there." He said hastily. "Don't be late or I'm breaking the deal."

He ended the call after that and grabbed his jacket. She didn't wait for him to come to the door; she turned around and went into her room. She tried to process what she just heard. Who was that on the phone? Who are they picking up?

She heard the front door slam, and then heard it open again.

"Ace?" She heard Raine call. "Are you up there? Your dad just left."

"Okay, I'm coming!" She yelled as she hurried down the steps.

They hopped into his car and drove to the cemetery quickly. She was glad he didn't ask about her dad. She didn't even know what happened.

When they pulled up, Raine came around to her door and opened it. She then noticed it started to rain.

"You coming?" He asked holding his hand out when she didn't move.

"No, I think I'll stay here for a minute or two." She replied staring at the black casket she can see several rows away.

"Okay...Just know I'm here." He said upset but respected her wishes. He gently shut her door and walked to the service. She could hardly breathe when she saw her dad on his knees in front of the casket. His body shaking with sobs, and his wails you could hear a mile away.

She couldn't take it anymore, she stepped out of the car and started towards him when she was pulled back roughly by her arm.

She looked back and saw a man in his forty's with a gruff beard and bushy eyebrows. He had muscles pulling at his shirt, showing he's very built.

"What do you want?!" She said almost panicking. She tried pulling her arm back, but he was too strong.

"You're coming with me. Don't worry I'll take good care of you." He said while shoving me in a black van.

"Hey!! I yelled. I watched as he walked up to the service and straight to my dad.

I tried to get out but the doors were locked and they wouldn't unlock.

I tried shouting but no one heard me.

So I watched him talk to my dad. He then pulled out an envelope and gave it to my dad. I watched as my dad turned his back from the people behind him and pulled out what was in the envelope.

Cash. Lots of cash...

He then looked up and saw me in the window of the van.

He smiled.

I started crying and shaking. The man came back and started the engine and pulled out.

"Wh-What happened?" I hiccup. "Where are y-you tak-king me!?"

He then looks back and smiles.

"Darlin your daddy just sold you to me." He replied nonchalantly.

"WHAT!?" I yelled, starting to hyperventilate. "Sold me to what!?"

He just kept smiling and finally answered me after what felt like forever.

"To fight, of course."

...Flashback)