The Fighter that He Swore to Save

Chapter 9

Everett

~*~*~*~*~*~

It's been a week since the incident with my uncle.  Aunt Marcie was released and she was living back at the house.  I hadn't been back there though.  The bank was closing on it today and I knew it would be better if I stayed away for the time being.

Gunner and I have gotten closer over the past week, and one could even say that we're friends.  But I didn't want to push it, I mean, no one's ever tried to be my friend before.  Gunner may be trying to set me up for all I know, although if he was I think he would have done so already. 

Ever since my little crying scene in the janitor's closet, Gunner has been a perfect gentleman.  He's walked me to every class, sat with me at lunch.  I know he's getting a ton of weird looks and I even told him he didn't have to hang out with me, but he insisted.

It's so weird, but whenever I'm around him, I get all warm and tingly inside.  Whenever he smiles his freckled, dimpled smile I can't help but smile too.  When I'm with him, he makes all the issues of outside-school-life seem so insignificant and they all just disappear.

But right now, without him with me, the problems are very real.

I was currently waiting for Aunt Marcie at a coffee shop and I knew she'd be driving up in her silver car any minute now.  It would be nice to change into some of my own clothes.  The night I ran away I had a few dollars on me so I used those to buy some clothes and pay a washer's so I wouldn't have to go back home.

I had been extra careful not to be seen living under the bridge. It was just a temporary thing anyways, so it was fine, but I still didn't want to get caught. I already had too many problems to add that one to the list.

Finally, a silver car pulled up into the coffee shop parking lot.  I watched outside the window as my aunt hopped out, tear stains on her eyes, and made her way inside the shop.  When she got into the shop I went and hugged her for a long time.

"How are you?"  I whispered.

"As good as I can be."  I pulled away and looked at her.  She was a mess.

"Let's go get settled into the shelter, okay?"  She nodded.  "Remember, this is only temporary."

"Of course, we'll get through this."  She sniffed, trying to convince herself more than me.

I hopped into the driver's seat and drove to the shelter.  When we got there, we found a corner and set up a few blankets and things.  I told my aunt to rest a little and she fell asleep after about ten minutes.  I felt awful leaving her, but I knew I had to.  I had somewhere to be.

I rummaged through our bags and found the things I would need. I stuffed them in a small swag-bag and went to the car.  I drove to Paulo's gym, taking a few back roads to avoid attention.

I was going to win tonight.  We needed this money.

I hopped out of the car and ran inside. When I got in, I was frozen in my spot.  This can't happening, not tonight.  I haven't seen him if three years, what was he doing here?  He was standing in the middle of a group of people betting on fights and everyone was admiring him.

Cutter Johnson.

His eyes caught mine and a smirk covered his face. He had been waiting for me to show up. Cutter and I had been close to each other before he moved away. He was like the brother I never had, or wanted for that matter.

"Mt Everest."  He said coolly.  "You still go by that?"

"What's it to you?"  I said crossing my arms as we came face-to-face.  "You still fighting?"