Dark Nights

Chapter 2 part one -The day of the fight

I wake up Tuesday morning with the sun shining through the window. I can't afford any curtains to cover up my bedroom window, and I never found the purpose to cover it since I live on the third floor. Nobody really lives in this area. A torn apart area, low rents, and probably more criminals than I thought there were when I first moved here.

I got home around 3:00am last night after Duck dropped me off. He said he would call one of his buddies down to fix up the damage. "Nothing a buddy can't help out with," has been his motto for a while now. With rivals trying to ruin our warehouse so I couldn't practice and win, and Duck getting in fights that were pointless and making some rivals himself he's been saying that a lot lately. Probably more than he should be.

I sit up and check the clock on my nightstand. More like a old cardboard box I use to put my clock on and my work phone.

           ~6:15am~

I don't get a lot of sleep. 3hours is probably a good average throughout the week.

I fully get up and get out of the mattress the lays on the floor. It's not like I don't make good money with the two jobs I have. It's just I have to pay for my brothers tuition each semester. With him going to boarding school, getting counseling, and paying for his antidepressants it's a hassle. I don't have enough money to live a luxury on top of that.

I'm living comfortably though. Knowing my brother is safe, doing something I love, and watching pointless bar fights is pretty extravagant if you ask me.

I walk to my bathroom and wash my face. Looking in the mirror I see myself in some shorts and a sports bra. In the winter living on the third floor of this dilapidated apartment building means there isn't any heating. Which that is definitely not the problem because throughout the winter it still feels like a sauna in here. During the summer I keep small fans I take from the warehouse and put them around the house to keep me from having some kind of heat stroke. Unfortunately, I can only do that in the summer because Duck keeps those fans hidden during the winter for whatever reason.

I look at the scar going across my stomach one side to the other. I never take my shirt off outside of my house. Nobody should be able to know the secrets I keep under my shirt or under this "big bad wolf " skin.

I brush my teeth and hurry out the bathroom to get in some proper work out clothing. I'm trying to get as many hours in the morning for training since I have to work starting at 4:00 today to right about the start of the fight. The most important fight of the year.

After I get my clothes on I grab a piece of bread I put in the toaster and eat that on my way out. It's nice walking around this time of day. No criminals outside just yet, since they do their work at night. I take a right around the end of the block heading on my way to the warehouse. Duck always offers to pick me up in the morning, but I know he doesn't wake up as early as me. That's how I convinced him to give me a set of keys for the warehouse.

After only a few minutes of walking I'm outside of the doors. I grab my keys from my gym bag and unlock the doors. Man I love the smell of the warehouse. No matter how many sweaty bodies are here throughout the day Duck's cleaning service always make it smell like oranges. It's weird I know.

I put my bag down and put my hair in a bun. No need for my femininelyness to get in my way. I walk over to my special friend and start punching away.

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"Im homeeeeee," Duck yells from the door. "Dang Baby take a break you look like you got poured down with a bucket of water."

"Who said I didn't." I say breathlessly still punching the bag.

Duck walks over and holds the bag still.

"That's enough."

I stop punching the bag, not caring that he stopped me from practicing, and ask.

"Is that pizza?"

And all Duck can do is laugh.

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"So what time does your shift start?" Duck asks me.

"Around 4:00, it all depends." I say with a mouthful of pizza in my mouth.

"Do you know it's 3:45?"

"Oh shnappernickle!" I yell out.

I quickly throw my empty plate out while stuffing the remaining of the pizza in my mouth. I grab my gym bag.

"Can you drop me off at Pete's Tavern?"

"Yeah do you have everything?"

"Yeah let's go" I say while running out the door.

It's 3:50 right now. I'm going to have to quickly change in one of the stalls of the bar. I hop in the backseat of Duck's car while Duck follows behind jumping in the driver's side.

We arrive there within 3 minutes of leaving. That gives me enough time to change into my work clothes and do something with my hair.

I yell out a thank you and run inside.

"Hey Jo." My fellow employee says while I run into the bathroom. Her name is Alice. With beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair, she has every man's eyes on her. It can be agitating some times. At the age of 19 I still haven't had a boyfriend. Not even those little crushes you get in elementary school. Nada.

She isn't single though. Alice is 24 and has a wonderful fiancé named Emanuel. They are definitely one hot couple. He comes in at least once a day to visit Alice. Emanuel is to say the least a gentleman. He picks her up after work, does the average open the door for the lady thing, and has the whole bar swooning for him the second he walks in. Emanuel surely makes it clear he's not single and whipped by Alice and that alone the bar keeps their stares to the low. They all know they have nothing on Alice.

I put my hair into a tight ponytail and changed my clothes into Pete's Tavern's uniform. A black skirt coming down half way to the knee and a tight shirt that has the logo "Pete's Tavern" on the back. I've never really like the uniform choice, but it's the closest job I can get here in the city.

I spray some perfume on and put on some deodorant on and walk out of the bathroom.

Aren't I lucky it's exactly "4:00pm."

I walk around the counter and properly greet Alice and Emanuel who is here at the moment. Alice is on her lunch break when I start my shift, and she leaves 2hours before me since she starts earlier than me.

"Hey over here!" Someone yells from one of the seats around the counter.

"Hello what can I get for ya?" I ask in a monotone voice obviously not happy about being here.

"Surprise me my lady." Answers the drunken man. He obviously is drunk and doesn't know what he is saying. No sober man would hit on me, they know they can do better.

"Ok"

I grab a water for the man who's around the age of 30. He obviously needs sobering and he did ask for me to surprise me.

"It's on me." I say flirtatiously, knowing he's not going to like what I gave him. I walk away avoiding the curses he will probably give me. I huff and puff knowing tonight is going to be one long night.