Only Lonely

VIII. Fight For Me

"Punch him! Gut him! Make it hurt, go girl!" Cara found her self screaming along with the rest of the spectators.

She shouldn't egg Hailey on, it was bad but she couldn't help it, the place was intoxicating and everyone no matter how unwilling gets high off the vibes automatically.

Hailey was a natural, the girl was so graceful even while punching the daylight out of her opponent, she made fluid and quick moves.

It was flawless.

Cara never saw Hailey look so at home, she was so calm and deadly, it frightened Cara. This wasn't Hailey, Not the Hailey she knew.

Hailey finished with a double punch that landed the opponent on his back and with that Hailey was declared the winner.
She lifted her hands and with loud ovation and cheers, she exited the ring to the back room.

Cara pushed and struggled through the crowd to get to Hailey as another match was being called out for some other people.
After much search she found Hailey with her back to the entrance of the room, lost in thought, the room was isolated and dark.

"Is this what you were hiding from me?" Cara asked.

Hailey stiffened and slowly turned to face Cara. "You followed me." she stated more than asked.

"And am glad I did."

"I can't believe you made it pass Hugo at the door." She snickered.

"You mean the intimidating fellow? I might have claimed connections and stepped up my game a little." Cara declared proudly.

"I see." Hailey couldn't help the smile she spotted. "I didn't want you to know like this." She added, letting out a tired sigh.

"Or let's try you never wanted me to know, tell me Hailey." Cara said and Hailey didn't bother denying it.

"Why?" Cara asked softly.

"Am not perfect okay,the world expects me to be after my parents died but am just not and I don't want any self righteous prude telling me that to my face."
She couldn't look at Cara anymore so she turned her back to her and continued.
"I am where am not afraid to be myself, these people represent what I yearn for; family, acceptance, freedom from my past, happiness. This is who I am Cara,you can't change it."

Cara sat at the side of the chair now facing Hailey.

"Look at me Hailey," when she was sure she had the attention of Hailey she continued. "I will never judge you and I mean it. But you can't continue fighting here —though you were awesome out there, the point here is that the person I saw in the ring was not you."

"I am able to be myself out there, it is part of me. Accept it!"

"The Hailey I know couldn't hurt a fly, tonight you put a man in coma. Is that who you really are, Hailey?"

Hailey was speechless and just continued looking at Cara.

"Don't escape your past, you have to accept you, it is part of you, you won't find peace here.
These people can't really love or accept the real you. Isn't that why you wear a ski-mask? You don't want them to know.
You need people who will help positively, Hailey. People that will spur happiness in you and that's why I am here, for you."

"Cara, am so sorry about today. I shouldn't have shouted at you." Hailey said with a doleful expression as she hugged Cara.

"Me too, am sorry. You just need to trust and love yourself more, when you are receptive to love the right people comes along and they will understand and love you too."