She fights dirty

Chapter 2

Last year: 

I dried off and changed into my spare clothes from my locker before heading out onto the gym floor. As I'm walking out I'm town drying my hair when I stop dead in my tracks and drop the towel. All of the air leaves my lungs, she is the last person I expected to be here in this gym. She's here. In my gym. And most importantly, she's not on tour. Mom. What the hell is she doing here? I'm torn with how to react, so I don't. react I mean, she hasn't seen me yet so I take this opportunity to just stand here in the doorway to watch her and observe. I watch the way she interacts with these people. My people. Their reaction to her isn't new it happens wherever she goes. People fawn all over her to get her attention and her approval. I did that once, it was all I cared about a long time ago, but I soon realised that she doesn't care for me. She was the reason that I got into fighting in the first place but she wasn't the reason that I stayed. Ace and Pearl were my reasons for staying, they were the ones that encouraged me to stay and helped me the most. More than she ever could.

I don't know how I feel about having her here inthe gym, this is supposed to be one of my safe havens, with the other being theocean. As if finally sensing her daughter for the first time she looks up andcatches my eye and holds the eye contact. I know this game. I just stare backat her until she looks away first. Odd. In hindsight, this should have been mysecond warning of something bad happening that day, the first being her beinghere in the gym. I walk over and interrupt her telling Col what the tour life islike and how much she loves it and what it took for her to get to where she ison tour. Oh mother of mine.    

"Mother." I say dryly. I keep my tone even, though it doesn't go unnoticed by her and I can tell by the narrowing of her eyes that she doesn't like my disrespect. But she says nothing as she politely excuses herself to maintain her image and she pulls me aside, leaving the gym to gossip.

"Lennox, quite the gym you have here, but imagine my surprise when I get home and go to visit you at Aarons place but he regrets to inform me that you no longer train there and haven't been training there for over a year." She crosses her arms expecting my explanation. She waits.

"Well?"

I sigh, knowing that she's not going to let this go so easy. She expects me to answer and give her an answer that will satisfy her. Already I'm wishing she was back on tour or anywhere but here.

"I didn't like it at Aarons Mom, when I met Ace he offered to teach me something Aaron never did. This place and these people are the better fit for me and no matter what you say I'm staying here with Ace."

The speech rushing out of me without my control, I hadn't realised I had been ranting until I see her face and her quiet demeanour. To cover it up I tilt my chin as an act of defiance. Almost daring her to make a scene in front everyone in the gym because of what I said. She stares at me for a long time before her arms drop to her sides.

"Fine. Come." Two words. That's all she gives me? It's a command to follow her, to where though is one of two places. The ring or to leave the gym and go home. She chooses the ring. So, I follow. Here we go, she's going to do this in front of all these people. She is going to put on a show for them, to really show them what she does on tour. Knowing that there is no way I can't not go into the ring I hype myself up for what's about to happen. I hate when she does this. She always says it's a test, but we both know better. She wants me to know my place in our relationship, she wants me to know who is and will always be number one. Her.

I strip down to my sports bra, leggings and bare feet. I tie my hair up to clear my face and prepare myself for what's about to come. I start off towards the ring ready to get and get this over with. Just as I am about to get in someone grabs my arm and pulls me aside.

"You don't have to do this Len, you know what she's going to do to you in there. And I know what you're going to do in there too. You're going to let her do what she wants with you in the submissive way you always have. I want you to fight. Fight back with everything you've got because I know you can. Len, I am begging you to fight back this time." He begs me. His eyes are pleading me to but I can't give him what he wants. I can't fight her back, it'll only make matters worse for myself.

"I – I – I can't Ace, you know that I cant." I hate the fact that I stuttered, making myself look weak in front of him of all people. I shrug off his grip on my arm and continue forward getting in the ring. I shut everything off, turn my emotions and prepare myself for what's about to come. Doing this is the only way I know how to get through this.

"Well then, show me what you've been learning here in this gym!" she spits the word gym like it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth, the distaste she has for Ace's gym is clear as day. That. That level of disrespect for the man who has done nothing but taken care of me as if I were his own daughter, is what snaps me into a rage that makes me want to fight her back and defend Ace. So, I do. And let me tell you it takes her by surprise.

I barely take two steps before she swings for me, first she aims for my temple with the intention of knocking me out cold. But she never lands it because I am quick to block her blow and even quicker to deliver a solid punch to her throat. After hitting my target her hands fly up to her throat for two reasons, one being to protect it from further hits and the second in shock, but by doing this she has left her stomach and chest open for me to continue landing my blows to. I land blow after blow after blow, all landing on her stomach, her ribs and her face. During this fight, she has got a good few hits in on my face. So, good in fact that she slit my lip and my eyebrow and the possibility of leaving me with a black eye after this. But she's slow and we both know who has the advantage her. The round house kick that I deliver to her face drops her to her knees. She knows I've won, and I know I've won and this causes me to pause for moment. I finally did it.

"You see this right here?" I spread my arms to show her. "I win. And now I'm done with you. Go back on tour mom and don't come back, ever. There is nothing left for you to come back to. I don't need you mom. You were never a mom for me, I had to grow up on my own." Now she sees what I have over her and her 'tour'. With that I punch her one last time in the face and knock her unconscious. It's over, finally. I look up and lock eyes with Ace. 

I've never seen him so proud before, he smiles so wide at me that I can't help but smile back at him. I wince remembering my split lip. I met him outside the ring and he pulls me in for a hug. And he just holds on for the longest time and I let him, I need this comfort. I grip onto the back of his shirt as he strokes my hair and whispers soothing words in my ear.

"I did it." I whisper to him, not quite believing it myself.

Over his shoulder I see a few people from the gym getting my mother out of the ring and carrying her to the back room. Probably to lay her down on the massage table for when she wakes up. I will not be here when she does.

It's over. I'm free.

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Thank you for your patience guys!

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