Fight of Your Life

The Calm

We get to my aunts and we take Ash inside. After some small talk with my aunt we head to my house to grab my bag. I see my fathers car is home after being gone for 2 days. Fuck.

"Lee stay in the car. I will be right back." I say before unbuckling my seat belt.

"No Bella bear I am going in with you." She says sternly. Fuck why is she so damn hard headed.

"5 minutes Lee. Please. He hasn't been home in 2 days. I don't know what his mood is going to be." I plead with her.

"2. Then I am coming in." She finally says and I kiss her cheek before getting out.

I walk in as quietly as I can. I don't see my father anywhere so I run upstairs and grab my bag. I make is down the stair and halfway to the door before he steps in front of me. I feel the fear seeping into my veins. My blood turns cold and I am frozen.

"Where the fuck are you going?"

"Lee and I have a project to work on. She is in the car I just needed to grab my bag." I say just above a whisper not looking him in the face. I feel a sting on my cheek and a hand grab my jaw.

"Look at me when I talk to you." He spits out. I look into his eyes and they are bloodshot. "Be back by 11." He says pushing me making me almost fall back but my training has helped my balance a lot. I run out the door and jump in the car.

"What happened?" Lee asks. I can hear the concern in her voice.

"Nothing just have to be home by 11." I say not looking at her. Once we get to her house and go up to her room, I lay down on her bed. I just had a fight last night and I didn't get much sleep. Lee sits down beside me and I pull her down to lay with me. I have my eyes closed and she is facing me. I don't realize the view she has until I hear her gasp. I open my eyes and see tears in hers.

"Whats wrong Lee?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows.

"He hit you didn't he?" Fuck. I forgot about the slap.

"Just a slap. I can handle it." I say rolling onto my back. "Come on lets take a nap. It's only 6 and my fight isn't until 10." I feel her leg go over mine, her arm go over my stomach, and her head lay on my shoulder. I wrap my arm around her holding her tighter to me. She is almost laying on top of me. I feel so at ease when we are like this, so calm. I don't have to put on a facade or pretend to be happy because I am happy with Lee this close to me. Right before I drift off I hear her speak before I feel her lips press against my cheek making me smile.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I love you Bella bear."

I wake up to my alarm going off. I shake Lee and she stretches and rubs her eyes.  Its moments like these that I find her unbelievably beautiful. She opens her eyes and smiles at me.

"We gotta get up we have to head out." I say making her smile fall a little.

"You never told me why you fight." She says getting off of me letting me up.

"I need the money to take Ashley away and be able to provide for her. It's damn good money. You know that. Besides, it helps with the stress and the lets me get out some of the dark shit inside." I say putting on my sports bra and compression shorts. Lee doesn't say anything and when I look over at her I see her with tears in her eyes. She sees me looking and quickly turns away trying to wipe her eyes. "Don't cry lee. Please. You know I can't stand it when you cry." She nods and takes a deep breath.

"It's just." She pauses, "I hate when you fight what if you get hurt? And you shouldn't have to be worried about money and all that shit. You are 17 you should be young wild and free. Not be raising your sister because we all know you are more of a parent to her than you dad. And you shouldn't have an asshole dad that hurts you and, and, and I hate him so fucking much. Because he hurts you and because of him I can't have you the way I want you." She says before breaking down into tears. I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest holding her tight. Damn this girl and the hold she has on me. If I was smart I would let her go so she doesn't have to hurt like this but I'm selfish and I can't. So I just hold her and let her cry.

"Calm down princess. You are still beautiful when you cry but I would really rather you didn't. You know what crying women do to me. Makes me want to give you a puppy to lick you all over your face until you smile" I say trying to make her laugh. She half laughs half coughs. Mission complete. I pull her face up to look at me and I wipe her tears away with my thumbs. "How are you human you sexy creature you?" I ask making her smile.

"You dork." She says smiling even bigger.

"Your dork though right?" I say wigging my eyes brows. She laughs and nods and I finish getting dressed. Before we know it we are in The Dark. Mikey does his usual of putting the eye black around my eyes and down my cheek to keep people from recognizing me before drawing the "J" on my right shoulder. 15 minutes later I am on the mat.

Thoughts of my father flood my mind giving me the motivation to do what I have to do to beat this person. It's funny how you can use your demons as inspiration and have no problem fighting them when its just a image over someone else's face but when it's the real thing you freeze and can't do shit.

After 2 minutes of jumping around and dodging uncoordinated jabs, my opponent leaves her left side open. I see my father and feel the slap as I throw my right hook and she goes down. The bell rings and my arm is lifted again. Another $2,000 in my pocket and this time with no bruises I have to explain.

Lee runs to me and kisses my cheek like she always does when I win.

"Bella bear we have to go. Its 10:30 and you have to clean all this off and get him in 30 minutes." She says slightly panicked. I kiss her cheek and pull her to the locker room. She cleans my face and I change back into my clothes. We leave and get to her house. Before she gets out she does the normal.

"Please be careful. Call me if you need me or come over if he's bad. My mom doesn't care you know that. Just please try and be careful." She rushes out in one breath.

"I will Lee. Go inside and get some sleep."

"Love you Bella bear." She says kissing my cheek.

"Love you too Lee." She gets out and watches me leave with a sad smile on her a face. Time to go face my demon.