Dead by Tomorrow

Chapter 9 | He is Your Cup of Tea

It's been a few days since I went with Ace to that cottage place, and I haven't seen him since. I started going to school just a day after I presented a fake incident to my sister, and everything was normal again. A few looks were daily being sent my way, due to the bruises on my face, but I didn't let it budge me that much. Who knows, maybe I won't be so protective of my face when fighting in the pits anymore.

Speaking of the pits, I talked to James and we agreed that I should start practicing again, and that is what I was about to do right now. 

After putting the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaning the tiles that got very greasy due to my terrible and somewhat sad frying skills, I took a shower and got dressed. On my way to the gym, I bought myself an energy bar, because I planned on staying in the gym for a long time. Brie was at her friend's house, and I had all the time of the world to learn some new things, and to get back my recently lost strength.

"Jamesy, I arrived!" I yelled while stepping into the empty gym. This place became my second home over the time that I've been here. The dark blue walls were peeling off slowly, and they always smelled like they were left on the rain for too long. You know, like they were both old and wet at the same time. I even got used to that smell and stopped telling James that I couldn't work in these conditions a long time ago. 

"What's with that horrendous nickname?" James approached me from the back entrance and gave me a hug.

"Eww, you're sweaty!" I quickly moved away from him and scrunched my nose in disgust.

"Good observing skills. " He mouthed while preparing the place for our sparring.

-

After three awfully tough but kind of pleasing hours of working with James, I took a shower and we both went down to the pits.

Smaller fights were happening, and nobody seemed to be interested in them, for big ones are usually held on Tuesdays. I saw a few familiar faces, and one of those faces was Perro, La Haciendas resident, my colleague both in school and in the pits, and somebody that I kind of started talking to in the past few weeks. 

"Hey Pixie, you're back early." He referred to the incident that I had after the night of my latest victory. 

"I got bored sitting at home and doing nothing. So I came here to stand in the corner and do nothing instead." Perro laughed at my response and came closer to me, in order to continue the conversation.

"You know, if you get bored of just standing and doing nothing, you can always come to the party down by the creek. " He gave me a toothy grin and I kind of melted. 

I fidgeted with my charm bracelet and looked at his green eyes. There was something about Perro, something dangerous but still safe. He never mistreated anybody outside the pits as far as I knew, and that made him differ from the other guys that come here. I mean, even James has occasional fights outside of the pits.

"And who will be there?" I asked him and his face started to glow.

"Well, I will. But if you need more company, I can give you a few names." He started off insecure but ended the sentence with his usual smirk.

"Nope, I'm fine with knowing one person. It's gonna be enough for me to come." I told him while checking the time on my phone.

I didn't even notice that James disappeared, but as Perro and I talked he approached us. There was something strange happening when those two looked at each other. Perro's usual calmness disappeared, and he became nervous in an instant. 

James, on the other hand, was utmost angry, and I took his wrist with my left hand in order to calm him down.

"Perro," James said through gritted teeth.