she's mine.

60

Jonny had left laughing, while the rest of our little 'family' stared at Eli for a moment before taking his advice and slowly backing up. They all had their cautious look while waiting for the grenade that was staring up to Eli to go off in his face.

"Training?" I repeated. The only training Jonny had every known was the training he did for fighting. The training that prepared him for a beating every couple of months that was much like the one Eli had just taken only hours ago. The same training that had caused Jonny to have repeated broken ribs, broken nose, and even a few molars missing that I doubted he told anyone else about. I had my hands at my side as I stood in front of Eli now with the images of my brother lying on the couch with similar black eyes to the one I was looking into. He hadn't even been able to watch the TV because he couldn't see out of one of his eyes.

"What does he mean?" I knew the answer, but I needed him to say it. I needed him to tell me he was going to go through nights like tonight regularly on purpose. It was a completely new and separate issue. My brother did it because he had to, not out of choice. I knew if he could choose not to have my mother work even when she wasn't at the hospital he would. He saw what it did to her, the tears she had to force down as she bandaged his wounds, the fear he saw in me every time I watched him get hit and prayed it wouldn't leave him permanently damaged.

Eli was hesitant, for good reason. I knew he saw the challenge in my eyes.

"He's going to help me fight," he spoke slower than usual, and I knew he was bracing himself for my explosion as well. Yet, he stood his ground, unafraid the way Kameron and Jake looked right now. He knew it was his decision, and something in me told me it was final, no matter how much damage I could cause with my words.

But if that stopped me, I wouldn't be Raina.

"He's going to help you fight? He's going to help you look like this by choice? He's going to help you become your family's biggest worry? Become MY biggest worry? He's going to help you become severely injured and for what? For money? He's going to help you be one of them? Do you know what they do? Those men? He's going to help you into that lifestyle? You know what type of men fight in the UFC?"

"What?" I heard a few of them ask around me. Cat's out of the bag now. It was one thing for Jonny to do this, he had been fighting his whole life- even if it was in the streets for most of the time-  but Eli?? I couldn't handle it. I didn't want him to become that, to become like them. He already had a temper.. Jonny was a rare bread- level headed and pragmatic, I knew being an MMA fighter would have a different effect on Eli than it did Jonny.

Eli's gritted his teeth, but that was the only sign of frustration. The rest of him still looked drained and tired. His eyes were set on mine and past the swelling and bleeding, I saw the look of resilience as he reserved his positioning.

"Yes," he said. "That is what i said." He lifted his arms to cross them over his chest. "Now knock off the tantrum because this is my decision, support it or don't, it's not up to you." I clenched my own jaw to keep from screaming. I could NOT stand the thought of seeing him like this for a second time, and the idea of this becoming a career choice was not something I wanted to hear about. Eli didn't wait for me to continue, he turned to the rest of the group.

"UFC?" It was Levi. Everyone else just stared, dumbfounded. Jake's jaw draped open, and I almost laughed- almost.

"Yeah man," Eli rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at his best friend.

Levi stared for a moment before nodding, "'Bout time someone got paid to knock that smirk off your face," I watched Eli's shoulders visibly relax as his best friend backed his decision. "I'm tired of doing it for free."