Fighting for Freedom

| THIRTY FIVE |

"So you're telling me all of our dads were fighters." June says slowly once Tony finishes talking. "Sure am." He nods standing up and walking around the ring. "Oh. I'm going to have an interesting conversation with my parents tonight." June says rubbing her hands together. "Same." Brad agrees. "I can't believe Jack beat my dad up!" She laughs throwing her body back onto the ring floor dramatically.

"Shouldn't you kids be at school?" Tony asks abruptly and stops walking. "Dad called us out. He arrested Patrick." I smile making Tonys face break out into the biggest smile I've ever seen. "Thank fuck for that." He smiles shaking his head slightly as he climbs out of the ring.

"You kids go do something fun!" He calls out unlocking the doors letting in Cobra. "Wanna go get burgers?" Brad suggests. "We're going to go to Haydens and play some Red Dead." Logan declines as we all climb out of the ring. "See ya later dork face." I call out as they leave. "See ya tomorrow Tony!" Clay yells before holding the door open for me.

"Hey Kenzie." Clay says making me stop half way to the car and turn around to face him. "You have a cute butt." He winks slapping it as he walks past me. I shake my head and fight the blush building on my cheeks.

***

Wednesday night dad is working and Logan is staying at Haydens and I'm bored out of my mind. I've been working on my art project since getting home and have finished three of them and am officially over it. I sigh dramatically as I pack the paints away. I decide to ring Clay and see if he's doing anything interesting.

"Hello." He answers on the third ring. "I'm so bored!" I groan throwing myself onto my bed. "Want to come around and keep me company?" I ask as his laughter comes through the phone. "Sure." He agrees quickly. "Bring food!" I call out pulling the phone away from my ear and hanging up.s

Fifteen minutes later Clay shows up in my door step holding a bag of Chinese take-out. "You're literally the best boyfriend in the world!" I exclaim grabbing the bag from his hands and heading straight to the living room. "Hello to you too." He chuckles sitting next to me on the floor in front of the coffee table.

"I'm so hungry." I groan not wasting any time getting a real plate or fork and opt to eat straight from the container with the flimsy plastic fork. "What're you doing for your birthday?" Clay asks as I stuff my mouth with half a spring roll. "School." I shrug after I swallow. "I meant after school." He rolls his eyes and grabs the other half of my roll.

"Nothing, just have to be home for dinner with dad."

"He invited me to that." Clay chuckles. "Really?" Dad always made such a big deal that birthday dinners are just for family, no friends. "Yup." I stop eating and stare at Clay as he eats amazed that just a few months ago he was just another face in the hallway now he's the guy who I somehow fell in love with and has been accepted by my dad, brother and friends.

"What?" He asks wiping his mouth when he realises I'm staring. "Just glad I meet you." I smile placing a quick peek on his cheek before going back to stuffing my face. After we finish eating we move to my bedroom and watch movies snuggled under my blankets.

"I can't wait to spend a Christmas in the snow." I whisper drawing circles on Clays stomach with one of my fingers. "Next year baby." He whispers back placing a kiss on the top of my head. "Are you excited to go visit?" I ask rolling over onto my stomach and leaning my chin on his chest. "Yeah." He smiles, his eyes shining in the dim light.

I open my mouth to start talking about a dinner set I seen but Clay cuts me off by placing his lips against mine. I kiss him back wrapping my hands in his hair. As I deepen the kiss he pulls away making me pout. "Happy birthday Kenzie." He whispers pecking my lips again before he rolls out of the bed and goes to his jacket and pulls out a small, terribly wrapped box from one of the pockets.

"Did you wrap this yourself?" I question with a raised eyebrow. "Of course I did." He smiles proudly. I giggle and try to take the paper off gently but give up and end up just ripping it open. Inside the wrapping paper is a jewellery box. A ring box. I take a deep breath and open it with shaky hands. Surely it's not an engagement ring right?

When my eyes lay on the dainty daisy ring I let out a gasp and pull it out straight away and slide it onto my pointer finger. "It's beautiful." I whisper admiring my finger. "Thank you!" I exclaim throwing my arms around Clay making us both topple off the bed onto the floor. "I guess you like it?" He chuckles pulling us both back onto the bed. "I love it. I love you." I smile smashing my lips against his.

Then next morning as Clay and I walk hand in hand towards our lockers Logan yells my name and runs up to us. I barely have glanced at him before he pulls me into a giant hug. "Happy birthday!" He yells into my ear. "Here." He states pulling away from me and dropping his backpack to the ground. I watch as he kneels down and pulls out the paper bag I gave him with his birthday present in.

"Is this safe to open at school?" I question glancing inside of it. "Yes! Now open it!" He exclaims with a giant smile on his face. I reach in and pull out a candle in the same scent as my favourite perfume and a box of chocolates. "Thank you Logi Bear." I smile placing them back in the bag before pulling him in for another hug.

As he pulls away I feel his hands slip into my hoodie pocket for a split second. I raise my eyebrow at him but he just smirks and runs off. I narrow my eyes at his retreating figuring as I slide my hands into the pocket. "That little shit." I laugh grabbing Clays hand and putting it in my pocket so he can feel the one condom that Logan slipped in.

Clays eyebrows furrow for a minute before he realises what it is and bursts out laughing. Suddenly something is gripping my whole body so tightly I can't breathe. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY KENZIE BOO!" Junes voice yells in my ear. Only then I realise it's her that's hugging me. "Can't breathe." I mutter. She loosens her grip on me but doesn't let go. "I can't believe my baby is 18." She sniffles burying her head into my shoulder.

"I've got your present but I don't want to let you go." She sighs slowly letting go of me. "Here!" She squeals pushing a nicely wrapped box into my hands. "Wait! Where's Brad?" She asks looking around. "Haven't seen him." I shrug glancing around the halls for him.

"Oh well fuck him. Part of it's from him too."

This present I can gently take the paper off and place it into the bag Logan gave me and open the square box. Inside is a charm bracelet with three charms on it. A lady bug, a football and a heart with the numbers 18 engraved in it. "Oh June Bug. Thank you!" I squeal giving her a tight hug before demanding she puts it on my wrist.

The three of us stand around my locker talking until the bell rings for first period. "I'll see you at lunch." Clay whispers placing a kiss on my cheek before heading off. In history class Brad isn't in class and Mrs Holmes is already in a bad mood. Ten minutes into class Brad bursts out and runs over to his desk ignoring the yells from Mrs Holmes.

"Happy birthday!" He whisper yells to me and gives me a quick hug before sitting in his seat. "Where the hell were you?" June hisses. "Dad came home so I hit him up about you know what." He whispers back rummaging through his bag and pulling out a box of chocolates and sliding it over to me.

The rest of the day goes by smoothly. After school Clay and I spend the afternoon at the lookout talking and making out before going back to my house for dinner with dad and Logan. Dad lets Clay stay over as 'part of my birthday present.'

As I'm snuggled into a sleeping Clay I can't help the smile spread across my face. Everything is finally falling into place. After Clays fight with The Psycho all the fighting will stop. We won't have to fight anymore.