Chapter 6
After my shower I still have over an hour before we need to leave so I decide to take a nap. I sleep dreamlessly for the first time since moving here. I wake up feeling refreshed and giddy. My excitement grows even more hearing Nix and Nana chat in the kitchen. I look through my bags I have yet to unpack looking for something "less city." I settle on a pair of dark jeans and a plain black form fitting tee shirt. I leave in my lip ring liking it too much when Nix plays with it, but I do remove the stud in my eyebrow and decide not to style my hair. I see my phone on the dresser and almost grab it out of habit. I am in no way ready to open that assortment of problems yet. I grab my favorite necklace and slip it over my head. It's just a guitar pick I tapped a hole in to fit a chain through. Id found the pick at a concert I snuck out to in L.A. It has a Blue dragon on it I thought was neat. I give myself a once over and decide its as good as it gets. I grab my well-worn high-top and pull them on quickly.
My two favorite ladies are engaged in conversation while they play with cards. Nix shuffles expertly before dealing. They both seem to be recovering from laughter as I walk in. Nana looks up at me and smiles. "You look good Evan, still too much metal on your face but much better. Now to get rid of that green. Well you two better get going." Nix stands up smiling at me. "You two look good together. I told Elliott you would be all over that girl as soon as you laid eyes on her." Nix shook her head. The old bats eyes never miss anything.
"Good night, Nana." I state at an attempt to shut her up. Nana stands up and hugs her before giving me a hug and shooing us out the door.
"Nana is right. You look good." I look down at her hoping the setting sun hides my heating cheeks at her words. I open her door for her before dashing to the drivers side. I'm enthused to find her already in the middle, Job in the passenger seat proudly. "Hey, can we stop somewhere on the way? I need caffeine."
The drive wasn't bad less than 35 minutes away not including the gas station stop. Her phone rang when we were close, Tyler making sure we were almost there. We were way back in the boonies. We Followed a dirt road for two and a half miles before a clearing started to make an appearance by a thicket of dogwood trees. I could see cars parked everywhere, almost blocking the silvery lake in the distance. This was quite literally a tailgate party. I could smell the barbeque before I could see it. I could hear Tyler's voice booming enthusiastically over the crowd, must be a microphone or something.
I grab Nix's waist yanking her behind a tree sneaking a quick lingering kiss on her lips. We walk close to each other until the light of the bon fire reaches us. She takes a small step sideways an apologetic smile touching her lips. The dog seems to pick up on her unease perking his ears and looking back and forth between us. Music is pulsating the ground, and many are dancing. The big fires light seems to radiate her hair reminding me of embers burning long after the fire burns down. She is practically vibrating with energy. She leads me to a picnic table with five people, four of which I have never seen, and Tyler. To the left are eight large wrestling mats laid out in the grass with a long line of students, some I recognize some I don't. "What is this place?" I ask impressed a bunch of seniors pulled this off.
"Long story short a girl in a local school was kidnaped a few years ago so James and Tyler had an idea to get boys and girls to work together to keep everyone safe by building a safe atmosphere for people to learn to defend themselves. It started off just every now and again they would host like a training of sorts, but no one was interested. When they added in booze and music it started expanding. No one was interested in training, so it became more of a tournament style fight club of sorts. The only difference being you must explain where your opponent went wrong when you beat them. It must stay friendly or youre banned, and you must teach someone something. Basically, even when someone loses, they still win something you cant turn anyone's offer for help down without good reason. There have been rules placed up over the years to keep everyone safe. Make sense?" I nod.
YOU ARE READING
Phoenix Rising (re-writing)
Teen Fiction"Once upon a time there was a dragon that only knew one love, a phoenix." She laughs at me again. "The phoenix was kind, full of compassion. She could see the corruption in the world knowing that eventually the dark would consume the light. The drag...
