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Maybe tonight I'll finally win.
I take a deep breath to ready myself. The referee signals the start of the fight. There's no shaking hands in the Pit. There are only a few rules, one being no face punching. Everyone here has jobs, families, and they can’t be coming home with a black eye. We do our best not to leave marks, it’s more wrestling, grappling, pinning one another to the ground. I do get bruised sometimes so I try to time fights for when I can cover the bruises with long sleeves and leggings for a few weeks.
I skipped a match when my mom told me we were going to Greece because she’d be suspicious if I didn’t wear a bikini.
Mara and I move toward each other. We circle the ring, both looking for an opening. Mara says, “Remember—no faces. I got kids.”
“Right. Got it.” I throw the first punch. A hard jab at her right shoulder.
The screams of the crowd are a dull roar.Paise the Blaze, Paise the Blaze.Hearing their nickname for me juices me up even more.
We grab one another’s arms, twisting and pushing each other. The cheers around us fade away until all I can hear is the sound of our fighting.
The fight goes on, and we begin to tire. Neither of us can land a decisive blow below the neck, until finally, I manage to get a grip on her arm and throw her to the ground. I hear a collective gasp, followed by a cheer as I stand up and turn to face the crowd.
Could I win tonight?
A sudden blow strikes the back of my head.
I stumble forward, dizzy from the impact, and turn to see Mara's fist coming at me again. I barely have time to block it before she's on me, pushing me back with a fierce series of punches and kicks. The crowd's cheers turn into a frenzy as they urge us both on.
But I'm not going down easy. I fight back, throwing punches and grappling with her, determined to win this match. We battle on, sweat pouring down our faces, until finally, she manages to land a solid blow to my stomach.
I double over in pain, gasping for breath, the champagne from earlier rising in the back of my throat. She takes the opportunity to strike again.
I go sprawling to the ground.
The crowd erupts into equal parts cheers and boos as she stands over me, triumphant. The ref calls her win, grabs her hand, and lifts it in the air to punctuate her victory.
It's my last fight. And I've lost it.
Tears want to spring up in my eyes. I won't allow it. I blink them back. Mara offers me her hand. I let her pull me up from the floor and into a hug.
"Good fight," I say, the words burning in my throat. "You did awesome."
She holds my face in her hands, her dark eyes piercing mine. "Keep at it, little Paise. Don't give up. Never give up."
“Thanks.”
She gives me smile, a pat on the back of my head, and lets me go. She turns to the crowd, soaking up the praise from her fans, as she should. I slink off into the shadows, my tail between my legs.
God, I wish Pip was here. I need her special brand of consolation after such a terrible loss. I grab my backpack, find my hoodie, toss it on, and head to the rear exit.
With one hand on the door handle, I glance around, memorizing every last detail of my last look at the Pit. “Goodbye, friend.”
Pushing the heavy door open, I step out into the cool night. The back parking lot is barely lit. This is when I start to feel a little guilty for sneaking out.
It could be dangerous if?—
Wait. There’s my dad’s Hummer. And him. He’s standing outside of it, leaning on the big car like he owns it.
What’s he doing here?
nine
Savage
I hold open the door of her dad’s Hummer. “Get in.”
