Ian walked home after the school day had ended and he had refused a ride from Lloyd. Because of his new foot-based transportation, his trips home were now longer than usual, and by the time he returned home, he had no interest doing research for the project that was given on the very last class of the day. Because of course it was. As soon as Ian opened the door to his home, steps came rushing towards him before he could even remove his shoes.
"There you are! Where were you all night yesterday? You didn't answer my texts or calls." Ian's mother, Emma asked at the lobby.
"I was meeting a friend." Ian simply answered.
"You could have told me so I didn't have to worry so much."
"I'm 21 years old. I don't need to tell you about my every move."
"I don't need to know every detail. I just need to know that you're not bleeding out in a ditch somewhere."
"You worried that I had gotten jumped by roadmen on my way home?" Ian asked, chuckled and then walked past his mother to head upstairs.
"Well, it's always possible." Emma said alone in the lobby and continued:
"Also food is ready. Take some when you feel like it."
Ian didn't respond. Just walked the stairs the rest of the way up and went to his room.
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"What a shit fucking day that was. And I'm still not free from this hell. They refuse to let me go! If fighting a cunt doesn't do it then what will? Do I need to punch the headmaster? Nah, that'd get me arrested." Ian talked to himself while changing clothes to something more casual.
"So now another project to add to the list of projects and reports that I haven't started. I'll let Lloyd do the work on this one too. Odd that I wasn't called into detention. Something fucky is going on with this whole deal. They said that fighting would get me expelled. Didn't even get me detention." Ian said while laying on his bed looking at the ceiling.
"I should probably ask Lloyd if we'll be partners in the project. That dude is useful and I don't want anyone else to snatch him up and get an easy pass." Ian thought and took his phone out to type a message.
"We gonna be partners in the new project?" Was the message he sent to Lloyd.
After that he put his phone down and spent his evening in his usual way. Working out on the floor, attempting to read the book that he had been assigned to read, eating dinner on his bed while looking at mindless videos, and twirling his thumbs. His twirling was interrupted by the message sound coming from his phone. He picked the device up and read the message on the screen. The message was from his mother.
"Somebody down here wants to talk to you." Is what the message said.
"What is she talking about? Did somebody come in? Guess I didn't hear it when I had headphones. Did Lloyd come in the house? He was supposed to let me know when he's coming. Whatever. Idiot." Ian thought and got up from his bed.
Just as he was about to open the door and leave his room, he got another message. He checked it before opening the door.
"May she come in?" Is what the message said.
"She? What?" Ian quietly said to himself.
"Can I come in?" Cindy's voice said from outside the room and Ian nearly got a heart attack.
Ian opened the door angrily but calmed down when he saw Cindy's expression.
"Why are you here? What do you have to say to me?" Ian asked seriously.
"Something happened." Cindy answered.
Ian had an idea as to what Cindy was referring to but decided it'd be best to pretend like he had no idea.
"What happened?" He asked.
"When we went out the other night, somebody broke into my house. Everything precious has been taken! I tried to message you and call you but I guess I deleted your number when I was drink. I had to come here to tell you." Cindy said and sounded upset.
"Oh. That sucks. Everything precious? But they didn't take anything that you actually need?"
"Well, no. Nothing that I practically need."
"Okay. No big deal. You didn't need them. You'll be fine." Ian said, trying to console Cindy.
"They took the necklace that you gave me as a gift. The first thing you ever gave to me. The thing that you got a summer job for just to afford. They fucking took it!" Cindy explained.
"You still had it?" Ian asked, even though he had already seen it the other day.
"Yeah. I still had it. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it..." Cindy answered.
"Just come in already." Ian said and made way for Cindy to enter.
Cindy sat on the bed without permission but Ian couldn't bring himself to complain.
"So did you get rid of yours?" Cindy asked while sitting on the bed as Ian leaned on the wall.
"My what?"
"The one I got you. The one that matches the one you gave me."
"Oh. I... actually still have it. It's buried at the bottom of the box under my bed but it's there." Ian assured.
"Ha. A little like mine was." Cindy said with a somber chuckle.
"I didn't want to throw mine away either." Ian said and sat next to Cindy on the bed.
He bent down to reach under the bed and took a box from there. He opened the box and inside were old report cards and letters from institutions. Ian dag through the box and threw the papers onto the floor as Cindy looked curiously into the box. From the bottom of the box Ian took a golden heart-shaped necklace with silver linings and put it on Cindy's lap.
"Take it if you want to." Ian said.
"Me? No, I can't take it back. It was a gift for you. A payback for the gift you gave me. It's yours. Now and always." Cindy answered.
"Now it's a meaningless relic from a relationship that's over. I don't need it." Ian said coldly.
"Meaningless? Then why have you kept it all this time?" Cindy asked offended.
"I feared it'd be disrespectful to get rid of it."
"Well, returning a gift would also be disrespectful."
"You only gave me a golden one to flaunt your wealth and outmatch the silver one I gave you. It wasn't a gift to begin with. Just a flex."
"No, it was to show how much I appreciate you. I don't want it back." Cindy insisted.
"Fine. Don't accept it!" Ian said and slammed the necklace in the box and tossed the box in the floor along with all the papers.
Silence fell in the room as they both sat on the bed feeling sorry.
"Why are we like this over a tiny metal item? Why are we like this in general?" Cindy asked to break the silence.
"Why do we even still talk? Why did you even come to tell me about this like it's any of my business?" Ian asked.
"Because I assumed that you might care at least a bit. Especially after last night. Guess I was wrong." Cindy answered bitterly.
"Guess you were. And guess what? I have places to go. My ride is here." Ian said and stood up after reading a message he got from Lloyd.
"Oh of course you do." Cindy said.
"And so do you. You have no business in my room. Get the fuck out of this house." Ian commanded coldly and left his own room first.
As he walked the steps down and was putting his shoes on, he noticed that Cindy hadn't come out of his room. He sighed and walked the steps back up and went to his room where Cindy was still just sitting quietly.
"I don't feel safe in there anymore." She quietly said when she heard Ian open the door.
Ian sighed deeply.
"I don't think they'd hit the same house twice." He reassured.
"But somebody else might give it a go next." Cindy argued.
"That'd be some really bad luck."
"But it is possible."
"You're really that paranoid now?"
"I have a good reason to be."
"Ugh. Fine. You can stay the night in this house. But not in this room. Sound good?" Ian gave in and suggested.
"That sounds good." Cindy quietly said and the gratitude could be heard in her voice.
"But I really need to get going now. Might be late by the time I come back. Tell mum that you're staying over." Ian wished to Cindy as if the heated exchange a minute ago had never even happened.
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"Is this the place?" Lloyd asked from the front of the bike after he stopped it by a factory where light was coming from the windows.
"I guess." Ian said sarcastically from the back of the bike.
Lloyd didn't reply but just got off the bike and took the lock from his rucksack.
"You scared?" Ian asked humorously as he got off the bike as well.
"Nah, I'm not scared. Just feel odd about this place."
"Oh, is it further away from home than your mummy lets you go? Come on, I've been here a few times and I haven't been shanked. Yet."
"I bet you haven't been. I might be a different case." Lloyd said pessimistically.
"Don't worry about it, man. Just stick close to me and they won't fuck with you."
"And when you're in the cage?"
"That's when you stick to my man Ronnie."
"Your man?"
"Yeah! He has the Bloodhound's ear and he hooks me up with the fights. Introduced me to this place too. Fine bloke. Just make sure he doesn't run away to hit on the local birds. Alright. Let's go." Ian said, popped his shirt and made his way to the factory with Lloyd reluctantly behind him.
"Maltman! You came sooner than I expected." Ronnie shouted outside the door when he saw Ian and Lloyd approaching.
"Exactly what your girlfriend said to you." Ian shouted back.
"What girlfriend?" Lloyd added after deciding to be brave.
"And who the fuck is this wimp?" Ronnie asked once Ian and Lloyd got to him.
Lloyd immediately turned around to walk away but didn't get far before Ian grabbed his sleeve.
"This bloke is my classmate who wants to fight tonight." Ian said to Ronnie.
"Fight? Hell no! We didn't agree to that!" Lloyd shouted.
"Haha. Joking. I'm fighting tonight. Mate just wanted to watch and learn." Ian explained.
"Mate, you're not learning shit from just watching. But if you don't want to fight, I can't force you. I think Bloodhound has a good fight for Maltman here." Ronnie said back.
"Alright. I'm pumped to fight. But umm, can you watch over my mate while I'm in the cage?" Ian said to Ronnie awkwardly.
"You want me to be a bloody babysitter now? Bloke can watch over himself. He's an adult. I hope." Ronnie replied.
"Why did you have to word it to him like that?" Lloyd whispered to Ian, feeling humiliated.
"You're the one who's scared of getting shanked. What was I supposed to say?" Ian whispered back.
"Where did Ronnie go?" Lloyd asked out loud, noticing that Ronnie was no longer standing there.
"Oh shit. Wait for us!" Ian exclaimed and went in through the door.
"Don't leave me here." Lloyd complained and also went in.
In the factory Lloyd saw the cage where two men were beating each other bloody and the bloodthirsty savages outside the cage cheering on. People were arguing and shouting at each other. Underdressed beauties were pickpocketing men they were pretending to flirt with and glass bottles were thrown in the cage. Ian caught up with Ronnie and Lloyd caught up with Ian while looking nervous about the place.
"Only fighters and their representatives get to meet Bloodhound, kid." Ronnie said to Lloyd near the door that leads to the office.
"Oh. Guess I'll be fine then." Lloyd said back, not even believing himself what he said.
"You'll be fine, mate." Ian said and walked with Ronnie past the guard and through the door.
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"The Ox came back for more?" Bloodhound asked from behind his desk while smoking something that didn't smell like tobacco.
"Damn right, mate. How much is the winner's purse for tonight?" Ian asked while walking towards the desk with Ronnie.
"Depends on your opponent really. I've got an opponent for you. He's pumped and ready to fight. He's not very good though and I predict that this match won't get much bets at all, so if you win, you get seventy five. If you lose, you get thirty." Bloodhound explained.
"What? Last time the payment was better." Ian pointed out.
"That's because lots of people always bet on The Killer's fights. Your opponent is a nobody tonight. Just like you. Be glad it's even that much." Bloodhound explained.
"I'm never getting that bike fixed at this rate. Still better than nothing. And I'll eventually work my way to tougher opponents and if I fight here often, people will notice me and bet on my fights." Ian thought in his head.
"Well, you accepting or not?" Bloodhound asked.
"I accept." Ian answered.
"Good. The fight's not yet. Ronnie will escort you to the cage when I send him the message to do that. Now fuck off from my office." Bloodhound said.
Ronnie and Ian did as told and left the office, returning to the factory floor and the first thing Ian noticed was Lloyd getting pickpocketed while looking at his phone at the loneliest corner of the factory floor.
"Ugh, that dude is hopeless." Ian said and walked towards Lloyd who was about to lose his bike keys.
"Those keys are not worth taking." Ian hollered as he was walking towards Lloyd.
Lloyd turned to the sound of the voice and noticed a finger in his pocket. He stared at the face of the pickpocket who stared back for a second before running away into the crowd empty handed.
"What the fuck is this place?" Lloyd asked like he was sick of everything.
"It's the factory, mate. Wild place." Ian answered and leaned his back on the same wall that Lloyd was leaning on.
"And you come here regularly?"
"Just my third time here. Anything happen while I was gone?" Ian answered and asked.
"Aside from that thief, two... lovely ladies tried to make a move on me."
"On you? Sure, mate. Totally. And you didn't go for it?"
"Wasn't interested. Didn't seem trustworthy."
"Wise decision probably."
"When is your fight?"
"When Ronnie comes to get me."
"You know who you're fighting?"
"No clue. Somebody who's not that good, I heard."
"You getting paid?"
"I did the last time."
"Even if you lose?"
"I lost the last time and got paid."
"Hmm."
"Whatcha thinking?"
"What if I was your opponent one time and just dove and we'd both get paid?"
"Mate, that is a risky idea there. If they catch on, we're done."
"It may work once. And what do you mean by Done?"
"As in, we won't be coming back here."
"Oh. Right."
"Keep your hands in your pockets when you're alone, by the way."
"I will."
"And watch and learn how I destroy the poor fucker who faces me."
"That's why I came here."
"And then some day I guess we can spar together and I can show you some of what I know."
"That's what I initially asked."
"Right."
"Yep." Lloyd said slightly nervously.
"Oh, that's probably Ronnie." Ian said when his phone buzzed.
"Good luck." Lloyd wished.
"I won't need luck."
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"Couldn't get me yourself? Had to tell me to come here, you lazy fuck?" Ian asked Ronnie by the door that leads to Bloodhound's office.
"Couldn't be bothered to go look for ya. Your fight is starting." Ronnie said back.
"Finally." Ian said and went though the door with Ronnie.
After going through the office and the dark hallways into the fighting ring, Ian was once again laughed at by some of the people.
"Guess they remember my loss from the last time. They'll believe in me yet." Ian said and took off his shirt that he then tossed on the floor.
Out came his opponent. He had a freckles on his face and a curly orange hair. His belly was tubby and his arms had flabby meat hanging from them. People in the crowd laughed when they saw him.
"What is this? Are they feeding me cans now just to get my win record up? This guy looks like a mix between a high school geek and a sofa dad. How did he even get lost here? Whatever. The fight isn't won yet." Ian thought and bumped his bare fists together.
The ginger opponent looked drunk and confused and like he was looking for someone in the crowd.
"You got this, Bobby! Beat his fucking arse!" Somebody yelled from the crowd.
"Guess his friends dared him to do this. I feel bad for beating him. But I need to get paid too." Ian thought.
"Standing on the side of the brick wall is our newest fighter, a first timer. He is the Ginger Tornado!" The man with a megaphone announced.
"And in the side of the cage wall is a returning fighter with a record of one knockout loss and zero victories, he is The Ox!" The same announcer announced.
Ian walked towards his opponent with his fists extended looking for a sportsmanlike fist bump before the fight. The Ginger Tornado didn't return the sportsmanship, but rather threw a cheapshot at Ian's nose. The punch didn't have nearly as much power behind it as the Killer's punches did, but since it hit the nose, it did some respectable damage to Ian and made his stumble back over the surprising strike. The Ginger Tornado charged at Ian and got a swift punch in the jawbone for it. He fell on the floor and landed on his back. His head was moving as he laid on the floor. The lights were on, but it seemed that nobody was home. You could practically see the birds flying around his head.
"For fuck's sake, mate!" Ian shouted at his downed opponent.
"Get up, Bobby! You got this!" The same voice shouted from the crowd, but sounded more like he just wanted Bobby to get beat up more, instead of genuinely rooting for him.
When the referee counted to eight, The Ginger Tornado got on his knees and the referee stopped counting. A few seconds later The Ginger Tornado was fully on his feet. He shook his head and put his dukes up again. Ian put his hand on his own nose and got his finger bloody. He didn't stay pondering about it because he had an opponent in front of him who clearly had no sportsmanship.
"I didn't want to beat you up too badly, mate. Bit since that's what you want..." Ian said to his opponent.
"That was a lucky shot." The Ginger Tornado said back and charged with a haymaker that anyone with at least a little bit of training would see from a mile away.
Ian had a bit of training, and he saw it coming from a mile away. He ducked under the swing and gave his ginger opponent a jab to the nose as payback. It knocked The Ginger Tornado back a couple of steps and angered him. Ian was satisfied with the payback and decided to finish the fight. He got close to the Ginger Tornado, punched him in the kidney and then in the jawbone and that was enough the get him to the floor.
"Bloodhound will try to fuck you. Count the money before heading out." Ian said while looking down on his opponent on the floor.
He didn't respond but he was moving and the referee was counting. The referee counted to ten and Ian looked at the disappointed and bloodthirsty audience. He saw Lloyd outside the cage looking in while being pickpocketed again.
"Don't be like that guy!" Ian shouted at him and left the cage through the door that leads to the hallway and Bloodhound's office.
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"I heard you won this time." Bloodhound said from behind his desk as Ian entered the office.
"You heard right, mate."
"Would have been a real humiliation if you lost." Bloodhound said and inhaled his joint.
"How about you don't feed me cans from now on and give me respectable opponents?" Ian proposed.
"Wasn't my idea. Your man Ronnie had found this guy and sold me on the idea of watching two hopeless losers go at it. I thought it'd be funny so I agreed." Bloodhound said back.
"Ronnie found that guy?" Ian asked.
"There he is! Hey, Ginger Tornado. I heard the people really liked you. Come get your cut." Bloodhound said to the defeated fighter who entered the office.
"Liked him? They laughed at him!" Ian wondered out loud.
"True, but loads of people bet on him." Bloodhound said and handed a stack of cash to The Ginger Tornado
"Now for my winner's cut." Ian said and stepped closer to the desk and extended his hand expecting money.
Bloodhound slapped a stack of cash into Ian's hand and Ian noticed something.
"The fuck's this? His is bigger than mine!" He asked loudly.
"You can settle your penis envy outside my office." Bloodhound said and inhaled his joint.
"I won the fight and he got paid more?" Ian asked again.
"More people bet on him, then he lost. That means the house made some good paper from that. And me being so fair and benevolent decided to give the fighter a cut that might encourage him to come again. Simple as that." Bloodhound explained charismatically.
"You told me about the winner's cut and the loser's cut." Ian reminded.
"That was the policy, then I saw the betting money. Plans change. Now fuck off." Bloodhound told Ian.
"Hey, this is way more than what we agreed. Thanks, bruv." The Ginger Tornado said to Bloodhound after counting his money.
"You fuck off too." Bloodhound said back and both fighters left the office quietly.
"At least I got what we agreed. The ginger cunt getting more than me takes nothing out of my bag." Ian thought while looking for his mates at the factory floor.
He made his way to the same spot where he and Lloyd chatted before the fight. He sent text messages to Ronnie and Lloyd telling them to join him where he is, and then waited.
"Should probably hand my phone over to Ronnie before fights so I don't break it inside the cage. But that fucker is just going to get it stolen from him so maybe not." He thought while waiting.
He noticed that he had other messages too.
"How the fuck did Cindy get my number my back?" He said out loud when he saw who the message was from.
"When you coming home? Also I noticed that I no longer had your number. Must have deleted while drunk but I asked for it back :)" The message from Cindy said.
"Ugh. She's expecting me to come back home tonight. Don't tell me she's staying awake just for me, thinking that something will happen between us. She better not be in my room." Ian murmured to himself.
"What's up." Lloyd's voice said from right next to Ian's ear and startled him.
"Jesus, mate!" Ian exclaimed.
"Sorry. Nice win you got." Lloyd said awkwardly and apologetically.
"I mean, it was easy. But the whole point was for you to watch and learn. Even you could have beaten that guy. I think he was high too."
"You got paid though." Lloyd pointed out and looked at the cash on Ian's hand.
"Yeah, I did. I guess it helps with my needs a little bit."
"And from your fight I learned to never have sportsmanship or to get in the cage while high." Lloyd said jokingly.
"Your mama's boy arse would never get high in any situation anyway." Ian joked back.
"And yours would?" Ronnie's voice said from Ian's other side where he couldn't see.
"Fuck, mate! Is everyone on a quest to frighten me?" Ian exclaimed.
"How did you like your opponent? Easy W, wasn't it?" Ronnie asked back, ignoring Ian's rhetorical question.
"Oh yeah, easy W under my belt to get that winning streak up. Doesn't improve my status in the eyes of these bloodthirsty animals here though. They bet on the ginger cunt and now there he is bathing in admiration because these people sympathise with him and admire how he got a cheapshot in." Ian said and pointed into the crowd where two gym rats had hoisted The Ginger Tornado on their shoulders as the people around them bounced to the rhythm of the music.
"That could be you one day if you get that winning streak up." Ronnie pointed out.
"These people will never see me as anything if I only beat losers and cans."
"Wasn't it just money you wanted? Why do you care about what these people think?"
"Didn't Bloodhound make it clear that if people bet on you, you make more money? Nobody's going to bother betting on The Ox versus The Rag. And it was you who set me up with that ginger cunt! You think that's going to do me any favours?" Ian complained.
"Hey, a win's a win." Ronnie said and let out a pig-like snort.
"Just don't set me up with any more losers. Let me just face whoever fate has decided to make my opponent." Ian requested.
"If you don't want to win then the choice is yours." Ronnie said back and took a swig of beer from a can.
Ian's phone buzzed and he checked it.
"Where you be, baby?" A message from Cindy said.
"Ugh. Hey, Lloyd." Ian said.
"Yeah?" Lloyd said back.
"Can I stay over at your house tonight?" Ian asked.
Lloyd seemed startled by the question.
"Why?" He asked Ian.
"I'm in trouble at home and don't want to face the consequences." Ian quickly lied.
"Wouldn't it be better to just face the consequences and get it over with?" Lloyd argued as if he dreaded the whole concept if Ian's idea.
"You wouldn't have to pick me up from my house when we go to school tomorrow." Ian pointed out.
"So you're coming to school tomorrow?" Lloyd asked.
"I will if you let me stay for the night."
"O...kay." Lloyd answered uncertainly.
"Great. Let's go." Ian said and was ready to leave.
"And hey, Maltman! The risky jobs are still on the table. If you want to make some real money!" Ronnie reminded but Ian was already out the door with Lloyd behind him.
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