Change and Secrets

Chapter 24

The familiar smell of sweat and alcohol hit her nose as Rose entered the hall. 
She had heard the loud music, cheering, applause, and voices long before. Closing her eyes she enjoyed it for a moment. Being here always made her feel free. It was like all the weight on her shoulders was taken down. 

Rose walked over to the ring to find Tom, he had written her that he was already there and had someone who wanted to fight her. 
She might even find her family and Kayla and Kayson there. They wanted to come today too, luckily no one planned to fight Rose.

There were two brunette girls in the ring. About eighteen and well trained.
One of the girls was familiar to Rose, Liena. A great boxer and fourth on the bad girls' list. 
In the ring, she was almost as worse as Rose was. She liked that girl because she was quick-witted too.

Watching the girls fight, she didn't recognize how someone stepped behind her and put his arms around her neck. 
"There's my Sweetie", Tom greeted her, she turned and kissed his cheek over her cloth. 
"What did I miss?", she asked him then. 

"A lot, but I'll tell you later. There's someone eager to defeat you", Tom told her, his arms slipping down to her waist. While no one of the Bads knew of them being a couple yet, they had been pretty open with it all along. 

"Defeat me? Did he forget that I'm Rose? I haven't been defeated in years." Tom laughed and lifted his hands in a defensive manner. 
"I asked him if he knew who you are and what he's doing, but he still wanted to fight you and I came to the conclusion that he has to be totally insane."

"Sounds promising", she replied with a smirk. Tom took her hand and led her closer to the ring. 
"You see that boy over there? The one with the blue-green hair?" He pointed at a boy on the other side of the ring. He wore jeans and a black shirt, his arms were tattooed and his body well-trained. 

That didn't have to mean something. Rose was trained, but not as much as him, still she was better than most of these guys.
"What's his name?", she asked, looking up into Tom's green eyes. God, she loved those eyes too much. 

"Sam and if you haven't fallen for my eyes and charm too much, you see that he's friends with the Halfbloods." He smirked and looked down at her. 
"Oh stop it", she exclaimed and crossed her arms, turning her head away from his. 

"Don't be mad." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest. Then he kissed the top of her head. "I fall for you even more. I love you, my Sweetie", he whispered close to her ear.
"I love you too."

Then she focused on Sam, Tom was right, he was standing with her family. 
"I think I'll have a lot of fun defeating him", she told Tom, who smiled.
"You'll fight after me. I'll fight against a boy called Amsel", Tom informed her, while the winner of this fight was announced. Of course, it was Liena. 

The referee started to announce the next fighters, which would be Tom and Amsel. Cheering was heard, while they climbed into the ring. Rose remained behind the ropes and took Tom's shirt. 
"Wanna make a bet, Sweetie?", he asked and leaned over the ropes to her. 
"I'm listening." She looked at him expecting.

"It's a time bet. I bet I'll win in, let's say six and a half minutes."
"Okay. I say you will need a little more than seven minutes", she betted and shook hands with Tom. 

With a last wink, he turned around and went to the middle of the ring and faced Amsal, a brunette boy, square-build, and muscular. However, Tom was ripped and better-looking. 
Amsal could be scary, but he rather seemed cool. 
Rose took her phone out and started the timer as the referee gave the start. 

Amsal immediately attacked with a punch directed at Tom's face, but Tom dodged. Next came a side hook, Tom blocked and countered with a punch in the side. Then he stepped a few steps back and let Amsal take in the basic position before they attacked each other again.