Bleeding Violet [Rewriting]

08

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"You need to do better!" Lautaro shouts, irritation clear in the man's voice as it echoes through the building. Violet feels her body slowly tense up with her own irritation as she pushes herself up from the white training mat. She focuses on the person in front of her and stares them down with a narrowed eyed gaze. The other girl, Cassidy, narrows her own gaze at her partner's change of attitude before crouching into a fighting position.

"Alright, are you ready?" She asks, and Violet stiffly nods her head, a second of hesitation flashing in Cassidy's dark brown eyes. "Remember, you need to think with your head. Don't let your emotions take control." She reminds, and Violet shakes her arms loose, nodding her head almost dismissively.

"Begin!" Lautaro calls out, and Cassidy is quick to throw a right hook. Violet leans back and easily blocks the hit, the other girl's left hand sneaking up and landing a punch on Violet's stomach. She hunches over from the blow but knows she can take advantage of the new position. The girl runs forward and tackles Cassidy to the mat, pinning the others hands to the side of her head.

With swift movements, Cassidy wraps a leg around Violet's and trusts her hips to the side, knocking the girl to the mat and flipping their position. Before she can take over, Violet wraps her legs around her partner's neck tightly. Cassidy quickly grabs at the other's thighs, trying to pull them apart, but Violet only tightens her hold. Cassidy's eyes flash with resignation as she taps her partners calf three times, moving so Violet can release her.

"What will be your next move? It is very unlikely you will be fighting against someone your size. They may as well pick you up and slam you on the floor. That's a head injury." Lautaro lists out loudly as he moves away from the wall he is leaning against. Seeming to see all of Violet's mistakes instead of her achievements, but the girl has learned that compliments are scarce.

The young girl lets her head slam back on the mat with a heavy sigh and stares up at the warehouse roof that mocks her from above. Suddenly, a shadow looms over her as a hand reaches down, and Violet grabs it as Cassidy easily pulls her to her feet. The girl raises a brow at the small smirk on the others face and glances back at Lautaro, who is berating another fighter.

"Nathaniel got weed this morning, wanna hit it?" Cassidy asks lowly, and Violet can not help the grin that grows on her face, nodding. She was first given a blunt while with a group of kids on the streets of Italy, but after she got enlisted in to the Accardi mafia, the drug was handed around secretly. Lautaro turns and watches the two young girls laugh quietly with each other before they rush out of the room, his eyes narrowing as he dismisses the pair in front of him.

After Violet washes up, she joins Cassidy in the main hall, and together, they make their way to an empty office. Upon entering, Violet finds two other boys in the room with Nathaniel sitting between them. Nathaniel quickly looks up at the sound of the door opening and can not help but grin at the sight of his friend.

"I didn't know you smoked this stuff, V." One of the boys jokes, and the young girl rolls her eyes before taking a seat on the armrest of her friend's chair. Carefully, Nathaniel pulls out a clear bag filled with the familiar dark green plant, and Violet feels her body buzz with excitement. She instinctively glances behind them towards the door to make sure they are still safe, but her eyes widen at the looming shadow in the doorway.

"Nate!" She whispers loudly, and the boy snaps his head up at the call, turning around. He slowly puts the bag back in his jacket pocket as his eyes flash with nervousness. Giovanni never liked the liable kids on drugs, constantly inspecting their rooms and clothes because he believed it dulled their senses.

"Oh, don't stop on my account," Lautaro speaks calmly, causing the rest of the group to tense and turn in his direction. Lautaro is seen as Giovanni's pitbull. He is used to scare people and kids into compliance. If they still do not listen, then Giovanni will handle them himself. Violet closes her eyes and sighs softly as the older man speaks again. "All of you leave, now. Except for you two, Nathaniel and Violet."