𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒔 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒍𝒅

CHAPTER 16

Authors note at the bottom, PLEASE READ!
______
After leaving this morning, Cole and I had a lovely breakfast at a diner about 10 minutes away from my house. While we were there, he explained that he had a few ideas about what we should do today. I thought he meant going to the beach or the mall, but I was very wrong.

He turned on some Tyler, The Creator in his car and we both just sat in silence, enjoying that we were both at peace for the first time in a while. With my head turned towards my side window, I watched as we passed by the familiar streets of our small town. The people walking on the sidewalks and the birds flying high brought comfort to me, strangely.

My mind wandered back to the police station, the thoughts slowly coming to me after many hours of nothingness. I wasn't overwhelmed with them but definitely uneasy. The main question was, How much trouble will I be in if the truth gets out? But I only grazed at it, barely letting my mind grasp at its deadly venom. Allowing myself to be happy for just a few more moments, hoping that it will last until the end of the day.

We turned down a familiar dirt road, which brought me out of my head. I knew this road, quite well actually, but I hadn't been here since-

"Lilith," Cole spoke, trying to grab my attention. Turning my head his way, I mumbled a quiet 'what' to say that I had heard him. "Stick near me when we enter the place I wanted to show you. I know you can stick up for yourself, but I just want to know you are safe." He uttered pretty possessively.

I turned back to the long dirt and muttered, "Yeah, sure, whatever you want." My brain started to throb, a headache was approaching, and I wasn't looking forward to it.

We were nearing the end of the dirt road, and I was suspicious of where we were going. The only other place down this road was an old farming station that got shut down and- OH MY GOD. The only other place was my old fighting warehouse. The one I spent most of my hours in and the site where I killed my first person. It was one hundred percent by accident, but it changed me. For the better or worse? That's tough to answer.

Nerves and excitement filled my stomach, and my headache was the least of my worries. How on earth did Cole find out about this place? Better yet, I know one person who will be extremely angry with me that I haven't seen them. Oh fuck.

The familiar rough surface of the dirt holes in the ground shook the car, and I watched as the large grey warehouse came into our view. It was precisely the same, apart from some more vines growing from the bottom up. I still remember the day I walked out of here for the first time with Benny- my old fight coach. I hope he still has the calmness he had a year and a bit ago.

Once Cole parked the car next to the few others that were there, I jumped out, basically throwing myself into the open air in hopes to reach inside quicker than humanly possible. I was stopped by the voice of Colten asking me to wait for him, and just because I didn't want to, I stayed anyway. My body felt rushed if that was even possible.

I watched Colten punch the postcode into the lock of the large metal front doors and push them open once he was finished. Distant sounds of heavy grunting and things being thrown to the ground filled the empty front hallway. My feet moved on their own, walking faster than Cole and leading their way to the sounds being heard. He followed in silence, confused about what was happening and how I knew where to go.

The sounds got louder and louder, yelling could now be heard, and you knew that voice very well. I paused before walking into the open for all fighters and whoever was there to see. I steadied my breath and glanced back at Cole before walking straight through the door. Everything was how I had remembered, the boxing bags in a corner, the yoga mats all placed in a circle and the ring. Everything had a place, and I liked that.