Star Crossed [h.s]

03

The billowing smoke and repeated crashing of the music was enough to send my body into overdrive. I flinched away at the slightest of touches, and jumped every time the crowd roared to life over the fight that was happening.

I tried my best to not make eye contact with Louis, though every time I glanced in his direction I could see him nervously watching me like he had promised to both me and my dad.

I tried everything that I could to not engage with the fights that were happening. I tried with all of my power to keep my attention away from the ring and to serve the customers the best that I could.

I'd say that I had done fairly well. I had only stolen a few glances here and there when the fighters were announced, but that was it. I didn't look to the stage one single time as the fights were happening.

It didn't matter how loud the crowd was, or how long the fight lasted. I had no urge to engage with what was happening in the arena.

Though, in all of my preparations for the night, nothing could have prepared me for the main event.

Even before the announcer came through the speakers, the crowd was already roaring to life. I didn't understand why until the lights dimmed and a spotlight flashed towards the door where the fighters had been coming out from all night.

I nearly tripped over my own feet as I tried to steal a glance at what the people were screaming over, but all I could see was the still closed door. Then, the announcer came through.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we have all been waiting for! The final fight of the evening, and dare I say, the best for last— an all around fan favorite..." He paused as the crowd went absolutely berserk. "May I present... Carnage!"

Haunting music began to come out of the speakers, and that was the first major difference I spotted from any of the other fights. Carnage was the only fighter who received an intro like this.

In a flash the doors were swung open and a man in a dark colored jacket emerged, his hood drawn up over his head to hide his face. As he stepped out from the doorway the music picked up and he slowly raised his head up towards the crowd— though I could tell he wasn't looking at them. Instead his attention was down on the floor.

The arena was on a slightly level lower than the main seating of the club. On the side of the bar I was working, to get to the back rooms or the arena, you had to walk down a small flight of stairs. However, on the other side there was no way to get to the arena. It was barricaded off, a complete story above the rest of the seating.

Anika told me that was where the important members of the club stayed. She had only worked up there once, but she didn't give any specifics on it. All she said was she'd never do it again.

A few of the women around me went wild, and once Carnage's face was visible I could tell why most of the women in particular liked him. My brows raised and I tilted my head to the side as I attempted to give him a good look. The lighting was bad, and his face was still shadowed, but I could still make out most of his features.

By the looks of him, he couldn't be more than a year or two older than I was. Maybe 21 or 22. He had a bit of a baby face, though his features were still strong and defined. His build was also etched to perfection. Each of his muscles were toned, flexing with every small movement that he made. He had tattoos that littered the parts of his legs that were exposed from his shorts down, while his chest and stomach were also completely covered in ink.

I found myself struggling to pull my eyes away from him as the spotlight followed him up to the ring.

I quickly made my way around my area, checking the customers and making sure that all of their orders were completed in time for the main event. That was something that Anika made sure I knew about. Apparently customers will go crazy if they have to place an order while the main event is happening.