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A FEELING OF CAMARADERIE had enveloped the club members. Each and every one of them looked forward to the meetings, going through the day filled with anticipation for when the bell rang three-fifteen.
Their next order of business was learning how to engage in one-on-one fighting. Through suggestions from PJ, they had all come to the decision to gather in a circle while two members of the club fought in the middle. It was the best way to observe the skills that each person possessed.
Blood had been shed, flesh had been bruised. Hues of blue and purple had stained the skin of each girl, though they all wore the welts like a badge of honour. Pride had consumed them all. The confidence they all had gained from physically tackling their friends to the floor, the joy they got from the applause that followed, every little thing made the girls excited to engage in battle.
They looked forward to being slapped and kicked just as much as they looked forward to doing the slapping and kicking. Who knew how much joy would come from balling up a fist and throwing it with great force against someone's face.
Nell's face had been decorated with every shade of purple and blue that existed. Her right eye had been blackened, the socket almost caved in at one point, courtesy of Slyvie. Did she care though? No fucking way! She'd learned more about defending herself in that club, more about taking a punch and more about getting back on her feet every time she was forced to her knees than she ever would have learned had she'd been left to struggle alone.
And she knew the other girls felt the same. All of them were united in empowering themselves and their fellow women, even PJ and Josie, who had initially started the club as means to hook up with Isabel and Brittany.
Now she found herself light on her feet in the middle of the girls, standing opposite Hazel for their first physical encounter. To say that the idea of tackling Hazel to the floor, pinning her down and watching her struggle beneath her didn't excite her would be a fucking lie!
The two danced around, neither willing to make the first move or throw the first punch. It was seemingly a battle of wills, both wondering who would give in first? Nell found herself somewhat transfixed upon the large bruise that expanded across Hazel's jaw on the right side of her face. It had begun to discolour, turning from the usual blue and purple hues of a fresh bruise to that of the greener shade of one in the healing stage. She remembered when Hazel had gotten it during an encounter with Brittany, she remembered wincing in pain for the Callahan girl and she also remembered the twinkle that filled Hazel's eyes when she walked around afterwards.
