To Live Is To Fight (#2)

Chapter 5

"Pix, remember that tonight's fight would be more brutal and less relenting than your previous fights so you really need to give it your all out there." I nodded at his words. How could I forget, the last fight I had during this competition forced me into messing up a man's healing leg which resulted in an angered big brother bear.

I shuddered at the memory, at the vague feeling of the panic I felt that night when the guy would've beaten me to pulp if I hadn't swiped at his leg. That one was a close call and to think that it was just a warm up spiked a worry in me.

It didn't help that Levy, of all people, looked genuinely nervous for me. Levy the Great simply does not do 'nervous'. He either gets cocky or worried; nothing more and nothing less. So to see him actually get nervous for me was setting a loud alarm in my head.

It wasn't every day you see the big great Lev being almost scared for someone else. He doesn't even get scared when it concerns himself. I don't know whether to fear for my life or feel honored.

I zoned in back to see him there staring at me in annoyance.

"Can you please stop spacing out on me? This is bloody serious. I do not have any sick desire of slipping in your funeral into my already-tightly-packed schedule, Pix."

I sighed, managing to simply nod my head to his words. He thinks that I didn't listen to him because I was taking the matter too lightly when it's the complete opposite of the feelings coursing to me.

One single hard look could tell you that I was not okay in re-entering this competition. My only motivation was gone and lack of motivation and decreasing adrenaline can only bring you death in that arena.

I breathed out shakily, trying to not let my lack of courage from shining through the stone mask made for myself.

By the time that I managed to kick my wariness down a notch, a knock on the door brought it back ten times as fast. I groaned loudly and I guess whoever was on the other side took it as a signal to open the door.

"You're next, let's go." The woman said. Her earpiece was lodged into her ear as usual and I sighed, slapping my thighs before standing on both of my knees, pushing aside my worries.

Admitting the feelings to yourself would make it realer than when you deny them so that was what I did.

I chanted a small mantra in my head and it took me some time to actually listen to it and cave into the words.

"You're strong, you can do this. You can do this. You're strong enough."

I nodded to myself. You can do this, Casey.

I pictured Bryant smiling at me, fist pumping the air and cheering me on and that was all it took for me to regain all the confidence I lost.

Plastering a smirk onto my face, I tilted my chin further upwards and walked with more determination in my steps. Levy seemed to notice the difference in me as he grinned at me and patted my back; hard.

Laughter forces its way out of me that surprises us both. I've been so gloomy lately that I couldn't remember when I let a genuine laugh out of my system.

"Let's go, the bitch is back in the house," I announced aloud, winking at Lev who grinned at my antics. Even with our five year of age gap, Lev was like a brother more than anything else.

We walked out of the room and to the stairs where everything gave me a slight sense of déjà vu.

"Good luck, Pix. Watch yourself out there." I nodded at Levy's words and decided not to pay too much attention at the uncertainty tone in his voice.