Bugged

Chapter One

“So stupid, won’t even listen to your own girlfriend” I heard Mason say, angering Jordan even more, making his punches noticeably harder and faster.

“Jordan!” I screamed again, and this time he stopped and looked at me. Shaking his head, he got up, and walked to me. Mason got up as well, grinning.

I screamed just in time. As Mason was just about to get in another punch, Jordan whirled around, and punched him in his already bloody, and probably broken nose, knocking him out.

“Lex, I’m sorry. I-I don’t know what that was. I just, snapped.” He admitted. He looked guilty. I wonder what this fight is all about.

“Jordan, why are you two fighting?” I asked suddenly.

“I. Can’t. Tell. You.” He said it very choppy and cringed. His fists were balled up, and I didn’t know what to say to him. He seemed so worried, so scared. I will find out why.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It’s been two days since the fight, and the horrid art show. The art wasn’t even good, it was all sixth grader special ed art. But I still had to work it, without pay, and no sleep.

At least today is Saturday, and no one cares what I’m doing, no one looks for me, and there are no meetings. No distractions. So I get to spend all day at the gym, and all night in the ring.

Meeting Landen at the gym brought my spirits back up. He owns the gym and runs The Rings, with tribal tattoos all down his left arm. But, today, someone new was here.

“Hey Lex, how was school this week?” Landen said, hugging me tight.

“Meh, it was school,” I responded, breaking the all too intimate embrace, “Hey, who’s that?” I said, pointing to the unknown man in the corner

Landen smacked my hand away,” Don’t point! That’s not nice,” he said, sarcastically, but still a little serious, and leaned close to my ear whispering, “He’s the owner of The Rings, and buys the fighters. I can’t let you fight tonight sweetheart, he takes the best fighters to somewhere far away and does something to them, brainwashes them. He wants you, but I told him that you weren’t here. I can’t let him take you away” He said, in a voice so strained and filled with emotion, I would’ve never thought it was him.

“Wait, I can’t fight?! But, you know this is what I look forward to every week! I’m the best fighter! I can’t just sit back and watch!” I whisper-yelled at him, moving back a little, but still close enough that he could hear my whispering. This couldn’t happen. I have to fight.

“Sorry baby girl, but you can’t fight this whole week. He’s staying for a while, searching for you, Nightwalker. It’s too dangerous.” He grabbed my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. I nodded. “Good. Now, giggle and walk out of here, he’s watching, and I can’t let him know it’s you” Trying to play off his lie, he pulled me closer and kissed me.

Following his instruction, yet still completely confused, I walked out of the gym, and back to my dorm at the campus a couple blocks out of the town. I couldn’t help but cry, I mean, he just said I wasn’t allowed to fight for the whole week! This is so unfair.

Taking the day off was hard. Jordan wasn’t here, he went to a concert, which I told him I didn’t want to go to and to go without me, note he didn’t like that idea at all, and Casey wasn’t home either, which was strange, because she likes to stay home. Must’ve gone to the mall or something to get some new clothes. Winter is coming and all we have is summer clothes, some jeans, a couple jackets that we share, and gym clothes. I wish I could’ve gone with her though, some of my jeans don’t fit right anymore.