Tyler's POV
The door opened with a soft click and Ace peered inside, his eyes swivelling towards me and I stared at him puzzled, wondering why he was creeping around. "Hey. . ." He drawled out. I nodded my head towards him to show him that I acknowledged his presence and stuffed the last article of clothing into my gym bag.
He closed the door behind him and sauntered towards me, his eyes moving towards the gym bag slung over my shoulders. "Where are you going?" He asked.
"The bar."
"What? You're not scheduled for tonight." He exclaimed and I shrugged as I slipped on my sneakers. "Then I'll fit myself in the schedule. I need to get some steam out." I replied, he raised his hands in the air in exasperation and shouted a response, asking me why I didn't just say so.
I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the room with Ace beside me. By the look on his face, I knew that he could sense my uneasiness. I never go to the bar unless I'm on the schedule and Ace knows that you just don't go down there and demand to fight but I don't care.
I'd rather go to the bar than a gym.
My eyes swivelled towards Arabella's dorm room and with a sigh I averted my eyes from it, ignoring Ace's intense stare. We made our way into the elevator and I leaned against the wall, flickering my eyes shut as my mind drifted back to Arabella's and I conversation.
"What are we going to do, Tyler?"
"I don't know."
She broke down into a sobbing mess and I willed myself to not join in as I lowered myself down beside her and pulled her into my arms. She wrapped her arms around my waist, her head laying on my thighs as I caressed her cheek softly, ever so often wiping away a tear that trickled down her cheek.
"I don't want to do this. . ."
"I don't want you to either." Her hand tightened around my thigh, her nails digging into my skin and her tears sank into the material of my jeans but I didn't complain.
Was this my life now? A series of unfortunate events? Was my life only misfortunes? Was I not allowed to finally be happy?
First my parents, now Arabella. Everyone I care about keeps getting ripped away from me one way or another. I've barely gotten my parents back and this is already happening.
I was finally happy.
But all things must come to an end, right?
Arabella's happiness, mine.
"Can you promise me something?" She whispered softly. I peered down at her, nodding my head softly as her tear-stained eyes gazed up at me. "Promise me that you'll stick by my side until the wedding day."
"Arabella–"
"Please Tyler. I know how this looks, I–I know I'm asking a lot from you and you don't deserve this. If there's no way for me to get out of this bind then at least grant me this. Your support until it comes." She exclaimed frantically. I sighed deeply and flickered my eyes shut, and there it was; tears pricking at my eyes.
"Okay."
"I'm sorry about all of this." She sniffled. I nodded my head numbly, mumbling to her that it was okay. Although it really was not okay, none of this was okay and it'll never be. I hope her parents pay for this, I hope they realized how much they've broken their daughter, all they've taken away from her even if it were only for five years.
I hope they know they've lost the one person who adored them so dearly.
I hope it's worth their loss.
~ ~ ~
"Blaze! Ace Mr-house-of-cards, what are you guys doing here?" Ludo–our mentor asked as he pulled us into the room and slammed the metal door shut behind him. I dropped my bag onto the worn-out leather couch and turned towards him, "I wanna fight tonight." I said stoically.
He frowned deeply and spun around as if I were talking to the wall then turned back towards me puzzled. "It's not your night."
"Yeah he's aware of that Sherlock Holmes, just put him on the damn schedule it won't hurt no one. Well, it will literally but you know what I mean." Ace muttered as he hiked his feet up onto the glass centrepiece and flashed Ludo a tight-lipped smile.
"Tyler you know how these people feel about–"
"I don't give a shit and a rats ass what these people think. I can deal with them when the time is right just put me on the schedule. I don't care if no one sponsors me tonight I don't wanna fight for the money, I need to let this anger out and I can only do it if I'm in the ring. Now get me on the damn schedule Ludo, my anger does not have a clock."
"You heard the man!" Ace clapped his hands loudly and smiled once again and I desperately wanted to march over there and slap that creepy smile off his face but I can't blame the guy, he was always himself here.
A less annoying more creepy asshole. But I'd much prefer the guy who agrees that a hot dog is a sandwich. "Fine! But if you anger anyone out there."
"He'll–we'll deal with it. Damn Ludo have you always been this much of a chatterbox because I can't recall for the love of God." Ace mumbled confusedly and I racked my brain to understand whether or not he was being genuine with his question or sarcastic.
I rolled my eyes and motioned towards Ludo who sighed and typed my name onto the laptop which was connected to the television that hung above the bar for everyone to see.
"When am I fighting?"
"Now."
~ ~ ~
"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight we have a little change in our schedule. Joining the ring with Keelin Powers is the one and only, Blaze!"
No matter how long I've been here I've never been able to adjust to all the screams and cheers I would receive whenever my name was called. The first time I came here, no one even batted their eyes when they saw this feeble guy stumble across the stage appearing as if he were lost.
Everyone was rooting for my downfall at first but when I took down their most prized possession who was their reigning champion for a year, well I became the beloved Blaze that everyone now adores.
The man who would lick at your skin like fire with one blow and knock you out before you could blink your eye from his speed.
That was me–I'm that guy.
As I climbed onto the stage a smirk slid across my lips when the metal barb-wired gates slammed shut behind me. I flickered my gaze around the dimly lit bar, my eyes catching sight of women who had no shame in showing their bare chests to me and men who spat my name in disgust or cheered me on like I was their saviour.
Like I said, I'll never get used to it.
A low growl coming from before me caught my attention and I snapped my head towards my opponent. Keelin, 5'9, Vietnamese, a man who hated me more than I could comprehend since he was a loyal follower of the first reigning champion here.
Well, he was more like a lost puppy trailing behind a dog.
I noticed many faults in Keelin even before the fight could commence. The faded bruise against his cheek which only meant that not long ago he received a fatal punch right there which most likely fractured his jaw, and if it's only now fading that means it hasn't fully healed.
Or the way his hand fidgeted every other second which possibly meant that he had some kind of tick which translates into him pausing every other second. That's a second longer I get to attack, I am Blaze, after all, the man with incredible speed and agility.
All I needed to focus on were those ticks and that jaw. Those are my aims tonight and I'll put him down faster than he can say boo.
"Gentleman shake hands!"
I smirked and outstretched my hands, Keelin sneered down at my hand and I knew in that moment he would play my own trick on me and slap my hand and attack first but I was one step ahead of him so when he did exactly that I latched onto his hand tightly and tugged him towards me before smashing my forehead against his nose and smiling at the loud crack that emitted from it the moment it came into contact with me.
He cried out in pain and stumbled back as blood gushed out from his nose. There, in that second he fidgeted and hesitated to throw the next punch both from the blow and his unfortunate ticks. I wrapped my hand around his arm and lunged him towards the gates.
His back slammed against it and he tumbled to the floor with a huff. C'mon what fun is this if he puts no effort!?
"Come on, Keelin. FIGHT ME!"
I gave him a chance to regain his strength and he sprung up from the floor and raised his leg up high in a round kick but I grabbed it before it could come in contact with my waist and jabbed him right on top of his knee cap.
He cried out in agony once again and I rolled my eyes before shoving him against the ground. Guess this really is easier than I expected. I'm gonna have to fight other guys tonight if I really wanna get some anger out.
I straddled him against the floor and raised my bloody fists in the air and brought it down against his face, not too strongly to actually fracture his jaw again but enough to keep him from talking for weeks.
Keelin tried his hardest to block my punches with his hands but failed miserably as he thrashed from beneath me. I propped a knee against his abdomen and smirked, "just tap out you waste of time." I snapped as I wrapped my hand around his throat and leaned in closer so that our noses touched.
"Tap out before I kill you."
He slammed his palm against the floor and the loud familiar buzzer went off. The sound of everyone's cheers brought me back to reality and for a second I forgot they were even here. Normally that's what I would do to focus on a fight.
Block out everyone's voices because it throws me off my game.
This however was barely game, I could have touched his chest with my pinky and he would have gone flying against the fence. "Now who wants to have a real fight with me!?"
~ ~ ~
"Do you feel better?" Ace asked as we trekked down the dark pathway and stumbled up the stairs that led to the entrance of the bar. "Yeah, that last fight he really did put in his all. That was a real fight I must say, Keelin was literally baby food and he was grinding my gears by not fighting back." I replied as we pushed the doors open and stepped out into the dark alley.
Ace climbed out after me and we sauntered away from the door, chatting amongst ourselves until the door slammed loudly behind us which meant someone was leaving or we had company.
I think the latter will do.
"Blaze! The big bad wolf!" I spun around slowly and smirked in response to four of Keelin's buddies who were all squared up before Ace and I. No weapons were visible but knowing these men they like to fight dirty and if they wanna fight dirty then I'll give them a fight.
Every fight in that bar is orchestrated by our boss but this one was pure, fresh and new. Just the right amount of anger I needed. "What can I do for you?"
"I don't know who you think you are waltzing in here demanding to fight on a night that isn't even yours. You think you're king–all hail the mighty Blaze! But no! I'm sick and tired of you beating us down, you fought against Keelin tonight and god knows he wouldn't have had a broken nose tonight if you didn't come, in every story the king falls one way or another!"
As he gave his little heartfelt speech I didn't miss the way his friends closed in on Ace and I and yet still no weapon was in sight. Did they really wanna outnumber me with their fists!? They're dumber than they look.
"This is illegal mixed martial arts fights, buddy, what do you expect? A pat on the back and a lollipop? Go fuck yourself and see how that works out." Ace scoffed from beside me. And for once in his entire life, I'm happy for his big mouth because all he's gonna do is rile up our opponents and I need a good fight.
"Fighters–real fighters know how to endure pain despite whatever injury they have sustained," I exclaimed, stepping closer to Ace who sent me the signature wink, our calling card for when he goes left and I go right.
"Wanna test that theory?" He asked as he closed in on us.
I turned towards Ace and mirrored his venomous smirk before we both nodded our heads at one another simultaneously. "Say no more, boys."