Chapter 2

Violet's POV

I hear distant voices, that are slowly dragging me out of my peaceful sleep. I open one eye, looking at my sister sitting next to my feet. I see her peer down at me.

"You fell asleep on the sofa." She states, looking back up at the blaring TV.

"Yeah I can see that squirt." I mutter, pulling myself up into a sitting position. "Did you have to turn on the TV at," I look down at my watch. "At 7:30am? Why'd you have to wake me up!"

Kylie smirks at me, that little devil. "Cause then it wouldn't be any fun, and stop calling me squirt!"

"Squirt, squirt, squirt, squirt." I say, "I would consider you asking me to stop calling you squirt, but you were the one who woke me up!" I point out mischievously.

"Ugh, whatevs." Kylie says, rolling her eyes.

"Did you just say 'watevs?'" I question, raising my brow.

"Yeah it's what all girls my age say!" Kylie says, looking at me like I was a ghost.

"Well it's weird, so don't say it. You sound like a cringey teenage girl."

"I am a teenage girl!"

"Kylie you're twelve! You still have a yea," I say in disbelief. "Trust me, enjoy being young while you can."

"Whatevs." She says getting up, as she walks to the kitchen. I roll my eyes, glancing back at the television.

"We hardly have any food!" Kylie yells, as she looks up from the fridge.

"I know, I'm going shopping today." I say, "want to come with me? I also have to go to your new school, you can check it out before tomorrow."

"Sure, sounds good." She replies, as she walks into her bedroom.

"Great, we leave in 30 minutes!" I yell, walking into my bedroom to get changed.

>>>

"We'll quickly stop at your school, then mine, after that we go to the shops... Sound good?" I ask, as we both climb onto the bike.

"Yep, let's go." I rev the engine and we set off. I guide the bike down the endless streets before we stop at a huge beige building, the American flag waving proudly at the front of the glass doors. We get off my bike, and I quickly put my keys in the pocket of my leather jacket. We walk through the main entrance to the PTA (parent-teacher association) shop, where they sell books, textbooks, stationary, etc. After buying all of the stuff Kylie needs, I ask the receptionist there to print out her timetable. We then leave the elementary school, and quickly stop off at my high school before making our way to the grocery store.

Kylie and I walk pass the fruit isle with our shopping trolley, as I study the small list I made with one of my old notepads.

"Grab some fruit would you?" I mutter to Kylie, picking up some oranges.

"Will do." She says, picking up a few things and dropping it into the trolley. We almost have everything we need, we just need some bread and more milk.

"Go get some bread, I'll get the milk. I'll meet you by the checkout counters."

"Okay, see you in a sec." Kylie replies, turning on her heal and walking to a different isle.

I push the trolley to the dairy isle, searching for milk, I see something move in the corner of my eye. When I look up I see a boy around my age,  his dark brown hair is ruffled messily, and his piercing amber eyes stare back into my grey ones.

I turn my head, going back to the task at hand, when I look back up a few seconds later he had disappeared. I grab two cartons of milk, put them into the trolley, and make my way to the checkout. Kylie is already there, impatiently tapping her foot on the tiles.

"What took you so long?" She questions me, "nothing and it was not that long." I quickly manage to reply, before walking up to one of the checkouts.

I carry the two shopping bags back to my motorbike, Kylie by my side. I place the bags into the small compartment space on my bike, while Kylie puts the helmet over her head.

"How did you enroll us in school without Mum?" Kylie asks me, as we walk into our flat.

"I used her ID, I called the school pretending to be her." I reply, Kylie already knows about what I do for a living, and she knows we have to lay low in case child services find us.

"Oh." She replies nonchalantly, "could we have some lunch now? It's already 12."

"Sure, I'll make sandwiches," I say, putting our shopping bags onto the island counter. I start to put the food away, and start making lunch.

>>>

The rest of the day was very relaxed, me and Kylie just talked or watched some TV. It was already 8pm, and Kylie was getting ready to sleep. While I was going to check out the underground street fighting.

"There, finished brushing my teeth." Kylie says as she walks into her bedroom, with me following close behind.

"Okay, I am going to go check something out I'll be back in an hour. You going to be okay?" I ask her.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I'm just gonna go to sleep." Kylie says, yawning.

"Okay, I'll lock the door when I leave. If anyone knocks, don't answer." I tell her sternly.

"I won't, I promise!" She was so brave for her age.

"Okay good, I'll have my keys on me so I can open the door myself." I say, kissing her forehead. I go to walk out the door, I switch off the lights in her bedroom. "Good night," I say before closing the door.

--

Getting on my motorbike, I pull the hood of my jumper over my head. As I rev the engine and start riding around town, looking for some sort of bar. After around 5 minutes of going around aimlessly, I hear shouting and cheering coming from a tacky looking building. Bingo. I park my bike around the corner of the building, keeping it hidden. I sling my small rucksack over my shoulder, and walk into the bar. The strong and pungent smell of alcohol and sweat greeted me as I walked in, I breathed it in as the adrenaline rushed through me. I loved to fight, your mind just went completely blank, the only thing you're focused on is your opponent.

I go to sign my name up, the hood of my sweater still up. I quickly scribble down the name 'shadow,' it was a nickname my Dad gave me when he first started teaching me how to fight. He would tell me I was great at sneaking up on people - like a shadow. I walked over to the bar and sat down on one of the stools, watching two men who were fighting at the moment. I roll my eyes, both their forms were terrible. A bartender came up to me, he was quite old and he looked around fifty. His blonde hair had some grey strands, and the wrinkles around his eyes became more prominent as he smiled.

"Can I get you something?" He asks me.

"I'm alright, but would you be able to store my bag for me while I fight?" I ask, holding up my small rucksack.

"You're fighting?" The man asks, his eyebrows raised in shock.

"Yeah, I suggest you bet on me if you wanna earn some money," I say as I while winking at him. He smiles back.

"I like you girlie, full of fire! I'm Jimmy by the way." He says, offering a hand. I shake it back with a smile. "I'm Vi," I say, giving him my nickname.

"Nice to meet ya, well sure I can hold your bag," says Jimmy, as he starts cleaning some shot glasses.

"Thanks." I say, as I get out my tape and start wrapping my knuckles. Then I hear the announcer declare my fight number, and I quickly hand my bag to Jimmy. Getting up I jog over to the ring.

"Up next is one of the finest fighters we've had... The Hellraiser! and we have a new fighter.... Shadow!" The announcer screeches into the microphone. Some people boo, and others cheer. Waving cash around and making bets. The hood is still covering my face, as I raise my arms and go into protective stance.

"Only rules are: you can't kill nobody! So lets start the fight in 3.....2......1....FIGHT!" Yells the announcer.

The 'Hellraiser' was a big and burly man, he was a few inches shorter than me though, nevertheless he lunged at me and I quickly dodged it. He lets out a growl, and tries to throw a punch which I block. I find an opening and push my palm up at his nose, a loud crack filled the space. He groans in agony, and throws another punch. He manages to hit my cheek, I bite back a groan, and I send a powerful right hook to his temple, he falls to the ground. He's been knocked out.

It was silent for a moment as the crowd realised what had happened, until they all erupt in cheers and claps. I walk away from the ring, collecting my money from the man who ran the bets. I count up the money, 700 dollars, not bad. I walk back up to the bar, Jimmy looking at me with a huge grin.

"Lovely fight Vi, I bet for you ya know." He says, passing my bag back to me.

"Thanks, I'll see you later." I say as I walk out.

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