"Jaxon," my father yelled from the living room. "Get your ass down here, we are leaving in a few minutes!" My chest was filled with butterflies as I stepped out of the small room that I lived in.

There are only two ways for the next few hours of life would go. Either I would do everything perfectly and get some money by the end of the night, or I would completely fuck up everything and get my ass beat when I got back home.

I was obviously hoping for the first option but that didn't mean it was going to happen.

"I'm ready when you are," I answer when I walk into the dingy living room where my father is waiting with a sick smile on his face.

He's heavy hand comes to clap my shoulder before sliding it's way up to my neck where it stays. It traps me from doing anything as he leads me out of the house and to the brand new looking car that my dad bought a few months ago instead of food or rent. 

I shiver as I step out into the cold air and cringe as I think about how I'll be fighting with numb limbs tonight. That isn't going to be fun at all. 

"You're fighting Tommy's boy tonight." He states as he forces me into the back seat of the car. 

"Tom's boy is twice my size, that's not fair." I point out with a frown on my face. 

"And that's why a lot of people will bid against you and I'll get a shit ton of money when you kick his ass." 

"There's no way I can beat Tom's kid, are you trying to make me loose my winning streak?" I asked, slightly offended but trying to not let it slip into my voice. 

"I'm trying to make enough money to pay rent this month. Unless you want to get your worthless ass out there and find a job." He said bitterly as he drove streetlights without a care in the world.

It was slowly getting darker meaning we were going to be late if he didn't drive faster and would have to pay an extra fee for signing in late. 

"You need to hurry up or we are going to be late." I point out with a slight eye roll.

 "I know what I'm fucking doing." He snapped at me before stomping on the gas. "You better watch that tongue of yours before you get yourself in trouble." I only roll my eyes at him as I look out the window. 

It's dark by the time we get to the normal spot under an old bridge on the outskirts of town that has always been the unsaid meeting place for our fights.

 The second we pull under the bridge and get parked in the huge circle that made a fighting ring, my father was out of the car and signing us up with the rest of the pathetic people here.

I can't help but roll my eyes when he forgets to keep the headlights on so we could actually see when we started fighting. Everyone else's headlights were on as a reminder but he never remembered to do it.

Leaning forward from the back seat I click on the lights before getting out of the car and look around for someone. 

Silently I walk over to my only friend in this whole mess that I didn't really like that much but it gave me someone to talk to when neither of us were fighting.

"Hey man." He greeted when I stood beside him and began stretching lightly. 

Kyle was a decent enough guy. He looked like a basic twink but was still able to fight decently well when he was paired up fair. People seemed to underestimate him until it was too late and he was handing them their ass.

"Who are you getting tonight?" I asked even though I didn't really care.

"Some new kid, Charlie, Adams, and Felix."

 "Good luck on Felix, he's going to knock your ass out."

"Yea he will but not all of us have a five month winning streak to worry about so I don't really care that much. I just have to make it a little over 30 seconds." He said with a small smirk. "How about you?"

 "I don't know who except for that Riley guy."

 "Good fucking luck with that." He said with a genuine laugh. "Tom's kid will eat you up and spit you out. Why did your dad bet on that?"

 "Because he's a bad bet." I state simply.

We both go silent as the first fight begins. People yell from the sidelines in hopes the person they bet on wins so they can bank out of this illegal game.

 I watch the fight like every one else until there's a small nudge at my side. I look over to my friend leaning in closer to me with a serious gleam in his eyes.

"You didn't head this from me, but stay on your toes tonight. There's a rumor going around that the new guy is a rat. Something about he's working the police to get a better prison time so be ready to bolt at any time."

"Thanks man." I say as I slap him on the back. "Now go get ready, you fight next." 

"Wish me luck." He says as he walks away with a smile.

I wasn't worried about the rat threat, we had one of those at least once a month and they all turned out to be fake. Plus, the new guy didn't look anything like a rat. He was a fighter just like the rest of us; he wouldn't snitch if he knew what was good for him. 

I shook my head from the thought as I walk over to my father when he waves me over, probably to tell me who I was getting tonight other than Charlie. 

"You're after John's kid," he said, referring to Kyle was beating the shit out of someone bigger than him, "are you warmed up?"

"Yea, I guess. Who am I getting first?"

"Lexi's kid," Boyd, "then Bill's kid," Dylan, "and then Tom's kid," Charlie. 

 It would really be a lot more helpful if he would just learn the kid's name. Nevertheless I look around to see how confident the people I was fighting were tonight. 

Boyd was getting yelled at by his mother, which was totally going to throw him off his game; easy knock out. Dylan on the other hand was the same as always, his face leaving no room to pick up any expression. He was always too focused; maybe I could knock him out. Maybe.

Then came Charlie, he was all but glaring at me when my eyes reached him. Charlie doesn't really fight that much but when he does it's always brutal. Knock outs within seconds of the fight starting, busted noses, and fractured bones most of the time; definitely not an easy knock out, probably not a knock out at all. I was probably going to lose this fight, which is not going to make a very good night for me. 

"Now get your ass out there and carry your weight for rent." He growled out as he shoved me into the makeshift-fighting ring. 

Just a reminder I stream my writing session on twitch if anyone is interested in that. I use the same display name here as I do there. The link is in my bio!