CHAPTER 1:UNDER THE MASK

The crowd roared for blood as I heard them scream. I spat out blood on the hard ground before I looked at the crowd. 

Finally, the referee let go of my arm allowing me to leave the ring. I quickly glanced at my opponent who was sat on the ground covered in blood. Yikes.

"Good job!," my boss, Max, praised me before he handed me my stack of cash. He followed me into the dressing room before he closed the door behind him. I took off the red mask that covered my face. I untied my hair, letting it flow freely down my back. I grabbed the red robe from his hands and put it on over my red silky sports bra and shorts. I sat down in a chair, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm proud of you, kid," Max said with a small smile. "You're one of the best fighters here. I know you were thinking of taking the mask off and showing who you are but you shouldn't. You know, you're the best. You earn the most and that means people are gonna be out to get you."

"I didn't think of it like that," I mumbled.

"Good job you got me then," he chuckled before he left my dressing room. I stood in front of the mirror and took my robe off. I searched my body for any bruises and cuts that I may have to be careful of.

A knock sounded on the door before a familiar voice spoke, stopping me from grabbing my mask.

"It's Rose," she said before she pushed the door open and walked in. Her assistant followed behind. Suddenly, a security guard stopped her assistant. 

"He's with me," she said.

"It's fine," I told him. He glanced at me before he let go of his arm. "Sorry, security's a bit tight after what happened last week." Last week, a fan of mine managed to enter my dressing room, thankfully, I hadn't taken my mask off yet.

Naturally, Max had to tighten up security.

"Alright," Rose said as she closed the door.

"Let's see how bad you're hurt."

Rose is my best friend and she's also my housemate. She's the reason why I'm a fighter.

She poked and prodded my body, trying to see if I have any broken bones. "You're okay," she announced. "When we get home, you have to ice those." She pointed at my busted lip and swollen knuckle. I nodded my head. "Alright, get changed.

I'll be back in ten minutes." She left with her assistant in tow. I slowly got up from my seat and quickly got changed before I sat and rested on the couch for a while.

I held an ice pack to my face and leaned against the kitchen counter. "You did good today," Rose said. I watched as she wandered gracefully around the kitchen, not even making a sound.

"What happened to your face?," Stephan , our other housemate, asked. He ran a hand through his black hair as he stood in front of us with just a towel hanging on his waist.

"Nothing," I shrugged. "Put some clothes on."

"Don't give me that bullshit," he scoffed out.

"Stephan, what's wrong?," Rose asked concerned. Stephan is never like this. 

Usually, he's more calm and collected. He rarely lashes out.

"I wanna know why she's coming home almost every night with a new bruise!"

"Stephan," I said sternly. "Drop it."

"No!," he yelled, slamming his hand down on the table. "I wanna know why!" A vein in his forehead popped almost making me want to laugh.

"That has nothing to do with you! And you're acting like a fucking child!," I yelled

"It has everything to do with me! I'm your friend which therefore means I need to know if you're putting yourself and us in danger! Or is it a boyfriend?"

"Stephan ," Rose spoke up. "Calm down."

"I'd love to know where you're getting all this cash from!" He opened the duffel bag I hid under my bed. It was filled with cash.

"You had no right to go in my room!"

"Cut the bullshit and tell me the fucking truth!"

"I'm a stripper," I lied. "The bruises are from the poles."

"And I'm Santa Klaus," he said sarcastically.

"Now, cut the bullshit and tell me right now, or I'll talk to your dad about it."

"I'm not the same girl I was all those years ago," I told him. "I've matured and if you

think, you telling my dad about it will scare me, then I'm afraid you have no idea who I am."

"Just tell me," he begged. I gave him a look.

"I did not get you into anything that'll get you cash like this and bruises like that!"

"You got me into stuff. You started this whole shit off and I got into something bigger. Something better!"

"What's that then?" I gave him a look. 

"No, don't tell me.." I nodded my head.

"It's really not that bad," Rose said, trying to calm the waters.

"Not that bad? Not that bad? So you're in on this too? I should've known!"

"Stephan , why are you blowing this whole thing out of proportion?," I asked him.

"I used to earn my money like that. It wasn't good.

Well, at the start it was. It was a drug and I was addicted. But then, it got worse and worse. I got jumped, mugged, hell I almost got killed once. I managed to get out," he told us. "I don't want this life for you."

"That's not your decision to make," I told him softly. He shot me a small smile.

"Well, at the next match, I'm coming with you." He stared at both of our faces noticing our displeasure. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Can I go to bed now?," I asked. Stephan nodded his head and walked off, telling me that the conversation is over.

I let out a sigh and walked towards my room.

As soon as I changed into my pyjamas, I fell face first onto my bed. I let out a sigh and crawled under my covers. I picked up the book I left on my nightstand and began reading.