Leaving at 7 p.m. in a brown household was proving to be difficult.

Several questions were directed right at her as her mother analyzed her for any twitches or stutters that would signify her lying.

Strict parents were living lie detectors.

Maddox had texted her saying he was waiting down the street, so now Karmin was attempting to leave the house and it wasn't going so well.

"Where you going?" demanded her Mom, taking her eyes off the news channel.

Karmin fastened her shoelaces on her Doc Martens, smiling hesitantly at her Mom. "Um, Viola and I are going out for dinner. I already told Dad about it," she added quickly.

Her Dad was the chiller parent out of the two, but that didn't mean much. She wished he was downstairs to help back her up, but he had already fallen asleep.

Her Mom hummed in response. "Why you taking cupcakes then?" gesturing at the pink box in Karmin's hands.

Karmin's eyes flickered to the cupcakes she had bought on her way back from class. Maddox had told her that they would be meeting the scheduler for the fight club, and it was all up to him if she was allowed to fight. She wanted to make a good impression, so she was going to bring cupcakes to sweeten the deal.

Who could possibly refuse freshly baked goods with a caramel filling and chocolate frosting?

"Oh..."

Come on, think!

"Viola's sister, Choyce, just got an internship for some fashion magazine," she said, recalling their conversation from a few weeks. "These are just for congratulations."

"Very good for her," her Mom praised, impressed. "You can go."

Karmin let out a sigh of relief.

"But take your sister," she concluded.

Damn it.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, seeing a text from Maddox that said, "Hurry up."

"Mom, Aaliyah isn't even ready," Karmin spluttered, pointing at her sister who was lounging in her pajamas. "I'm already late, too."

Aaliyah glanced up from her display of notebooks, her hands and face covered in post-it notes. "I can't go anyway. I have to redo the entire seating arrangement for the charity banquet. The council is filled with idiots," she grumbled, brutally smacking a post-it on the poster board.

Karmin's shoulders relaxed as she swung open the door. "I'll be home before 10," and before her Mom could object, she scurried down the stairs.

The sun had set, immersing the sky in streams of pink and purple. Slivers of marigold ribbons tied around the celestial sphere, creating an ethereal atmosphere. Her neighbourhood was fairly quiet, but she could hear honks and the rustling of the subway floating past her. The absence of stillness in NYC and the constant bustling was almost soothing to Karmin as she walked over to Maddox.

She spotted his black car, his irritated expression clear through the windshield.

"You said you weren't going to wear a dress," was the first thing he said when Karmin hopped into the car.

"And I didn't. I wore a skirt," she retorted, smiling and motioning at it, the ebony material with white daisies turning a darker shade in the dim-lit car. "There's a difference."

Maddox didn't look so thrilled with her logic. Instead, he ignored her and turned back the car engine, pulling onto the street.

Karmin didn't see the issue. She wasn't going to change the way she dressed. If people were going to underestimate her skills because she wore a skirt, then so be it. She was going to prove them wrong.

But to be fair, she had worn a Nirvana t-shirt she had stolen from Aaliyah's closet to give her more of an edge.

They drove in silence with nothing but the over-played music on the radio between them. She gazed around the car and it was clean with not a speck out of place. That told her a lot about Maddox.

"Don't tell me there are cupcakes in that box," Maddox grumbled, glancing briefly at the box sitting on her lap.

"There aren't cupcakes in this box," she answered meekly, her voice going up an octave and smiling sheepishly.

He drove with one hand while propping up his head with his elbow on the window ledge. "Why would you bring cupcakes?" he sighed, trying to understand what goes on in that brain of hers.

"I thought they would help convince the guy to schedule me into a fight," she said. "But don't worry. They're vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free."

He didn't reply, but instead, muttered something under his breath which sounded a lot like, "Why did I agree to this again?"

Was he always this grumpy? He really needed to learn how to smile more.

They drove past glass skyscrapers and busy sidewalks, the nightfall encouraging the sleepless city. Just like New York and its insomniac semblance, Karmin was restless too. She had finally persuaded Maddox, but what if he kept refusing for a reason? He did say the fight club was filled with dangerous individuals, and she was only a 19-year-old university student with too much pep in her step.

Karmin and her whirlwind of thoughts crept in her mind as she stared out the window, but she was snapped out of her doubtful worries when she heard Maddox thumping his fingers on the steering wheel.

She glanced over at him momentarily, her eyes running from his sweatshirt to the contours of his cheekbones to his obsidian, disheveled hair. He was so reserved and quiet. From their few interactions, he never said much with a certain aloof aura around him. He was hard to figure out like driving on a highway in an unfamiliar town with no map.

But from what she had seen already, Karmin couldn't help but wonder about him and how they were so different.

Maddox Knight was midnight trains, dark-roasted coffee, and ashy skies.

She was summer ferry rides, sunflower stardust, and a clear spring sky over a cottage field.

They were stark opposites.

Karmin quickly moved her gaze back to the window when she realized that she had been staring at him like an absolute creep.

They had now entered a completely different part of Long Island as Maddox turned into Sagaponack, a village on the east end of the city. Unlike the humbler homes and townhouses in her neighborhood, these were more like gated mansions with their large estates and swimming pools. With the high ceiling windows, intricate pillars, and luxuriously designed courtyards, it was clear how the 1% lived.

Carefree with extravagance while the rest slaved 8-10 hours a day just to head back home to overly expensive bills and debts.

"Damn," Karmin whispered in awe as she gawked at the lavish stone and oak manors to the more modern, flat-roof estates. The homes stretched out for acres on the perfectly cut grass, and marble water fountains dripping with crystalline rain.

Maddox parked the car at the end of the street and pulled the keys out of the ignition. "Come on," he said, exiting the car.

Karmin followed his lead, shivering as a cool breeze drifted past her. He stopped at the house at the end of the street, and Karmin peered into the booth where a security guard was lounging on a leather chair with his cap low and a comic book in his hands.

"Hey Knight," he greeted cheerfully, doing the weird handshake men do. "I didn't know you had a fight today."

"Hey Murry," Maddox addressed. "I don't have a fight. I just...have other business with Judas today."

Karmin popped her head to the side, waving at Murry happily.

Murry caught sight of her and grinned. He glanced back over to Maddox and said, "This is a weird place to bring a date, but you do you, man."

She snorted. "I would never, Murry. He's got quite an attitude."

"Tell me about it," Murry said, heaving an overdramatic sigh. "Whenever I see this kid, he's always got the same frown on his face."

Before she could reply, Maddox quickly interjected gruffly. "Just open the stupid gate, dude."

Murry put his hands up in mock surrender with a smirk hanging from his lips as he flipped on the switch for the automated barrier.

Maddox headed forward, but not before Karmin quickly said, "Have a goodnight, Murry!"

They clambered up the pathway, lush trees and bushes lining the aisle. Electric lamps hung from the branches, brightening up the dark garden. As they got closer to the entrance of the home, she was able to make out the dusky grey colour of the mansion with ivory accents and balconies. The manor spread across acres with a miniature forest surrounding the estate. It was absolutely breathtaking.

But she felt so out of place.

"Why did we park the car at the end of the street?" Karmin wondered as they made their way to the entryway.

Maddox offered her a sideways glance. "This isn't exactly legal. If the cops show up, it'll be easier to leave without getting caught."

Karmin didn't really think thought the whole 'illegal' and the prospect of possibly getting arrested part through. Whoops. "How likely is it for the police to show up?"

He shrugged. "They change up their schedules every week and occasionally the house, so not likely."

Okay, that made her feel a little better. The rich guy hosting this probably pays off the cops, anyways.

Maddox sauntered inside, easily making his way through the labyrinth of a house. Karmin, on the other hand, was too busy gawking at the interior.

The golden marble walls were embellished with priceless paintings with clear-cut diamond chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling. She caught a peek in the living room where crimson, velvet carpets blanketed the lustrous flooring, and busts of famous figures sat tall on pedestals, gleaming in the light.

"Karmin," he called out, glancing back in frustration.

She scurried to his side, but her eyes kept wandering around the luxurious but empty home. They passed by the pristine kitchen that looked as if it was never used and a room that appeared to be an in-home theatre with a large screen and leather recliner seats. Karmin swore she saw a candy dispensary with several assortments of sweets and chocolates.

Karmin and Maddox ended up in the ballroom, the air flooded with classical music. The ceiling was adorned with intricate, alabaster swirls and drawings with the center painted to resemble the sky, an azure blue, and silky clouds. A man played the grand piano sat in the corner amongst Victorian buttoned achromatic seats. At the far end was a large painting of The Storm on the Sea of Galilee. It was painted with hues of blues, whites, and browns with a ship in the center of a wicked storm consisting of sharp, deathly waves. The men held on for dear life as others pulled on the sails to protect them through the ominous night.

The man playing the piano stopped when he saw them, peering at him suspiciously. Maddox shuffled beside her and stepped forward, sliding over a blood-red chip. The man examined it closely and gave him a curt nod. He resumed playing the piano, his fingers gliding over the keys with ease. This time around he played a different tune, a more daunting song.

"Step back," Maddox directed to her.

But Karmin couldn't hear anything except for the captivating tune. It was slow at first with a mellow tone, but it gradually built up, the dark harmonics taking over.

She shouted back, "What?"

Maddox opened his mouth to say something, but sighed and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling her towards his chest, squishing the cupcakes slightly. She stumbled into him when a large whoosh was heard. Karmin spun her head to see that the painting had swung open, revealing a set of concrete stairs.

What the hell. This rich guy was into some cool Davinci Code shit.

Karmin quickly separated from him, peering into the stairway. If Maddox hadn't pulled her, she would've gone flying across the room.

Without another word, Maddox set foot in the entrance and Karmin followed behind closely. The stairwell was lit up with lightbulbs from the ceiling, the sounds of their shoes echoing in the tight space. The closer they got to the ending, the louder the shrieks and cheers became.

They reached the bottom and Karmin was in shock with the image in front of her. The underground basement stretched along the house with a rugged and harsher atmosphere compared to the top. Closer to the stairs were sets of pool tables with people playing and crowds encouraging their respective teams. There was a bar serving alcoholic drinks with the servers shaking and spinning the metallic cups. The object that sat in the middle and took up the most room was what interested Karmin the most.

It was the fighting ring. A referee stood in the center of the large arena with a vintage microphone, the red ropes surrounding him, and keeping the extensive mass of people out. The horde was mixed with all types of people from individuals wearing cheap, worn-out clothes to others fully clad in expensive suits and dresses with glamorous jewelry.

A buzz of excitement floated through the air as people set bets with wads of cash and drinks spilling from their hands. They weaved through the crowd, passing by waiters and fighters with bloody faces. Karmin kept getting shoved by people as she clutched the cupcake box tightly, muttering several excuse me's and sorry's.

Maddox halted at a wooden set of doors, the security guard in an all-black suit letting them in. Karmin entered the room to see an office with a desk flooded with files, a few couches, a microwave, and lastly, three men in a deep discussion.

The man with a buzzcut and pale skin glanced over momentarily at Maddox and his gaze flickering over to Karmin. "Just give me a few moments," he said and went back to his conversation.

Karmin leaned towards Maddox and whispered, "Who are they?"

He dipped his head lower to her and gestured at the man who spoke earlier. "That's Ezra. He's the one who schedules the fights." Maddox then nodded his head over to the bald man in a fancy, grey three-piece suit. "That's Judas Watkins. He owns the place and runs the fight club, and that's Cesar Pérez. He's bad news. I heard he runs some secret organization and comes here to recruit new employees." The last man had olive skin and tattoos swirling around his neck and forearms.

She nodded, taking in all of the information.

Once they finished up their talk, Judas and Cesar sauntered out of the room, small smirks on their lips as they took in Karmin. She formed her hands into fists as she gave them a cold look, attempting to be tough, but the fuchsia cupcakes in her hands definitely weren't helping her case.

Yeah...I don't think it worked.

"Okay, so this is the girl you were telling me about," said Ezra, taking a seat in the chair behind the desk.

Maddox nodded silently, but Karmin stepped forward, placing the box on the desk and sliding it to him.

"Hi, I'm Karmin," she introduced, giving him a bright smile. "I brought some cupcakes for you as a thank you."

Ezra glimpsed over at Maddox with an are-you-for-real kind of look. He settled his gaze back to her and asked, "You want to fight?"

She was taken aback by his condescending tone, but she didn't let him get to her. "Yes, I do."

He shrugged and opened the box, picking out a cupcake, and biting into it. "Sure, why not," he said through a mouthful.

Her brows shot up in surprise. That was easy.

"Wait, what?" Maddox interjected confusedly. "When we talked on the phone, you said you would tell her no."

"You said what?" Karmin questioned harshly. "You had no right to do that."

He ignored her and glared at Ezra. "We had an agreement."

"That was before I saw her," he said casually. "Do you have any idea how much people are going to pay to see her play? It's going to be hilarious to see her fight," he chuckled.

Anger coursed through her body when she heard him say that. What was it with people belittling her? They were going to be so wrong.

"Not to mention she's foreign," Ezra continued. "People love foreign girls."

Not only was he rude, but he was also a blatant racist.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean by foreign?" she asked, trying to keep her cool.

"You know, like you aren't American," Ezra replied with a matter-of-fact tone.

Karmin scoffed. "I'm an American citizen. I was born here."

"Yeah, but your parents aren't American," he said, confused as to why she was arguing with him.

Karmin exhaled sharply and peered over at Maddox who had a look of disgust on his face, but he kept quiet and she knew exactly why. He hoped that she would yell, swear, and possibly punch him in the face. That way, Ezra would never let her into the fights, but she wasn't going to break, even if it meant skipping the chance to abuse this racist asshole.

"My parents are American. They're citizens," Karmin explained as her hands curled into fists.

I am not going to punch him. I am not going to punch him. I am not going to punch him.

"Well, at least they aren't illegal."

She was so close to bashing in his head. No human being was illegal. As much as she wanted to take back her cupcakes and punch him in the face, she had to keep calm. He was her only way in.

Not to mention, she was used to this kind of thing growing up in a predominantly white high school. Karmin would hear kids her age, and sometimes even adults saying things about she smelled like curry or how she shouldn't speak Punjabi since she lived in the United States.

"Listen, am I in or what?" Karmin asked, attempting not to show her anger.

Ezra nodded, licking the glazed sugar off his fingers. "Yeah, you got a fight next week. I'll text Maddox the details."

I was so going to punch this man in the face, but it would have to wait. But don't worry, it was coming.

***

Author's Note:

Hey everyone!!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!!

I thought it was very important to touch on some racial issues that most, if not all, BIPOC have unfortunately went through. Remember, tomorrow is not certain so call out/abuse racists today lol.

Until next time – m.k.t