"You joining us today, Aaraiz? Where are you, man?"

"On my way."

"Who am I competing today, though?" I add whilst walking through the dark alleys. River walks next to me, his pace as fast as mine. River's height is the same as mine, we both stand at 6'2". That's the only similarity we have.

"Headhunter." I halt when I hear Jake, my heart starts beating faster. In excitement. River stops when he realizes I'm not walking. He turns around and raises one of his eyebrows. I resume my walk, my pace even faster.

"Aaraiz? Man, you okay? If you don't want-"

"I'm almost there Jake, and I'm fucking ecstatic," I smirk and hang up. Finally, something that'll take my mind off things that don't deserve my time. I'm about to lock my screen and slip my phone into my pocket but my eyes fall on the photo of her that I had clicked. Like I said, things that don't deserve my time.

"Where were you, Zayd? Why won't you tell me?" River mumbles. He peeks at my phone but I'm faster. I don't reply, it's hella fucking embarrassing.

"Who're you fighting?" River changes the topic.

"Headhunter."

"Fuck."

Indeed.

The alley leads to a small opening that is now filled with the crowd. Fuck, I'm late. Once I'm seen, people literally jump at me, screaming and all. I fucking hate this part, I'm pretty sure someone groped me down there.

Fuckers.

I move through the crowds, pushing them away from me and enter the old building, Rivers follows me saying something along the lines of 'why am I friends with him'. He knows why. No one would stay by his side if they knew the truth about him.

Not even the hundreds of girls that are in 'love' with him. Yeah, he's the player, the stereotypical one with 'blue eyes and blonde hair and a smile to die for'. Not my words, I'm quoting the girls.

Jake meets me by the door leads me inside, locking the doors so no one gets in. He has chocolate brown skin and hazel eyes you'd be jealous of. He is a couple of inches shorter than me.

I get rid of my shirt and put on my knuckle wraps, River helps me out.

"Are you sure you wanna fight him?" Jake calls out.

"Do I look unsure?"

Jake shakes his head and punches my arm with a small smile. He leaves the room to arrange things, I guess. I do my stretches, a couple of punches here and there on the punching bag hanging down the ceiling. River looks at me from the corner of the room.

Ten minutes later, Jake comes back.

"It's time, man."

I smirk at him and River stands up before giving me a mock salute. "Go, baby, kick his ass," he says with a smile. I shake my head at him.

The moment I step outside, cheers erupt from the crowds. My face is blank when I climb at the ring, even though my heart is about to jump out of my chest in excitement.

I face headhunter, he's a really lean guy with jet black hair and matching eyes. He has a permanent frown and glare in his face, he looks the same. I might have lost last time I fought with him, this time we'll see.

Would you expect a fourteen-year-old to win his first streetfight? I wasn't a fourteen year old anymore and he was going to pay for what he had done to me back then.

While the referee says some stupid shit, I give the headhunter a small smirk. The referee finally blows his whistle.

Headhunter jumps at me, his punches are aimed right at my face. I knew headhunter would aim for the head, he and his name was a little too obvious. I move before his fist comes in contact with my eye.

I bend down and grab his legs before pulling him off the ground. He falls on his back. He's about to jump back but I don't let him. I sit over him and punch him on the face.

A sip of his own medicine.

He randomly launches a couple of punches on my face, a few make contact with my jaw. That enrages the hell out of me and I land stronger punches on his face. A minute later he's limp. The referee starts the countdown.

Man, this felt like it didn't even last for a minute.

The crowd cheers and chants my name, I grumble under my breath and leave the ring.

"I'm proud of you," River says with a smirk that drops when he sees my expression.

"That didn't even last a minute."

"What are you talking about? It lasted for fifteen minutes, that's longer than usual," he says with a frown, probably thinking why I was unhappy. Well, that's because I wanted a fucking competition.

"Whatever, let's go."

Jake joins us and congratulates me with a wad of cash. Easy money, I inwardly smirk.

. . .

I take the long way to my home. Being home just makes my chest feel weird, maybe because I live alone. But that doesn't make sense, I fucking loved living alone.

The moonlight shines bright, the roads are empty and dark. I feel at peace. However, I spot a silhouette of a woman crouched down at the end of the road. My eyebrows shoot up and my eyes widen.

A woman in this area. Alone. She didn't have a death wish, did she?

I walk closer and stand behind her.

"Excuse me?"

The figure jumps, probably scared. Poor woman. She then turns around and my eyes almost come out of their sockets.

"Oh, it's you," Alya sighs in relief and turns around again, I look at her back. I see a small animal, probably a kitten sprawled on her lap, creating a weird noise. Purring.

"You shouldn't be out at this time, babygirl."

"Aw, are you worried?" Alya turns around, the kitten now secured on her arms, curled into her. Still purring, it's a really weird sound and I hate these fuzzy creatures, they're creepy.

"You wish, don't you?"

The moonlight falls on her face and for a moment, I find myself lost in a trance. Then I snap back to reality and gag at myself for thinking she's beautiful. Gag

A few strands of hair have come out of her headscarf, some falling over her eyes. I find myself getting annoyed, needing to remove them so I can properly look at her fucking eyes.

"As much as I hate you, I want you alive to complete that project," I grumble.

"But I don't want to leave Leo alone," she says in a small voice. Something happens inside my chest by her voice. And I hate it.

"Take it home then," I say in annoyance.

"Mom won't let me keep a pet," she says in that same voice. I can't remove my gaze from her eyes.

"I don't fucking care Alya, just go home." I pinch the bridge of my nose. Did she want to die in the streets?

"Will you keep Leo, Zayd?" Her doe-like eyes that shine in the moonlight looks at me hopefully.

My eyes widen. The fuck?

"No."

"Please." Damn, that voice.

"Nope."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Please, please, please?"

"Fucking hell," I grumble under my breath. "Fine, for one night. Now go," I snatch the kitten from her arms, the fuzzy creature glares at me.

I don't like you either, buddy.

"Thank you," Alya smiles at me. She smiles at me. I hate that feeling inside my chest. Maybe I should visit a cardiologist.

"I'll walk you home," I let her know. Not because I don't want her to die in the hand of rapists but because I needed her to do the project.

Side by side, in the dark of night, we walk to her home. With a fucking kitten in my arm. Why did I agree to keep this creature, again?