Never Back Down

5:45 AM my alarm went off. I rolled out of bed with a loud groan. Back home my private school had uniforms so I never had to wake up this early. I still wasn’t accustomed to the heat of Florida nor did I know what everyone wore to school so I settled for a denim collared tank top and white skirt. I was putting my sandals on when there was a soft knock on the door. My mom peaked her head into my room.
“Breakfast is ready,” she smiled. I smiled and nodded my head. “Is that really how you are going to do your hair for your first day?” She gestured to my short dark brunette hair. I sighed, I should have seen this coming. I grabbed my Mulberry black satchel off my bed and pushed past her out the room.
“Morning Dad,” I said while making my way over to get a cup of coffee. He was already dressed in his suit for the day. His hair was slicked back; he took a lot of pride in his hair since it was all his and he had no bald spots. He looked up from the paper and gave me one of the classic Campbell smiles.
“You excited for your first day of school?” I took a sip of my coffee.
“Ecstatic,” my voice was flat. He went back to reading with a smirk on his face. I looked around the first floor of the house. My mom unpacked the entire floor; she probably has a party in mind for all of my dad’s coworkers and their significant others. So she wanted to unpack as quickly as possible to see if she had to buy anything.
“Kate don’t leave, I want to get a picture!” My mom hollered from the second floor. She always did this and it always ended with her criticizing me. I left the half full cup of coffee on the island and grabbed my bag. I sprinted over to the giant glass bowl that held all of the family keys and dug through to find mine.
“Uh can’t stay mom, I can’t be late! Bye!” I quickly opened the front door and closed it before she could give me a lecture. I walked over to my black Mercedes Benz G-Class SUV. A ridiculous car and the fact it was my “moving and graduation gift” from my parents made it worse. I felt like a pimp driving it around. However once I pulled into the school parking lot I didn’t feel that bad anymore. Kids were driving around Bentleys, Range Rovers, BMWs, you name a car and it was parked in that lot. I was sitting in my car just glaring at Lakeland High School aka my new prison. I don’t know if it was fear or loathing hatred keeping me in the car, but I eventually understood that to escape this place I have to bury whatever emotion I was feeling and deal with it head on. I finally exited my car with a loud groan.
“Nice car,” I heard from behind me. I turned and almost hit the strawberry blonde girl behind me.
“Thanks,” she continued to examine my car.
“You should get the matte finish, I’m Tess by the way,” she finally looked at me.
“Kate,” Other students were making their way into school; I quickly grabbed my black bag and filed in like everyone else. A group of guys shouting and slamming car doors shut drew my attention elsewhere. Tall, tan, muscular, and attractive aka every girls’ dream. At least every girl in this school, all the girls stole glances towards them and giggled after they got away with it.
“You’re the new girl right? Where are you from?”
“Chicago, how’d you know I was new?”
“News travels fast in this town, you’ll see,” she didn’t expand on it anymore. It turned out that Tess and I had a few classes together and lunch so that was a relief. The classes I didn’t know anyone I just kept to myself and attempted to avoid the numerous stares from around the room. Classes weren’t terrible, I had covered most of the material already and I was caught up quickly. The teachers here were different though, after ever class I was asked how I felt like I was in some therapist office.
I saw the same group of guys from this morning taking over a side of the hallway in an already narrow school. People however didn’t seem to mind moving for them, the girls were over joyed to accommodate the boys they gawked over.
“You shouldn’t stare too long,” a deep voice broke into thoughts. I turned quickly to see a short guy with long curly hair covering his forehead.
“Why will my eyes melt?” I joked trying to cover up my humiliation. He smirked and wagged his pointer finger at me.
“I like you, I’m going to take you under my wing. The name’s Max,” he extended his hand, which I accepted.
“Kate.”
“Yes, the famous Kate Campbell from Chicago,” Max started to walk away I didn’t know where else to go so I quickly caught up and fell into step with him.
“How did you- “
“Don’t ask me how, I know everything about this school. Which is why Chicago you are very lucky to have befriended me,” I didn’t question the nickname or comment on the fact Max had this place wired. “Those guys you were gawking at, I’d steer clear of them. Again, don’t ask why,” I turned and looked at the guys again. They looked full of themselves, but harmless. I really didn’t want the gory details so I stayed silent and listened to Max’s never ending lecture on the different types of people in the school.
Lunch Time. Something I had feared the past few days, but thankfully I no longer held anxiety for. I walked up to the table with Tess, an almost full table of people I didn’t recognize. A new cluster of anxiety formed.
“Everyone, Kate; Kate, everyone,” hellos were exchanged then I sat across from Tess. I was happy there wasn’t any long introductions or name exchanges because I would have never remembered them. I was terrible with names, odd considering my parents remembered everyone they have ever meet in their entire lifespan. I looked around taking in the school around me. This school was bigger than my last school. It felt a little overwhelming the amount of people in one place. My eyes, for the third time today, rested on the obnoxious group of guys from earlier. I craved to know why Max told me to stay away from them. Maybe it was a personal hatred or just common knowledge.
“You up for it?” I hear coming from across the table. “Kate? Earth to Kate?”
“What?” I snap my head to everyone looking at me. I tried to fight to keep the red color from my cheeks.
“Party tonight, you in? We can go together.”
“It’s a Wednesday,” they all laughed.
“So?” one of the other girls questioned. I felt the pressure from around the table, so I quickly agreed to go. The rest of the day was centered on the party. Tess came over my house right after school. I thought we would get our homework done and just hang out till the party started. Tess on the other hand had different plans. The entire time was dedicated to getting ready. My once perfect, organized room looked like a clothes tornado hit it with multiple causalities. I had picked out my outfit relatively quickly; Tess on the other hand took up most of the time. Not only was her complete outfit from my closet she also stole my curling iron.
“Can we go now?” Tess was fixing her hair in the mirror.
“I guess, the party has been going on for two hours,” she walked out of the room without looking at me. It was easy to slip out of the house since my parents were at one of my dad’s business meetings and they will be home later than me.
We pulled up to the party about ten minutes later. Cars were parked on both sides of the road in the round-a-bout and all down the street. Tess told me to just park on an abandoned piece of grass. The music hit my ears as soon as I stepped out of the car. How the cops hadn’t been called yet was beyond me. Anxiety hit me like a bus while walking up the stairs to the front door. I haven’t been at a party in so long and I only know two people in this town. The front door was open and the music level intensified; I could feel the base shaking my core. People were everywhere, on the rails, climbing the columns, I was just waiting for someone to come swinging from one of the million chandeliers. The house was so luxurious and beautiful it felt like a sin to destroy it the way these teenagers were.
“Tess!” a drunken squeal sounded over the loud rap music. Tess squealed back and disappeared into the sea of people. I was then left alone in what felt like the rainforest. I could still leave, no one would know and Tess is popular enough to have a sober friend drive her home.
“Chicago!” a yell cut into my escape plan. Then an arm was draped over my shoulders. “Glad you could make it!” Max yelled into my ear, “Let me show you around.” Girls in bikinis, guys in board shorts or people with no clothes on; I don’t know if I could get used to this view of “normal”.
“Is there a reason you are carrying around a video camera?” I gestured to the flip camera Max held tightly in his hand opposite his drink.
“It’s for when I can’t remember the rest of the night I can fill in the blanks,” his tone was so serious and flat it was hard to tell if he was joking or not. I so badly wanted to make a comment of his drinking problem, but I’m still trying to recover from my “lame” comment about the party being a Wednesday. Max showed me around the entire first floor and I met a few people but they were so drunk they definitely won’t remember my name.
“Is this like a normal thing? Having a party in the middle of the week?” Max was drunk enough to not fully remember my stupid question.
“Well whenever McCarthy’s parents go away we take full advantage,” Max took another swig from his red plastic cup finishing the nasty concoction.
“Poor kid,” I crossed my arms while leaning against the nearby wall.
“Don’t feel too bad for him,” a rough voice from behind me made me jump. The tan, lofty blonde haired man had an adorable smirk on his face.
“Ryan McCarthy in the fucking flesh!” Max slurred then gave Ryan a man half-hug. I could sense Ryan’s uncomfortableness all the way over here; I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit.
“Glad you’re having fun Max,” Ryan slapped Max’s back sending Max falling forward and spilling his drink a little bit. Ryan’s blue eyes flickered over to my face but quickly returned back to Max.
“Oh right, Chicago, Ryan; Ryan, Chicago,” I really hated that little nickname and was afraid it was now going to stick. “Hey Toby! Beer Pong Champs!” Max yelled and stumbled over to the dining room table covered in red plastic cups. Once again I was left alone. I guess the universe really did want me get away from this party.
“So what’s your real name? Unless you really like being called a city.”
“Kate,” I laughed.
“Nice to meet you Kate. Is there any reason why Max calls you Chicago?”
“He’s a fast talker and by the time I was able to get a word in it seemed rude to bring it up,” Ryan laughed.
“Yeah that’s Max,” a silence fell over the two of us but it was short lived. “Do you want a tour?” He pointed his thumb over his shoulder referring to the rooms behind him. Even though Max already gave me a detailed tour it felt impolite declining Ryan.
“Sure,” I nodded. As Ryan pointed out every feature of the main floor of his enormous house and I finally realized where I saw Ryan before. He was a part of that group of boys from earlier at school. Max told me to stay away from those boys, but he was so excited to see Ryan. It may have been the alcohol or that Ryan was different than the rest. Or Max was messing with me, which seemed like a more reasonable explanation.
“And this is the backyard,” I stopped in the doorway. An infinity, in-ground pool with crystal clear water with of course a built in hot tub that was filled with girls and guys trying to get lucky. A built in bar off the side of the house had people making drinks I’ve never even heard of, but the balcony was my favorite part. Overlooking a beautiful garden with the most colorful flowers. “You okay?” I snapped out of creepy gawking.
“Yeah, sorry,” he laughed. “What’s so funny? Your house is incredible, so you should be used to this response by now,” he shook his head.
“I wouldn’t know actually this is my first time giving a tour, how’d I do?” We stopped at the balcony; I leaned against it for support.
“Very informative, if I wanted to rob your house I would now know where to look on the first floor so thank you,” I mentally kicked myself for that stupid attempt at being funny.
“I’ll have to keep an eye on you then,” I turned my head away hopefully hiding the blush creeping in on my cheeks. Ryan McCarthy was dangerous I could tell that already. “How do you like Florida?”
“I don’t really know, I’ve only been here a few days.”
“I know what you mean, I’ve been here my whole life and I still don’t know what my feelings are,” Ryan continued to weigh to pros and cons of living here, but I zoned out once something caught my eye over the balcony. It sparked my interest and took over attention. Here I was standing next a gorgeous guy and my attention is focused on solving this minute mystery. I had to lean over the railing, that’s when I heard the manly grunting. There was a circle of people around two muscular guys fighting. I could hear their black mitts hitting each other’s faces. It made me cringe at the thought of the pain they are enduring and inflicting on one another.
“Oh my God, we have to stop them,” I tried to run past Ryan towards the steps, but his hand gently wrapped around my wrist pulling me back. “What are you doing?”
“Kate its okay, they’re just sparing,” I slipped from his grasp and leaned back over the railing. “It’s a thing down here, it’s like soccer everyone does it.”
“This is insane,” I just kept watching in disbelief.
“You get used to it actually,” Ryan, decided to ignore my silence. “It’s really popular, girls fight too not just guys,” something then clicked in my head
“You said that everyone does it, do you?” it was the first time I looked at Ryan since this conversation started. Before Ryan could answer a short muscular man came jogging up to us.
“Hey Ry, Tony’s here,” Ryan gave him a head nod and he disappeared. Everyone was exiting the house and going over to a patch of grass at the end of the bar. It seemed like everything came to a complete standstill and we were back at school since everyone was following everyone in neat lines with their friends. Ryan’s large hands engulfed my boney shoulders making me look back at him. His face was a safe distance from mine that I was thankful for; I now understood why Max wanted me to stay away from this group.
“Just give it a chance, go stand over there and you’ll see,” my shoulders felt cold after his warm hands disappeared. I didn’t really know what to do; I was stuck. I’m new to this world of fighting for fun and all the girls here liked it so why shouldn’t I? I went and stood in front with the rest of the crowd. They were all making bets and trash talking about the upcoming match. All talking stopped and was replaced with loud cheers. A hole was made so two guys could enter. Ryan was wearing only board shorts and padded red mitts. His muscles rippled with every movement he made while circling his opponent. His opponent, Tony I’m guessing, looked scary like a person you’d see in a police line-up. His tattoos covered his entire chest and arms; different violent scenes played out on his skin forever. A countdown started from the audience and the fighters took their stance. A horn blew allowing them to start combat. They moved in blurs, the hits made the sound of thunder, and the kicks we devastating to the recipient. Everyone was cheering and egging this on, me on the other hand felt like I was going to be sick. I had to leave, this was barbaric and psychotic. My head started to spin and I could hear my heart pounding through my chest. I quickly turned pushing past everyone and finally making my escape to my car. Thankfully there was a clear path out of here; I got in my car and drove away way higher than the speed limit.