A Painful Time Later

-Dominic's POV (3 months later)-

It's been three months since Nickolas and the rest of the guys have joined the school and I can honestly say it's not the most pleasant of changes.

Fortunately, the attention that I had been getting before had lessened and instead the school was separated into teams of supporters either for or against me or the guys. They hated me for whatever reason and in turn, I hate them back and that had turned the school into a war zone. They had the upper hand considering there were five of them and one of me but that didn't matter because I was physically stronger than most of them even if they didn't know it. They didn't need to know anything, and I was keeping it that way.

"Oi demonic hold-up!" Called out a familiar voice so I kept walking, just my luck that the halls were empty right now. "I said hold-up! God! Can't you hear anything with that hoodie on bitch?" I turned to look at my side just as he caught up to me making me frown. 

"What do you want this time Nickolas?" I asked patiently even though I already had a feeling I knew what he was going to say. 

"I was going to tell you how bad you looked," he then grabbed my hood and roughly pulled it down making me stop momentarily before he carried on, "but now that I actually see you properly you look really fucked up. You being abused or what?" He asked tauntingly at my new bruises and gashes. I roll my eyes, shoving him away as he laughs to himself.

I had a fight yesterday and saying it left some marks was an understatement. Nickolas wasn't wrong when he said I looked fucked up. Punching, ducking, kicking, getting punched, ducking, getting kicked, punching, ducking, kicking, punching again and again until he was knocked out and I was declared the winner. I climb down the stairs, collect my money and do it all again. A normal routine for the second strongest street fighter in the country. For that title, I've accepted all the terms and consequences. The hours of training, the abandonment of a normal teenage life, the beauty and femininity that I could have had. I wear my scars like secret trophies and my title is the evidence of my hard work even if no one really knows it's me.

"Leave her alone for the day Nick. I'm sure she'll get beat again when she goes home anyway." Zack chips in and they both laugh at me as I start walking away again. 

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Nickolas calls which makes me sigh and turn. 

"Sorry to disappoint you boys but I've got a class to get to." 

"You should be sorry" Jason mumbles loud enough for me to hear but as I head back round I say, 

"I didn't say I was sorry, listen closely next time man." tauntingly with a grin in response to his growl. After that, I hear their shoes hitting the floor, starting to chase me but the corridor started to get crowded right on cue, so I was able to get away successfully and make it to class on time.

---

Once class was over I walked towards my locker with caution but this time I was met with a different familiar face which made me smile slightly. "Hey, D" He greats and I open my locker as I reply, 

"Hey Blake." To my surprise, Blake and I became friends...-ish. It was a forbidden friendship, to say the least. If his friends knew then there'd be a huge situation, so we've decided that he treats me the way they do when they're around and he gets to act whatever way he wants when we're alone. This seemed beneficial to me too regardless, so I didn't care. That's because he doesn't get to have the time to questions me deeply. He knew no more than anyone else did and although he was closer to me than anyone else here, it didn't make him any different and he wasn't going to be different.

"How's your day been so far?" He asks, and I shrug. 

"Nothing out of the ordinary, what about you?" I answer but he doesn't reply. I look up to his face and he rolls his eyes at me which was our sign telling me that the other guys were behind me. 

"Why're you so fucking close to me? Fuck off!" He shouts, grabbing my face and shoving me against the lockers which makes my neck click audibly. The commotion seemed to have gotten attention because the people around us started circling around. 

"Nice going Blake" Compliments Blakes twin brother, Jake, as he comes to stand next to him and grins down at me as I hold my neck.

I look into Blake's eyes and see concern which makes me want to laugh but I keep myself composed and nod in reassurance. Yet something gave me the feeling that this was just the beginning.

As I leaned against the lockers, Jason and Zack came and grabbed my arms holding me in place which made me tense. Something bad was going to happen. They had never hit me properly, but I knew all too well that it was going to happen now. Yet I held my ground and stood without fear.

Nickolas then walked in front of me with a stern face, rolling up his sleeves in hopes of scaring me with his forearms but I wasn't impressed. He walked closer towards me until his mouth was centimetres away from my ear and says, "now I hope you know your rightful place." Before suddenly giving me a blow to the stomach. I gasp more in shock than pain when it hit but it must have come by as the opposite because Nickolas looked down with an almost satisfied look.

There were a few people who shouted in the background, trying to get Nickolas to stop but they were held back by Blake and Jake, so Nickolas was free to keep punching me. I knew I could have fought back, I could fuck him up, but then all of my hard work would go to waste, so I stood there and took the beating even when I started coughing and bleeding. He wouldn't stop, I could see the anger and resentment in his eyes with every blow. So, as a test to my own strength, I stood there and took it.

Until my phone went off.

My eyes widened, and everyone went silent. Fuck. I thought, knowing it was Xavier. All of my things had been thrown on the floor in the process and Nickolas seemed to show interest in my phone now rather than me. Fuck. I watched as Nick went and walked towards my phone which made me panic.

Using Jason and Zack as support, I jumped and kicked both of them to the side which made them let go so when I landed, I ran towards my bag, slid on the floor, tripping Nickolas before grabbing my things and running out of the building.

Once I was a safe distance away, I reached into my bag and took out an energy drink, opening it and raising it to my mouth as I read the text Xavier sent.

Xavier: Meet me at the club as soon as you can, quick.

---

I park my motorbike, rush inside the building and burst into our private room.

"Great timing Xavier! You nearly got me caught today with that damn text of yours!" I exclaim while setting my school things aside and putting on my signature custom made leather jacket with the initials M.D on the back made with gems. It stands for: 'Mysterious Demon'.

"No one gives a fuck, Demon" Xavier replies, indifferent to my entrance. Xavier, is my trainer, my friend, my father figure, and most importantly, he's the world's strongest street fighter, my rival. We work as a team outside of the ring but are ready to kill each other inside the ring.

"What did you want me here in such a hurry for anyway? It's too early for today's matches." I ask while watching him pick a shirt for tonight. "And don't be all, 'I wanted to see how you've been' because I know that's a lie," I added, and he grinned my way before putting on a shirt.

"How do I look?"