Here we go again. I sighed in frustration and rubbed my temples. "I'm tired, Dad. Can we not talk about this right now?"

"The hell we will!" He shouted. "We are going to talk about it now!"

I wish I was fully drunk, so that I didn't have to bear having this conversation. I was just a little tipsy and he knew that.

Dad took a breath to calm himself, then continued quietly. "Carson, we have to talk about this. You can't keep avoiding this discussion."

"We have talked about it already, but you don't want to listen to what I have to say." I said. He just doesn't get it.

"You think you know what's best, but you don't. You're young and unwise. Take it from me," Dad said. "I'm just trying to prevent you from making a bad decision."

"It's not a bad decision, Dad." I replied firmly. I was getting tired of this pointless discussion. "But you're too caught up in yourself to look at it from my

"Okay, then and when you get home, please tell your stepfather hello for me." She went over to the cupboard and open it. "I saw him some time two weeks ago in the supermarket, but I didn't get to talk to him, because I was in a hurry."

"Okay, I will." I replied, giving her a smile. Mrs. Thomas knew my stepfather and my mom when she was alive. From time to time, she would ask me how Allan was and if we were getting on fine. It kills me to lie to her, but I didn't have a choice.

I said goodbye to Jasmine and her mother and walked home. When I got home, I passed Allan in the living room, watching television and drinking beer. I knew he heard when I opened the door, but he didn't turn around to look at me once.

I breathe a sigh of relief. I was so glad it was one of those days when he avoided me altogether. I preferred that. It was better than him abusing me. As a matter of fact, a week h

I stood up from the floor and took up my books. "Well, I have to get going. We can do this again tomorrow at 5 o'clock." I said.

"I can't tomorrow. How about Saturday?" He asked, standing up too.

"I can't come on Saturday. I work at the cafe from nine to six thirty." I explained.

"Okay then, Monday?" He asked.

I smiled. "Monday it is."

I heard a noise in the kitchen, so I decided to head in there to thank Ms. Linda for the sandwiches earlier. She was such a nice lady and to be honest, the sandwiches were the best I've ever had. When I got in the kitchen, Ms. Linda was busy preparing dinner.

"Ms. Linda, thanks again for the sandwiches earlier. They were delicious." I said.

Linda looked up at me and smiled. "You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it." She said.

"Would you mind telling Mrs. Knight that I left?" I asked.

"Sure, I will do that." She replied.

"Thank you." After saying goodbye to her and Carson, I left the house.

Carson's POV

"Way to go, man!" Jayden said, patting me on the shoulders. "Once again, you've won!"

"Yeah man. Congrats!" Michael said giving me a fist bump.

We were at the place were I had my fighting matches. Fifteen minutes before, I had fought one of the toughest guys in these matches and had came out victorious. This was the second time, I had fought him and won. He called himself Mark The Steel.

I remembered the first time I had fought him, my fans were worried that he would be a challenge, because he was bigger than I am. He was twenty years old and packed a hard and powerful punch. Even though I won, he did get a few hits and punches in.

I had just come from the room, where I had been changing back into my regular clothes, when my friends congratulated me. I was also rushed by girls, who began to flirt with me. This always happens anytime I'm here.

"Your muscles are so huge," one of the girls said as she clung to my arms. "Wanna go to my place and you know..." She said as she rubbed my arm up and down.

I smiled at her. "I'm sorry, not tonight." I then turned to the other girls. "Sorry ladies, but I have to get going."

My friends and I had planned to go to a bar that was located directly above the fight area. We were going to celebrate my win. I had just caught up back with my friends and we were heading to the stairs, when someone stepped in front of me and blocked my way.

I looked up and saw that it was Oliver Ross. Oliver did not like me and honestly, I didn't like him either. He's always looking for trouble when it comes to me. He despises me and just because of what happened a month ago.

Oliver and I had fought against each other in a match. I had won, which made him furious. He was a well known fighter and had started a couple months before me. He had never lost a match until I came along. We were the same age, but he attends a different high school. Since that day I had beaten him, he had never let it go. Everywhere I was, he would show up and caused trouble.

"What do you want, Oliver?" I asked, clenching my fist by my side. My friends stood behind me, getting ready to attack if necessary.

"You know what I want Carson." Oliver sneered. "I want revenge for what you caused on me. Nobody beats me and gets away with it."

"What is your problem?" I asked. "I won, fair and square. When are you going to let that go?"

His eyes became hard and dark with anger. He stepped closer to me. His veins stood out on his neck. "You won, because luck was on your side. No one defeats me. No one!"

"I don't want any trouble here, Oliver. So it's best you leave." I said to him. At the same time I said that I heard someone calling him from across the room.

Oliver looked over his shoulders and gave a signal to the person who had called him. He then turned back to me. His eyes flashed dangerously as he spoke. "You are so lucky, Carson. But the next time I see you, you won't be that lucky. Trust me. I always get what I want." As he said that he turned away from me.

Bring it on, Ross. I though to myself as he went further away from me. Trying to contain the anger that had developed in me since Oliver blocked my way, I turned to my friends. "Let's go." I said as I climbed the stairs and went up to the bar.

******

It was after eleven when I reached home that night. I was a little drunk, so Michael was the one who drove me home in my car. He told me that he would bring it back in the morning.

I stumbled into the living room and head for the stairs. The house was in complete darkness, but I was used to the interior, so I maneuvered my way inside easily.

I had just reached the foot of the stairs, when the room erupted in brightness. I turned around quickly and saw that it was my father who had turned on the light. He had been sitting on the couch the entire time waiting on me. I groaned, not now...

"Where the hell where you?" Dad demanded.

"I was out." I said simply. I wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now.

"And you're drunk." He replied as he studied me. "Do you know what that can do to my reputation? I can't have any son of mine running around wild and getting drunk on the streets."


Here we go again. I sighed in frustration and rubbed my temples. "I'm tired, Dad. Can we not talk about this right now?"

"The hell we will!" He shouted. "We are going to talk about it now!"

I wish I was fully drunk, so that I didn't have to bear having this conversation. I was just a little tipsy and he knew that.

Dad took a breath to calm himself, then continued quietly. "Carson, we have to talk about this. You can't keep avoiding this discussion."

"We have talked about it already, but you don't want to listen to what I have to say." I said. He just doesn't get it.

"You think you know what's best, but you don't. You're young and unwise. Take it from me," Dad said. "I'm just trying to prevent you from making a bad decision."

"It's not a bad decision, Dad." I replied firmly. I was getting tired of this pointless discussion. "But you're too caught up in yourself to look at it from my perspective. What about what I want? All you ever think about is yourself. That's all you ever did.

Chapter 20