Daughter.

I saw boys after boys fighting in the ring Damon and I kept on guiding guys in their fights. We saw few winning, few losing when they came across opponents who changed their tactics entirely. Finally, it was 7 in the evening and the announcer announced the end of competitions.

People moved out of the gym with their prizes and prize money. I waited behind in the room for Damon to come back from the counter where he was distributing the money now.

I saw the room empty after half hour, so I decided to clean it before going back, after all that's what my job is.

"How is my little girl?" I heard a fatherly tone calling after me while I was moping the floor. I looked at the shadow who was standing just at my head.

I saw Mr. Williams, leaning against one of the stand in the room holding some boxing gloves in his hands.

"I'm fine sir," I answered politely, I don't know why but whenever I meet him it reminds me of my father, I sometimes imagine if he had been with me now who would be like him.

"You can call me James." He said casually standing straight to his full height towering over me. Anyone would have been intimidated by his stoic postures and tattoos covering his body, but the fatherly smile he holds every time he talks to me makes me comfortable with him.

"Umm, okay sir." I said uncertainly.

He frowned at me, I scowled at myself not knowing what did I say to upset him.

"Sir?" He raised his eyebrow. "Oh, James." I corrected my sentence almost immediately.

"You were great back there. I saw how you were guiding the guys out there. " he said with praising smile on his face.

"Thank you," I answered curtly before looking down, you see I'm not very good when it comes to compliments.

"I heard about your mother from Damon, I hope you are doing better now."

I could feel a lump forming in my throat again.

He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I looked up with glossy eyes.

"Don't worry about anything, ask me or Damon about anything to do. We will be always here. " he said in a warm tone. I nodded at hearing this not able to tell him how grateful I was just for those words.

"Don't you dare to cry now, you are just like my daughter that I never had. So, I'm happy that I have one now." He said chuckling to himself in a low tone.

This was the last string that got plucked and I started weeping again like a baby. It was first time someone had called me daughter after my dad left me 11 years ago.

"Ssh," he said wrapping me in a fatherly hug.

I heard someone clearing his throat so I feverishly wiped all my tears not wanting anyone to see this again.

"You are free Damon?" Mr. Williams asked him. I turned around now fully recovered from my weeping.

"Yeah, I just made them all go. " he said dramatically posing around. I shook my head.

Mr. Williams gave him some instructions and turned to me with his same smile.

"Don't hesitate to ask for anything ever, Come over whenever you want okay?"

I found a small smile coming to my face and I said,

"Okay, Thank you James really," he patted me on shoulder once again and turned around to leave.

Damon kept on staring in the space until I moved my hand back and forth in front of his eyes.

"what did he say to you?" He asked in a suspicious voice.

He kept on looking at me with calculating gaze as if trying to take out the answer from my mind on it's own. I sighed and told him.

"Umm, he just said that I'm your sister and that he will be happy to help me whenever I want."

"Ohh, okay." He nodded his head in understanding.

I gave him a knowing smile and started to make my way out.

"Hey!! wait what?" He yelled after me and started running after me in the dark street.

"You said sister?" He asked in a breathy voice from his run just now.

I nodded my head innocently. "Like really sister?" He confirmed.

I again nodded trying to stop my laughter when I saw his face turning blue and red at once, he had a look of surprise and vulnerability on his face.

"It can't be," he mumbled shaking his head.

"What did he say exactly?" He again inquired hopefully.

"Umm," I faked a thinking posture and said,

"He told me, 'I'm his daughter that he never had and that he will be happy to help me if I want anything.'" I said putting commas around my speech with my hands.

"So he called you his daughter." He mumbled thinking.

"Yeah and your sister indirectly as well." I said and started walking fast to the dorm building.

"Hey, that's not what he said," he shouted.

"Yeah, but that's what he meant!" I answered back.

We reached the dorm building after few more minutes of chasing after each other.

"Okay, I'll go now." I said moving to the building.

"Call me or text me if you need anything." He again asked me worried.

"I have survived long enough, I'm sure I will survive now as well. Afterall I'm strong."

I told him with a big fake smile plastered on my face.

He nodded sadly, "Of course you're, but still tell me if you need me." He stated . I shook my head at his persistence. And entered the building.

I entered my small room, washed my face and went to lie on the bed again with mom's picture in my hand. I traced her picture lovingly.

I looked at my phone once again for any text or mail or a call from Jason, but I had none.

I looked at mom's picture and asked her again,

"What should I do? Should I wait or should I go now?" I sighed weighing my options and I few minutes I felt sleep engulfing me in a dreamless slumber.

_____________________________________________

I walked in the school in my red hoodie with my black skinny jeans. My hazel eyes were still swollen from crying, but they were not as bad as they were yesterday or a day before it.

I collected my books at my locker, I was gazing at my acceptance letter that was still in there with my other stuff.

When I heard an announcement.

"Ms. Alicia Walters, please report yourself to the principal's office after first lecture."

I heard the announcement again to confirm it was really me.

"What am I gonna tell him?" I thought to myself.