Page 4 of Kortlek

CHAPTER TWO

The crowded basement is loud, filled with people placing bets, cheering, and guessing who will take the win tonight. It’s in a secluded area of New York, and without an invitation, you can’t get in.

It sounds more exclusive than it actually is.

It’s an underground, illegal boxing ring. People from all around the city gather around once a month to witness the epic fights and to try and earn some money. Most lose, though given Cove’s recent unbreakable score. He hasn’t been defeated in over a year and a half, and I’ve lost count of how many matches he’s had.

Arlo, Blair, and I always come to watch, having the first-row seat.

The people who are scattered around, watching intently and squirming in their seats before the fights begin, can vary. Some are politicians who love gambling; others are drug dealers trying to sell during the games. Though all of them follow a simple rule — never tell about the fights.

The basement is located under a nearly torn-down building. It used to be a factory of sorts, though it hasn’t been in use since the eighties. It belongs to one of the men who is always watching the fights, and he takes a lot of profit from it.

There’s nothing extraordinary about this place. In the center is a big ring, and there are built-in bleachers of sorts all around for people to watch. People selling popcorn and soda are here, too, like it’s some sort of a game.

Which, in a way, I guess it is.

Most participants do it for the money, since they do get a lot of it if they have consecutive winnings. Thus far, there have only been a handful of people who managed to keep their wins in a row as much as Cove.

He isn’t in it for the money; he’s in it for the fun. From what Arlo has told me, this is Cove’s way of releasing all of his anger, and he’s definitely good at it. Being tall, muscular, and handsome definitely gets him more points than the rest. He’s the type of man who just stands out in the crowd.

Well, I personally believe it’s because he’s freakishly tall, and it’s impossible not to notice him, though Arlo has other theories that I was never too keen on listening to. Besides, Arlo and Cove are best friends, and they tend to speak of each other in high regard, even to the point of absurdity.

Blair sits down next to me with a bag of popcorn and two bottles of water. Her hair is styled into a high ponytail, and it never fails to amaze me just how long her hair is. Even in a tied-up style, it reaches her mid-back. It’s thick, soft, and has no split ends.

She hands me the bag of popcorn, and I open it, grabbing a handful and popping it into my mouth whilst my eyes skim through the crowd. Behind the ring is a room where fighters emerge from, and the lockers are back there, too. Right now, Cove is preparing. His fight is the fourth one of the night, and although we came to support him, I can’t deny that it’s kind of exciting to watch all the matches.

“Is Arlo with Cove?” I ask, grabbing more popcorn.

Blair’s eyes are focused on the ring as she nods. “Yes, doing warm-ups and just giving him the pep talk.’’

I chuckle. “At this point, does Cove even need a pep talk?”

“Everyone needs it, Aria,’’ Blair laughs softly, taking some of the popcorn. “On another note, how are you? You just stormed off last Saturday. We haven’t seen you since.’’

“I’m fine,’’ I sigh. “I’m sorry for acting like a brat. But I want to be a part of this, you know? It makes me seem like an outsider in my own family. It sucks that Arlo’s so overprotective.’’

Blair offers a small, sympathetic smile, and it manages to piss me off even more. It’s not a situation where I require anyone’s pity, and seeing that in her eyes makes me feel even worse.

“I get that, I really do, but when Arlo and I started the Kortlek game, he was twenty-four. I was twenty-six. When Cove came along, he was twenty-five. You’re just too young.’’

“The difference in age between when Arlo started and my current age is four years, Blair.’’

She sighs, though her expression is still filled with compassion and love. She’s always been like that. Given the hell she’s been through, when I first met her, I thought she’d be more closed off, distant, or even angrier at the world. But she isn’t. And if she is angry, it’s never directed toward people she cares about.

Blair is the best thing that’s ever happened to Arlo.

At this point, I may even love her more than I love him.

“I know that, but you need to know that his concern comes from a place of love, not malice.’’

I pop the lid open on the water and take a big gulp. I’m about to respond, but the lights go out, and two massive spotlights are directed toward the ring. Blair falls silent, too, both of our attention turned toward the upcoming fight.

The crowd started cheering immediately as the two fighters stepped into the ring, immediately placing bets and screaming on top of their lungs to see who’d take the victory. I’ve never seen these two men before, which means they’re likely new players.

One of them looks to be roughly in his mid-thirties, tall, with a great build. He has a scar across his face, and he’s skimming through the crowd, smirking lightly as many people cheer for him. He’s soaking in the attention, not even trying to hide his arrogance. It reeks of him.

The other man is a little lankier, though just as tall. He’s younger, too, probably around twenty-five. He’s just waiting for the round to begin and overall seems uninterested. He doesn’t have as many supporters as the other guy, but I can already tell he will take the win. Something about his unbothered expression is almost unnerving. As if he knows he’ll quickly take the win and get it over with.

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