C1 Bread Winning

Russell Knight stares at the running water pouring down the faucet filled with his blood. His hands were swollen and red, filled with cuts from the numerous times he pounded into his opponent's face and upper body. Sweat runs down his face. His heart still pounding fast in his ear.

His knuckles linger with a sting, his body trembles of exhaustion. But the adrenaline pumping through his veins keeps him hipped with excitement.

"Alright, kid... you did good tonight. I'll see you next week. Don't be late." Mark taps him on his shoulder as he slaps the stash of hundred-dollar bills on top of the faucet.

He glances towards him through the mirror. His eyebrows narrowed and filled with uncertainty and rage all in one.

"Hey man... that was an incredible fight you gave out there by the way. That uppercut of yours is killer man. That guy didn't even see it coming." He chuckles, nodding his head. He taps Russell on his shoulder again before turning on his heel and walking out of the dimness of the empty locker room.

He sighs, closes the tap, and grasps the stack of money. He makes his way to his locker. He opens his locker, takes his shirt out, and places it back onto his body. His shirt sticking to the sweat of his skin, but he doesn't care. He just wants to get home soon as he can.

He has a deadline to meet. Tomorrow is the last day the librarian promised to hold his books for him. He was still three hundred dollars short when he went to buy his books for this upcoming semester.

When his uncle called him to ask him if he'd had enough to pay for all his books, classes, and tuition, he didn't want to.to worry him. He simply gave him an affirmation that all was good and taken care of. He'd already done so much for him.

Having to take care of him since the age of ten when his parents were tragically killed in that awful plane crash. He didn't have to take care of him anymore, but he refused to leave Russell all alone. Refusing Russell to pay for his college without his help.

He grabbed his leather jacket placing it on. Grabbed his helmet and backpack, closed the door to the locker and made his way out of the locker room.

He was the last one there, other than the old janitor cleaning all the sweat and blood off the floor.

"See you, next week kid." Joseph lifts his hand as he soon turns back and continues to mop the floor.

Russell lifts his helmet gesturing goodbye to the old janitor. "See yah, Joe." He tilts his head and continues to walk.

He takes his keys out, placing them in the ignition to his blue and white Yamaha bike. Slaps the gear on with his foot, places his helmet on his head, and takes off.

The campus to the university is now quiet and still. All the students that have been arriving on campus for the last two days are mostly now in their designated dorms. Besides the few selected that were ready to indulge in the life of partying.

He parks his bike. Places his right foot down to steady it and turns off the engine. He takes off his helmet, placing it in front of him. He sighs as he takes a good whiff of the fresh air. He places his hand inside his left jacket, taking out his reading glasses and placing them back on his face.

He makes his way inside the building towards his dorm. At the entrance to his stairway awaits his childhood friend Brandon. A young boy who is the total opposite of his. Brandon is known by most people. He's popular and outgoing. Dark brown hair and toned fair-skinned, with a sculpted body he likes to show off.

Although Russell is in better shape than he is, and could probably kick his ass in an instant. But no one knows of Russell's hidden talent and a favorite hobby of illegal underground cage fighting.

He gracefully hides his model-like toned and chiseled body full of muscles through his ideal choice of clothes. Always dressing in casual styled clothes and keeping to himself. Most people saw him as just another quiet and inoffensive guy who wouldn't dare to hurt a fly. The only person he has ever openly talked about his hidden hobby is Brandon, his best friend.

"Hey, bud.. I've been waiting for you for over an hour." Brandon glances at his watch as he stands to his feet. Shaking off his pants and fixing his shirt.

Russell sighs, tonight is just not a good night to be asked for explanations. All he wants is to make his way inside, take a nice cold bath to ease off the steam his body still lingers, and call it a night.

"Sup Brandon. I had a match tonight. Did you forget?" He grips the strap of his backpack as he walks past him and makes his way upstairs. " Nah man, I didn't forget. That's why I was here waiting for you. Just wanted to make sure you were alright and came home safe." He walks following close behind him.

He grips his key, holding it up to the keyhole and turning the doorknob along with it. He opens the door, turns on the light switch, and walks towards the small kitchen to serve himself a glass of water.

This year, he was lucky to have a room with a small kitchen and a living room. Unlike the year before when he signed up towards the end and was left with a tiny cubicle-like room that offered only space for his bed and a bit of furniture all in the same room shared with a roommate. It was tiny, cramped, and didn't offer much privacy... less a bathroom of its own.

The only downside to this new dorm was that he had to be in the co-ed buildings. This means that there was a chance that during these next few days when the other students came, he was going to be left with either a female roommate or another guy as a roommate.

Brandon made his way to the small couch prompt in front of the tv. A big sliding door on the opposite side. A small coffee table between the couch and television, where Brandon placed his feet onto of. He placed his left hand on the hand rest of the couch as he let his body fall on top of the soft, comfy, and rugged old sofa.

He sighs as he leans forward and gets ahold of the remote.

"Did they finally come and fix your cable system?"

Russell gulps the last of his water as he turns the faucet and washes the cup quickly before placing it upside down to drain.

"Yeah, they came in, this morning. I installed the box already if you want to play your stupid games or watch Netflix."

Russell hates playing video games. It's a waste of time in his opinion, he'd prefer to lose himself in the company of a good old book. But he knows Brandon likes to play, so he doesn't mind keeping a game console around for his friend to play when he comes by to visit him.

Brandon laughed as he turns the tv on and scrolls through the list on Netflix to play a movie.

"So who do you think you'll have for a roommate this year? Man, I hope you get some hot chick this year. Unlike last year, when you got stuck with that crazy steroids addict dude... what was his name again?" Brandon taunts him.

Russell hated thinking of his roommate from last year. No one, not even Brandon knew that it was the same guy he had to face off in one of his last matches from last year. Things didn't end well for either one.

Russell had to spend most of his summer recovering from the broken ribs and multiple bruises in his upper body. While the other guy lost partial hearing to his right ear, suffered a concussion, lost three of his teeth, and had to get multiple stitches around his right eyebrow. Needless to say the three broken ribs on the right side of his body from the repeated punches and slams he provoked on his body. All while Brandon indulged the warm sun in Cancun for the summer.

He shrugged his shoulders and took his jacket off, throwing it onto the kitchen counter. "Nah I can't remember man. I'm just glad I got this place. It's still a shit hole, but at least I got a kitchen and a living room yah know? Plus I got my own room. I don't have to be in the same sleeping proximity as my other roommate. "

Brandon chuckled and nodded his head. "I don't get you, Russell. You can't tell me you're not looking forward to getting some action this year man? It's time you start having some real fun man. You haven't dated anyone for the last two years. Don't you think it's time to get out onto the field again?"

Russell sighs. The last girlfriend he had, had cheated on him with one of the football guys. He should have lost his cool, and maybe even kicked the guy's ass. But he'd already long suspected she was sleeping with someone else. So he went around doing the same. He'd flirt and slept around with as many girls he so damn well pleased.

For a quiet guy like him, you'd think it was harder for him to get a girl to come home for the night. But somehow his nerdiness made it the more intriguing and interesting for all those girls to fall faster to his unique charm.

He had his fun, and when the time came he ended things with her as well. But not before rubbing it in her face that he had had his fun sleeping around with so many girls as well.

"Nah, I could care less man. All I want is to ace my classes and get the hell out of here so I can start my internship at Knights enterprise. The rest, I got my whole damn life to figure out. I'm not in any hurry to find a girl."

Brandon chuckled, he nodded and prompt his body forward, placing the remote back onto the coffee table.

"Alright, Casanova... I gotta hit the hay myself. I got class tomorrow first thing in the morning. I just wanted to come to check up on you." He stood on his feet and walked towards Russell.

They shook hands, gave each other a bro hug, and made their way towards the door.

"Hey, there's still three days before the first frat party happens, just in case you make up your mind." He holds the door open and winks at Russell before closing the door.

Russell stands by the kitchen island. His right hand leaned against the island, the other against his waist. He tilts his head, nodding and smiling as his friend leaves his dorm.

He makes his way to the door, turns off the light, and walks to his room. He stops momentarily and opens the other door to where his roommate will be spending this year. He stops for a while his hand grasping the doorknob as he questions to open it. He turns the knob and opens the door, realizing the room is still empty. 'Maybe tomorrow at this time I'll have a roommate?' He shrugs his shoulders and closes the door again. Makes his way to his room and calls it a night.

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