touched Hart's cheek, tracing over a lingering bruise. "Not because you fought well in the ring," she said sternly, "but because of how hard you're fighting for this family."
Hart ducked her head, feeling tears prickle in her eyes, overwhelmed. "Thanks, mama."
"It's not …" Her mother shook her head. "It's not that I didn't believe in you. I just can't stand the thought of losing you the way we lost your father."
Hart bit her lip, wiping at her eyes. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about," her mother said briskly. "Now, it's high time you went to bed." She gestured to the bed in the corner and Hart smiled, pulling off her sweatshirt and sliding under the heavy blanket.
She curled up next to her mother, breathing in the familiar scent, feeling simultaneously like a small child again and, finally, like an adult.
Chapter Six
"Look at all this food ," Penny gaped. Hart grinned as she laid out the last of the supper. It was more than they'd had since her father died, a full meal for each of them. There was a heavy, rich meat stew, dense with vegetables, and even bread to soak it up with. Fresh bread, bought in the Alley, light and fluffy and smelling like heaven. Roe held a piece up to her nose and inhaled deeply, a smile on her face. Hart felt something swell in her chest as she watched her siblings eat, knowing she put the food on the table.
There was no going back now. She had to keep fighting, keep winning, so that she could keep these smiles on the kids' faces.
In the morning, Hart woke early, climbing out from between Finn and Penny and dressing quickly. She had another fight that evening, and her body thrummed with pent-up energy and tension. She slipped out of the house, breaking into a steady jog once she hit the street. She was terrified that her last fight had been a fluke, that Gareth had merely been a weak opponent, that anyone could have beaten him. She was terrified that she'd never win again, never feel that elation and pride as she brought money home to her family. She ran hard, letting the even pounding of her feet and the hard beat of her heart steady her thoughts.
She ran right to the checkpoint, flashing her pass to allow her through. It was a strange feeling, having access to this previously closed-off world. She wondered what it was like to have a pass to the City as some in the Alley did. To be allowed to see behind the high stone wall that separated the City from the Alley, shielding it from prying eyes. Hart had no idea what the City even looked like. Whispers of opulence and squander ran through the Gutter, rumors of food eaten and food wasted, money thrown away on luxuries Hart had never even heard of, while Hart got her face bashed in for mere dollars.
She shook her head, shifting back into a jog, and turned her steps towards Leo's gym.
Hart let herself in the back door, catching her breath from her run. The gym was empty, strangely silent in the absence of the sound of fists connecting with punching bags or people.
Hart didn't want to wear herself out, but she needed to do something , so she picked up a jump rope and started skipping, letting her thoughts clear in the even rhythm of the rope striking the floor.
"You're not supposed to be here." Ruby stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking amused.
Hart sighed, offering a little shrug. "Didn't know what else to do with myself."
"Surely you have something better to do than hang out in this gym."
"Salvage on the heap?" Hart offered, wrinkling her nose. That's where her family was by this point in the morning, wading knee deep in refuse.
Ruby frowned. "I meant whatever you do for fun."
Hart matched Ruby's frown. "We don't really …"
"What? Have fun?" Ruby laughed incredulously.
Hart paused, thinking about it. She enjoyed spending time with her family, but as for fun? "There's not really time for that when you're worried about starving."
Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "Your winnings helped with that, though. Right?"
"Yeah.
Hart ducked her head, feeling tears prickle in her eyes, overwhelmed. "Thanks, mama."
"It's not …" Her mother shook her head. "It's not that I didn't believe in you. I just can't stand the thought of losing you the way we lost your father."
Hart bit her lip, wiping at her eyes. "I know. I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about," her mother said briskly. "Now, it's high time you went to bed." She gestured to the bed in the corner and Hart smiled, pulling off her sweatshirt and sliding under the heavy blanket.
She curled up next to her mother, breathing in the familiar scent, feeling simultaneously like a small child again and, finally, like an adult.
Chapter Six
"Look at all this food ," Penny gaped. Hart grinned as she laid out the last of the supper. It was more than they'd had since her father died, a full meal for each of them. There was a heavy, rich meat stew, dense with vegetables, and even bread to soak it up with. Fresh bread, bought in the Alley, light and fluffy and smelling like heaven. Roe held a piece up to her nose and inhaled deeply, a smile on her face. Hart felt something swell in her chest as she watched her siblings eat, knowing she put the food on the table.
There was no going back now. She had to keep fighting, keep winning, so that she could keep these smiles on the kids' faces.
In the morning, Hart woke early, climbing out from between Finn and Penny and dressing quickly. She had another fight that evening, and her body thrummed with pent-up energy and tension. She slipped out of the house, breaking into a steady jog once she hit the street. She was terrified that her last fight had been a fluke, that Gareth had merely been a weak opponent, that anyone could have beaten him. She was terrified that she'd never win again, never feel that elation and pride as she brought money home to her family. She ran hard, letting the even pounding of her feet and the hard beat of her heart steady her thoughts.
She ran right to the checkpoint, flashing her pass to allow her through. It was a strange feeling, having access to this previously closed-off world. She wondered what it was like to have a pass to the City as some in the Alley did. To be allowed to see behind the high stone wall that separated the City from the Alley, shielding it from prying eyes. Hart had no idea what the City even looked like. Whispers of opulence and squander ran through the Gutter, rumors of food eaten and food wasted, money thrown away on luxuries Hart had never even heard of, while Hart got her face bashed in for mere dollars.
She shook her head, shifting back into a jog, and turned her steps towards Leo's gym.
Hart let herself in the back door, catching her breath from her run. The gym was empty, strangely silent in the absence of the sound of fists connecting with punching bags or people.
Hart didn't want to wear herself out, but she needed to do something , so she picked up a jump rope and started skipping, letting her thoughts clear in the even rhythm of the rope striking the floor.
"You're not supposed to be here." Ruby stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking amused.
Hart sighed, offering a little shrug. "Didn't know what else to do with myself."
"Surely you have something better to do than hang out in this gym."
"Salvage on the heap?" Hart offered, wrinkling her nose. That's where her family was by this point in the morning, wading knee deep in refuse.
Ruby frowned. "I meant whatever you do for fun."
Hart matched Ruby's frown. "We don't really …"
"What? Have fun?" Ruby laughed incredulously.
Hart paused, thinking about it. She enjoyed spending time with her family, but as for fun? "There's not really time for that when you're worried about starving."
Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "Your winnings helped with that, though. Right?"
"Yeah.
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