Free Fight With Me (Fight and Fall) by Unknown Page A

maybe mid-twenties, with bright red hair pulled up in a bun. Her look is a cross between hipster and pin-up girl. If Bettie Page, Zooey Deschanel, and Kat Von D had a three-way, this would be their love child. She smiles at me and I try to smile back. God, I’m still an edgy hot mess.
                  “Hi, what can I get you?” she practically whispers.
                  She has one of those high, yet smoky sounding voices.
                  “Can I get a large pumpkin latte? Hot,” I choke out.
                  God my voice is a wreck! Jesus, did I just go through puberty or something?
                  She looks at me intently, probably taking in my disheveled state and swollen, cut lip. Wow, I must be a quite a sight.
    She nods at me, smiling slightly. She punches my order into the register and writes it on a cup.
                  “Okay, that will be four dollars even,” she says.
                  I dip my hand into my bag and fish around for my wallet. I give her a five-dollar bill, my hand trembling as I release the cash to her. She notices my twitchy state and looks at me in the eye.
                  “Are you okay?” she asks concerned.
                  I probably look like I’ve been attacked, which is actually true on two accounts. Once with Aiden (rough sex) and with Marcus (scary threats and manhandling). The first one I can deal with, the second, not so much.
                  “Yeah. I’m good,” I practically squeak out.
                  She nods at me, clearly not pacified by my response. She puts the money in the cash register, handing back the remaining dollar. I shake my head at her, pointing to the tip jar             
    “It’s all yours. Thank you,” I say to her, walking over to the end of the counter for my drink.
    I see a man , maybe in his early thirties, start to prepare it. I notice his muscular build outlined by a form fitting white shirt. He’s wearing a slouchy grey beanie, which compliments his greyish eyes. I see him look over to the red haired woman a few times while making my drink but she doesn’t notice.
                  “Pumpkin latte,” he says smiling, passing it off to me by the counter.
                  “Thanks,” I say trying to crack a smile.
                  I walk towards the other room to sit down, my achy body worn to the bone. I find a seat off to the side where nobody else is. I need a little alone time, I think. I grab my iPod out of my bag and pop in my headphones. I sip my drink slowly, trying to enjoy it.
                  I hear a chair across from me being moved, scraping across the floor. I look up and see the woman from the register sit down beside me. I pull out my headphones, confused at what she wants.
                  “Um, I know this is kind of weird and all but I just noticed you’re hurt lip and well…I wanted to make sure if you were really okay. I know it’s none of my business but I made a promise to myself. I just got out of an abusive relationship and he…well he hurt me and I told myself if I ever saw somebody in the same situation I would help. I’m sorry if I’m being rude,” she stammers.
                  Wow, this woman is definitely one of a kind. I’m sure she can see the shock on my face, probably regretting ever coming to my rescue. I won’t lie and say that I’m a little bothered by her concern, but at the same time, it’s very sweet. She seems like somebody who looks out for people and takes care of them. Instead of being my usual self and telling her to fuck off, I shock the hell out of myself. Hey, what do I have to lose by being honest to this woman?
                  “I wasn’t hurt. I mean, I was, kind of. My boyfriend, or I guess you could say, ex-boyfriend bit my lip during rough sex. It’s not as