"There is no pretending," Jace said with absolute clarity. "I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then."

― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass

The twins were actually cool I guess you could say. Besides having the attitude exactly like Jasper, they were friendlier and actually spoke to us without sounding annoyed. I asked them questions about Jasper, but they wouldn't answer. They would say the same thing Ethan or Adien would say- which didn't help much. They also told me that I shouldn't take Jasper's attitude to heart because he's the same way with everyone. Even his parents.

Isabell on the other hand, didn't like them as much as I did. Why? Because she's Isabell. She doesn't like anyone really. "Do you have soccer practice tonight?"

She nodded but I didn't see her sports bag, the one she always carried. "Not going though."

"Why not?"

"Because, my dear best friend," she looped her arm around mines and smiled. "We have plans for tonight."

I frowned. "On a Thursday?"

"Yep."

"Where are we going?"

Isabell smiled at me and we headed to her car. "We got invited to a throw down."

"Throw down?" I asked confused. Was she serious?

"A fight Goober! Ethan invited us to a underground fight!"

What? She knew about those? Weren't they dangerous? Thayer told me never to step foot into one of those fights again, but then again.. since when have I ever listened to anyone?

* *

Before going to my house Isabell stopped by her own. I was kind of nervous because I haven't seen her mom in so long. Would she still be upset with everything that happened? That's one of my biggest fears; her mother was like a second mom to me.

Bell pushed opened the door and ran upstairs. Her house still looked the same, which was comforting. I walked over to their photo table and smiled. The picture Isabell and I took when we were young still sat here. I remember that day like it just happened.

"Bella? Is that- oh my! Ryan?" I turned around and saw her mom. She was wearing an apron and still looked young. She had green eyes, long dark hair. Isabell looks exactly like her mother- down to the dimples they both shared. "Hi." I croaked.

She smiled and walked over to me, embracing me into a tight hug. "Ryan, it's so wonderful to see you again. Bell couldn't stop talking non-stop once you came. I don't know why you haven't come over sooner."

"I know, I'm sorry." I smiled.

"How have you been?"

"I'm fine. It's a lot being back here you know?"

She nodded. "Yes. I spoke to your mother. We're having dinner tonight actually. Will I see you there?"

The fight. "Um, hopefully. I don't know yet."

I heard a loud thump and jumped out of my skin when Bell landed in front of me. Jumping off the stairs still haven't changed I see. "Your not Spiderman."

She rolled her eyes and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Says no one ever," she laughed. "Bye mama!"

"No no, Bella! Where are you going?" She grabbed her daughter's arm.

"It's Bell for the last time," she groaned. "And I'm exploring with Goober."

"You think I don't know my own daughters name?"

"Apparently not mama."

She shot her a death glare and Bell backed up. "Okay, okay. Tell Papa I said bye whenever he wakes. Love you!"

"Goodbye girls! I love y'all, drive safe Bella!" She called out as we left.

"I missed your mom." I chuckled.

Bell rolled her eyes. "Yeah well, you'll be seeing a lot of her."

"How are things with your Dad?" I asked. I remember before I left they were in a bad place and almost splitting.

"Papa stays at the house but they're not together. Mom refuses to be with him again after what happened and he refuses to leave his family. So, not much going on there."

I mentally smiled. Isabell father was just how I remember. Nothing could stand in the way of him leaving his family. It doesn't matter what happens- if only every man was like that.

Her father somewhat reminded me of mines. My father was always so determined. If he wanted something he'd get it- I guess that's where I got it from.
Dad always thought about doing the unthinkable in situations, and that's what got him hurt.

I never really knew what he did as a living, every time I ask he would simply ignore it, or say its "dangerous, and complicated," I hadn't realized how suspicious that sounded until now.

I want to know more about him. I need to know more about him.

It's just hard you know? All there years I've been trying to erase- trying to forget about what happened that night. I think I built up such a strong wall, I may have blocked everything from that night. I don't remember details, but I know for a fact I could never hurt my father.

Isabell pulled out in front of a building. It wasn't the same warehouse as Ethan took me to- in fact this wasn't a warehouse at all.

"Why are we at a tattoo parlor?" I asked her confused.

"These are the directions Ethan gave me." She looked down at her phone. Taking it out of her grasp, I looked. Sure enough it said we had arrived.

"You can't fight at a tattoo parlor, Bell."

"Come the fück on. I'm about to investigate because if your little fücko boyfriend gave me the wrong address I will kill his aßs." Snatching the phone away from me she opened her door and stormed inside the building.

Isabell is different.. Her appearance can give you the wrong impression. When you see her she may come off as a girly girl or someone who's preppy and afraid to get their nails broken- but boy are you wrong. She's everything but that.

"Bell!" I ran after her. When I entered she was talking off to the guy at the desk. He looked terrified.

"... I don't give a fück what you say! I know this is-"

"Isabell. What are you doing?" I whispered in her ear.

"This bîtch basically called me a liar."

"I didn't say-"

She turned around and jabbed a finger at him. "Shut the fück up, before I shove one of those needles up your aßs."

"Isabell, maybe we should just go, we can catch the next fight. Its not that-"

"No no," someone said. "You won't." I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I turned around. Ethan was shirtless with a towel around his neck. His tattoos full on display.

And if I might say, its a mighty fine sight.

"Y-You know these girls?" The guy at the front asked.

"Yes. I do, and I don't appreciate the way you've handle things." Ethan walked towards him. The guy looked even scared than when Bell was hassling him.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean-"

"We'll talk about this later, for now. Don't let anyone else through." Ethan sounded dark. Like it was a whole different side of him... A scary side.

Ethan turned around and gave us a smile. "Welcome ladies."

"What the fück is this shît? We're at a tattoo parlor." Isabelle wasted no time to jump him.

"Yeah, and?"

"Why the fück are we at a fücking tattoo parlor?"

He chuckled and gesture for us to follow. We passed a couple doors until we came to one with a lock pad. He entered a few things and the door open. "The founders of this town were. Interesting people," he said as we walked down a flight of stairs.

"Is this a basement?" I asked.

"No. Like I said, the founders of this town were interesting people. They built tunnels and secret holdings under buildings. In 1924 a man named William Behr- people thought he was psychotic and most thought he ran some type of Mafia. William and his brothers built these places- the underground ones. For what reasons? There are many. Later on in their day, they started to use theses as torture holdings. Meaning they kept all their prisoners here, doing the unthinkable to them. William was very powerful and very rich. Once he died he handed this power to his son and his son and therefore. Eight years ago his descendant decided to change a few things. Turning many of his underground warehouses into something else. He changed it into a place where we could fight."

"Was William into the fighting thing?"

Ethan nodded. "Yes, but he changed the rules. It wasn't fighting it was basically a death ring. The people who owned William money or anything would fight in these rings for their lives. Only one would step out of that ring alive- some times, none would step out." He pushed open a door.

Just like the last fight I was taken to, it looked similar. Only this was bigger and more people were here.

"This is illegal." Isabell said.

Ethan looked down at us. "Then keep your mouths closed," he warned. "I brought you girls here because I know I can trust you."

"People get killed here. You lied to me." I hit his chest. "The last time I came."

He chuckled and step back. "No I didn't."

"You did! He.. Jasper could have-"

"Jasper doesn't fight all the way. It's one of the reasons why he's so popular around these places. He'll beat a man to his last breath, but he won't give the punch to end his life. Its something he's vowed never to do."

"Has be ever killed anyone?" Isabell asked.

"I.. I don't know." He said.

Why do I have a feeling he's lying?

I scanned the room and stopped when a pair of eyes stared back at me. A man was dressed in a black suit. He stood in a dark corner with his finger running over his lip. Even from afar I noticed a scar over his eye. Chills ran down my back and I stepped closer to Ethan and Bell. Maybe he was one of the men that watched the fight.... But then again I have a strange feeling.

"What happens when you win? And how do people get into these sorts of things? Is there a website to something?" I asked interrupting their conversation.

Ethan laughed. "No, butterscotch. These fights aren't chosen by random. One-way is that you could owe them money or something. You have to fight enable to pay off your debt. You'll continue fighting until your useless," he says. "Another way is that you're born into this. Since you were little you trained for this your entire life. Sounds fücked up, but its true. You have no choice, either fight, or be disowned by your father."

"I'm fücking hungry." Bell said.

"There's a booth right there. Say Razor sent you."

Isabell smirked. "Razor?"

"You want food or no?" Bell rolled her eyes and walked away. I sat next to Ethan and nudged him.

"Who owns this place?' I asked. "I mean, the man who.."

Ethan's eyes were glued on the fight, "The one in charge? He's here. I haven't seen him, no one has really- you have to be really fücking special enable to see him."

"Has Jasper ever seen him?"

He smirked and looked down at me. "Why don't you ask Jasper, hm?"

"I don't want to."

"And whys that?"

"Because he won't tell me," I said. "Your probably the only one who ever told me anything."

"Thats a bad thing," He ran his fingers through his hair. "I tell you things, and everything I tell sinks you deeper and deeper into a hole. Your not bond to this life,"

"What do you mean?"

"Stop asking questions. The questions you ask, will get you into a fück load of trouble." The tone of his voice made me wary. I think there's more to the story than what they're actually telling me, and Im determined to figure it out, no matter how much trouble I put myself into.