The Chance of a Lifetime/Fight

A 17-year old girl on the run from her abusive father encounters an unexpected visitor one night after finishing a show at a local bar. She receives an offer that would change everything...in the form of what would surely be a death sentence.
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She wasn't buying it, the ODST could tell as much. But curiosity would win out, and sure enough... "You still haven't told me who you are," she growled, her words slightly slurred.
"Sergeant Sydney Ezell. When my squad isn’t kicking aliens off our planets, we take a few months of leave as Orbital Skid."
"You're—"
"The drummer?" Sydney rolled her eyes. "Nobody notices the drummer. Now I'm going to be straight with you, Hayley Kyo-Moon. Private Corcoran, my vocalist..." My friend. "...was KIA on our last deployment. I've taken a bet with the squad; first one to land us the vocalist takes a week off bathroom duty. You ain't going to disappoint me, are you Sydney?"
"You're...doing this to win a bet?"
"It's your only chance to get off these streets." Sydney smirked.
Hayley’s fist flew out without warning. Sydney's hand came up, catching the fist with a firm grip. Then Hayley's other hand snatched up a broken bottle.
The ODST’s foot swept out into Hayley's, knocking her over easily. With one flick of her wrist, she sent the younger girl crashing bodily into the wall. She fell to the ground in a heap.
"Screw you," Hayley gasped. "You don't give a shit about me."
Sydney tutted. "Don't I get to see that charm you give the boys at the bar?"
Hayley laughed mirthlessly as she got up. "I don't swing that way, Sergeant. And no paycheck could convince me to put on a fucking uniform!" She threw another punch, but was just as easily blocked. She swung her weight forward, headbutting Sydney squarely in the forehead. The bottle came up again.
There was only enough time to react. Sydney's right hand moved to shield her face, and she felt the bottle stab into her palm. She flung Hayley down again, causing the bottle to rip itself free from her bleeding hand. "You're right. No amount of money can do that." Hayley raised the bloody bottle, but the ODST kicked it away. "But I’m giving you the chance for someone to give a shit about you. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Why me?" Hayley whispered. "It isn't to win a bet, is it?"
An unreadable look crossed Sydney’s face. "You come with me, and your old man wouldn't dare put his hands on you again." Her uninjured hand tightened. "No man will, not ever." She straightened and walked away, back towards the street.
Hayley wondered if she was about to make the best or the worst decision of her life, when someone in the bar window caught her eye. It was Gavin, the handsome boy with the guitar she had performed with for months. He wanted to ask me something, after tonight's show, she recalled. He hadn't noticed her yet, but it wouldn't be long before he would come looking for her.
She took one last glance into the bar. Maybe one day we'll meet again. She got up and dashed off into the street after Sydney's distant form.
Category:The Weekly