Carmilla was really good at exactly three things; Sex, massage and fighting. Two were recreational and she intended to keep it that way. The last was what kept her sane. Ten years ago her father died... she'd managed seven years under her mother's thumb before she'd run away. That was three years ago. She smiled. Last year she'd turned twenty-one and the money her father left her was finally hers to do with as she saw fit.

She looked up from her wrist wraps and surveyed the gym, her gym. She smiled again, sighed deeply, then returned her attention to her wraps. She'd come here looking for a job, she'd found a new home instead. She'd planned her escape from her mother well, saved enough money from the joke of an allowance she was given. Her father had been worth millions before he died, her mother would have squandered more if her father hadn't had the foresight to plan trust funds for both her and her brother Will.

A couple thousand dollars didn't last long for two kids in Vancouver and they found themselves homeless and were down to their last ten dollars when she'd noticed the help wanted sign in the gym's window. She'd walked in with all the confidence she could muster despite the growling of her stomach and located the gym's owner.

"What kind of help are you looking for?" she'd asked.

"What does a skinny runt of a kid like you know about fighting?" he'd countered gruffly.

"More than you know," she'd thought as she she surveyed the gym. She found a kid, maybe eighteen, about her size, and pointed him out."If I can last five minutes with him will you give me the job?"

The man looked from the boy and back to her.

"You're serious?" he asked, his tone unreadable.

"What have you got to lose?" she countered.

"Hey Dark!" he yelled, the boy in question turning to face her; "Feel like a minute or two of sparring?"

"Who with?" Dark called back as he made his way over.

"Her," the man replied with a jerk of his thumb toward her.

"You're joking," Dark laughed.

"No joke, little man," Carmilla replied, her words having the intended effect as he tried to make himself look bigger. "What? Afraid of a little girl?" She taunted.

"Bring it," he growled and walked towards the ring.

"Alright then," the owner said as he turned to her; "You'll need a pair of gloves and at least a mouth guard..." he smirked; "Pretty face like yours... no reason you should lose some teeth trying to prove something."

Bob had given her the creeps a bit that day, but less than ten minutes later he'd redeemed himself. It had taken her less than two minutes to knock Dark out cold. Unfortunately it had taken her precisely fifteen more seconds to pass out from low blood sugar. She'd woken to an extremely scared Will and an anxious Bob.

They'd spilled their guts to him over burgers and fries he'd bought them in a diner down the street. By the end he not only offered Carmilla a job but the apartment above the gym in addition to her salary. He had only one condition; when Carmilla got access to her money she'd buy the gym from him so he could finally retire. When that day finally came he'd surprised her again with the deed and; "Paid in full," written in the amount.

"No," he'd said; "You think I saved your life the day I gave you a job and a place to live?" He shook his head. "You turned this place around... you've helped me make more than enough money to retire, kiddo, you deserve this... just..."

"Ah... the catch..." she'd teased.

"I know this isn't what you want to do forever," he admitted; "But train Brody to take over for you, okay? He's a a good kid but he's not going to make it far in the fight game... I want him to have this when he's ready..."

"Sure, Bob," she'd replied without hesitation,

To this day she still occasionally regretted agreeing so quickly. She laughed under her breath and pulled on her gloves... she needed to hit something. Hard and repeatedly.

It was stupid. She knew she was being stupid. She'd been really stupid. She'd managed to chase away the one person she'd shared most of her secrets with even if they'd never met in person. It had hurt, more than she'd expected, when her crush had admitted she didn't feel the same and never would. That's when she should have walked away. But it bugged her... why the fuck not? But no, her 'friend' insisted on sparing her feelings and never told her why. And then two days ago an innocent post online had hit a nerve, and when she exposed it she got a reaction she hadn't expected. An insult and then blocked... no nothing. She panicked and found another way to contact her. She blocked her there too.

Slowly the truth began to sink in... her crush couldn't have been the friend she thought she was if she could so easily just write her out of her life. She hit the heavy bag with everything she had.

THWACK!

"Who needs friends like that?" she thought.

THWACK!

"I mean, really, who fucking does that?"

THWACK!

"I wouldn't..."

THWACK!

"At least a "Sorry I can't do this anymore... have a nice life..."

THWACK!

"Carm!"

THWACK!

"CARMILLA!"

"What!" she shouted back at Kirsh who was standing by the counter with a girl.

"Laura here says she wants to be your sparring partner," he supplied as she walked over.

Carmilla sized her up; she couldn't weigh more than a hundred and ten soaking wet but it was hard to tell because of the baggy sweats she was wearing.

"What do you know about fighting?" she asked her.

"I did a couple years of Krav Maga," she shrugged and blushed; "and, um, watched a lot of UFC..."

"And you think you can spar with me?" Carmilla replied, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Give me five minutes to prove it?" she challenged.

"You're on Creampuff..."