Two weeks had passed, her mother is still in the hospital and she received the call again.

“Hello… Boss…”

We’ve set up a match for you in a few days time…. As per our agreement…

“Okay Boss…”

Good… I’ll inform you of the exact location soon… Keep in touch...

“Okay Boss…”

This time around she was not as nervous as before. She knew what to expect as her body had already remembered the pain that was to come. This time her walk was backed with some confidence in her steps. Again, she was asked to identify herself as the location differed this time. She already had her muay thai kit on as per usual and she saw Aran still amongst the men since the debt is still on-going. She gave a slight smile, greeting Aran before changing her emotional state as she prepared for the match. She was given some inside info about her opponent courtesy of Aran, to better prepare herself.

As soon as the match starts, they were on equal playing field though as usual, Wanfahmai was on the smaller build, catching her opponent off guard when she started to unleash what her body remembered from the previous match. She rained down blows after blows this time around able to prevent her face from being attacked badly though she did receive kicks and punches in her abdomen and legs. She gave one final uppercut on her opponent’s jaw to ensure that her opponent KO-ed. The underground basement roared in cheers as there were many people who expected her to win and groans from those who lost. As for Wanfahmai, all she knew was the fact that she was going to get paid again and that it would make her school mate’s life a little easier. She was happy to see that stack of cash and as though it was already a routine, Aran walked her to the bus stop.

“You did well today…”

“Thanks for the info… It really did help a lot… At least my face isn’t horrifically hit…”

“And I’m sorry yet again…”

“What for?” asked Wanfahmai and without a reply, Aran ran towards the convenience store to fetch her some pain killers and food before they bid each other goodbye. With the money that she earned, she paid off another instalment of her mother’s hospital bill. Her third match was just as good since she won yet again. Though it was tough, it was never as bad as her first match and the fourth one came along. This time, instead of informing her over the phone, the underworld boss called her for a meeting at an expensive restaurant. He ordered a sumptuous dinner one night as they talked over food. The over-friendly treatment got her feeling weird out but she reminded herself to keep calm and not to make any sudden movements or say any words that may attract unwanted attention from the rest of the gang or the public.

“So, Boss… Why did you call me out for? If it’s about the match, you could have just informed me over the phone…”

“Well… Can’t I treat someone who has been earning me money to a good meal?”

“Oh, thank you, Boss…” as she politely replies.

The dinner went on as per normal. He even scooped food for her while the rest of his men were sitting on the other side of the room with Aran being one of them. She even served him tea thinking that it was something that she should do to pay him respect even though deep down, she could not care less for such a person. But to her, he definitely had his reasons for carving a life in gangs and vices thus she refrained herself from judging. No matter how prepared she told herself to be, she still could not believe what he was about to propose to her,

“Do you still want to continue to make me money? I mean it’s your second last match since I told you 5 matches are enough to settle our agreement after careful calculation.”

“Yes boss… I’ll definitely win again… So, you can have your earnings…”

“Ahhhh~~ this is the thing that you need to know young lady… It’s not always about winning…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Sometimes you have to lose to gain more….”

“Sorry Boss… But I don’t get what you are trying to say…”

“The betting odds against you are low… Because everyone is sure that you will win…”

“And?”

“This time around it’s a fixed match… You are to lose this match for me to earn more… Because you know, I just had to recoup for some losses…”

“What?!”

“Why? You don’t agree? If you don’t then that friend of yours and his mother will just have to pay more for the losses that you will incur for winning the match. And let me remind you that your cut for the match will be low as well.”

More than her own safety, she simply did not want her mother cry seeing her battered face for she knew what was to come if she should lose. She was put in the spot. She thought that she knew how to outsmart them but that definitely put her back in her place for being green and not knowing the ways of the underworld. It is illegal so even if match fixing happens, it should not be surprising. She gave herself a moment to list down the pros and cons in her mind, should she back out or even win the match. And at the end of that short thought, she decided to just go ahead with it.

“Yes, Boss… It’s settled…”

She kept the proposition to herself and not told Aran anything as she did not want him to feel burdened.  All she could do at that moment was to simply tell herself to survive and tap out when needed since she was instructed clearly to make it look real even though it was a fixed match. The day finally came. And unlike how she felt for her 2nd and 3rd match, she was emotionless this time preparing herself of what she was about to face. She allowed the punches and kicks from her opponent to hit her. She attempted to retaliate but her punches and kicks were without confidence and it was done on purpose as instructed. Aran who did not know of the plan panicked as he saw what was unfolding in the ring.  He continued to utter under his breath,

Come on Wanfahmai… Come on… You can do it….

But no matter how many times he said it, she was thrown all over in the ring and she let it be. She was then caught in the lock and finally she saw her chance to tap out calling for the match to end. She lost, and she knew even before it started. Aran’s jaws dropped and when the referee left the ring, he immediately jumps into it to take a look at Wanfahmai. He cradled her head, as he began to call out for her,

“Wanfahmai! Wanfahmai! Answer me! Are you alright?!”

After a few seconds, Wanfahmai regained consciousness and managed to let out a little smile much to the delight of Aran as he heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

“Let’s go Aran…” as Wanfahmai uttered slowly.

One of the boss’s men caught up with them and handed her cut from today’s match before the two of them left the place. As soon as they stepped outside, Aran offered to give her piggy back ride to the bus stop but she declined.

“Just lend me your arm… And help me to carry my bag if you don’t mind…”

“Sure sure… Of course…”

There was silence between them as they walked and were already nearing the bus stop when Aran’s worry got the better of him and he finally asked the big question,

“What happened in the ring? That was unlike you…”

Again, Wanfahmai only managed to smile at his question before she spoke slowly, “Well I guess it’s just not my day and maybe I am running out of luck with these matches… I mean I can’t always win right? Where’s the fun in that? So could you kindly get me my usual?”

“Sure…”

However, Aran’s instincts told him that there’s more than what Wanfahmai was letting him on, but he decided not to probe further. He got what was needed from the convenience store and they went their separate ways again since she insisted on being alone after every match. This time around, when she went to visit her mother in the hospital she remembered to put on a mask and cap so as to prevent her mother from seeing her clearly. Routinely, she went to work, again requesting for kitchen duties and then head back to the hospital to feed her mother before making her way towards the counter to make her payment. Indeed, the amount she earned that night was more as promised since the bets were with her. As a result of her lost, the amount that they gained increased by five folds. In her mind, just one last match and she’ll be able to clear the bills accumulated and also to save some for rainy day.

By this time, her expulsion from school had already been confirmed and she did not even bother to attend school one last time. She was used to the life that she was having, working part time and a freelance underground fighter as she would like to call herself. She was already preparing for her fifth and last match when she received a call to inform her that this time around people were betting against her so she was told to win at all cost and it was not a fixed match either. The reason why the betting odds were high for her side was due to the fact that the sadistic boss decided to throw in a little surprise as a fa