Vanessa is my name, and I'm a 49 years old single-mum. I've been living together with my only daughter, Mikaela. My husband left me when Mikaela was only 3 years old. And after then, for 15 years, Mikaela never for once met her Dad. She only had a little reminiscence of him. But the truth is, I've been always tried my best to avoid my husband and hide Mikaela from him. For 15 years, life's been hard for both of us. As a single parent, I must went to work to earn our living. I've switched to several job quite often. Until now, mostly I only had some low salary temporal work, like becoming waitress or promotion girl. And just a few months before, they I move to this new neighbourhood, where I got new job as administration staff on local department store. The pay and benefit is good, and the neighbourhood been very friendly with them
I had a typical American housewife posture, my body quite slim, and I had long brunette hair. I height around 168 cm and weight around 110 lbs. Between my tight working schedule, I always take a few workout to keep my physical conditions. But beyond my posture, nobody ever recognise that I'm actually a fighter. In the past, I've been having some professional boxing match up before my marriage, and even I did some wrestling on weekend. I've left my fighting life after my marriage, but not after 2 years ago when I start to took back my gloves. I got this opportunities from a local bar who manage a midnight women wrestling match. The owner found me attractive enough for the crowd. I had doubt at first, but I took the chance. I ended up winning up my first fight. And after that I become quite popular and even made my own ring name the "Female Leopard". The fight starting to generate quite some money as my second job. I had my manager, Sally, who arranged everything and watching my back. Follow her suggestion, I wear a leopard mask to cover my face, it give this mysterious atmosphere to the crowd. But the more important thing is, I want my real identity to be hidden, especially I never want Mikaela to found about my second life. Today my record was 11-0-0. And my rising popularity was the side reason why I moved to this new neighbourhood. This town got a bigger venue, lot of crowd, and they offer me higher pay for my appearance.My daughter,
Mikaela, is 18 years old and currently sit in high school. She is a very diligent girl and a typically bookworm person, which is why every teachers quickly loves her in school. She's always making me proud with her school performance. Though she tried her best to looks modest, I heard some of her friends seemed annoyed with her attitude, as they saw her as somewhat a teacher's pet. Mikaela attend the school through a scholarship. The school tuition fee was quite expensive, and normally only student from upper class family would able attend to attend it. It's not surprising that the school are filled with some slacker and pampered students. Mikaela told me that there's this one queen bee in the school called Kate. She's an all blond girl with a very attractive curvaceous posture, and somewhat had a typical super-model aura. She had a very dominant and arrogant personality. And unfortunately for Mikaela, she's is in the same class with Kate. Mikaela told that Kate had a somehow hostile attitude toward her. I quickly understand this kind of situation. Women is very fierce in a world of woman competition. It's no strange, that Kate is irritated with Mikaela's academic achievement. I harbour my anger as I listen how Mikaela was was always bullied by Kate starting from the second week they been in the class. One time, Kate even assault Mikaela by splashing her with a bucket of water in the restroom. Kate hatred toward Mikaela seemed to grew larger day by day, even she doesn't feel any shame to mock Mikaela right in front of her face. I know I need to do something about this, but I know my Mikaela is a strong girl. And I want her to solve her own problem.
On one Friday I was taking a day off as I planned to go out of town to visit my old friends on weekend. I'l bring Mikaela along, and so I plan to pick her up after school. When Kate saw Mikaela sitting alone on the side of the street, she come up and confront her. She tried to threaten and assault her. I saw them arguing from afar over my car dashboard. A few seconds later, Kate start a violence assault by slapping Mikaela right in her cheek. She was pushed back and fall into the ground. I quickly pull over my car, and caught Kate's arm before she did further action.
'Back-off you pussy-cat. You're over your manner!" I shouted
Kate was shocked, she tried to free herself from my grasp, but I won't let go.
'Stop it!! Pull me off!!" Kate screamed in pain
'Kate!! What happened?! You!! Leave my daughter alone!" I glanced at the source of the shout.
I saw this blonde mother wearing a very fancy pink blazer. As I changed eyes with her, my mind was totally shocked.
"You!!" both me and the blonde mother shouted.
"Julie!" I shouted
"Vanessa!" she shouted back
It was her, without doubt. It was Julie, my old rivals from high school. She is around my ages, and looks very mature. Her golden blonde hair was still looks beautiful as ever. And what never ages is her arrogant eyes and cynical smiles. She is the same person I used to fight in the boxing ring in my prime. I never thought to meet her again today. It's been 15 years, since I last met her, since that event happened.
"Well... well..... how are you little-widow? Have you found a new man to keep you warm?" Julie speaks
"Watch your words Julie. I don't want any trouble, nor my daughter" I replied
"So this is your daughter?" Julie speak while squinting into Mikaela from hair to toe "She looks so small compared to my daughter. Couldn't you breed a better offspring? What a waste of such champions body and talent" she speak with some giggles.
I knew Julie so much. That what she good at. She will always provoke other people, playing their emotion, and bring them into her nest; and then she will shatter their life slowly. And now she was just trying to provoke me. But still it was the most painful thing a mother could listen about her daughter. My nerve is already tighten and my fist is already clenched. And suddenly my reflex jumped as I launched my punch toward her face. SMACK!!! With a swift reflex, Julie catches and hold my fist.
"Is this all you got? You're getting slower with your age" Julie is smiling.
Julie grips my arms tighter and slowly pull it down. I could feel my fist getting hurt. Suddenly a fist fly from my left and land right below my chest. BAM!!
I gasped as it hit into my left abs. My legs are shaking. I slouched and groaned from the aftermath of the punch.
"This is what I called punch. You know how a champion do her job"
"Coughh... cough....." I tried to collect my breath. I saw Mikaela looks worried on my side.
"Please just stop, and leave us alone. We don't have any matter with you anymore" Mikaela beg to Julie.
"I feel pity for you Vanessa. But I'm always been a merciful women. So for the sake for this little girl, I will let you go now"
And then Julie and Kate leave the school.
Mikaela helped me to stand back and walk to the car. We didn't talked about the incident anymore while on our way. While driving, a lot of things come to my mind, the memories of our my younger days start to coming back to my mind. As I watch the sunset in the horizon, I saw dark road will shroud my coming day. Julie will come back, and so do I. We will settle our things just like the old times.
