Caged In

the end

Cage

I f*ck!ng passed! I passed with flying colors. I am going to become a firefighter sooner than I thought. Just like all the men I look up to. My father, grandfather and most uncles are all firefighters. Heroes in my eyes. Saving people runs in our blood. This is what I was made for. I studied hard for the written exam, and I have been training for the physical exams my whole life. It actually came quite easy, but I can't openly tell anyone that. I am sure it won't always be that way. Now, I just have to wait for the background check to clear and I have already taken the drug test. I passed the agility test and the CPAT. I am ready for this. I am ready to start this new chapter in my life. I walk out feeling like a million bucks. No-one can f*ck with me today.

I get home and give my family the good news. Well, just my parents. My little sister Rae hardly comes out of her bedroom. She goes to school, then comes home and keeps to herself. She is smart. She is doing dual education, which means that she is attending her regular high school, and she is also taking college courses at the same time. She is literally a genius and likes to stay busy. She says her mind is always moving, and this keeps her mind busy and away from the sad things she would like to forget.

My little sister is literally the smartest person I know. Unfortunately, Rae has gone through so much, and I blame myself for it, even if she doesn't actually openly blame me, I know she feels like it's all my fault just by the way she changed with me. It is hard for me to talk to her. I don't know how to approach her anymore. Even if she tries to smile and look happy, I can see the sadness in her eyes. I wish I could take all her pain away. I wish I could go back in time and not take her and my cousins to the party that night. That night, that accident will forever haunt me, haunt all of us that were there. It changed us, and although we were expected to just move on, I don't think that will ever be possible. Brady went to jail that night, and Rae, well, she suffered more than anyone else. We don't talk about it anymore. Dad prohibited us from speaking about that night. Luckily, Brady got his record cleaned. I still wish I could go back and change things for them, but I can't, so I just move on and will work hard, be successful and, hopefully, I can help Rae in some way, some day. For now, I will just try to be the best big brother and a better role model for my cousins.

My mom baked me a cake. That is her thing. She is a baker. She has a very successful bakery. It is one of the most popular places in town. Everyone raves about the bakery. People have traveled across the world to try her pastries. She has been in magazines. Everyone loves it. There's something for everyone there. Mom is inclusive of all. She pours her heart into every single pastry. She has taught Rae to bake since she was a kid, and now she has even come up with many recipes that are included on the menu at the bakery. The women in my family are all talented.

My parents invited the rest of our family over to celebrate. After some time, I decide I am going to sneak away and go take my girlfriend out for a bit. I want to give her the great news. My family won't even notice I am gone now that mom and my aunts have liquor in them. Dad doesn't care what I do, as long as I am safe. Plus, he tracks both my sister and I, so I can't really get into much trouble. Yes, I am a grown man now. No, James Thomas doesn't care. He still acts like I am his little baby. I don't even mind though. I love how much my father loves us. He always says we are his biggest accomplishment. I truly carry that with me.

I call my girlfriend Lucy and tell her to get ready because I want to take her out. I don't tell her everything yet, because I want it to be a surprise. I hope she can be happy for me. She isn't sure what she wants to do with her life, but I have talked to her about how I already have my life planned out. She has mentioned that I have so much potential and that I should aim higher than just being a firefighter, but helping people is where my heart is. She says I was born to lead. She thinks I should take my fighting more seriously, but mom hates it and dad doesn't want me to make a career of it. Mom says my face is too pretty to mess it up. I also know and can feel their anxiety when I fight. I love the thrill, but I hate the way my family feels about it. Dad did confide in me once and told me that he stopped fighting, because he got serious with mom. He said that a lot of his fighting was to get money for them all. He paid for things mom needed when they were in school. My parents were best friends before they became serious. Dad would fight to get money to help aunt Dallas, and uncle Tyler too. He eventually taught them all to fight and defend themselves. He is also a great fighter, but he eventually stopped. Now, he just fights for fun. Actually, now it all seems like training. He makes sure everyone on the farm can defend and protect themselves. When I have kids of my own, this is the way I want them to be raised. I want my dad to teach them everything he taught me. That won't be anytime soon though. I want to live life and make my family proud.

I pick Lucy up, and she wants to go to a local hangout spot. I love this place, because there is something for everyone here. There is no age limit. People come alone or with their whole family. It's always a great time. Lucy pulls out her fake I.D. and I sigh. She is in one of those moods. Lucy is sweet and a great time, but when she drinks, things can go either really well or really badly. Mostly terrible.

I decide to just tell her my good news so that things don't go bad. "Babe, Guess what?" I ask her. She takes her shot and smiles brightly, what hun?" she asks. "I am going to be a firefighter. I aced all of my tests today." I tell her. Her face instantly drops. She looks around, then gives me a fake smile. "That's not what I thought you were going to tell me."she chuckles awkwardly. She orders another round of shots. She takes them all. "What did you think I was going to tell you?" I ask her. She knew I planned on taking these tests eventually. This is what I have been working hard for. "I don't know, maybe that you finally decided to get a manager and be someone big in the fighting world. You have so much potential. Imagine how famous and popular you can be. You are already on a hit show. It will be easy for you to make it bigger. You can easily be the most famous man in the world, but you are deciding to settle and be a firefighter instead," she tells me. I frown. What the f*ck is she talking about?

"Babe. You know I fight for fun. I have never taken it seriously, because it isn't something I want to do long term. I just like releasing stress. That's it," I say. "Yeah Yeah yeah Cage, this is just not good news. How will I tell my family and friends that the man I love is just a firefighter," she says. "My dad is a firefighter," I say. To me, my dad has always been a hero. "Exactly. I see your mother. A business woman. She owns her own bakery. She is beautiful, sweet, kind and a total package. Then there's your dad. A firefighter. You get my drift. I don't want to be like your mom and settle," she tells me. I swear she could have slapped me in the face and I wouldn't feel as offended as I do right now.

A girl comes and interrupts before I can say something. Thank god, because I have never felt like cussing a woman out, and right now, I have some words for her. I am pissed at the fact that she is making my father less. She can say whatever she wants to and about me, but never my parents. She's disrespecting someone I love. The person who raised me to be the man I am. "Come dance with us Lucy," she pulls her away, and I turn around and text my friend Adam. He tells me there's a party at his best friend's house, and I am invited. Cool. Anything is better than this. I will take some time to cool down. She is drunk, and clearly didn't mean what she just said. I look back and Lucy is dancing seductively with some guy. I take a sip of my water and see another man walk up to them, and suddenly Lucy is pancaked in the middle of both men. She is too drunk and doing too much. I will just bring her home. I don't need her to embarrass me more than she already has. I stand up and walk over to them. "Get the f*ck off my girl," I say. "She didn't say she had a boyfriend," one of the guys tells me. My eyes cut to Lucy, who doesn't seem to care. She is all over the other man.

She slowly goes down and rubs herself all over his body. She looks like a dog in heat. I see red. "This is what a real man looks like, Cage." she tells me. I have had enough of her disrespect for one day. She is drunk though. I need to get her home. I should, but can't just abandon her here. That would be wrong. Something could happen to her. The guy smirks and shrugs. I know it isn't his fault, but that shrug did it for me. I punch the guy in the face. Lucy screams. I push him, and since she is holding on to him, she goes flying too. All of a sudden, I feel the crack of a bottle to the back of my head. I feel the blood running down. I turn and it's the other guy, looking shocked. Probably because, even with that hit, I am still standing.

I get attacked by multiple people, but everyone can get these hands. I am not afraid of anyone, so I fight every single man who takes a swing at me. Someone calls the cops, and I am handcuffed. My dad is going to be pissed. "F*k you Cage. You woman beater, how dare you do this to me? You have a little d**k, a little ego, and little ambition. You suck. I am too good for you," Lucy is shouting. As I am pulled out of the establishment, I catch the eyes of some families that I know. Families that go to mom's bakery. Families who take their kids for horse riding lessons at the farm. This is embarrassing. My mother is going to be so disappointed in me. I should not have allowed this girl to get under my skin, but the disrespect was too real, and I couldn't look the other way even if I tried. I ignore Lucy though. I'm done with her.

"This is him, officer. He started everything. He kept instigating my friend Gary. He came up to us and kept trying to start a fight all night long." she lies her ass off to the cop. "Who are you?" he asks her. "My name is Lucy, and I am his girlfriend," she says. "wait, you are his girlfriend, and you are accusing him?" the cop asks. "Well, yes, Cage needs to understand there are consequences for his actions," she says. I laugh so f*ck!ng loudly. Everyone around looks at me in shock. "Take your own advice, by the way, ex-girlfriend. She is my ex-girlfriend." I turn to Lucy though, to make sure she understands me. "I am done with you, Lucy," I tell her. She screams. "No cage, what are you talking about? I am just teaching you a lesson," she is out of her mind. "Take me away, officer. I can't stand looking at her," I say. Little did I know, that besides having to get in the ring with my dad as punishment for getting arrested, my whole world will be flipped upside down by this same girl in just a couple of weeks.