Haylee’s life was one that thrived on routine, something she insisted to keep a sense of normalcy in her when everything else would fall apart in an instant. Moving from town to town, never staying long enough to make friends by her own design. Sure, if she actually tried and talked to people, she would make friends, would be able to have some kind of connection with people, but the fact of the matter was, was her own paranoia in everything prevented her. She kept what she thought to be a healthy distance from anybody and everybody, unaware that such a thing would make her starved for any kind of interaction, even if such a thought terrified her.
It was because she was so insistent on keeping to herself, that she didn’t really pay much attention to what was around her as she got into the locker rooms, making sure to keep her eyes averted from everybody else’s as she concentrated on slowing her breathing down after her typically hard workout. It wasn’t likely a good thing that she pushed herself as hard as she did, as often as she did.. but feeling that exhaustion in her body was familiar, almost comforting in a manner that she didn’t even think about.
Walking towards the showers to wash away the sweat that continued to run down the strong columns of her back, her entire body glistening with sweat, she wasn’t entirely aware of everything going on even if she did hear the raised voices. She had always been good at managing to keep to herself, keeping out of other people’s business. She didn’t want to get involved, didn’t want to make herself known…
But when the blue haired person made that panicked noise and jerked from whatever was happening, Haylee couldn’t just turn a blind eye anymore. Feeling a pit rise in her stomach, she quickly moved forward, lips pressed together in a thin line with her displeasure, enough emotion rising through her to have a flicker of it in the false color of her green eyes… but not enough to truly break through the almost doll-like appearance of her. Rather than physically pulling the woman away from the other, Haylee placed herself between Bell and her tormentor, hands already fisted in case she would need to defend herself.
“That’s enough…” she urged, her heart pounding in her chest despite the way she held herself in preparation. She was fairly well known in this gym, enough so for the woman to hesitate when she saw Haylee. The woman with vibrant red hair didn’t make it a secret that she knew mixed martial arts, practicing it every single day in the gym they were in now.
The bullies had no desire to face off with the woman they’d regularly seen doing the routines Haylee did. They backed off, but not without parting shots, “Well I guess now we know why she looks like that. I should have known a real woman wouldn’t have those arms,” they dismissed at Haylee, “The freaks all grouping together.”
The other woman thrust her chin up, “Don’t even think about ever coming in here again you sick fucks! I’m reporting you right now. Management will ban your ass!” as they left, Belle could still hear their voices as they called her a guy as they complained to each other.
Sobbing into her knees, she bit into her finger hard, rocking in place. She needed to dress, needed to move. But she couldn’t. She wanted to scream, but she forced it inside. Even breathing was hard enough. Too much. It was all too much.
RP backup 