Axel slumped on the couch, eyes fixed on his phone as his mom burst into the living room. "Axel, get up! We're going to the UFC competition today!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious.
Axel groaned, not looking up from his screen. "Mom, do I have to come? I'm not really into fighting sports."
His mom chuckled. "Nonsense, kiddo! It's a family outing! Your dad and I used to love watching UFC together. It'll be fun, I promise!"
Axel raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You and Dad used to watch UFC? Really?"
His mom smiled wistfully. "Well, maybe not exactly UFC, but we loved watching boxing matches together. Come on, it'll be a blast! You can't say no to your old mom, can you?"
Axel sighed, reluctantly putting down his phone. "Fine, but if I get bored, I'm leaving."
His mom beamed, triumphant. "That's the spirit! Let's get going! We don't want to miss the prelims!"
As they arrived at the arena, Axel's mom bubbled with excitement, greeting strangers like old friends. Axel trailed behind, his eyes scanning the crowded hall.
Inside the arena, the energy was electric. Axel's mom grabbed his arm, pulling him toward their seats. "We're right by the cage! Isn't this amazing?"
Axel shrugged, taking in the sights and sounds. The commentators' voices boomed through the speakers, and the crowd cheered as the fighters made their way to the cage.
As the fights began, Axel's mom cheered and jeered in equal measure, drawing curious glances from nearby spectators. Axel found himself getting caught up in the excitement, cheering along with the crowd despite himself.
Between fights, Axel's mom leaned over, grinning. "Having fun yet?"
Axel rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Yeah, yeah, it's okay, I guess."
His mom playfully nudged him. "I knew you'd enjoy it! Who knows, maybe you'll become a fan!"
Axel got to get some snacks and his mom followed suit as they waited in line.
Axel's eyes scanned the crowded arena, taking in the excited chatter and cheering crowds. As he turned to grab a snack from the concession stand, his gaze landed on a teenager around his age, sitting a few rows down.
The kid looked familiar, but Axel couldn't quite place him. What caught his attention, though, was the way the teenager was acting. He seemed nervous, glancing around furtively before slowly getting up from his seat.
As the teenager stood, he clutched his bag tightly to his side, his eyes darting toward the exits. Axel noticed that the bag looked bulky, and the kid's movements seemed almost... protective.
Axel's curiosity was piqued. What was this kid hiding in his bag? He watched as the teenager made his way toward the waiting area, his eyes scanning the crowd as if searching for someone.
Axel's instincts told him that something was off. He leaned over to his mom, trying to keep his voice low. "Mom, see that kid over there? The one with the bag?"
His mom followed his gaze, her expression puzzled. "Which one?"
Axel nodded discreetly. "The one getting up now. He looks suspicious."
His mom's expression turned serious, and she leaned in closer. "What makes you think that?"
Axel shrugged. "I don't know, just a feeling. He's acting weird, and his bag looks heavy."
His mom just smiled . "Let's just go. It's none of our business."
Axel nodded, his eyes fixed on the teenager as he watched him disappear into the crowd. What was going on? And why did Axel's gut tell him that something was about to go down?