𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽𝙰𝙶𝙴 𝙳𝙸𝚁𝚃𝙱𝙰𝙶 ,, high&low

chapter fourteen | all the rage

fourteen

all the rage

In the few seconds it took for me to make my way over to the guy who'd torn apart the final shred of self-esteem I had left in high school, I instantly felt like that scared, bloodied teenager struggling to get up from the roof back in high school. It amazed me how much power Noboyuki still had over me.

"It's your move, asshole." I spat, waiting for him to throw the first stone. I wasn't about to make the same mistake that I made last time.

"Midori!" Naomi had shouted, trying to run towards where I was lying on the roof, Odajima holding her back.

"You can't go over there, you're just putting yourself in the line of fire!" There were many reasons Odajima had never gone up against Noboyuki. I think that the fact he had more common sense than the other six of us was probably a driving factor.

I shakily got to my feet, spitting out a blood clot right onto the poker cards, his friends shouting insults at me as I turned back to face him.

"Is that all you've got?"

I barely dodged his punch, his fist just grazing my ear. I lifted my leg, driving the steel toe of my boot into his stomach with all the force that I could muster. Noboyuki wasn't fazed, bringing his elbow down on my shoulder and sending me crumpling to my knees. I thought fast, using my momentum to take the older man to the floor with me.

I got to my feet quickly, the momentum almost taking me to the floor again before Noboyuki grabbed at my ankle, tugging me back. The force of my fall sent my flying into where Fujio and another guy I recognized form my own Sato days of vying for that top spot were fighting it out with each other.

I got back to my feet again, almost tripping over Fujio as we both tried to get up at the same time.

"You good?" I asked "You're bleeding a lot."

Fujio shrugged "It will lower my blood alcohol level."

I paid little attention to the younger boy as Noboyuki got up from the ground, just for me to kick him in the face again.

"Wait until I'm fully on my feet before you kick me, coward." The blond spat

I was enraged "Coward? What do you call getting your goons to kick me over and over again while I was on the floor until Odie had to forcibly rip your guys off of me!?"

He shrugged "It's all business, baby."

"Don't call me baby." I spat, moving to punch him again. I landed a solid punch to his jaw, but he also landed one on the side of my head, almost sending me right back to the floor again as I sucker punched him in the gut.

I had barely gotten back to my feet to make a move when he threw me to the floor again, kicking me in the face as I tried to get up again, effectively breaking my nose with a crunch. I lay on the ground, coughing. I made brief eye contact with Odajima, his long blond hair rustling with the wind.