Chapter 8- Unforeseen Situations

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"Hey Marcus, why are you trying so hard to steal Payton from me, huh?!" Oh no, already a few minutes into our free time in World History I am already being confronted by something I didn't even do. Carl calls me out the second the teacher goes outside the classroom for a quick teacher conference and approaches my desk. I am confounded by this, "Uh, Carlos? What do you mean, I need an explanation." Clearly he doesn't seem happy or in a good mood. "Is it not so obvious for you, hot man? Ever since you got here, all the girls have been swooned over your good looks and I don't like how you try to get Payton's attention and bask in your popularity!" "Yeah, bu-" He slams his fist hard on the desk surface that surprises everyone but me (since I saw the "prediction" of his movement), and gives me a hard glare. "(Carl) Damn, he didn't faze by the power of my fist? Seems like I can't back down with him now." He backs up a bit and looks around the classroom to find everyone looking at him, including Payton who was listening the whole time. "Get up," Carl demands. "Get up, Marcus. We're having a little sparring practice right now."

There's a sense of excitement coming around the classroom that I can't seem to understand. I instinctively get up from my desk and go to the back of the classroom that has the most space given, minus the moving of a few chairs by the other classmates. Everyone crowds around us in anticipation for the fight, with Payton hanging far back towards the back (clearly not happy or enthusiastic about this unfortunate situation). I never wanted to fight to begin with, especially with someone who had never done wrong by me or anyone close to me, but he forced an unreasonable excuse to fight me. The best I can do now is dodge his attacks and not hurt him so I can get out of this in some peaceful manner that won't harm the both of us. Carl puts up some fighting posture and waits patiently while I stand unfazed with almost no regard for any defense or preparation.

Before I know it, Carl swings first at a speed I didn't see accurately but I somehow manage to dodge with my body. Surprised, he still attacks at lightning-fast speeds but the jabs and swings are easily dodged as I still manage to keep my ground and avoid them. He stops to recover, but I look around to find the crowd to have grown larger seeming to have heard the commotion from the other classes nearby. I got to stop this somehow before a teacher comes in and we get all in trouble for causing a scene! Carl suddenly throws a punch close to my throat, too fast for me to dodge! I have no choice but try to grab it, and somehow (miraculously) grab it with such strength that it stops dead in my hand. We are both clearly surprised by my sudden move and strength pulled, but I waste no time using this advantage to pull him closer with his arm, tugging him off-balance to where he leans forward, and I knock him to the ground with a knee kick where I render him immobile and unable to attack with holding his arm back and grabbing hold of his neck.

He can't seem to get out of this struggle as I almost use no real strength to keep him down with this perfect body I made, and no sound comes from the crowd as I can hear them think of the result of this "sparring practice". "Woah, he just put him down so easily after only dodging his moves!", "Wow, he didn't even want to fight and he showed off how strong he is!", "Tough luck Carl, looks like you finally met your match this year." I see most of them start to pull out their phones and I instinctively let Carl go since I was always paranoid about phones being on me when bullies used to record for their own amusement. Carl gets up before they can start taking pictures, but instead of being furious publicly with me, he just wipes off a bit of dust and strolls on to his desk in utter silence. Too many curse words are filled in his head right now for me to hear properly in his mind, but everyone else go, for lack of a better term to me, "nuts" over the fight. Just as they start to crowd over me and bombard me with questions me, the World History teacher comes in the classroom and is shocked at the amount of students milling about.

He barks orders at the ones who weren't in this class originally to go back to their own classes and will notify their teachers for "class obstruction". Then he gets everyone else in this class to sit in their desks and not let us do much for the rest of the period. I can feel Carl's death stare on me without even needing my Sixth Sense Ability, and I hope this doesn't hurt me in the future.

*The Next Day*

"Eyyyyy, Marcus, how ya doing?" Carl greets me in a cheerful manner as I enter World History. I'm completely surprised that he would be in a "good" mood the next day after our small fight, with him actually greeting me as though nothing happened yesterday. I respond kindly to him and sit down in my desk with a large relief given but still skeptical of his true intentions. The big dogs don't take defeats likely and will try to get their revenge, and it mostly involved small fry like me before to be collateral and often harassed to provoke the other, so of course I don't like his sudden kindness to me. Payton doesn't seem to believe the kind act either, as I can hear her complain to herself and then to a classmate about Carl's impulse to fighting and the thought of trying to be "impressed" by his skills. I kind of feel pity for her situation, but I have more pressure in this situation to deal with here.

Towards the end of the period, as I start to pack up my backpack for the next passing classes, Carl approaches me again with that same cheerful manner. He slumps into the unoccupied desk in front of me and says, "Marcus, I got an idea on how to make it up to ya for yesterday." I play along, "Yeah? What did you have in mind?" He pulls out his phone, "Listen, I'm sorry for that little fight I got ya in, completely stupid of me. Anyway, I want to invite ya for a good meal at a restaurant I know pretty well that is top-notch. (Clicks tongue)Let me add ya to this group chat of mine and we can get to know each other better... as friends!" Woah, woah, woah, FRIENDS?! That is the first time someone has wanted to be friends with me, of all people! I feel thrilled that anyone would want to know me as a friend, no one else before seemed to want to.

Exchange phone numbers, add name to group chat, confirm it's actually the right one... done! Seems like I have something to look forward to in the evening! "Say Marcus, I'll send you the address and the time we will meet up at the restaurant, ok? See ya then." The bell then rings and he just rushes off the classroom, leaving me to head to my other class with the other students as well as be excited for this "friend hangout".

*Later, In the Evening*

With what good clothes I have to spare for this occasion is pretty questionable, as I never had the money (or the means to have an opportunity) to get such nice clothing or accessories. Surprisingly, my old body clothes somehow fit into my perfect body but only hang a little by the frame difference. No matter, I can still make good time. Grabbing out my phone and checking the group chat, Carl had sent information earlier of the address and details of the restaurant that he had invited me, apparently low-profile and had a great view outside apparently. The streets are slightly crowded as rush-hour traffic peak has ended and stragglers start to pour outside, but it doesn't stop me in this body even though most people coming towards side-step almost immediately when they see me. The address leads me to an alleyway close to the local arcade, so out of suspicion I used Sixth Sense View to then find no one hiding ahead to possibly ambush me. Phew, I guess Carl really wanted to try to be friends with me, so that's a start.

The entrance doesn't look all glamorous or high-end even with the unique carpet placed after the small set of stairs. Before I can reach for the doorknob, I can hear Carl's thoughts through the other side and out of curiosity place myself on the wall to listen in. "(Carl)Hehe, this is great. This was a great idea to get Marcus to spill something about himself, so I can get to know my enemy better. Let him think that I want to be friends with him, then, WHAM, I can defeat him and publicly show off to Payton that I can be the toughest!" This comes as a surprise to me, I didn't think he had an ulterior motive to think about. Everyone else before had just said it straight to my face because we knew I was incapable of doing anything about it, but is this is what I want to go through? I could just leave now, but I don't think Carl would like that and would find a better excuse to try and beat me up. I guess I have to get out of this somehow and make sure not to get on his or his other friend's bad side.

I breath in, and open the door to enter to find them in a corner table waving me over.

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