Lies

Chapter 21

Kagami

Wednesday came in an instant. It's been a while since we've had individual fencing practices, but thanks to the new baby Mr. D'Argencourt requested Wednesdays to be individual practices. I've been studying a different technique that my mother used in her last year of fencing. It was quite remarkable.

I'm in the small gym acquainting myself with the small closet containing the fencing gear I require for my personal practice. A few of the fencing students have gathered in here to retrieve their practice gear and some mats. Since some of the students are practicing in the courtyard, my time will be spent in this small secluded gym.

The mats for wrestling practice have been laid out thankfully, so there is no need for me to take any mats from the closet. My practice saber is left at home so one of the sabers from here will have to do for my individual practice. My phone buzzes allowing me to know that I only have two hours before the wrestling team takes over this room. That means I have precisely one hundred and twenty minutes to figure out the new technique, work on my balancing and my foot work.

I place my gym bag in the corner of the room and grab one of those fencing posts to practice with. The use of it is small, but in order for this technique to be on par I'll need to use it. For the last time, I checked my phone and saw a few texts, one from Marinette inviting me to the park to watch Luka play, another from my mother messaging me that she will have Tatsu pick me up and the last one from Adrien asking if I wanted to practice fencing. Obviously, I'd prefer to do the practicing alone and without any distractions.

Firstly, I stretch my legs and arms, then I roll my ankles to make sure there won't be any sprains during my practice, lastly my leg steps forward in order for me to lunge properly. These exercises are crucial before any training. I place the fence post in front, I take a few steps away and turn to face the post. My stance is my left foot faced forward and my right foot faces outward.

After a few good lunges and attack warm ups, I've decided to work on the high outside and low inside attacks. The high outside requires an attack to the top of the opponent, going to the outside of the blade between the opponent's weapon and shoulder, while the lower inside attack is when the attack is going inside of the blade, in the middle of the chest but below it. I focus on the areas on the fencepost, but it's a bit difficult since there is no shoulder or abdomen to strike.

It's been about an hour and I've done about seven different blade drills, two attacks and worked on my lunging for balancing reasons. My advances could use more of a challenge and my footwork has gotten sloppy within this hour. I decided to take a small break. Hydration is calling and the bench against the wall where I can sit looks very welcoming. I place my saber against the fencing post and take my seat.

I pull out the red hydro flask from my gym bag and twist the top open. The opening of the flask meets my lips and my eyes close as the water pours into my mouth. The cool feeling of it and the thirst I crave becomes evident. The feeling of that thirst is consuming me and then my eyes catch a rather displeasing sight.

"Alone as always." His vile voice echoed as the sound of the wheels stopped. Felix is standing at the entrance of the gym with a cart filled with soccer balls. He's wearing gray joggers with a gray long sleeve. What is he doing here? He doesn't play sports.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I shove my water bottle back into my bag and head over to my fencing post. I'm curious as to why he's here, but the thought fades quickly.

"Nothing, it shouldn't matter to you. I mean I'm so trivial that anything I say shouldn't matter right?" I wince and remember his outburst. I should apologize. Shouldn't I?

"Listen, I-"

His hand pulls up keeping me from speaking. "Don't apologize, it won't be genuine and I didn't ask for one." He places the soccer ball cart into the same closet my fencing post came from.