The Dangers of Saving a Life

Chapter 12: Kwin

Hock note: Kwin lost a bet with Alec. Poor girl. As a result, she agreed to spin with the cyborg. Let's check in and see how that's going for her. 

All that week, Kwin spun with Alec. That meant she walked with him to the classes, attended parties by his side, laughed at his jokes, and admired his bulging augmented muscles. She had to do these things through the end of the week; that was the agreement she made with him. 

It was sheer torture.

She nearly gagged as he held hands with her around the college. She got embarrassed when he introduced her as 'his babe'. She felt dirty as he flaunted her like a trophy in the large lecture hall of their ancient civilizations class. She wanted to crawl into a black hole and disappear. Unfortunately, he sat next to her, leaning in on her, caressing her hair. But she kept her part of the bargain. She lit up the place with her winning smile while Alec stuck out his big cyborg chest with pride.

That evening, he paraded her around the Kyla nightclub, going from one table to the next, feeding her energy drinks, and then making her dance with him late into the night.

"Remember, you lost," he said while all their friends were gathered around. He grinned with victory. "You said you would spin with me for the entire week. But I think you like it, don't you babe?" He carefully enunciated each of the b's in 'babe'.

The next day, when they gathered in one of the rooms at the soccer club, eating mealworm pizza topped with grasshopper bacon and gloating about their athletic prowess, she couldn't take it anymore. She feigned vomiting. She made a mighty show of being repulsed by him, convulsing as his fingers touched her.

"You can't do that." Alec got incensed. "That's part of spinning with me. You have to like it."

But when she thrashed about even more, his haughty face turned red. He erupted with indignation. Those watching thought the deal laughable.

"They'll never make it, one said.

"They'll blow up before the week is over," another said. "She's too high-strung."

"There's no taming that girl," a third said.

As the week progressed, however, she grew to appreciate the deal. When he called for her to come to his side, she actually looked forward to it. He was pretty good eye candy, his bulging arms held her snuggly around her waist, and his rock-hard chest felt nice to her touch. 

Alec certainly relished having her by his side and that made her feel good. Maybe she didn't mind being somebody's trophy so much. Perhaps she would stay with him once the time was up.

Around the middle of the week, as they returned from their Implant Psychology II class, a mob of fans gathered around Kwin, separating her from Alec. She was accustomed to the attention. It happened all the time. But not Alec. He got mighty angry.

A young boy pushed through the crowd to get to Kwin, "You're the top quark." His friend pushed up next to him and echoed the sentiment, "We think you're the best."

She produced her thousand-watt smile for them as they got on each side of her.

"We want a hologram with you." One of them handed her a soccer ball. "You have to be holding a ball when we do it."

"I won't allow it." The crowd parted for the cyborg. The boys ran when they spotted him. "You better spin off," Alec called after them, his artificial eyes bulging and his plastic face red. "We're spinning together, me and her, not you."

Kwin slapped him upside his big, augmented head. "They're kids. They like soccer. Don't you ever do that again."

His face got so red it looked like he might explode. "We're spinning together. They can't butt in like that. It's you and me, babe. They're not allowed." He whirled around towards the mob, scattering them, "Everybody leave. She's with me. None of you are allowed when she's with me."

That made her feel warm and fuzzy all over. Sure, it was a bit possessive, but she liked it. She had no idea he wanted her that much. It stirred something inside her. She took his hand and went with him, leaving her spectators behind. Perhaps, once their time was up, she would consider spinning with him for longer. She felt she would miss him if they split now.

Then came that Friday afternoon, when the entire team gathered for their pre-game tryouts. Kwin, Alec, and Asher competed for goalkeeper. 

Asher went first. He was okay, but he missed some shots. He was plenty smart, but not nearly as fast as Kwin or as strong as Alec. The team scored three times on him. Alec went next. He performed better, but he was so big that he missed a shot in the far corner. She knew she could beat him. She wasn't bragging, she simply knew she was the best.

However, when it came to her turn to try out, Alec spoke romantically in her ear. "I want you to miss a couple of shots. That's part of spinning with me, okay? We have a deal. You're going to let me win. You're going to help me make the team because you like me and it's important to me."

She felt the heat rise up in her mighty hot. It wasn't fair. He couldn't do that to her. "That's not part of the deal. That's not part of spinning. I'm the best and you know it."

She placed a hand on his rock-hard chest. She almost didn't do it. She almost wanted to stay with him, she really did. But she pushed him away. She wouldn't spin with him anymore. "I'm going to win."

His haughty face turned ugly. "You have to spin with me. You lost the bet. You promised."

She turned away from him, taking her place in the goal box, ready for her tryout. Once Coach started the play, she performed flawlessly. It was the best feeling ever, pumping her legs, flying through the air. Her yellow Pondus shoes felt good on her feet when she blocked one goal after another. She was good as protons.

She smiled mighty wide for Alec when Coach announced that she was the first-string goalkeeper. She lit up the field with that smile. Her spectators cheered for her. They loved her. She was back.

Alec fumed and crossed his big arms over his chest. "You didn't keep your part of the deal. We're not spinning anymore. We're through."

"Yep, I knew it," one of her teammates said.

"They blew up just like we said," another said.

"You can't tame that girl," a third said.

She didn't care because she was going to take the Atraville squad to the championship. The spectators were there for her. She was the one who would win the cup for them.