Mission Impossible

Chapter 23~ The Lost Boy

CLARA'S POV

  If I went out there and started beating up the punching bag, it would cause suspicion. But if I went out there and looked like everyone else in the gym, I wouldn't get Mr. Cormack's attention. I needed to find a balance. I walked up to the bag and steadied it, trying to buy time so Cormack would maybe be looking at me by the time I finished. From the corner of my eye, I saw him looking at me, and thought I had missed my chance until I realized he was still looking at me. He was watching to see if I could perform like I did yesterday.

  I got into a somewhat awkward but firm fighting stance like the teacher had taught us in the beginning of the class, and pushed my back hand forward. I snapped my fist at the very end, using a proper form, but made sure not to move the bag. I did it again, this time hitting slightly harder. I saw Cormack approaching me and I got out of my stance, looking at him as he walked over.

  "I don't know why I can't get it to move, I'm trying-," I started to say until he cut me off.

  "You have really good form," he told me. "All you need is the power," he explained. "Remember to twist your shoulders as your arm comes forward, and pivot your back foot so it's facing front," he instructed, getting in his own fighting stance and demonstrating the tips he just told me slowly. I watched him closely, up until the last second when he snapped his wrist, moving the punching bag back and forth. Flawless punch. No gym teacher is that good. Mr. Cormack slowed the bag down and motioned at me to try again. I got into an awkward stance again. "Make  sure your elbows aren't tucked into your body," he corrected me and I followed, getting in a normal stance.

  I performed a normal punch, which was ten times better then my last one. The bag swayed back and forth, and I tried to look surprised. I looked up at him with a smile, to see him giving me a hint of a smile back.

  "Not bad, Mitchell," he complimented. "Next," he said, walking away and signaling my turn was over. I went twice more before we were dismissed to get changed, and each time Cormack was watching me. I jogged down to the locker rooms, quickly changing so I could hopefully get to my room first and have a moment of privacy. A spy needs her privacy and sharing a room with two teenage girls is the exact opposite of what I needed right now. I jogged back to my room, my backpack softly hitting my back with each stride I took. I had just made it outside of the school building and was about to cross the yard to the dorms when a heard my name being called.

  "Hey, Evelyn!" a familiar voice called. I slowly turned around to see none other then Melissa, stalking towards me. "What's the rush?" she asked once she reached me.

  "I need to use the bathroom", I told her, upset I wouldn't be getting my few minutes of alone time after all. Melissa just let out a hum, not really caring about my answer.

  "You picked up boxing really quickly," she remarked and I just shrugged.

  "Once Mr. Cormack showed me what to do it got a lot easier," I explained. Once I thought about it, I didn't see Melissa boxing today. "What about you? Are you good at boxing?" I asked her. She snorted.

  "Please, I'm good at everything," she cockily remarked. I internally rolled my eyes.

  "You are pretty good at archery," I observed.

  "This better not be your attempt to be my friend," she warned me, looking me in the eyes.

  "Not a chance," I fired back. "This is just a long lawn," I told her. She rolled her eyes at my response although she had a hint of a smile on her face.

  "So, tomorrow's Friday, got any plans?" Melissa asked me. I raised an eyebrow.

  "This better not be your attempt to be my friend," I used her own words against her. She laughed and motioned to all the area we had left on the left. I giggled too. "I going out," I told her, hoping she wouldn't ask with who.

  "New girl moves quick. With who?" she asked. Of course.

  "Tanner," I responded, looking away and pretending not to be interested in the subject.

  "Oh," Melissa responded. I could tell she wanted to say more, but knew she wasn't going to.

  "Did you two date or something?" I couldn't help but ask. Melissa raised her eyebrow at me.

  "We made it across the lawn," she avoided my question, and I smirked at her response as entered the building to our dorm.

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  I was sitting in the back of my English class the next day, waiting for Harry to arrive. Once he did, he walked towards the back of the room, taking his seat next to me. He looked annoyed as he tugged at his tie.

  "Too tight?" I almost giggled.

  "These uniforms suck," he replied and I couldn't hold back my giggle as he grumpily continued to tug on it. The bell rung, signalling class had begun, and our teacher wasted no time in complying to the bell, beginning to speak as soon as the bell had stopped.

  "As you know you guys handed in your short stories yesterday, and I have to say, I was very impressed with what I read. While all of them were very good, there was one that really stood out to me. I would love to read it to you guys to show you the kind of writing I'm looking for," she said before picking up a single slip of paper and clearing her throat.

"I was always first. First in my classes, first to be picked in gym, the first to finish the race. Except when it came to her. From the first time we meet, I knew she was special. So brave, beautiful, and bold. Everything a guy could wish for. And maybe that was the problem; she was too perfect for me. Except I knew she wasn't perfect. She was far from it. She was impulsive at times, yet everything she did was with a purpose. She was stubborn, and sometimes her mouth moved faster then her brain could, and she knew it, for she was told this a lot."

The small smile on my face started to fade as I continued to listen, my thoughts running wild.

"All of these flaws though, are what made her perfectly imperfect. She was truly a work of art. She was independent, and fierce, and her strength was beyond one of any man. She was a fighter, just not for herself but for those around her. The sad thing is, she would never let anyone in. She was so guarded, and alone, that when I had finally started to seep into the cracks of the wall she had built, she shut down and built that wall 10 feet higher. This girl is so beautiful, and brilliant, and amazing, yet she doesn't let anyone see the real her. I caught a glimpse of it once and god did I love it. But just when I think I've found a hole in the wall, she patches it up."

Tears started brimming at my eyes, and I had no clue why.

"There has only ever been one person that has broken down her walls, and he's a lot like her. He's brave, independent, and strong like her. And although I know they'd be good together, I selflessly wish it could have been me to break down those walls. But I didn't, and that's why I came second, and he came first. My quest for this girls heart is one I'll never win."

My heart had slowed to a point where I was afraid it may not start again. I slowly turned my head towards Harry, hoping I was wrong. When I saw him already looking at me, with a sad, broken look, I knew I was right. This wasn't the Harry I knew, but the boy who came in second.

A.N.

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