Better Sorry than Safe

16.

This chapter is dedicated to Forcade for making me a new cover. c:

"Last round, so go hard! Round kicks, left, right, left!"

The gravelly voice of trainer Ralph filled the gym, along with grunts of effort from the class. Sweat was pouring down Sem's face and back, as he threw kick after kick against the heavy punching bag. The message to go hard was all too welcome, and in a masochistic way, he enjoyed how his tired muscles burned and ached with each kick. It only spurred him on to go even harder.

Of course, pretending the bag was Daniel also helped.

"And time!" Ralph barked. "That's it for today. Catch your breath, do your stretches."

Ralph gave Sem a firm pat on his back as he passed him. The stone-faced trainer mostly barked orders and corrections, never said much else, but Sem had learned to recognise compliments. A pat on the back was like saying 'well done.' Him allowing Sem to participate in his advanced class after only a year was, as rumour had it, nothing short of a marriage proposal.

At least someone had high expectations of him. And his parents still wondered why he enjoyed spending time at the sport centre so much.

Sem sat himself down on a bench, took off his gloves, and undid the wraps around his hands. Going mad on that punching bag had been a good call; he felt infinitely better now. He'd always been better able to relax when his body was exhausted, his limbs heavy. Like his mind was also somehow slowing down.

He should've dropped by the punching bags before school. He hadn't been able to focus on math at all today, which was probably going to show on his test. Okay, granted, he usually didn't pay much attention. But he needed at least a tiny sliver of it, to not fall off the sufficient grades tightrope he was always balancing on.

Things at school had gone so poorly that Sem had also decided not to go to the extra football practice Nick, Ethan, and some other guys wanted to do. He had sort of promised Connor he'd give his friends a chance despite what happened, and he would. But after shit hit the fan with Daniel, he'd just wanted to punch and kick something. And talk to Connor.

Sipping water from his bottle, Sem quickly scrolled through his new messages. There was some group app spam, a few messages from Emma which he hadn't bothered opening yet, and one new message from pretty much the only person he wanted to talk to right now.

Connor: You still doing alright? [Sent: 15:52]

Sem: don't worry, i can tough it out [Sent: 16:33]

Connor: okay :) call you after dinner? [Sent: 16:33]

Sem: Yeah, i'd like that :) [Sent: 16:33]

It kind of bugged Sem that Connor was always so busy during the day. He understood that combining a job, and all that shit he had to learn at university wasn't easy, but still. He hardly texted. And they'd only been able to have a brief five minute call after the Daniel incident. Sem had told Connor that his brother knew about them, Connor had asked Sem if he was okay, and Sem had convinced Connor he wasn't falling apart or anything. That's it. Then, Connor's break had been over.

Sem slipped his phone in his backpack, and gathered his stuff to leave. Connor tried, though. He had made time for him, and that's all Sem could ask. Being completely alone in this, having nobody on his side, that would've been horrible. He did have Connor.

"Thanks Ralph," Sem called over his shoulder on his way out.

Pushing the double doors open, he glanced at the chubby girl standing just around the corner in the hallway. Hang on a second. Sem did a double take when he realised he actually knew this girl.