Saving Scout O'Brian

21- Fighting Back

•Mirrors By Anthem Lights•

Twenty One

"Oomph." I rolled to absorb impact and laid face up on the mat as I tried to control my breathing. "Not bad O'Brian, but we still need to work on your form, yeah?" I groaned and nodded. Casey laughed as she helped me up.

Our instructor nodded. "Casey I want you to work with Giselle today." My blood ran cold. Why is she splitting us up? Oh please don't put me with a boy, I begged her with my eyes. She gave me a wink and turned, motioning to Daniel, an experienced fighter in the class. "Daniel you'll be sparring with Scout from now on."

My palms turned clammy and my chest was tight with nerves. Casey shot me a half-encouraging, half-worried smile over her shoulder. After I'd gotten better, I'd told her why I'd missed so many days. She was super worried but forgave me quickly. We've been hanging out a whole lot now.

"Um....Ms. Hernandez?" I stammered out, starting to ask her if I could have girl partner instead. I didn't have anything against Daniel, I knew he was a nice guy, but I couldn't do it.

My tiny instructor glanced up, her brows raised as she waited for me to speak. "Could.....could I have a girl partner?" Her hard gaze immediately softened and she glanced to a group of students nearby who were trying to make it look like they weren't eavesdropping. "What is this? A mall? Get your asses moving or you'll all be sparring with me!" She snapped.

Everyone scrambled, no one wanted to fight Ms. Hernandez. She was a beast. She grabbed my arm and tugged me off to the side. "Ms. Thornton has informed me of your recent......problems." I jerked my head up, meeting her sharp gaze with my startled one.

"W-what did she say?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Look, I know you can do this. Daniel is a nice guy and he'd never hurt you intentionally. And if he did, I'd have to kick his ass, and hospital paperwork takes forever." I eyed her, trying to figure out what she knew, but she offered nothing, not even a hint. I was angry that Evelyn had shared my past with her. That was none of her business.

"I don't know..."

She sighed again. "Try it, and if you get uncomfortable you can stop." Her gaze was soft and encouraging on mine and I couldn't do anything but yield.

"Okay." I muttered and turned to stalk back over to Daniel. He was actually very nice, but that still didn't make this any easier.

"You can use any tactic you want except the choke hold. Do that, and I will do one of two things; have an extreme panic attack that will get me sent to the hospital again, or two, I will snap and pummel the shit out of you, and get expelled."

His face showed alarm and a small amount of fear but I didn't stop to think about it as I took up my position across from him.

We circled each other slowly for a moment, testing and learning each other's movements. The door to the room opened and judging by the way ever hair on my body raised up in awareness, it was Evelyn. I didn't look away from Daniel.

He moved first, growing impatient with my prolonging of the fight, and lashed out with his fist towards my unprotected shoulder. I moved quickly, spinning on my heel and jabbing my fist into the left side that he'd stupidly left open.