Love and War

Chapter 2

"Alright, get to class." Someone yells from the door.

Jason grins at me, "Ladies first."

I fall for his crude joke. He steps in front of me, almost causing me to trip over my own two feet and laughs as he goes out the door. An exaggerated sigh comes out of my mouth as I control the emotions and humiliation coursing through my body.

My feet move steadily towards my next class. Jason is in front of me, stopping every few yards to give some dabs to his friends. By the time we make it to the building, there are few students wondering through the hallways.

"Can't wait for combat class." He turns around, looking at me suspiciously.

"I'm not looking forward to it. I'm not much of a fighter."

A throatily laugh bellows from deep within him , "I know"

I choose to sit next to Jason as none of the other students are familiar. We sit in the front of the room, next to the teacher's desk. I swivel my head around the class, catching some more damning eyes on me. Being with Jason as just amplified the effect. I won't be able to escape from this anytime soon. The bell rings, announcing the beginning of class.

I settle down in my seat, my head resting on the back of the chair. Jason sits with his elbows on his knees, looking directly at the huge mat in the middle of the room. He has a smug expression on his perfect face and I don't know why.

"Today we will be picking combat partners. It doesn't matter what size, gender, or weight is. Just pick a partner and I'll explain what we'll be doing."

Jason jerks his arm in my direction, claiming me as his partner before anybody else even had the chance. We wait for the rest of the class, which is about ten other people, to find partners.

"Okay, everyone find a section of the mat. That will be your combat area until I do an evaluation on you and your partner. Try your best."

Jason has worry plastered all over his face. He probably didn't realize how soon we were going to engage in physical contact.

"Alright , everyone get in your fighting stances." The teacher announces.

Jason bobs his body back and forth, like a Street Fighter character, while I do my best to mimic the stance the teacher taught us yesterday.

"Fight!"

Immediately, sounds of bodies slamming into the floor fill the room.

He circles around me, his body in a defensive position, and doesn't attack. I mimic his moves, wanting to have the same advantage that he does. As the people round us continue to fight, Jason and I are stuck in this defensive position, circling around each other like monkeys.

Why won't he attack me? Does he not believe I can handle it?

I lunge toward him, trip on my feet and send myself tumbling toward the ground.

"Aww, that's cute. Is that the best you could do?" He continues to mock me.

Flushed and filled with anger, I lunge at him again, colliding with his leg but he easily pushes me off of him.

"Is that the best you could do Kimberly?"

How dare he even mention my name? My name should never come out of his mouth. Nobody gave him permission to use it.

I shoot out from the floor and once again lunge toward him, completely missing him and hitting my face on the wall behind us. Pain shoots through my face and when I place my head to my nose, the familiar red substance covers part of my hand.