Matt Archer: Monster Hunter (Matt Archer Series, Book 1)

Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter Five

On Tuesday, just in time for my muscles to get over Sunday's workout, I joined Will for my first after-school training session. The practice gym, not to be confused with the real gym where we had pep rallies and basketball games, smelled like dirty socks and was full of JV football players wearing gray sweats. Most of them stopped pumping iron or doing crunches to stare at me, the first flyweight ever to walk through the gym door. I wished I could come clean about why I needed to train. Monster killing might have given me a little cred.

I eyed the crowd of jocks. A bunch wore skeptical smiles when they saw me coming. Two looked hostile. Then again, Sanders and McCoy always looked pissed off. They were dumb as dirt clods and their tiny brains probably couldn't make their faces do anything but scowl.

I followed Will to the dumbbell rack. He pulled up a pair of twenty-pound weights. With what I hoped was a cocky grin, I grabbed two ten-pound dumbbells.

Will lifted an eyebrow. "Dude. Twenty pounds total? You're right; we got work to do. I want you up to thirty by December."

I sighed. "How much does a guy Brent's size lift?"

"Bicep curls? Probably thirty pounds for twelve-rep sets," Will said.

"Then why was he making fun of me? I'm not that far off." I did a vigorous set of curls in pure indignation. My biceps went on strike at the seventh rep.

"Thirty per arm, man. Hell, Brent could probably curl sixty with one arm if it was a single shot." Will grinned and went back to his sets.

Well, crap.

* * *

Friday arrived with the promise of a road trip and early release from school. I should've been stoked to go on my first military adventure, but I didn't think I'd ever been as miserable. Every muscle in my body ached, Ella had been out sick since Wednesday, and Mamie popped out from behind corners at random times to check up on me. Even the monster attack, which had seemed unreal for the first few days, was haunting me again. Things went downhill from there, sinking into a valley of suckiness after second period.

"Yo, Archer. McCoy told me you've been coming to the gym with Cruessan. Guess I didn't have to worry about you checking out my girlfriend the other day. You already have one." Carter's face lit up with a nasty smile. "So, when are you and Will gonna pick out engagement rings?"

Grinding my teeth, I clenched my fists and took a step toward him. I had no idea what I'd do from there, but I was sick of this asshat riding me.

Carter snickered at my reaction. "Maybe Cruessan will take you to the Winter Ball. You're short enough that he could tuck you under his chin during the slow dances. That would be so precious."

A flash of magenta light exploded in my brain. I got right up in his sneering face.

"You know what, Carter? One day Ella will figure out that you have nothing to offer except a half-decent hook shot. What girl even cares about that stuff? When she finally sees you for the butthole you are, she'll drop you in a heartbeat, and I'll be right there, waiting."

Carter's nostrils flared as he shoved me into the locker bank so hard I hit my head and saw stars. The impact jarred something loose inside my brain, though, and I got awfully calm for a guy in my present situation.

Right then, I knew. Monsters came in all shapes and sizes.

And I wasn't afraid of monsters anymore.