The Rejected (Book 3)

Chapter 2: Chicken

As I promised the queen, I was struggling not to leave today's lesson halfway. The instructor sure gave me an earful at the start of the lesson, purposely trying to humiliate me in front of the snickering class. At first it used to work, but I very easily learned to get over it. My whole experience living in the castle was with people giving me a rough time, the way I survived it was to turn everything into a joke. That turned the tables around so that I was the one who was laughing and not them.

"Partner up," the instructor called.

Everyone got into partners, all avoiding me as usual. It was nothing new. The instructor noticed this and sighed. "Jasper, with me."

I went to join him in the front where he tossed me a bamboo stick.

"Ready?" he asked.

I gave him a confident smirk which had him hitting first. I blocked his stick with my own before skillfully twisting on my feet and hitting him on his lower leg. The instructor bent his leg slightly in pain before regaining his posture enough to block my second hit. We held the sticks there with an intense stare down.

"Nice Jasper, great footwork," he said proudly. He shouldn't really be proud, I learned this by myself by watching others and practicing on a dummy. I did not like big groups. I liked being on my own, I was used to it anyways.

"Thanks, it comes with being perfect," I said with a grin. The instructor let out a frustrated scoff before bringing his stick down. I rolled to the side barely avoiding it as it hit the ground hard. I stood up quickly ready to block his second blow. Pushing his stick back with mine with much force, I hit him back aiming for his ribs. He jumped to the side barely escaping my blow. I hit again this time hitting his forearm. This caused his grip to falter in one hand. I quickly hit his other arm trying to loosen that grip as well. The instructor was realizing what I was up to but I was much quicker than him. In three simple moves, I had his stick flying out his hand and on the ground whereas my stick was now positioned right in front of his face.

His eyes widened, his chest heaved up and down trying to regulate his breathing. He forced a smile on his face. "You win. Good job."

A clap sounded from the back of the class, I turned my head to the source, as did every other boy in the class. It was Cecelia clapping enthusiastically with a proud smile. She made her way towards me making every boy's eyes trail after her. Were they... were they checking her out?

My jaw clenched in anger. I did not like anyone staring at Cecelia as so.

A marvellous smile tugged on her lips once she reached me making me loosen up. Only her smile could make me forget my anger.

"You were amazing Jay!"

"Thanks Cece, why are you here?" I asked. I knew Cecelia liked watching me train, with a class or alone she always liked watching me. When we were young, we used to play that she was a princess and I was her knight in shining armour coming to rescue her from a dragon. But we somehow grew into those roles. I will always be her knight in shining armour.

"I finished my lesson with Lady Jailene early, I came to see if you were done, I am bored," she said before peering at my instructor.

He looked back and forth between us before sighing in defeat. "Fine. You are dismissed Jasper. As for the rest of you boys, I want to see some skill like Jasper. He fights like a man while you all fight like children. Again!"

I wiggled my brows at Cecelia. "Hear that? A man."

She shook her head with a light laugh. "Come on Mr. Man, let us leave before they all turn against you."