New Beginnings (Slow Updates)

Chapter 8

Raven and I just kind of stare into each other eyes. But is soon interrupted by the three little boys.

"Thank you so much!" The smallest boy says as I hand the balloon over.

"You're most welcome," I smile softly at them as they all take off running into the woods behind the gym.

I turn back to Raven and get lost in his intense stare again, this time my phone breaks us out of it. Pulling my phone out and answering it, "Hello?'

"Sang, where are you?"

"Um, I'm outside." Raven raises an eyebrow at me, I just shrug.

"Then get your butt in here!" and she hangs up. Causing me to shake my head, laughing.

I look at Raven, "I need to go." He nods and follows me to the gym, making me pause to look at him. He just nudges me a little before getting the door for me. He goes into the gym with me but walks into a different direction when he notices I'm heading towards Marie. As soon as I reach her, she thrusts a gym bag into my hands before pointing me to the changing room. Looking in the gym bag I noticed that Marie packed my favorite yoga pants, a workout tank top, a sports bra, and socks along with tennis shoes. Sigh, what has she done this time?

Changing, and making sure all of my clothes are in the gym bag before I grab the bag and take it back out with me. I make my way to Marie, where she points to her bag, and I set mine down next it.

"Marie, what are we doing here?" I cast her a glance as I look around the gym.

"Well, I figured we could take some self defense classes together. I was listen to a presentation in my speech class about how it is important to know how to protect yourself. So, here we are!" She waved her arm around the building, like I won a prize.

I shrug. "Okay, then let's do this," I paused before I remembered the guy from outside and start to look around for him. Not spotting him, I kind of feel disappointed.

"What?" Marie must have notice the look on my face.

I blush, and lean in close to her so no one else hears me. "There was this hot guy outside, Raven was his name. And he followed me in here after rescuing me from a tree. I was trying to see if I could see where he went."

"Daayum! What is up with you and hot guys all of a sudden? First your new boss, Corey, and now this Raven guy. Geez! What next?" She laughs.

I blush, as I remembered not only did Axel asked me out but so did Marc. My face is on fire, and I must have a guilty look or sometime.

"What? What haven't you told me?"

"Well, the other day. I happened to run into a guy I met before. And he um... asked me out. Then, before I left work, Axel asked me out as well," I kind of mumbled.

"Holy crap!" She then laughs, really hard, I thought she might be having a fit or something. I made a face at her.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just never really thought of you being a player."

I gaped at her. "I am not a player! I don't even know how to flirt!" She just laughs.

As I playfully glare at her, I see Raven come out of one of the back rooms in some workout clothes. He sees me looking and sends a smirk my way. Then he proceeds to the front of the room. Marie and I watch as everyone gathers towards him and naturally, so do we. Quickly, I realize that Raven is the instructor. This might have been because he was going over what we are doing today. Marie just kind of stared at him.

"Did you say he rescued you?" I nod. "Holy crap, I want to be rescued next! He is fine!" She kind does a dreamy sigh. I don't know why, but it kind of bothered me.

"Marie, don't forget about Matt,' I whisper to her.

She looks at me and smirks, "Oh, I won't. He is damn fine too!"

Now I know she's doing it on purpose. Pretty soon we are going over hand techniques, these are for getting away when someone grabs you.

Marie and I are partners, going back and forth, helping each other to correct mistakes. When Raven ends up at our group, he watches us intensely. It kind of makes me nervous. Keeping him in the corner of my eye while Marie and me try the move again, he grabs me. Wrapping his arm around my middle, kind of holding me against him.

I gasp, as I feel the shocks from his skin to mine.

"What are you going to do now, Malen'kaya obez'yana?" He asks softly in my ear, causing shivers down my spin.

"Umm," my mind goes back to when Nathan and Kota taught self defense. Instinctively I reach up behind me and flip him over my back. Raven was clearly not prepared for it, if the look of shock and awe on his face is anything to go by. I blush and walk over to him. Holding out my hand to help him up, I notice those little sparks tingle across my skin again.

"Malen'kaya obez'yana," he breathes out. "Where did you learn that?"

I open my mouth and pause. "Some old friends," I end up saying, softly.

I end up looking at Marie, and she has a look of pride and amusement. She ends up walking over to me and sliding an arm around my waist. "That's my little sister! She can kick ass!" I smile from her words.

Raven looks at me in amusement along with admiration. He claps loudly, waiting until he has everyone's attention. "Okay, that's it for today. I'll see you all next week!" He ends up looking at me again. We get locked into an intense stare before he asks me, "Malen'kaya obez'yana, let's get fruit cup."

I look at him, confused. "A fruit cup?" I look at Marie, she just smiles shrugs before holding up four fingers. "Why a fruit cup?" I look back a Raven, who now has a smile so wide, I can see his sparkly teeth.

"Phone?" He holds out his hand, expectedly.

Well, I'm not getting out of this.I hold up one finger asking him for a moment. Heading towards the wall where I set my bag down earlier, I grab my phone and walk back to where he is waiting for me. I hand it over, where he types something on it for a few moments before handing it back to me. "I'll see you later, Malen'kaya obez'yana," and he walks away before I can respond. I look at Marie, and she shrugs. Alright, well, this just got a lot more interesting.

Author's Note:  

Hi! Sorry for the long wait, but here it is! I just want you all to know how thankful I am to all of your lovely comments! They mean so much to me! Thank you for all the votes as well!!

Thank you to my lovely new beta eliwhi!!!! She is amazing! She went back through all of my work, so, if you want to look back at the changes go for it, if not, nothing to huge was changed!

She is also getting my butt moving so I can update all of my stories!! 

Vote and let me know what you think of this chapter!! 

Also as promised, Strangely_Magical!