The Cutie is a Boxer

CHAPTER 8

The violent hit on my ribs, right onto a past bruise, caused me to wince in pain. The small pale elbow crushed again against my ribs. Marilyn.

"What was that for?" I whimpered, while rubbing my sore side with my tight fist. Marilyn might be diminutive, but her skinny limps ate deadly.

She sighed "You weren't listening... again! And stop doing that." she added grabbing my wrist and forcing me down on a bench "You are scanning the place, like a maniac killer is going to emerge from the tiles on the floor, or jump out of a wall!"

I couldn't hide a faint smile at that.

"Who are you trying to avoid, Scarlett?"

Damn it, Marilyn.

"I am not trying to avoid someone." I spelled clearly.

She snorted, rolling her eyes in anger "Righ! Not avoiding, just trying not to encounter."

I nodded like a fool, examining my surroundings, so that I wouldn't have to look at her.

"You're doing it again." the blonde girl pouded, crossing her hands over her chest.

She was right, but I couldn't help it. I was brought up that way. With Charly the first thing we ever learnt was to check for exits when stepping inside a new building. Observation can save tour life when you're living that way!

"I'm sorry, Marilyn." I stuttered, squeezing my knees together, to stop them from bouncing up and down, displaying my fidgety. "It is just... " my mind was spinning wild " ...that the ball is tomorrow and... it's Dylan... I-I am so nervous!"

Her golden eyes opened wide, staring at me with understanding. I had convinced her. And the truth was that I was partly not lying. He was making me to panic, just like those silly girls I was making fun of some days before. He was the one I was trying to avoid, like Marilyn right concluded.

"Oh, I do know how you feel. I either can wait for the ball! At the thought of Luke... my hands are trembling! See?"

Luke? Wait, what?

"Are you going to the ball with Luke?" I spit his name out with detest, like poison.

"Yes. Had you been listening to me, you would have known by now!"

No good, no good!

"But, Marilyn! Luke is a jerk, a bastard..."

"He is Dylan's best friend, if he is the way you put it, Dylan can be no different!"

I growled silently, my head pounding. "He isn't!" I shouted and jumped up, no longer able to keep my stupid but pinned down on that bench. "He is trouble, evil, bad and..."

"And behind you." a husky voice murmured, two hands immediately getting wrapped around my waist.

Shit! Holy fucking...

Gulping, I remained there frozen, just like Marilyn opposite me! Slowly her lips parted, her voice coming out feeble "Then why are you accompanying him to the ball?"

Dylan chuckled quietly behind me "Why really?"

"I... I.."

Fuck it!

"Exactly!"

You bastard.

"I-I think, I have to give you some time alone. Come by my place later, will you?" Marilyn mumbled, collecting her bag.

"She will." Dylan assured, while I was nodding negatively out of control. Was she really leaving me with him?

"Bye, Scarlett." she waved, walking away, her figure disappearing behind the gate, alongside with my hopes.

"Bye." I mouthed, though she could no longer hear me.

Dylan removed his hands from my waist, slumping down on the bench, tapping the wood next to him with his palm for me to sit.

"What do you want?" I asked dryly.

Moving his fingers through his hair, he raised his eyebrows, leaning his head slightly on the side. At that moment, I just wanted to point out to him how stupid he looked.

"I am waiting." I hissed when he didn't move, my right foot rubbing nervously against the floor.

Hos eyes were glued on mine, beautiful and piercing as always, yet something was wrong. A long gash was travelling from his left eyebrow down his jaw, smartly hidden behind his hat.

"Wrong fight?" I inquired, observing the bleeding scratch.

"Wrong move. I won either way." he replied, a smile plastered on his face, which was now turning pallid.

I shook my head "Wht didn't you go to your trainer... Dimitri?"

He bit his lip, my eyes now meeting his bloody trousers and jacket. Where had he been?

Oh no! "You didn't!"

"I did. I had to know the truth. He told me everything for your past!"

"You... bastard!" I exclaimed, tears filling my eyes as my palm collided on his cheek, leaving a red mark. I would have struggled him, weren't I in a public bench. There were witnesses here!

"You wouldn't!" he insisted "So why not?"

My body was quavering out of control, my blood boiling. "Wht do you even care?" I blurted every single word with hatred. "You have no right!"

"Have no right to do what? Sell myself to a maniac? I care Scarlett! You know why?" he yelled jumping up and grabbing my wrists. "Because for me you are special and he cannot use you that way!"

I remained silent, turning my head away. His eyes were flaming, his fingers pressing tighter around my wrists. My heart sped fuming, just like a train.

"I didn't sign a contract with him. Just did a small errand for him." he said now and his voice was calm, his eyes searching for mine like asking for my acceptance.

"You almost killed yourself, Dylan!" I cried out, slipping my hands out of his grip and banging my fists on his chest. He groaned in pain.

"I... I am so sorry!" he whispered. "I had to, don't you see? I... just had to!"

Curiosity killed the cat, jerk!

"You are such a stupid asshole at times!" I uttered staring as his veins begun to show under his sickenly pallid skin. He had lost too much blood!

"I love you too, tiger cub!" he retorted, hardly managing to laugh.

Closing my eyes shut, I counted to ten, making sure I wasn't going to punch him harder. Slipping my arms below his shoulder, I helped him walk, his words lingering around my head, leaving both of us socked, glancing at each other like ice statues.

"Just get in the car." I glared at him, unlocking an old Camaro, parked some metres away.