The return to classes was full of kids with haggard faces, already missing the fleeting days of Summer; everyone seemed listless and unmotivated. Hei then decided to take initiative and suggested having a little party after class to welcome the rest of the term. It took a lot of convincing but even Monky, who was still upset at Hei for packing a decoy homework, warmed up to the idea when someone suggested buying a batch of banana ice cream.
During the little celebration, Hei then asked if anyone wanted to spar with his other delinquent friends. In minutes, a small tournament was set up. Presto surprised Hei by taking out Batty (a 6th grader who fought with a short wooden bat) with his usual one-shot, sucker punch. However, Presto was taken out on the next round by Brass, a short 5th grader with brass knuckles.
"Yo, you okay, mate?", Brass asked with some concern.
Presto, his head in some girl's lap and with an ice pack on his punched cheek just smiled and lifted his thumb high.
In the end, Rocky, a slim girl with a black leather vest with spiky studs, bandages on her forearms and a band-aid over her nose won the final.
"Cool, what did I win?", she asked.
"Well, you can choose if you want to fight me or Monky", Hei offered with a smile.
Rocky paled. "Well, that's a great reward... so I can choose to either let you mop the floor with me or let Monkey face there grope me like he does every time? thanks, but no thanks".
The girls unanimously complained. "Hey, that's not fair! she deserves an actual prize!", was their general consensus.
"Sorry, girls, I didn't actually prepare a prize but If there's anything you'd like me to do that doesn't involve money, I guess I can go do it for you", Hei apologized and offered instead.
The girls went into a huddle and every so often, one or two would stare back at Hei. Then Rocky lifted her head, her cheeks a little red. She went back to the huddle and it dispersed, the girls lining up in a row behind her.
"Um... I want one of your shirt's buttons... and I kinda wanna get a picture with ... ", she began but she stopped mid-sentence.
"With everyone?", Hei asked when she fell silent.
Her face went red. "Um...Y-", she began but was interrupted by a girl in his class. "No! just you, since you planned this thing!", the girls then pushed her toward him, waited until Hei took out his collar button off his shirt and then took hundreds of pictures with whatever smartphones were available.
Red faced, she mumbled "I wish you weren't out of my league..."
"What are you saying. You just won, didn't you? The way I see it, you can only get a lot stronger in middle school", he replied encouragingly.
Stiffly, she turned her face to him, disbelief in her face. The dude was denser than metal.
"Right... Well, watch your back, next year I'll be...", she began and struggled a bit for the right word. "...Better... I'll be much better than I am now, next year!", she finished.
Hei smiled at her and nodded his agreement.
Then he ruined the moment by making a fist and motioning her to bump it with hers.
All the girls either sighed, facepalmed, dropped their heads or put a hand in Rocky's shoulder, shaking their heads in sympathy.
YOU ARE READING
DOJOLAND (Elementary)
ActionA Country ruled by a an all-powerful tyrant who abdicated is now the center of Martial arts prowess in the world.
