BATTLEFIELD

Home Room Invasion

"Who are you?" Steve asked the kung-fu girl, who was still lying on the wet grass across from him. She wore a My Little Pony yellow top, black parachute pants, and light blue Nike running sneakers with a purple swoosh symbol.

"My name is Maya. What is yours?" Maya said curiously without hesitation.

"Steve, Steve Sperling," he said with a surprised response, as if, a girl at his school did not know his name! 

What was more surprising to Steve was the fact he had never seen this mysterious girl before.

"Where are you from? Are you new here?" Steve asked Maya as he continued to lie in the wet grass across from her. 

"I just moved in from Winnipeg, but I'm from many places," Maya said suggesting she would not be defined by a geographic location.

Steve was intrigued! She was from many places? Steve quickly visually studied her as she continued lying in the grass with him. Maya had short black hair and very light tan skin, but her height was five foot-ten inches, almost the same height as Steve and she looked athletic, she looked like a martial artist, well in Steve's opinion she did.

"Where did you learn those moves?" Steve trying to extract more information from Maya.

"Musti-yuddha!" Maya replied knowingly.

"Musti-yuddha? Where's that?" Steve asked ignorantly.

Maya laughed, "No silly, it's not a place, it's a form of martial arts and boxing from South Asia."

Steve was right! Steve had to now give his martial arts credentials, "I have a blue belt in Taekwondo and I bench press 220!"

"Musti-yuddha does not have belts and I bench press 200," Maya responded sensing the competitive spark coming from Steve. Then she had to add, "Belts, we don't need any silly belts, all we need are scars!"

Maya lifted the hair covering her forehead to reveal an old combat scar and then she showed the pinky side of her right hand to reveal another battle scar.

Steve was now truly intrigued. A beautiful girl with fight scars!

"Maya what is your last name?"Steve asked having to know.

"Dalvi," Maya said just as David walked up to Steve, grabbed the medallion, and said, "Thank you, this belongs to me." Steve & Maya both stared at David as he quick marched to the school entrance holding the medallion in his left hand. 

Steve was startled when David took the medallion and looked at Maya, who displayed a confused face as to what was going on with David.

"What's that kids problem?" Maya asked appearing to be annoyed with David.

Steve sighed with a hint of exhaustion, "Many problems Maya, many!"

"You want me to kick his butt?" Maya said with a bit of enthusiasm.

"No Maya, I don't want you to kick his butt, but I do want you to go to the Principals office with me, so we can explain what just happened here and get that necklace taken away from David," Steve said determined to stop David from causing more havoc.

Maya got up and started to brush the grass and water from her parachute pants, but then said, "I don't care what happened here and I don't care about that necklace or your friend. I care about being tardy for home room."

"Then why did you help me?" Steve shot back at Maya's indifference.

"Because I care about you," Maya countered with complete honesty.

"Then tell me why does a beautiful South Asian kung-fu boxer wear a My Pretty Pony shirt in the Eighth grade?" Steve said with a smirk as he kidded with Maya.