Magnolia

Chapter 15

It was day four of my training, and we were back in the wear house. I had mastered everything else including, guns, knife throwing, knife fighting, and fitness tests. "Today is hand to hand combat and self defense movements" she whipped out a pole and took out my feet causing me to land on my back on the cold concrete floor.

"Shit" I groaned after I caught my breath which she had knocked out of me. She walked over to me and leaned down so she was right in my face.

"Did I forget to say fighting with poles is my personal favorite?" she laughed and pulled me up. "Catch" she threw me a pole. We walked over to the matt. Emma lunging for me. Clink clink. I blocked Emma's pole from hitting me. I jumped over it as she swung at my feet. As I was in air she struck my side causing me to fall. 

"Again" she said. I grunted and stood up, tightening my hand around the pole. Clink clink, I blocked more shots. I went for her legs but she flipped backwards out of my reach. "C'mon is that all you've got?" she taunted, I barked out a laugh. I went for her feet again, another miss. She went for my chest and I hit her pole throwing it to the ground. She turned and smiled, pride shining through her eyes. "Good. Lets go. Get mad" she encouraged and we practiced for three hours. We only stopped twice for a bathroom break.

"Well I think you've mastered that" Emma said as we sat down next to each other, chugging our water bottles.

"Are you kidding me? You beat me way more times than I beat you" I said laughing, feeling the bruises growing on my back. 

"That's because this is my thing. It's what I'm known for. When I say you've completed that, I mean that in a life threatening situation you would be able to use that skill to survive" she explained. She stood up and brushed off her shorts. "Now hand on hand combat. Not punches just blocks and hand movements" she said going on the mat. I sighed, getting to my feet again. This was the most physically active I have been in a while.

I stood in front of her, holding up my fists. She threw a shot and I blocked it. She smiled, raising an eyebrow. She went for a kick and I grabbed her leg, tossing her down to the mat. She looked up at me, smiling. 

"What?" I laughed.

"I think we just found your thing" she said sitting up, I offered my hand which she accepted. I pulled her up to her feet, Emma dusting off her butt.

"Yeah well when you get in so many school fights, you adapt" I admitted. In my old school I probably got in a fight every week. I got pretty damn good at it. That's another reason we moved. A kid had thrown a punch at me and I threw him across the room into a window, getting me suspended. A perfect opportunity to leave that school.

"I don't get it" Emma smirked. She jumped up on me, her legs hugging my side and her arms snaking around my neck. "Whats not to like?" she said referring to the difficult experience that was my last school. She leaned forward, pressing her lips against mine. 

Then she got back down on the mat. "Alright lets go. Again. I want to see you master this. After today you are pretty close to my level. You'll be able to be safe without me" 

"You're not gonna stop protecting me though, are you?" I asked, raising my fists.

She laughed and than kicked my feet out from under me. I landed on my back with a thud. "Probably not" she smirked, offering her hand.