The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Thirty-Two - Oh, Hell No

RILEY

I TOLD LUC AND EVERYONE ELSE at lunchtime what little I'd gathered. They'd noticed sooner or later the blog's removal and it seemed to be the only conversation topic at the cafeteria. I couldn't say I was sad over the event, contrary to others. That website had me overwhelmed by the public scrutiny. From the moment I set foot in this school, I became the target of gossip—good and bad—no matter what I did. I understood that the locals were curious and simply fed off of whatever jumped out of the ordinary, but... I hated it.

Thankfully, it wore off in the first weeks until only big slip-ups like the detention with Spencer would spring me into the spotlight.

Classes ended, and I hauled myself to the cabin for more training with Tony. I managed a baby flame to sprout from the candle after several brain-busting attempts, but it was weak and it flickered out. I wiped my forehead, feeling my hope dwindling in front of how incapable I've become.

"It's alright," Tony said, clamping on my shoulder. "You can't get it right every single day."

"I've been getting it wrong for almost a week."

He stopped to behold me up and down. I lowered my head in shame. Not being able to progress as fast as before was a burden on him and a waste of his time. It felt like I was dragging everyone down with me, breaking the promise I'd made to get better and not remain a liability.

"I think we should change things up," he spoke and stepped away from me. He moved towards the coffee table and grabbed his sparkling water bottle for a sip. After a swallow, he twisted the cap closed and considered me intently. "I have an idea."

I picked the candle off the shelf and opened a drawer to tuck it back. "Which is?"

"I was debating whether you're ready or not, but now must be as good of a time as ever." He scrubbed his jaw and let the bottle dangle absently between his knees. "You can start fighting."

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What do you mean, start fighting?" 

I pictured myself kicking and hitting a punching bag. It didn't look cool. 

Tony flashed a sheepish grin. "I mean that you should strengthen your skills in hand-to-hand combat. It's something we all have to learn... for obvious reasons. It wouldn't be wise to wait any longer, and I figured you'd like to get your mind off the abilities until things settle down."

I wasn't sure how to feel about this. I didn't like wrestling or any similar discipline, and nor did I ever imagine myself thriving in it. Dad had taught me simple, basic tricks for personal protection. I knew them well considering that my father was excellent at what he did in the military, so I had an amazing instructor as a consequence. But what Tony insinuated were skills that went beyond that limit.

"How am I going to learn?"

He ramped a finger up, motioning at me to wait. Then, he yelled with his chin tipped towards the ceiling. "Hey, Luc!"

There was a violent thump upstairs and his muffled voice filtered to our ears. "What!?"

"Come down here a second!"

Luc tumbled down the stairs, his groan issuing from his throat as he stepped onto the landing and arrived in the living room. He folded his arms, one brow slanting upwards at the man. Gray, baggy sweatpants clung to his hips and he floated around in an oversized shirt. His face screamed that he'd been disturbed, and I wondered just what he'd been up to in his room.

Tony walked over to him.

"Sweetheart needs to learn how to fight," he announced to Luc.

He pointed behind himself. "Congratulations. The backyard's through the kitchen at your right. Don't give my deck a beating."

He spun on his way to retreat to the staircase, but Tony gripped him and tugged him back in his spot, heaving hard. 

"I was going to say,"  Tony added, wavering his solid hand meant to keep him in place, "that it'd be a great opportunity to learn from our best, and that's not me."

Luc's mouth unhinged as he seemed to comprehend. He ripped his arm free and gave me an extensive evaluation that had me feeling self-conscious. Green eyes browsed over my frame slowly, showing a growing interest. I wrapped my arms around my waist, sullenly blinking at Tony. 

Why did he think it was a good idea to suggest putting Luc in charge of the combat training? He'd shove me to the ground in a heartbeat. God, who in their right mind would go against this guy? I'd seen how he fights, and I was very much fine with not testing his wits. My face morphed into a deep frown as I kept pleading silently at Tony to call this off.

He shook his head.

"No," I finally argued.

"You'll have more to learn from him than from me," he explained, his words sounding like he was easing a toddler inside a pool. "It'll be fine."

I glared at Luc, and suddenly his features brightened up as if he'd imagined all the methods he could use to make me bite the dust. A scoff wriggled out of my throat.

"I'm so not doing this."

"What, you're scared?" Luc nagged, a smug grin pulling the edges of his lips apart. "I'm kind of disappointed."

My teeth clenched together. "And why is that?"

"Just thought you wouldn't be such a scaredy-cat as to spit over an opportunity to punch me."

I gnawed on my lower lip and looked out the window. I've fantasized often enough about landing a well-deserved punch in the face for all the things he'd said to me. Plus, if I refused and hid behind Tony to avoid this, I'd never hear the end of it. So, when he put it like that... 

❃ ❃ ❃

I intended to shoot a lot of chapters this week, but writer's block and fatigue really had me pinned on an existential crisis. So sorry, my dudes. This chapter is short, and I have written more, but I have to split it here before it would get too long. If you peek at the title, it means that after next chapters, not so good things will happen. So relish this moment, enjoy the fuck out of it, because it's sort of downhill from here. 

I also would like to say that if you ever find spots to improve, typos or anything, point them out please! I am rewriting Dead Ending all things reconsidered, and so everything I post is a draft.

See ya! And a sincere thank you to everyone who reads me and keeps up with my bullshit.