LAW OF ATTRACTION

CHAPTER 15 : UPPER HAND

"We can stop for today if you want to. You've already learned a lot and I know it can be exhausting for beginners," Alex suggests between two sips of water as we're taking a break after a good hour of training.

I finish my bottle, the much-needed water cooling down my warm muscles, before I exclaim with a big smile, "No, I'm fine! I can keep going. I'm not tired yet!" Though as soon as the excited words leave my mouth, my insecurities come back. Alex has a way to pierce through my walls and pull me to be myself, yet I don't know if it's a good thing. "I mean... unless you want to stop... if you need to..." I add, realizing that maybe he doesn't have more time or is bored here with me.

"No! I'm not tired either!" He smirks, a sparkle of challenge in his eyes that silences all my doubts. "I will teach you self-defense, and how to get away from a hold and turn the tables. That way next time you'll be able to defend yourself!"

I laugh lightly and naturally, nodding.

After a few more minutes of break, as he's seemed to want to be sure it wouldn't be wearing for a beginner, he comes behind me and grabs me in a tight hold. If I had felt a light fatigue before, I don't remember what tired is when I feel his presence behind me. My heart rate soars, and all my nerve-endings seem to be jumping everywhere. Yet I try my best to stay focused, in spite of our closeness, of his hot breath on my neck, of his strong chest and arms engulfing me in a nice suffocating shield.

"What would you do to free yourself?" I can feel his intense eyes observing me.

"Er..." I glance around, trying to disregard every part of Alex so close, from his penetrating eyes to his warm touch. "Maybe... stomp on your feet?"

"Yeah! Really good! And then?" He encourages me.

I'm already proud of myself for being able to find an idea and speak quite properly, and now I have to think a little bit more.

"Er... I can try to move one of my arms a little bit and try to punch you in the stomach... I don't know..." I suggest, biting my lip.

"Yeah, it depends on the hold you're in, but you gotta try to punch the stomach or the face." He takes my arm to show me slowly the moves, creating a trail of goosebumps in the process.

"And now you try!" He releases my hand, and I try to turn my wide eyes to look at him, but his hold is too tight for me to really move. "W-What?! B-But I don't want to hurt you..." I stutter.

"Don't worry, you're not gonna hurt me!" Even though I can't see his face, I can hear the smirk forming on his lips through his cocky voice. "I'm used to take punches!"

I try to put into practice what he has just explained to me, not too hard though because I don't want to harm him. Unfortunately, it doesn't even make him flinch.

He holds me a little tighter. "Come on! You can do better! Show me the badass you are inside!"

I search for this 'badass' inside, only finding more jumpy nerves.

"Or do I have to annoy you?" he whispers in my ear.

If that's what he wants... Maybe he should be careful what he wishes for...

I find this 'badass inside', or at least something rises in my stomach with the challenge. I don't wait another second to seize my courage while I have it and take Alex by surprise. I stomp quite hard on his left foot, then I quickly elbow him, choosing to aim his stomach rather than damaging his beautiful face – though I would have gladly removed this cocky smirk of his that annoys me as much as it entices me. He loosens his hold on me, and I take the opportunity to get out of it.