Just Try It

Chapter 71- Getting this Settled

Sunday, February 19th 1:00PM

Seymour Dojo and Fitness Center

From the treadmill, Moe had watched Jamie finish Sondra's extra lessons before going on to Korbin's. His friends had started looking at him strangely. It was probably because he couldn't keep the big smile off his face, even as the rest were stressing about how the meeting with Susie would go. If she showed. On the way back, he and Sondra had decided not to say anything until after the meeting. One thing at a time. To be honest, he was a little concerned, but after everything else that had happened this week, facing Susie, and later his friends, didn't seem so big. The thump of Jamie landing from Sondra's last throw made Moe wonder how he had ever thought Sondra needed his protection. Even though he was sure she could deal with Susie when she showed up, he still intended to stick close.

Just as Sondra stepped off the mat and Korbin joined Jamie, Susie walked in the door and stopped after letting go of the door. She looked over her shoulder at the closing door anxiously. For a moment, Moe worried that she had brought Nancy with, but no one else approached the door.

When she went inside, the street was quiet. After a few minutes, a dark shadow moved in the alleyway. The shadow inched out, looked around, and then headed to another spot to see better. The wait shouldn't be too long.

Absently, Moe noticed Susie relaxing as she looked around curiously. Then, Sondra made her way over to the counter, and that seemed to be everyone's cue to move. As Susie walked over to join her, Moe turned off the treadmill. From the corner of his eye, Moe spotted Hillary and Danica winding their over from opposite corners.

Finn would have stopped his machine too, but Samuel reached over and hit a few buttons to keep it going even faster. When Samuel muttered, "Later," Finn gave him a disgusted look. Samuel didn't take offense though. Instead, he gave a nod to where Ivan and Terrence were just watching the counter intently in one of the many mirrors placed around the gym. To Moe's amusement, a smile formed on Finn's face and he stopped arguing.

With a shake of his head, Moe settled in at a spot at the end of the counter. Once there, he realized with surprise that Jamie hadn't joined them. His surprise must have been evident on his face, because when Danica slid past, she whispered, "Don't worry, we have this covered. We all agreed that having Jamie too close would make Susie dig in her heels."

Danica was right. Coming into Jamie's dojo alone, after a fight, showed guts. There was no way Susie could know what they had in mind. There was no point in putting her more on edge. After all, they needed her to actually agree to their demands.

Before anyone could say anything, Susie straightened her shoulders and sneered, "So let's get this thing started."

The three girls across from her blinked in surprise, and even Susie wondered if she was nuts to aggravate them. Her pride was bruised from yesterday morning, and she still didn't know what had happened. She had always been a hot head, but never to the point of hitting before. Then, she had lost. It was humiliating. Who could have guessed that little Saint Sondra was so tough?

Even as she watched Jamie warily in the mirror and wondered how much longer she would have to wait, Sondra started talking.

With a surprisingly firm gaze, Sondra asked coldly, "Do you want to see the video first? It starts right before you tried to hit a little boy and ends shortly after you climb out of the water covered mostly by my shirt."

Susie felt her confidence slip as she tried to hide her shiver and hated that her voice cracked as she asked, "What do you want?"

Danica went first. "I want you to stop driving the members of the tennis team away with unreasonable punishments. Asking too much too fast will get someone seriously hurt."