I frowned when the fist hit me right between my shoulder blades.
Sebastian.
“Wake up, Patty,” he slurred before he punched me in the right side.
As I moved and curled to my side to protect the right side of my body, he pulled my shorts off.
“I fucking hate you,” I murmured and swung at his face as best as I could with my left hand. He grabbed my wrist and punched me in the ribs on my left side. I pried my arm from his grip and tried to block his punches.
“No, you don’t.” Sebastian laughed and then pulled me to lie on my stomach. I didn’t resist much because I was trying to hold my sides. If he broke something, I wouldn’t be able to go to karate.
Which iswhere I was at now. I made it here and away from him. I blinked a few times and forced my eyes to look around so I could focus. I felt hot and could feel my forehead getting clammy. I brushed my fingertips across my forehead at the hairline to see if I was really sweating or if it was all in my head.I was really sweating.
At the start of class, the instructor had us go around and introduce ourselves and tell why we were in the class. I hated speaking to crowds because I hated having so many eyes on me.What if they could tell?
When it came time for me to speak, I quickly said my name and that I wanted to learn self-defense. No one thought anything of it or acted like it was out of the ordinary. My ears perked up when the instructor announced we’d be practicing some basic takedown moves today.Fuck yeah. It’s about damn time.This was the stuff I wanted to learn so I could start defending myself at home.
The instructor paired up classmates of mine with an advanced student from his other class. He started in the third row where the first black belt student stood, and he’d call out the name of someone from my class. He went to the next black belt student and called another novice over to pair up. He continued down the row and then moved to the fourth row.
My stomach dropped when I saw who the next student was. It was Hollis Hawkins from school. My eyes dropped to his belt. Holy fucking shit, he was a goddamned black belt. Was there anything this fucking guy couldn’t do?
“Patrick,” my instructor called my name as he stood by Hollis.
Fucking hell. I was being paired up with Hollis. Inside, I had a love hate relationship with Hollis fucking Hawkins.
I hated that he had everything going for him. Every fucking thing. I wanted to hate him at times. I also loved the fact that to this day, he’d been the only one to stand up for me. But I couldn’t let him see that I thought much of him. I had to stay calm and cool.
As I approached him, I could tell that he recognized me from school. He had a polite smile on his face, but I couldn’t tell if he was really happy or if he was being smug about it.
And really, Hollis Hawkins should always be happy. The fucking guy had the damn world in the palm of his hand. He should always be happy, and if he wasn’t, he needed to see my home.
Hollis’ gi was open a little at the top, and I hated myself for looking at his exposed flesh, then I hated the fact that his skin was perfect. It wasn’t black or blue, or a faded yellow hue. There were no scratches on him. He didn’t have to worry about how he moved or how he walked. If I walked too fast, I risked the tissues that were shoved in the back of my underwear moving. Or worse, moving too much or fast would make me feel everything from this morning. I thought back to the football game last month. Not only did he have both parents at the game, but grandparents and brothers. All there for him and supporting him. He had everything I didn’t, and I hoped he realized just how fucking lucky he was.
Suddenly, I couldn’t stand the sight of Hollis. The black belt that was tied perfectly was just another reminder of the trash I was next to him.
“Of course you’d have a fucking black belt too,” I said under my breath as soon as the instructor walked away. And just like in the showers the last time I mouthed off at him, I regretted my mouth right now too.
“I’m Hollis.”
Really? I had no fucking clue.
“I know who you are.”
“I doubt it.”
Oh, good. He could mouth off too.
“Yeah?” I challenged. Was he stupid not to think everyone at school knew who he was?
“Yeah,” he said, as if trying to call my bluff.
Fine. Let’s go, you fucking jock.
“You’re the most popular guy in school. As if any of it matters. The guy with tons of fucking football scholarships waiting for him. Every girl in the school wants to date you—”
“So here’s the deal, Patrick.”Did he cut me off?“You’re here because you want to learn something. So save the tough guy attitude for school hours.”
Anger filled my body while heat engulfed my skin, trying to keep me from exploding.
