146
Lucy
After the field trip, my mind kept going back to the sight of that door. Duke had been pretty quiet too. When we got back to the coven campus the morning before out classes, we walked quietly to the front of the building and headed to the human campus. It felt like we were both too deep in our thoughts to say anything.
When our next combat class came, Duke seemed to be in a slightly better mood. As we made our way to the room, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. The last class had felt a bit overwhelming, and I didn’t really know if I had been following the plan he’d given me well.
“Relax,” Duke said. “It’s only the second day.”
I nodded and entered the classroom. Luke paired me with another girl and Duke with another guy, but I realized quickly that she was way more advanced than I was.
With a roar, she toppled me over her shoulder, slamming me onto the ground hard. It was the fifth time in the last minute, but just as always, I got to my feet. She grabbed me before I was ready, but I tried to grapple with her and keep my balance. But no matter how hard I tried; she threw me back down.
Again and again, the look on her face said she was enjoying it.
She looked down at me with a cocked eyebrow. “Finally staying down?”
Across the room, I could see Duke flying through the air and landing hard as his partner tossed him on the ground. He groaned, but his partner laughed and offered him a hand.
“That was a little better.”
“Sure,” he said.
As I picked myself up from the ground once again, a surge of determination washed over me. I couldn't let her attitude discourage me. She didn’t just grab me this time. Luke came closer just as she was about to grab me.
“I’ve seen you throw her enough times,” Luke said. “Lucy, don’t try and match her strength. You’re not there yet. We’re working technique.”
He showed me the proper way to do it. She didn’t resist when I managed to roll her over my shoulder according to his guidance. He nodded and told me to try it again. I focused on my footing, my stance, and the flow of the movement.
“That was perfect,” Luke said, nodding. “Now, keep trying. You’re doing well.”
She lunged for me as soon as his back was turned, but I dodged out of the way. I wasn’t fast enough to try and throw her, but I avoided her strike.
Then, she caught me in the gut with her elbow, moving so fast that I hadn’t even seen her move. The pain exploded and sent me to the ground.
She stood over me, glaring down at me.
I grit my teeth. She was doing it on purpose, but I didn’t understand why she seemed to hate me so much. I got back up, wincing as I heard Duke’s partner cheer for a second.
“That was perfect! Now, try it faster.”
I got back on my feet and tried again, but she slammed her palm into my chest, knocking the air out of me before twisting and throwing me to the ground.
Luke blew a whistle. “Break time.”
She walked over me, sneering at me, and crossing the room to where her water bottle was. Duke came over and sank onto the mat beside me, panting and leaning back on his hands.
“I’m so tired,” he said. “I can’t wait to take a fucking nap.”
My stomach and chest throbbed painfully as I watched her drink and talk with her friends briefly.
“You, okay?”
“She hates me,” I said. “And I don’t know why.”
Duke frowned. “Did she say something?”
“She’s been tossing me around and she hit me on purpose.”
Duke bared his teeth. “That’s not fucking okay. We should—”
“No,” I said. “I… I don’t want to cause trouble.”
Duke set his jaw but went off to get our water bottles. He gave mine back. “If you black her eye, she’d deserve it.”
I laughed and drank. She turned to glare at me and set her water bottle down before marching over to me.
“What the fuck is so funny?”
“For fuck’s sake, chill,” Duke said, scoffing.
“Nobody asked you,” she hissed and looked at me. “I asked you a fucking question.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why do you hate me so much? I don’t even know you.”
Her face turned bright red, and she bared her teeth at me. “I’ll make sure you don’t forget me.”
She stopped off as Luke called us back to work and said we were working on strikes. He demonstrated the strikes he wanted us to practice and how to blend them into a combination move with the throws. My gut turned at how happy she looked when we started. I tried to avoid her attacks, but she moved so fast. She struck me at least four times before throwing me down and wrenching my arm behind my back.
“You think everyone’s fooled by that innocent look on your face?” She hissed. “I know you’re a fucking slut. I know you’re a fucking snake, and I’m going to enjoy making you suffer for what you’ve done.”
I bit back a cry of pain as she pressed painfully on my shoulder.
“Matt’s mine, and I’m going to beat you down until you realize that.”
My eyes widened as she released me and stood up. “Get up.”
I blinked before I looked up at her, wiping my mouth as my stomach and shoulder twinged with anger. The woman’s eyes flashed with anger. I squared my shoulders, ready to give it another try.
“I’ll teach you your place even if I have to beat it into you.”
I felt something in me start to change as she lunged at me again, unleashing a flurry of strikes I couldn’t keep up with. Despite my efforts, I found myself tossed to the ground once again. The pain was starting to burn away. I got to my feet again. The anger simmered within me, threatening to explode.
She struck me hard and slammed me back into the ground. I felt my anger rising as I got back onto my feet and she looked at me smugly.
“Not much to look at once I fuck your face up,” she smirked. “I wonder how much he’ll like you then.”
For a moment, I focused on my breath, finding my center amidst the swirling storm of emotions inside me. There was so much rushing through me, but the main thing I realized was that I was furious. She wasn’t the first woman to take out their anger at Matt or Tony on me, but this was too much.
I turned to face her, breathing deeply and furious. All the other women had been older. To know that this girl, whatever she was, was probably only a little older than me, but she didn’t have even a bit of compassion for me, infuriated me.
She might have wanted Matt, but I didn’t.
I didn’t ask for any of this. I lunged at her, trying to grab her and throw her, but she slammed her palm back into my gut. I felt something crack as she toppled me to the ground. The pain burned out, hot and bright as I stood again. Something in me trembled. I felt a surge of something through me as I stared at her, waiting for her to come at me.
“Nothing to say?” She asked.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “No one wants Matt, but you.”
Her eyes widened and she growled as she lunged at me. My anger surged and I felt myself darting forward, faster than ever, landing a solid strike in her gut. I heard something crack, something in her faltered and shifted sharply. She choked as the breath rushed out of her. I grabbed her arm, twisted, and threw her as hard as I could.
As I brought the girl down, a loud crack filled the air. The girl shrieked in pain, drawing the whole class’ attention.
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest, as I realized the extent of my actions. While part of me couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline and a flicker of satisfaction at the display of strength, another part of me was horrified by what I had just done. The girl rolled onto her side, clutching her arm which was bent at an odd angle. Guilt washed over me, and I took a step back, a mixture of shock and remorse clouding my mind.
“I didn’t mean to. I… I was just--”
Luke crossed the room looking between the two of us and cocking his eyebrow. “What did she say to you?”
My eye widened as I met his gaze.
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