May 16, 2020 edited

"Go away," I mumbled when I felt my bed shake for the third time. Was it my bed or was someone shaking my shoulder.

"I told you not to work yourself so hard yesterday." Ah the annoying chirper M1. Kidding! He was grumbling again.

I rolled on my back and stretched. My chest felt tight, my body ached and I was tired but overall felt a hell of a lot better than last night. Opening my eyes a little I could see the sun beaming through the small opening of my curtains. "Didn't I warn you about unannounced visits?" I glanced down wondering if he would have another mini flip out but I actually put on a night shirt for a change.

"Well if you got up on time then I wouldn't have to be your personal wake up call. It's 7am. Are you feeling ok? You look a little pale." His smart mouth attitude changed to concern. As he reached to rest his hand on my forehead I knocked it away.

"Im fine. Just something I ate that didn't agree with me last night. Get out so I can have a quick shower. I will meet you in the car in 30." I shooed him out and moved as quickly as I could which was a lot slower than usual. I think he was right about working myself to hard yesterday. My whole body was sore.

Showered and dressed I did a quick look in the long mirror to make sure all was decent and nothing sticking out like a sock in my pocket or hanging out my pant leg. It has happened before. As I was about to leave I looked again. There just peeking out the top of my tank top was a blueish green mark. Pulling down my shirt I saw a bruise the size of my fist on my chest. I didn't remember getting hit there last night in training but that didn't mean it didn't happen. I have been bruising a lot easier than before but they left pretty quick so there was an upside to it.

Ripping off my black button shirt, slipping off my tank I dug in my drawers for a simple T-shirt. I, personally, didn't care about the bruise but M1 got weird with them. If he saw a mark on me it meant training got postponed. I had tried everything but he was stubborn on this rule. When I caught him looking at my bruises before it was like it caused him pain. Physically or mentally I wasn't sure but I knew there was pain. If it wasn't for that stupid deal we had about asking questions than I would have asked him but something that personal only meant he could ask me of something as equally deep. I wasn't ready for that step yet. I wasn't sure if that step would ever be crossed but I did know that if it was it would be with M1. I really trusted him and I respected him. That was huge in my books.

I ended up running down the stairs and out the door where M1 was already sitting in the SUV and had it started. After I had my seatbelt on he passed me a power bar and a bottle of juice. The first powerbar I had downed in seconds. The second one he passed me I took my time on. I could feel him take quick side long glimpses at me but I ignored him. I knew I looked pale and didn't need him to tell me again.

When we pulled into the parking lot he had to stop behind a car so instead of waiting for him to find a parking spot like he usually did I jumped out with a wave of thanks and jogged to the school doors. When I reached my locker Nick and his click were standing down the hall. Nick did a double take at my appearance and raised a questioning brow. I ignored it and him like I did most days at school when he was surrounded by the village idiots. Yeah, I know that was harsh but I called it as I saw it.

Math class went by quick like it usually did and I was starting to feel more myself. Sure my chest was still tight but the rest of my body didn't ache anymore. Now if I could just get rid of this uneasy feeling that settled in the bottom of my gut. But that could also have to do with the fact that I was now in history class with the one and only Jenson. I didn't know what but something was different. He avoided me like I did him but there was this energy around him today and it wasn't a pleasant one. I used to always trust my gut but with him around I couldn't. I should have listened to it.

I was starting to dread lunch, nevermind walking into the cafeteria. It was when the Jenson/Nick gang overpowered me with their numbers. At least in class there was a teacher to shut them up most of the time and only a couple in each class, except for gym of course. That uneasy feeling I got in history class was growing. If it wasn't for my own stubbornness and the fact I didn't eat a proper breakfast I would not be stepping a foot in the cafeteria today.

As soon as I cleared the doors my eyes met Nick's. I was getting used to him always watching me and we started to talk a bit but it was still unnerving how he was always there and was always watching. Not always outright staring but it was still getting on my nerves. I noticed his usual smirks were strained and his carefree manner was more subdued lately when he was with his friends. Ever since Jenson came back from whatever little vacation he was on Nick had been different. I have seen a few sides of Nick and now I wonder which one was really him. Did it really matter though? No. Ok that was a lie. For some reason it bothered me and I didn't like it. I was starting to like the Nick that I spent some time with this weekend. He was starting to crack my careful wall I had built up around me a couple years ago. That made me extra cautious around him.

When I found myself staring back I saw the hopeful look in Nick's eyes started to shine through but I turned my head leaving him and the others behind to head for the food line. Now was not the time. Especially when he stood there with them.

I knew I should not have turned back. I fought myself not to look back but it was as if my eyes were magnets and I had too. I had no control over my body. As soon as I heard the giggling I knew it was one of two things: Jenson manhandling his next willing conquest or the group spotted their next nasty school prank victim. I wasn't sure which I prefered to see. Seeing Jenson hang all over other girls made me sick. No matter how much I fought it wouldn't go away. I would love to say I was sick because the sight was absolutely disgusting but that wasn't the case. Seeing him with someone made me physically sick to my stomach. It hurt to see him with others even though I seriously can't stand the guy.

I must have looked stupid or hilarious turning around in slow motion. I didn't do it for dramatic effect, I did it because I was fighting my body not to look. No one was paying attention except for Nick. He, on the other hand, has been paying a little too much attention to me since the night we trained together. Even more so when Jenson was around. It was if he was trying to figure something out. I wish he would stop trying. I would never tell him and it was none of his business to begin with. I was not his friend, not really. It was enough that M1 started to wiggle his way into my life but I knew he wasn't a player or bully. I knew he genuinely cared about me and others.

When I finally made it to where my eyes demanded to be I was greeted with Jenson's blonde bimbo sitting between his legs with his arms draped over her shoulders and his hands dangerously close to her breast while she slowly rubbed her back against his lower region. Like seriously were we at school people! With a second glance I realized it wasn't just another blonde bimbo but the same blonde bimbo that was making out with Nick a couple weeks ago. Talk about keeping it within friends. Have some self respect! I will never understand people. It was those stupid thoughts that tampered down the intense anger that flowed through my body. The sudden need to rip that bitch away from him. It was that thought that stopped me cold. Where the hell did that come from?

But before I could take my eyes off the groups play toy I caught Jason's body lunge forward. Everything seemed to slow down from the glimpse of a foot shooting out to catch Jason's foot from he body lunging forward to the books in his hand fallening to the floor than with him finally spread out in front of Jenson and his toy. I was a mix between being furious and just exhausted. What the hell did this poor kid do to deserve their attention? I should know better, a victim doesn't have to do anything to gain a bullies attention but there is usually one reason or another on the whys even if they didn't make sense but they seemed to target a lot of attention on Jason alone. I am not saying at all he did anything to them to deserve this because no one deserved what he was going through.

My feet were moving before my brain caught up on what I was doing. Jason was already starting to stand up looking completely defeated. The look in his eyes helped my confused state to tilt right back to the furious side but for him and not towards the blonde I wanted to rip apart a few short minutes ago. Knowling I had to keep my eyes off these pathetic excuses for jocks and skanks in order not to lose myself completely and end up in the middle of some fight, I bent down and started to pick up the books that were scattered all over the floor. I think my presence caught them off guard by helping Jason had them all speechless including Jason himself. We were not friends but we did pass a few short sentences together since he was now my partner in science.

Passing Jason his books without a word I thought for a split second that this interaction was going to be a quiet one. Of course the group toy had to ruin the moment. "You do know there are other clothing stores beside the second hand store? Oh! Silly me I guess when you are raised in a barn you end up looking like that," she snickered and was followed by a couple other giggles from the slut squad and a few chuckles from the guys.

Her words meant nothing to me. I have heard a lot worse plus anything coming out of her mouth had no effect. I nudged Jason with my shoulder, silently telling him to walk away as I turned to do the same thing. "Hey, bitch I am talking to you!" The group toy sneered, I think I heard her name was Tania before or was it Candy? Hell they all looked the same to me. Blonde, chesty and sluty. Not that a name mattered but was a lot shorter to say then the "group play toy". Before she was finished speaking she had grabbed my upper arm and spun me around to face her. Bad, bad move on her part.

I wasn't in control of my body right at that moment. Before I knew it my hand was wrapped around the front of her throat with my nails digging into her flesh. "Keep your filthy hands to yourself!" My voice was low and cold.

The next second Jenson was in my face with death in his eyes. Mine of course. "Let her go," he growled softly. I knew that tone all too well. Yelling meant uncontrollable short term violence. A soft controlled voice meant calculated pain and a lot of it.

Giving one final squeeze before using all my strength shoving her back which ended with her flat on her back on the top of the table a few feet away. With the new threat a mere foot in front of me I gave Jenson my full attention. "Put a fucking leash on your group fuck toy!" My voice matched his.

"You need to learn your place. You're nothing but some small town slut with a bad attitude." He came back with.

"And you're nothing but a pathetic bully who likes sloppy seconds! And if I was some small town slut then I would feel a kinship to group toy Barbie over there." Tania or Candy was now sitting up rubbing her neck and I heard her ask someone what I meant. I let out a little humorless laugh while still staring daggers at Jenson. "Or maybe you just like the low IQ type? That way they can't see just how pathetic you and your boys really are."

"Hey Love!" Nick started to wiggle his shoulder in between Jenson and myself. I had to jump back or he would have been practically rubbing against me. "How about we all take a deep breath? You too Jens." We were making a scene. Our once low cold controlled voices had ended up being shouts near the end.

I felt a tugging on my wrist. If I wasn't so focused on Jenson and Nick I would have told whoever was trying to pull me away to fuck off but deep down I knew the person was not a threat and they were just trying to get me away before things got worse. Since Nick had blocked my view from Jenson he was receiving all my hate that screamed from my eyes and seeped out my pores. When I searched Nick's eyes there was no hate or anger but sadness. It completely caught me off guard and it was enough to drain away some of my anger.

I saw Nick's hand come up as if to caress my face and I jumped back another foot. The hurt in his eyes was clear as day but I didn't care. Sure his actions were confusing the hell out of me but at the end of the day I still didn't care. I couldn't allow myself to care. That is what I kept telling myself. "Don't." Even my voice had lost its edge. Oh I still sounded hard but it was more annoyed now. "Keep your fuck toys in line and you all stay the fuck away from me and Jason! You do not want to know what will happen if you don't." With one last tug on my wrist I turned around and let Jason drag me out of the cafeteria.

The large pack filled room was deadly silent that I heard Nick say, "Well fucking hell." and Jenson said, "He is touching her and she is letting him." All his anger was gone and he too sounded more confused than anything. I almost ripped my arm away from Jason but I didn't. I let him pull me out of the cafeteria and out the doors to get some much needed fresh air.

The rest of lunch I sat outside under a big oak with Jason sitting beside me. He never said anything and neither did I. He didn't even know me but he knew enough that I didn't want to talk. I had to give him credit for that. We ended up walking to science together still with no words being said. Class flew by thankfully because my mind wasn't there. It was still back in the cafeteria with Jenson and those eyes that held so much hate towards me and the sad ones I saw in Nick. I didn't understand the why's for either. Sure I pissed people off but from day one Jenson hated me and I didn't know why. Hell I tried to avoid the guy much as possible. I wasn't even going to allow myself to think about the attraction I felt towards him or whatever the hell it was. And never mind the hurt I felt because the guy hated me so much. It hurt a lot and that just pissed me off that much more. And people wonder why I am angry.