Robin

I arrive early at the fight club. Originally I planned not to come to avoid certain things, but after a long session of mental debate, I decided to do what Arlo wanted.

The weather remains cold as we are at the beginning of November. I don't bother taking my jacket off while performing my warm-up. I stretch with Arlo off to the side. He swings his arms back and forth as he rambles about his earlier classes. I lean down to stretch my calves, occasionally looking up at him to show I'm still paying attention.

"Aren't feeling well yet?" He asks and gestures to my jacket, "Or did you get mauled by a bear in your vet class and are hiding the scars?"As cool as bear scars would be, I'm not in that class anymore."

I stand up, fixing my jacket which he's referring to, but do end up taking it off shortly after to prove I don't have any animal scars.

I watch as more students start to arrive. Some look alive and well while others look like they'd do anything to get out of this class. The start of this club season was strong but slowly more and more students are wanting to leave due to the increasing physical activity. Survival of the fittest I guess. I can proudly say that I'm keeping up nicely.

The Xander sisters then arrive. A good bit of the girls did decide to leave for that reason but these two are staying strong. Ah, that reminds me. I give myself a moment to prepare before I turn to Arlo and tell him he should partner with Eden today. I say it as though I haven't been thinking about this for a while and that this just came to mind.

"...and you'll go with Fox?" Arlo says carefully, not fully believing me.

He caught on quickly. I reluctantly tell him that I will and his mouth opens in a half-shock half-smile look.

"Oh shut your face. I'm doing this because I want to, not because you told me."

Yeah no. I'm only doing this because he asked me to.

He wishes me good luck and goes to approach Eden.

I avoid looking for Fox immediately and instead use my time to start conversations with another classmate. He had just arrived and so I go welcome him.

"Vince! What's up, man?"

He immediately perks up and puts out his hand for us to do one of those "bro-hugs". "Nothing much, nothing much. How 'bout you? Wait, you've got to tell me your thoughts on Mr. Bennett's new racing horse." He keeps a charismatic smile on his face while I add my thoughts on his topic.

We talk like this for a while. Back-and-forth conversations. I had just wanted to talk to him to seem busy, but I'm completely invested now. He is telling me about the time his grandmother got stuck in the chimney. Vince is crackling hysterically before telling me the story. I listen intently while laughing myself and trying to piece together his story through his howling laughter.

A tap on the center of my back changes my focus.

I turn around and see Fox. A small smile is spread across her face but her brows are scrunched. Probably wondering what I was just talking about with Vince, who is still folded over and in tears.

"Be my practice partner?" She questions, looking at me and ignoring Vince.

I nod my head, "Sure." 

"Wow. A serious answer. I didn't think you knew what those were." She grins as I roll my eyes.

I excuse myself of Vince but I feel bad as I watch his face fall.

"Tell me later, alright?"

He flashes me a thumbs up but ends up walking with Fox and me to where the teacher announces the plans for today.

Across from where I stand, a happy-looking Arlo gives me an encouraging smile. I return with a 'I will kill you if this goes bad' glare.

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We are dismissed and I go to grab a practice sword. Before I can reach the wall of weapons, I hear a shriek come from the tools shed. I don't think twice before turning around and running to help. Before I reach the building, I watch two other people stick their heads inside and jump back, away from the door.

The screaming continues from inside as I fight through the crowd of concerned faces and enter the building to see for myself. I really could be getting myself into trouble.

My head scans the room frantically but it doesn't take long to find the damsel in distress. Fox's paled face pokes out from a pile of boxes stacked on top of her, trapping her as well. She wiggles to try and free herself. Panic is visible on her face.

I've never seen her act this way before. Worry strikes me as small tears pool in her eyes. She continues to struggle to lift the weight off her body.

At first, I didn't see why she would react this way until I got closer. There are snakes and they are slithering all around her. One is curling around her ankles while another is dangerously close to her head. The rest keep their distance but this is still a small space.

Fox's calls for help turn into urgent whispers.

"Please, Help!" Her voice trembles.

I go to untangle the mess of boxes caught on one another. I'm cautious of the snakes but I'm more worried about Fox. A long minute passes as I manage to remove lots of weight and get her unstuck from the corner where she was trapped.

Most of the snakes had gone into hiding someplace else in the shed but one was still curled around her leg. Not thinking, I grab the snake with my hands and throw it against the far wall. I then pick Fox up in my arms and don't wait to linger before sprinting out of the building.

A larger circle of people had formed outside the shed but I parted the sea of people right when I jumped out from the shed's entrance.

Fox's breathing is rapid. I feel it alongside some blood dripping off of her and onto me. I keep going, not wanting her to be overwhelmed, I look for a new area.

The teacher must have told the others to not follow us, but I'm not sure. I'm not even sure where I'm taking Fox to. Even with my efforts to make her not overwhelmed, I think she still is. I glance down briefly to see she's balled in my arms, her hands covering her face.

I spot the teacher's bag near a bench and I settle us there. We aren't far from the others so if she's in some serious pain I can get help.

"Lay here." I suggest, gently setting her down on the bench. "Where is the pain?"

She lets out a squeak of pain when she tries to lay her leg flat on the bench. I nearly gag when I see the blood.

Knowing the teacher has medical supplies in his bag, I start to go through it. It's not long before the teacher comes over to check what's going on. He helps me locate the bandages and I let him perform it. Eden and Arlo also come running over, worry visible on their faces. Eden's more than Arlo's. Her face is twisted and worried as she goes to comfort Fox. Arlo had brought Fox some water so he gave her that and stepped back to join me where I knelt beside the teacher to hand him stuff.

The teacher finished and shook his head in disappointment. "This is a terrible cut. I advise you to get proper medicine and some rest."

Fox agrees and Eden offers to go pick the medicine up for her. The teacher then turns to me. "And you," he says, "Make sure she gets back to her room, alright?" I nod my head. He then turns to Arlo. "Arlo, come help me clean the shed."

Arlos responds with a shocked look. "But there are snakes in there...sir." 

"Quit complaining". He grunts and walks off.

"Yes sir."

Eden and Fox are talking quietly with one another so I simply stand awkwardly, trying to look like I'm not in their moment.

Fox looks better, at least her skin has gotten its color back and the bandages have stopped the rapid bleeding that was just happening. Her calm state is back even if she's still in pain.

Eden stands up and addresses me. "Get her back safely?"

I reassure her that I will and she tells Fox that she'll return to the room with the medicine soon. Once Eden runs off, I help Fox stand up. She insists that she can stand up herself so I watch her painful attempts at doing so. One of her legs is working normally but the other is stiff and drags. I offered to help her walk.

I don't wait for her consent before wrapping my arm around her waist to stabilize her. She opens her mouth to protest.

"Shh. This is much faster." I tell her.

Her jaw snaps shut and we continue to cross the field at a slow pace.

I know where the girls' dormitories are but I let her direct me to her room once we get there.

"It's on the third floor, so there are a few stairs to climb. How do you want to do this? Oh! Okay-"

I cut her off by picking her up into my arms again. In the end, I put her down and let her unlock the door.

"Are..." I hesitate, "Are you alright to go in by yourself? Or do you need your prince charming to continue helping?"

"If you insist, I do have a favor, come in."

I follow behind her. "Do you usually let guys come into your room?" I poke at her. I watch carefully as she wobbles her way to a kitchen chair.

"Nope, consider yourself special."

"I already do."

"I don't doubt that."

She changes the subject by explaining that the bandages are in the very top cabinet.

 "You keep your bandages in a place where you can't get them? Seriously?"

"It's even worse that we keep the back pain in the bottom drawer."

I shake my head and locate the right cabinet. I don't bother pulling a chair over to stand on. After digging around I choose some bandages and some ointments.

Fox has prompted her leg onto the nearby chair and I see the blood has already soaked through her old bandages. She hisses in pain as she tries to remove them.

Through shut teeth, she orders me to hand her the supplies. Sickness sweeps over me but I push her outreached hand to the side and kneel beside her.

She doesn't argue but instead covers her face when I assist her. Fox's hands ball into fists and sounds of pain escapes her.

I work carefully to do my best not to bring her excessive pain. My chest rises and falls in uneven patterns and my hands shake slightly as I finish with the new wrap.

"Thank you." Fox quickly says as she peers at her leg.

She's been through a lot for the past few hours, I can tell. To save her some time, I clean up the discarded bandages and I grab an apple out of a bowl. Fox doesn't protest me poking around her kitchen as I finally find a knife.

I take this type to ask her how this situation even came to be. Fox explains how the snakes were all huddled together in a box that she had grabbed, looking for a piece of equipment. She was startled by the snakes, making her jump back and pulling all those boxes down with her. Weather or not someone put those snakes there purposely is a mystery, she ends.

"Why are you laughing?" She questions as I try to cover up my mouth.

She continues, "Were you the one who put the snakes in there, if you did-"

"No I didnt."

"Then why are you laughing?"

I shake my head and respond, "Because whoever did it is truly insane. I can't wrap my head around it."

I hand her the plate of cut-up apples I just finished cutting for her.

Fox's hands are shaking, making her look like a stray puppy as she picks up the slices. The apples should balance her blood sugar and give her fuel in general. I learned that from one of the maids back at home.

"Do you need anything else?" I ask quietly in a polite tone.

"No, no... thank you. I definitely owe you." She looks into my face and I curse myself as my eyes flicker away immediately.

"You own me?"

An idea comes to mind and I debate whether or not to bother her with it.

She nods.

"Go to the ball with me."

I said it. The words leave my mouth and the expression she reacted with didn't help.

She's silent and looking down at her fruit. I slowly walk, trying to exit the room.

"Okay. Sure." Fox finally says.

I turn back to her and give a small smile before fully walking out the door.

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A strange flutter feeling comes and goes as my thoughts focus on the ball and her bloody leg.

"Hey!"

My head snaps up, bringing me out of my headspace. Eden runs towards me with a tiny white bag in her hand.

"How is she?" She says urgently after she stops in front of me.

"Alright. She'll make it." I reassure her.

A relieved breath comes out of her and her whole body relaxes at the news.

"Thanks so much, Robin! Apologies for the trouble." And she takes off down the hallway again.

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I lovedddd writing this chapter! This was entirely unplanned and not in my outline at all but it definitely led to more possibilities I have planned. Don't be shy to vote!