Hope ducked and dodged Alaric’s blows effortlessly. She fell into a rhythm of swings and blocks, letting her thoughts wander. She was holding her own until her thoughts landed on a certain curly-haired boy with hazel eyes, and suddenly a fist was coming at her face with barely enough time for her to jump back, pulling her hands to the side. 
“Block with your hand,” Alaric said, motioning to her limp hands, forgotten in her panic. 
“I got it.” Hope flung his hand away and bared her teeth.
“If you had it, I wouldn’t have to say it.”
Hope glared at him for a long moment before she launched a multi-step assault that would’ve taken Alaric out if he hadn’t been the one to teach her each and every step. 
“You seem extra … angry today,” he pointed out.
Hope scrunched her face up with effort. “How kind of you to notice.”
“You want to talk about it?"
“Nope.” Hope raised her leg in a sharp kick. “I want to hit someone.”
“I can see that.”
When he opened his mouth to ask another question, Hope caught his arm and used his own force to shove him forward, swiping his feet out from underneath him and pinning him to the deck. 
“You should really let a vampire start doing my training,” she taunted. “You’re getting a little old for me to break your human bones.”
“How dare you?” He pretended to be offended but let Hope pull him to his feet. “You know … you could try sparring a witch - or two.” 
“You mean the twins?” Hope scoffed. 
“I think group training could be beneficial -” 
“I’ve tried to make friends with them,” Hope said, holding up her fists. “They never make any effort.”
Alaric held his palms out as targets. “That’s funny. ‘Cause they say the same thing about you.”
“Well, that’s because they’re liars.”
Alaric caught Hope’s fist, giving her a stern look. “I’m gonna stop you right there before I get offended.”
“I’m not the problem here!” Hope cried, throwing her arms out. “Lizzie cares more about name-calling than making any amends, and Josie avoids me like I’m the plague.” Hope let out a dry laugh.
“Alright.” Alaric handed her a water bottle. He considered his next words carefully. “I take it the aggression is because of you and Landon?”
“It was a mutual breakup,” Hope said a little too quickly. “I’m already over it.”
“You sent Jed to the infirmary with a medicine ball yesterday.”
“That was an accident!”
“Ric?” 
They both turned their head towards Dorian as he hurried towards them. 
“We have a situation,” he said, motioning over his shoulder back towards the school. 
“Great.” Alaric snapped his water bottle shut. “That’s just what every headmaster likes to hear.”