A Proscriptive Relationship

:A Proscriptive Relationship: Chris POV

Psssst.

Don't read this if you haven't read ALL of A Proscriptive Relationship in Holly's POV (the real story) yet. It will ruin everything.

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“Chris.”

I paused upon hearing my name. It was a voice I recognized far too well for my liking. With a deep sigh, I glanced over my shoulder to see Dan and a four of his buddies standing behind me threateningly. Three of them I didn’t recognize, but I immediately identified Jack and Mikey— two of the most annoying members of my old gang.

After another moment of watching them I turned my back and continued down the alleyway. It was just like Dan to attack someone in such a clichéd spot. Why did it have to be tonight that I decided to go for a walk? The last thing I wanted was to get in trouble for being involved with another fight. That would ruin my chances at my new job— and I needed the job.

“Running away, Heywood?” Mikey sneered.

A small grin crossed my face and I kept walking. “You know it.”

“Stop him!”

The smile dropped from my face. They were seriously going to try to take me on? This just wasn’t my night.

A strong hand roughly grabbed my shoulder, pulling me to a stop. All five members of my former gang swiftly surrounded me. I faked a yawn, hoping my lack of interest would cause them to lose their incentive to assail me.

It didn’t.

I dodged the first blow with ease. It was from one of the new guys— I wondered briefly who the person who’d let them join was. Obviously he didn’t test out their skill before. More punches were thrown, as well as some slander, but I avoided and ignored both. As long as I didn’t fight back I wouldn’t be in any trouble.

“Surely you can do better than that?” I teased, smirking as I easily caught Dan’s fist as he moved in to strike me.

He scowled, yanking his hand away. “Don’t act so arrogant.”

“Arrogant is my middle name.”

“I see all that time in jail hasn’t done much for you,” he commented snidely. “I thought at least you’d lose some of that inflated ego.”

Shrugging, I moved my head to the left so one of the new guys’ fists wouldn’t hit me. “What can I say? It’s one of my charm points.” I flashed him a handsome smile.

He suddenly lunged at me. Taken by surprise, I stumbled back a few steps so he couldn’t reach me. Every swung he took at me I easily dodged or blocked, making him increasingly frustrated. It was almost comical— actually it was comical.

“Stop dodging, you asshole!”

“Maybe I’m not dodging. Maybe you just have bad aim?”

This time when attempted to strike me, I stepped to the side, shoving Mikey out of the way as I did so. Either he had awful balance, or I’d used more force than I meant to, because he fell into the brick of the ally wall, letting out a loud groan.

“Aren’t you going to fight back?” Dan demanded angrily, his face red from the effort he’d been putting in to land a hit on me.

“I told you,” I responded slowly, rolling my eyes. “I don’t fight anymore.”

His eyes flashed. “Yeah. Like I’d believe that. If you don’t fight back, then you’re just letting us beat the shit out of you.”

I shrugged. “Whatever. It’s not like feeble punches from you will actually harm me.”