Within The Bonds

55: Hell Week

"I don't give a rate's ass who you are. Fuck. Off!" Grits the cantankerous guy from before looking at me in disgust.

With my eyes still locked with the innocent girl's, I finally make my final decision. "No," I assert looking up at the guy who just spoke, I stare him dead in the eye.

"You looking for a fight sweet cheek?" Another says as he takes a step closer to me.

"Because there is more than one way to get rough-" He doesn't get to finish his sentence because as soon as the tip on his filthy finger comes within an inch of my face, I had him faceplanted on the ground.

This single action of mine is enough to alarm the rest and cause the once deserted pathway to turn into a warzone. Punches are being thrown like confetti at a parade—powerless and aimless—thrown for the heck of being thrown.

Dodging them is easier than I thought it would be. But once they start to gang up on me, things start to get a bit out of hand. With my muscles already sore and worn-out further after practice, I start to feel the burn with each punch I block.

While blocking a punch from the first guy, another manages to land a kick to my abdomen. That was the last straw for me. I know that I'm better than them and definitely more skilled and here I am getting kicked and punched by a bunch of arrogant jocks?

Ignoring the burn in my muscles and pain in my abdomen, I use the adrenaline rush within me to fuel my attacks. Swiveling around my left foot in a crouched position I throw the first guy off balance in a swift move.

As the next charges at me, I move my head to the side at the last seconds causing his hand to hit the concrete wall with great force pervading the air with the mixed sounds of a sickening crack accompanied by his cry of pain.

I look up to find the others only to spot one instead of three. Unlike the others, he hasn't moved from his place during the entire fight. Rooted in his spot his eyes study me with great curiosity.

When I don't see him move towards me in a threatening way or at all, I dismiss his presence. Turning around to face my two victims, and I'm a bit surprised to see the girl nursing the hand of the guy.

Sensing my gaze, she turns to face me with a punitive glare clouding her eyes, with hatred visible in her features. "Look what you've done!" She hisses beckoning towards his now bloody hand.

By a single glance, understanding settles over me like a cloud of wisdom, telling me that his injuries are not the cause of the worry in her eyes that she's trying to mask with her punitive glare.

My guard goes up once again as I notice movement in the other guy that was once lying on the ground groaning in pain. Sending me one last nasty glare he turns to face the girl.

"Welcome to the blacklist, and you have her to thank for that!" He snarls at her cholerically, before helping his friend up and storming out of there.

"My life wasn't hell enough, thanks for making it worse!" She snaps before gathering her things and marching towards the opening with tear-filled eyes.

All I want to do now is curse myself out. I knew something of this sort would happen if I tried to help and yet I couldn't freaking stop myself!

Being blacklisted by her team makes her an outcast amongst the rest of her teammates, the primary target for team pranks. While some make being a jock appear as a direct pass into high school popularity, not all experience this.

Each school has a different story to tell. The unvoiced rule and expectation raise a high bar for some to keep up with, but others just sadistically enjoy the misery of their peers.