The Rejected (Book 3)

Chapter 4: Punching Bag

Something was off when I walked to class the next day. Everyone was staring at me. Not the usual stare like I got as the new kid or the angry one from pulling a prank.

"Lads," I tipped off an imaginary hat waiting for one of them to say or do something.

Finally, Philip walked to me with a serious look. I crossed my arms in front of my chest waiting for him to talk.

"Are you and the princess... involved?" he asked curiously. I could see from the looks of the other boys they were too. I knew Cecelia and I could never be together together. I would never try to jeopardize our friendship. However, if they did think she was off the market then that was good.

"What's it to you?" I raised one of my eyebrows.

Philip raised his chest higher. "Well, if you are not then I would like a chance with her."

Never.

I let out a scoff and rolled my eyes. "You and the princess? Do you really think she would stoop that low?"

Phillip's expression turned to rage. He was about to jump me when the instructor came and stopped anything from happening. "Settle down boys, not this early in the morning please."

Phillip clenched his fists tight. I could tell he still wanted to hit me. He leaned in to whisper so only I could hear him. "If you can be her friend then even a swine would be able to be with her."

I let out a yell before I tackled him to the ground. How dare he speak that lowly of Cecelia? A swine? Let's see how pretty his face will be after I destroyed it. I got in a few good punches before our instructor was pulling me away, trying to hold me back. Phillip was being held back by two of his friends. I could tell he noticed the feral look in my eyes because he had turned pale.

"Let me go," I growled trying to get back to Phillip.

"Jasper! You need to calm down," said my instructor, tightening his grip even more.

"If you heard what he said you would be punching him with me," I said trying to shrug him off but he had me in a tight hold. Damn it!

"I am going to let you go and you are going to leave and cool down. I'm giving you today off, do not worry I will not tell the queen," he tried to persuade me.

Very slowly, his hold loosened. It almost hurt to hold myself back so that I would not hit Philip again. I looked Philip dead in the eye. "The only reason I am leaving is so that I would not be called a murdered among the other things you all whisper behind my back."

He narrowed his eyes with an angry gleam. The instructor put his hand on my shoulder as if trying to calm me. I shrugged him off before marching away. I found a free punching bag in the training hall away from the field where the class was on. I let loose hitting it multiple times imagining it was Philip's face instead.

"Whoa there."

I didn't look away. I just kept punching.

Angelo came and stood behind the punching bag holding it for me. "Are you okay?"

I remained silent as I continued to hit it. I was surprised the ten year old did not go flying back with the amount of force I was putting into it. When I could really feel the burn I stopped hitting the bag. Angelo let out a sigh of relief.

"Good lord Jasper! I thought you were going to put a hole in it, which would have been so very awesome but still!" he exclaimed. I couldn't help but laugh. I ruffled the prince's hair earning a scowl from him as he tried to smoothen his brown hair back into place.