Loving the Fighter

17

I paid as much attention as I could but after about fifteen minutes my mind began to wander and the next thing I know, class is over and we are turning in homework.

"Nice to see you actually did the assignment," the teacher said. He has a name but i never bothered learning it since he was an ass to me yesterday.

I was seconds away from coming up with a smart ass remark when Ryder's elbow collided with my ribs. I glare down at him but say nothing.

"You seemed to have underestimated him," Ryder says with a smile that secretly says 'kill yourself, I hate you'.

"Or that genius of a roommate did all the work for him," he suggests with a scowl.

"Why is it so hard to believe I did it by myself?" I ask, slightly insulted.

"Because you spend all of class in a daze and you don't pay attention to anything. But come the next test we will see how much help you're really getting." He doesn't give me a chance to say anything before he turns away and walks back to his desk.

***

"I really hate this place," I decided as I sat down at the lunch table.

Liam sat on my left while Ryder sat on my right with Calum on his other side.

"It's not that bad," Boyd said from across the table. He seemed much happier here.

I think over the day I've been having while I shake my head.

"No it's pretty bad. I don't know which I prefer so far, slutty and asshole teachers or therapy."

Boyd seemed to stiffen at that.

"Is therapy really that bad?" He asked, his voice shaking slightly. Ryder looked as if he was about to say something but I beat him to it just in case.

"No, it's not that bad. I Just don't like staying still for that long. Why are you asking? You didn't have to go yesterday?"

"No," he said as he shook is head. "Apparently you alternate days so yesterday it was my other roommates' turn and today will be mine."

A weight lifted off my shoulders soon hearing that I didn't have to go to that session today. At least one thing was terrible about this day.

"It's really not that bad," Callum spoke up with a smile. Everyone but Boyd, who was smiling at thinking it wouldn't be terrible, could tell he was lying.

The table was silent until Ryder spoke up again.

"I don't know who decided to put P.E right after lunch but if I throw up durning laps I'm blaming them," he said as he glared at his empty trey.

"Maybe if you didn't eat so much durning lunch it wouldn't be a problem," Liam pointed out as he smiled at his boyfriend. I shook my head and look around the room as a distraction since I knew exactly how this was about to go.

"Did you just call me fat?" I hear Ryder ask but his voice seems distant.

If I was at home right now I would sitting on bed listening to the sound my father pound into a random woman he bought home last night. I would try to drowned out the sound with an old radio I had but it wouldn't be loud enough.

"Do you think I'm fat?" That was the sound that broke me out of my daze. Ryder looked up at me with his big brown eyes with and expectant look.

"Of course not," I mumbled as I look down at my own trey. Barely anything was missing but I had pushed so many things around it looked like I had eaten plenty.

"I didn't say you were fat," Liam said, trying and failing to get back in good graces with his partner. "Just that food should be taken in smaller quantities before exercise."

Ryder simply hums but I can sense that this still isn't over yet.

In the end Liam was forced to apologize all the way to gym class on top of carry Ryder there. Something about if he wasn't fat then it wouldn't be hard for Liam to carry him? I don't really know, I stopped paying attention to them after a while.

Durning laps I decided to do a slower jog and stayed with Callum and Liam for the majority of the time. Ryder tried to keep up with us but kept falling behind. On the last lap I paused and walked beside him as he speed walked.

"I hate running," he panted out. His face was a bit too red and sweat poured down his forehead. His hair was sticking up every way possible.

"It's just because you're short and are trying to keep up with us. You need a better pace," I tell him.

"So now I'm fat and short," he says with a small smirk that I ignore.

"I never said you were fat, that's all on Liam. But yes, you are short."

A grim look falls into his face.

"I'm going to end up failing gym if I don't get my time up for the mile."

"What's the time limit and what's your time?" I ask, might regret this later.

"My time is 15 minutes for a mile, I need it down to 10." 

When I was trying my hardest my mile was down to 7 minutes so it wasn't like I really needed the practice.

"I could help you," I offer but immediately want to take it back. This was going to be a bad idea somehow but Ryder didn't give me enough time to back out.

"Are you serious," he asked, the biggest smile I've ever spread across his face.

"I don't see why not."

"Thank you!" He squealed as he launch himself at me.

I didn't have time to brace myself before his body connected with mine and we almost fell down in the middle of the running track. Just before we made contact with the ground I put my arm under his ass and my other hand around his waist while spreading at my feet to steady us.

Without giving myself the time chance to look at him, I all but rip Ryder off of me and place him on his feet a bit too ruffly.

"Don't do that again." I say as I glare at him before I kept walking but his smile didn't dampen.

"Thank you," he says again as he trails behind me again.

"It's not a big deal. It shouldn't take long anyway."

"You clearly haven't seen me run," he grimaces.  "If its okay with you we can practice tonight while Liam is in his session since we won't be able to do homework then anyway." I nod along to his plan but I'm not really paying attention anymore.

I was focused on the looks Callum and Liam were giving me from the sidelines.

Callum was smirking while Liam only watched with his usual blank stare. It made me wonder if this was a test of some sort. And if it was a test, was a passing or failing?

Another update because the last chapter was short and we just got to 2,000 reads to thank you!