My Misadventures

15: Elevate... get it?

Song: Elevate by DJ Khalil. Don't play until I tell you :) The song is going to end before you're done reading the chapter, but replay it until you finish!

I measure the still life again, frustrated at my trembling hands. Clarissa tries to 'help' by swimming a gold fish cracker across my vision, all while whispering "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."

I swat her hand away with a sarcastic look. "Can you grow up?"

"Where's the fun in that?" She laughs. "Hey, so how did you like the party? I realized we never got to talk about it."

"Oh, I left early." I jot down my measurements, trying my best to eyeball it.

"I know," She says, popping the goldfish in her mouth. "But like, where did you guys go? And how bad was the hickey?"

"Oh my god." I look at her with exasperation. "You're just as bad as my sister! I don't do hickeys! Please Clarissa, I'm a man of dignity."

"Dignity... sounds like you're boring." She smiles devilishly, then returns to measuring with her pencil.

"Please shut up." I shake my head. "Besides, all we did was talk."

"I don't want to pry, but you're being awfully vague." She sighs, jotting down her findings.

"We talked about cars," Like normal straight dudes do. "And then... I asked him out."

"You did what?!" She yells, looking over at me.

I hush her. "Please keep it down, I don't want everyone to know. It kinda slipped out, and I didn't realize what was happening... and he agreed."

"Oh my gooooood you two are literally made for each other."

I hope so. "Well, even if we aren't, it's going to be nice. We're visiting his mom at work, she's a waitress for a fancy restaurant? Seemed like a nice thing to do."

"Please tell me how it goes afterward." She pleas, scribbling away on her paper.

"You'll be the first to know." I promise with a laugh. It's nice to have someone who cares so much about my dating life. Without her, I never would have gotten this far. She's the one that introduced us afterall.

When I look up again, I see Kel staring at me. I hesitate for a moment, captured by his angry yet stunningly blue eyes. His glare makes my shoulders drop. Oh great, he's going to beat me up after class.

-

I was totally right. As I walked toward the bus stop, I could hear him coming up behind me.

"Murdock!" He yells.

"I told you, call me-" I'm interrupted when he grabs my shoulder, and spins me around. I force myself not to react, just to wait patiently as his fist hurtles toward my face.

It's a solid hit, and I stumble back a few steps. There was a pop, and I can feel my nose start to bleed. Whoa, nice shot.

His aggression is contagious. I set my art portfolio down, then take a stance. "Alright, Henderson. Let's do this."

He smiles devilishly, and lunges forward. I block his first punch, and evade his next one, but I don't want anyone to recognize my patterns. I let the third one hit me in the gut, doubling over. I had underestimated his strength.

I throw a clumsy punch, and he swats it away easily, hitting me in the face again. He hits me with such force that I am thrown backward to the ground. He kicks me in the chest, flattening me. He then pounces, pinning me to the ground by straddling me and grabbing my wrists. I look into his eyes, heart nearly stopping.