Porsche's POV:
I lapped up the water spouting from the water fountain spigot. It streamed down my chin and dribbled to my bare feet. The refreshing beverage simmered my lungs drenched in fire. Heaving, I flooded waves into my mouth until my shaking body pacified.
Since morning, I'd been grappling my opponents at the MA event and took them down like wind to grass. Still, there were so many back to back matches I could handle until I began breaking down. Thankfully, a bit of water was all I needed to be revived.
I had one final match before I'd claim my victory. While I was recovering in the hallway, the second to last match was occurring, determining the lucky bastard that'd be my adversary.
I stepped away from the water fountain and found a bench to rest on. Peering past the rows of lockers, I saw a student being praised by his parents. Fucking parents.
My dickhead of a father hadn't bothered to show up, not that I expected him to. That was our relationship. I'd slave away for a victory, notify him of my success, and watch him nod. I found it disturbingly bizarre that he had spent his hard-earned money ensuring I received the top training yet never admired the final product. Despite neglecting my matches, he always boasted about my winnings on social media. The closest I'd gotten to him saying, "I'm proud of you," was his post bragging to his friends about my achievements, which had created a discourse about whose son was better in the comment section.
Thoughts astray, I sensed a presence next to me. I snapped my head to see Sharp sitting upright, legs crossed, and grinning at me. I raised my eyebrows and jolted my head back in surprise. I swept my bangs out of my face and matched his posture but kept my legs spread apart.
"Hey, I didn't know you went here," Sharp said brightly.
Considering he wasn't wearing karategi, I assumed he didn't attend BU. Given my reputation, he would've been well-aware of me. Usually, I'd want him to know exactly who I was, but my recent scandals made me grateful he wasn't a student here.
"Yeah, do you go here?" I asked, already hearing the answer in the back of my head.
Sharp shook his head and pointed to the gymnasium doors down the hall. "No, I'm just here supporting my little brother."
"Who's your brother? I might know him," I said.
I couldn't think of anyone that resembled his winsomeness. Most of the guys here favored the looks of a naked mole-rat.
"I doubt it. He didn't make it past the first round," he said with a small laugh.
"Why're you still here then?" And who exactly was his brother?
"He wanted to stay and watch his friends. I had a feeling I'd find something interesting if I stayed," Sharp smirked and licked his lips. "And I did."
I bit my lower lip and felt my cheeks grow hot. I'd never actually flirted with a guy before. This was flirting, right?
"You're interested in me?" I asked shyly, my eyelashes flittering at the notion.
"I've always wanted to try caramel," he teased.
My heart blushed. No one had complimented me on my skin color. In fact, that was my biggest insecurity in grade school. Children didn't appreciate the flavors of our skin but tormented those that didn't appeal to their vanilla taste.
His joke was rather forward. I laughed awkwardly, not knowing how else to respond.
Sharp glanced down at my crotch and pinched the end of my black martial arts belt. "You've been quite the hot shot today," he remarked.
"I'm very hot," I said leisurely, practically begging for his attention. I almost slapped myself for saying that out loud.
"I agree," Sharp said, sliding my belt between his fingers. He gave it an experimental tug, enticing my waist towards him. "Where did you gain such impressive skill?"
"From a lot of work," I said, too focused on his glossy, pink lips to care for his words.
"Who taught you?" Sharp started reeling the dark strip closer to him, coercing our thighs to brush against each other as I followed the cloth.
"Many people." When he had no more fabric to seduce, he dropped it on his lap.
"Any names?" he asked, his gaze trailing to meet mine.
No one you'd know.
"None come to mind," I said, shrugging.
"Who's this?" a familiar voice questioned.
Arms crossed over his chest, like a drill sergeant, Phupha stood in front of us. From the looks of it, he wasn't impressed with whatever charade Sharp had played out. His glare made that known.
"I'm Sharp. It's nice to meet you," Sharp said with his signature smile. He wai'd to Phupha. Phupha reluctantly wai'd back.
Though the area was quiet, Phupha was cutting the tension with a knife a thousand times and not giving Sharp the chance to defend himself.
"Well, I better go back to my brother. He can be quite needy," Sharp said, looking back at me apologetically. I didn't want him to go, but it was better if he left. I couldn't have any distractions before my final match.
I smiled at him assuringly. "Of course, family is very important."
"Bye," Phupha deadpanned.
As he stood up, Sharp braced my thigh for support. "See you around." He winked at me and headed back to the gym, striding down the hall like a runway model.
Phupha waited until Sharp entered the gym to guess, "Sex buddy?"
I almost choked on his question and gasped, settling a hand to my chest to ease my shock. I thought he had better judgment of my character. Yes, I would steal any opportunity to sleep with him, but I reeked of virginity. Sharp probably smelt it off of me before I entered the bus.
"No! He's just some guy I met on the bus," I protested. I reclined my back to the wall and defensively put my hands in the air .
Phupha scanned my face as if his eyes were somehow lie detectors. "Good," Phupha finally said. "He's shady."
"Why is everyone suspicious of him?" I asked, placing my hands on my legs.
He frowned and cocked his head. "Who else thought he was suspicious?"
He who shall not be named.
"It doesn't matter," I said with a sigh. I turned my head away, avoiding that conversation.
"Your match is starting soon," he said. He flipped his backpack to his front and gathered a water bottle from it. He kindly offered it to me. I took it with a small, "Thanks."
"Any idea who I'm up against?" I asked, twisting the cap off and taking curt sips. It was lukewarm but better than nothing.
Phupha held in his breath and stopped blinking. That wasn't a good fucking sign. My gaze darted everywhere, trying to figure out who he was hinting. It wasn't like anyone was actually competition.
"What? Who is it?" My fingers began drumming the bottle expectantly.
"It's Kinn," Phupha said hesitantly.
The plastic bottle crinkled as I choked the top of it in my grip. I smashed it on the bench, spurting water and not bothered by the stream flowing down my hand. I couldn't hide the discontent on my face. He was the last person I wanted to see.
"Fuck me!" I bemoaned. Releasing the bottle, I hunched over and buried my face in my wet palm. My fingers rubbed solid circles at my temples.
"Porsche, what happened between you two?" he asked. Phupha picked the bottle up and shoved it back in his bag.
"What do you mean?"
"You used to complain about him all the time. Now, you don't even say his name."
Astute observation, Watson.
I removed my face from my hand and sat back up to look at him. "Nothing happened. I just figured you were tired of hearing about him," I said with a shrug.
"How long have we been friends?" Phupha tested, pursing his lips.
"Almost four years."
"Do you expect me to not know when you're lying to me after four years of friendship?"
"Yes," I answered sarcastically.
Phupha titled his head and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"It's complicated!" I tossed my hands in the air dramatically and smacked them on the metal bench.
"I don't see how it could be."
That's because you have the imagination of a potato.
"He's an asshole, okay? I tried being nice to him, and it got me nowhere. So, fuck your treat others with kindness bullcrap," I spat.
Phupha's eyes shifted down the hallway, presumably embarrassed that I was swearing. To his relief, it was just us. "What did he do?"
"He interfered with my Phase test!" Thinking about it curled my fists into anguished balls.
"How?"
Replaying the scene in my mind was pure torture, even though I'd been doing it all week.
"He knocked the last guy out before I had a chance to attack him," I explained.
"He's an asshole for defending himself?" I sensed a rhetorical question.
"He cost me points. He did it on purpose!"
"Did he?" Phupha quirked an eyebrow and gathered his arms behind his back.
"Of course!" Did he really have to ask that? Kinn had it out for me from the start. It'd be accidental for him to not fuck me over.
"Did he fight the other ones?" I didn't like where he was going with this.
"No."
"Look," Phupha said and bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm not saying it was right of him to knock him out, but Kinn is new here. He doesn't know how things operate."
I clenched my jaw and squinted my eyes. "Why are you siding with him?"
"I'm not siding with anyone. You've got to cut him some slack," Phupha said.
"Oh, I'll definitely cut him," I assured him.
One day, I was going to get him at least once. I almost wished we were sparring instead of grappling today, but it wouldn't have looked good if I'd beaten my Protectee to a bloody pulp, regardless of circumstances.
Phupha stretched a long sigh and shook his head. "I'm going to check on Tian. Good luck with your match."
"I won't need luck. I can defeat him by myself."
I hadn't seen him fight, but I didn't need to. I was confident in my skills. Sure, he'd been defeating my records, but that was also past me. Since then, I had improved. There was no way he'd stand a chance against my upgrade.
Phupha didn't respond and turned to leave. Whatever.
I drank more water and mentally prepared for my match with Kinn. Taking in a deep breath, I marched to the double doors and puffed out my chest. I flung the doors open and blankly stared at the crowd in the stands. Hundreds of familiar faces appeared, chattering away and stealing peeks at the empty battlefield. Noise agitatingly smacked my eardrums. How was I supposed to think in this environment?
Dressed in a pristine suit, the referee arrived at the blue mat on the gym floor. Shortly after, Kinn strutted at the scene with his shoulders back and head held up high like he had evidence to convince a jury to his side of the trial. His white uniform contrasted well with his tightly wound black belt. Though he'd been grappling all day, his hair was still styled neatly. He must've fixed himself for our match. Got to make Techno's covers look good, right?
Gulping, I closed my eyes and focused on the task at hand. I was to fight and conquer. It was just Kinn. I had nothing to be afraid of. Ready, I opened my eyes and craned my neck, cracking my rigid bones. Fists by my sides, I approached the floor and distanced myself properly from Kinn.
Smirking, Kinn's tongue rimmed his teeth as he eyed me. "Somebody's been missing me."
Now was not the time for fuckery. "Yeah, your right hand," I retorted.
"Maybe, I'll find him some new company," he said, his gaze trailing to my crotch. I swore the vein on the side of his neck popped at the view.
The referee stepped in and chopped a hand between us, signalling to begin.
With pleasure.
I wanted to pin him to the ground and claim my victory, but I had to be strategic. Hovering, we shifted our weight from side to side. We circled the mat, teetering in anticipation. My gaze never faltered from his tigerish one. Kinn's strong brows arched arrows, striking his face. His uniform dipped lowly, exposing white flesh and coffee-brown nipples.
Kinn lunged forward and knelt in front of me. I grasped his shoulders, clenching the rough cotton. I kept a sturdy posture, ready to attack. Suddenly, Kinn grabbed my waist and used his momentum to knock me to the ground. With a short grunt, I tumbled on my back. He hurled his hands above my head and cemented his palms to the mat as he straddled my waist. His flushed face drew closely to mine, evoking his sultry breath to brush my lips. A taste of his minty exhale tantalized my tastebuds.
My legs were between his. Stuck underneath his groin pressing against my abdomen, I shriveled. Daring his heavy gaze, I snuck my hands to his hips and gripped the fabric. Tugging his pants towards me, I shot my legs straight up and launched him in the air. Quickly, I tucked in my knees and settled his stomach on them like dessert on a plate. I propelled Kinn across the floor, still keeping my hold, and forced him to his knees. I landed in a butterfly guard position, keeping my right arm hooked underneath his left.
Forcefully, I yanked Kinn's warm back against my chest. My heart quivered frantically near his spine. I nuzzled my cheek between his flexing shoulder blades, dampening it lightly with his sweat. A surge of his musk filled inside me. I strapped my legs around his midriff. I slid my right arm over his shoulder and met my left one underneath his armpit.
Kinn snatched my wrist and sharply jabbed his shoulder up, angling my arm in an awkward position. His free hand grabbed my elbow and threw us on our right sides. My calf caressed his thigh. I disconnected my hands for a better grip, when he grabbed my right wrist with both of his hands and wedged his head out of my hold. He successfully turned out and pushed my leg away from him.
I tried to sit back up, but he was quick to drag my legs towards him. On my back, he wedged my legs between his body. I knew he was going to mount me again. I sank my knees to my stomach and kicked up to lock his neck. Upside down, my hands supported my weight as I was hanging against his body. Kinn devilishly licked his lips, disheveled leather-black hair sticking to the sides of his face. His arms ensnared my right thigh. He accelerated his hips off of his heels and stood on his knees. Shaking my knee, he shimmied me back down to the ground. My ass slid back to his crotch.
As he leaned down to get on top of me, I scooched my legs to the right. He fell diagonally on top of my chest, with my body between his arms. His left arm reached out to the opposite side. I snatched it and steered his body away from mine. Then, I sat up and moved so my side was laying on his torso.
Tit-for-tat, we went back and forth like this. The crowd behind us cheered at each victory but were starting to lose their patience as the clock ticked on. My muscles that were ready at the beginning were in overdrive. My face was sticky and heated. Kinn's sweat was dripping down to my face each time he got on top of me.
By this point, Kinn was riding my back. All of his limbs hugging my torso, he slammed us to the side. Instead of allowing me to escape again, he locked me into a chokehold. Kinn's soft eyelashes fluttered my neck, causing me to shudder. The tip of his nose burrowed the crook of my neck. Inhaling deeply, he satiated himself to my scent and swallowed loudly. I stiffened at the erotic sensation. I shoved against him but was unable to reverse. We stilled there. After what felt like forever, the referee blew his whistle and declared no winner.
All of that for a fucking stalemate. Fuck luck.
This wasn't happening. I hadn't just tied with Kinn. Everything around me became a shapeless, null background spinning in rage. The oxygen I sucked in barely filled my lungs, mocking me for trying to breathe. I could've laid there forever on this rough mat pooled in misfortune. I didn't want to get up and face the aftermath of shame.
"Better luck next time," Kinn said casually. He helped himself up with a grunt and dusted himself off. When he finished, he looked down at me and offered his hand.
Leering at him, I shakily stood up, staggering as I attempted to balance myself. My tongue swam in the salty puddle forming in my mouth, thrashing around in disdain.
I needed to get out of here and pretend this didn't happen for a few hours. I rushed off the floor and stormed to the locker room. As I faced my locker, I heard trudging behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
"The fuck do you want?" I growled.
"I can't change clothes now?" Kinn asked, amused.
It wasn't my place to tell him he was forbidden in my vicinity, but that was how I felt. Thinking about him was enough to make my stomach churn, let alone having to torture my eyes with him. He should've been happy I didn't punch him then and there.
Rolling my eyes, I slipped my belt from my waist and neatly folded it. I shoved it in the bag from my locker, snapping my uniform as I did so. Shuddering at the cool exposure, I shrugged my uniform top down my arms and tucked it with my belt.
I suddenly became aware of my own nakedness as a figure appeared in my peripheral vision. I pivoted to see Kinn shamelessly staring at me. He propped himself with his arm as he leaned against the lockers, honing his focus on my abs.
I felt heat creep to my face. "What're you staring at?"
"Is that a scar on your stomach?" Kinn raised an eyebrow, pointing at the large scar on my torso.
My father's handiwork.
"None of your business," I snapped. No one had ever commented on something so personal.
Frowning, Kinn took a step closer. "Shuriken?" he asked in a hushed tone.
How did you know?
Gritting my teeth, I snatched my t-shirt from my locker and yanked it on. Leave it to Kinn to prod at my weaknesses.
Kinn's expression darkened. Slamming my locker shut, he seized my arm and shoved me against the cold metal. The sound echoed in the room. Kinn grabbed a handful of my shirt and dragged it up, revealing my body.
"Get your hands off me!" I grabbed Kinn's wrists.
Suddenly, Kinn's face was against my neck.
What the hell is he doing?
I felt his warm breath against the throbbing pulse in my throat.
"What the fuck are you doing, pervert?!" A mix of anger and discomfiture coated my tone.
"You smell nice."
"What do you mean?"
"I enjoy your scent," he said casually, though lust was subtly flirted in his voice. He gazed at me, and I thought I caught a hint of desire in his eyes and voice.
No, I must be imagining it.
Tightening my grasp around his wrists, I attempted to cut off his circulation. Unbothered, Kinn inhaled my scent as he pleased, caressing my neck with his nose. His chest heavily undulated against my bare skin. Kinn's body heat permeated through his T-shirt, evoking a trail of goosebumps across my chest.
When Kinn was apparently satisfied, he drew back and flickered his gaze to mine. His eyes, which I had once thought held such darkness, were looking at me with an honest concern. There was no desire for power. Rather, he provided me reassurance.
Kinn tore his wrists free from my grasp. As I went to push him, he caught my hand and locked our fingers together. Then, he held my waist in his other hand, catching my breath in his grip. I tried to shake him off me, but his immense strength kept me in place. Gently, Kinn traced the thick scar on my abdomen, taking his time to sympathize with my sensitive mark with the tip of his index finger. A gratifying shiver spread throughout my body, unfamiliar to such tender care for me. Kinn delicately pressed his soft palm to my stomach and strummed my past's torment with his thumb, offering it a better memory. Uncomfortable, my body began trembling at his gesture.
As his hand traveled further up my body, my lips parted. This close to Kinn, I could taste the fresh smell of sweat and coconut shampoo. His sweetness continued as he outlined small circles over my imperfection. I dug my fingers in the back of his hand. Kinn responded by feathering his thumb on the side of my anxious squeeze.
Realizing that I was letting Kinn manipulate me, I abruptly shoved him away. He accepted my rejection and stepped back.
I wanted to hate him. I struggled to find the part of myself that yearned to cause his misery. I stumbled upon an opening in my heart that I didn't want him to enter. In this game of chess, Kinn was attempting to checkmate me with his suave demeanor and phony interest in my well-being.
Hastily, I turned away from him and began changing into my jeans. I wasn't going to take part in this game.