headbutt: (noun)
1. an aggressive and forceful thrust with the top of the head into the face or body of another person.
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"Are you sure your dad isn't going to be livid that you're out tonight when you have a fight tomorrow?" Elijah questions as we walk down the town highstreet and towards our favourite pub.
I shrug. "He doesn't know that I'm at the pub, he just thinks I'm round yours. But I said I'd be home early enough to get a good night's sleep before he goes ballistic."
Elijah's eyes widen and he puffs out his cheeks. "Let's hope that goes to plan," he grips my shoulder and I laugh under my breath.
Me too. I think in my head.
"Is Ciara and Jules meeting us there?" Reese asks from the other side of Elijah.
I hum and glance down at my phone that has no new messages. "Yeah. I think so. Ciara hasn't texted me though but I'm sure they're on their way."
We flash the security guards our IDs and walk through the busy pub. I could spot Ciara's bright blonde hair and red lipstick from a mile away, and standing next to her was Jules with her long silky brunette hair and full eyelashes.
Ciara and I have been talking for the last few weeks. I've known of her since school but we didn't get closer until we left. Reese has had a crush on her since forever but she slid into my DM's instead, inviting us to a party and now we've somewhat clung to each other.
We hooked up the first night we met. Ciara is a very sexual being, not that it's a bad thing but I don't seem as into it as she does. She's over me every second and I like a bit of space, I don't think I'm an affectionate person because being smothered by her makes my skin crawl.
Her bright blue eyes find mine in an instant and she grins, patting Jules shoulder and strutting over to me in her big heels. "Hey B!" She wraps her arms around my shoulders and pulls me into her.
I slip my arms around her lower back and pat her spine. "Hey Ciara," I mumble into her shoulder.
She pulls back but keeps her arms on my shoulders, gleaming up at me with a bright smile. Then she leans forward to press a kiss to my lips, I turn my head ever so slightly so it grazes the corner of my mouth instead.
"Let's get a drink," I beckon my head over to the bar.
I say hello to Jules and we order some drinks. All of us attempting to find somewhere to sit in this packed bar.
As we slide through the sea of pub-goers, Ciara yelps in front of me and turns to a group of boys beside her. "Did you just squeeze my ass?!" Her voice bellows across the pub, causing heads to turn towards the noise.
I take a step forward towards the guy who is smirking down at Ciara. "Yeah," he grunts. "And what are you gonna do about it?"
My hand slides Ciara behind me and I square up to the dark haired guy who is a couple inches shorter than me. Reese and Elijah step to my side and push the girls away.
"It's not nice to grope girls or anyone for that matter," I spit towards him. "In fact it's disgusting and preterory. It's like you can't get a girl to save your life so you have to touch them without consent. That's fucking embarrassing."
His eye twitches at my words and his friends now step up to rival us. But I don't budge and neither do my friends.
"It's embarrassing that you're sticking up for her," he chuckles to himself and folds his arms across his chest. "Bet you've never got laid in your life."
"That's rich coming from a guy who has to grope a girl to get their attention."
People now start looking at us, the pub going quiet to see what's going on.
"Bodi," Ciara says from behind me but I ignore her.
The guy flicks his eyes between mine and then flicks his lips up into a smirk that makes me feel comfortable. "I know who you are," he leans back a little. "You're that shitty boxer who's fighting our friend tomorrow."
My blood boils inside me and I quirk an eyebrow, attempting to show that he won't get to me. No matter how hard he tries.
"Then I guess I'll see you there," I say calmly. "Tell your friend good luck."
"He's going to batter you."
"I'd like to see him try."
"Oooooh, look at the confidence on this one," he points to me and looks behind at his laughing friends. I clench my jaw tightly and try to cool down before things got out of hand.
"I don't have to waste my breath on people like you," I grumble, attempting to move away.
"We've seen you fight Hawk," the sound of my surname rippling from his tongue makes my stomach twist in knots. "You're shit. You have no technique or strength, you're nothing but sh–"
My chin dips down along with my knees and I push my head up under his chin as harshly as possible. He stumbles back not expecting the blow and that's when chaos breaks out, pushing, shoving, punching.
Fire burns in every inch of my body, vibrating to the core and feeling fury behind my eyes. I wanted to do more, so much more but I couldn't risk anything before tomorrow. My father will murder me for sure.
Blood drips down the guy's nose at the force and I can't help but smirk. Reese and Elijah pull me backwards, along with the girls and away from the brawl that has now broken out between random pub goers.
The security attempt to break it up but it's beyond them now.
"Fuck!" Reese roars in my ears that have been ringing since the hit. "You just heatbutted the guy!"
I catch my breath as Ciara rushes to my side gripping my hands. "Are you alright?" She shouts and I glance around at the walls.
After a moment I nod, feeling a rush of dizziness to my head suddenly.
"Jesus Christ, Bod." Elijah gasps. "He's fucking outcold."
Our eyes glance over to the guy I had just assaulted, watching his body on the ground. Blood dribbling from his face and onto the grubby carpets.
"Shit," I growl.
"You need to leave," he says again. "Now!"
Panic floods through my body and I turn and turn before I head. "That's him!"
My eyes stupidly look towards the voice, two security guards now looking my way. "Run!" Reese shouts in my ears but my feet can't move, nothing in my body attempts to move.
What's the point? They're going to find me one way or another.
I'm grabbed by the guards, people shouting that the police have been rung.
Before I know it I'm being arrested and placed in the back of a police car for suspicion of grievous bodily harm. Luckily by the time they get here the guy came around, meaning I could have got done for attempted murder. Or worse.
I spend hours in a cell. Thinking over my actions. I'm stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
My head is buried into my hands as I lean over my knees, looking down at the dusty grey floor. The thought of calling my father almost makes me heave over and vomit across the cell.
He's never going to let me live this down. He's going to rip me a new one.
On the call he's quiet, reserved. I can only presume he's waiting to collect me before he releases his wrath on me. Oh it is not going to be fun.
My dad pays for my bail and on the way from the police station to his car he turns to me, blazing with rage. "You've thrown everything we've worked for down the drain because you can't contain your anger!"
I blink at his tone and I inhale slowly, looking down at the floor.
"You've blown your scholarship and all your sponsors! You're not going to be able to fight now until you clear your name or you complete whatever sentence they're going to give you." He shakes his head, jaw tightened.
He unlocks the car and I slide into the passenger side, not knowing what to say.
When he slides in beside me, he looks at the side of my head because I refuse to look his way. "Aren't you going to say something?" He hits the steering wheel causing me to jump.
"I'm sorry," I grumble and close my eyes.
He scoffs once and then twice. "You have no idea how much you let me down over and over again."
His words hit me right in the chest but I refuse to look up. I knew this would be coming. When we get home, I don't even want to think about what else he's going to say.
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"I had no idea that you're a boxer," Ash comments with wide eyes.
I nod but then stop myself, holding the bottle in my left hand. "Well not really a boxer at the minute but I'm getting there. I can compete again after my probation." I lift the bottle to my lips.
My eyes catch Ash smiling gently. "Your headbutt must have been good. Kind of ironic you didn't use your fists."
"It fucking hurt, totally not worth it," I release a laugh and look in his eyes. "But I will always stand up for my friends. I wasn't going to let that asswipe get away with groping her or belittling me. It riles me up and sometimes I just explode."
"You're a good friend for standing up to her," Ash offers me a smile, shuffling somewhat closer to me so our feet are merely inches apart. "Your dad still mad about what happened?"
I extend my head up to the ceiling. "Furious," I chuckle sadly to myself. "Don't think he'll ever forgive me."
Ash studies me for a moment and leans back onto one of his hands. "I think our parents are literally the same," he tells me softly. "Well my mum and your dad. Completely obsessed and deluded. They want to live their dreams through us."
My head shakes slowly. "But I love boxing," my heart warms."I love it a lot. I want to do it, not just because my dad wants me to."
"Oh," he says after a few moments. "Guess we're a bit different then. But still your dad sounds like an ass and you shouldn't have to endure that kind of verbal abuse. I get he's disappointed in you but calling you names and saying shit like that is just awful."
"I feel suffocated most of the time, when I train with him," I offer in response. "Probably like you do with your mum. They don't know when to quit."
Ash's mouth twitches. "Precisely. So is the guy you head-butted okay?"
"Yeah," I brush off. "He went to hospital but he's fine."
He nods but doesn't say anything, we both look out at the storm. Nothing like it was before but still windy and probably dangerous. We don't need no flying trampolines knocking us out.
I turn back to Ash, noticing his eyes burning slightly from the alcohol. "D-Does this house give you the creeps?" He asks randomly.
My head turns and I chew on the inside of my mouth. "Haven't really thought about it. It's a house." I shrug.
He breathes out harshly. "I guess."
"Why?" I shoot back. "Do you?"
"Yeah," he scratches the back of his head and cringes. "Kinda."
My hand raises and I push his knee. "It's just old and abandoned," I flash him a smile. "It's going to make you feel uneasy if you don't like horror movies."
Ash glances down once and snorts. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just a coward."
"Na," my voice catches him by surprise, I swig the bottle and he keeps eye contact. I extend my arm and hold it out in front of him. "Finish it, Cherry."
Ash's lips part and he swallows, gingerly taking the bottle between his fingers again. He continues to stare at me and I know why, because I used that nickname again. He told me not to use it if I wanted to forget that night so badly.
But maybe after tonight, I don't want to forget. Because it's the first time in years I've opened up to someone. Even a little bit. And I cannot ignore that my chest feels a little looser than before and no weight bared my shoulders.
Talking doesn't seem so bad when you feel like they can understand.
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Author's Note
Read up to chapter 25 on Patreon. Link in bio!
Hello my loves. Eeeeek we finally found out what happened to Bodi! What did you guys think?
They've both been slapped with community service for things they didn't ultimately deserve. Bodi protecting his friends is everything I live for.
What did you guys think?
ALSO return of the Cherry😏😏😏 Bodi knows he can't forget that night, no matter how hard he tries.
Hope you're all good. Love, Savanna x
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