Xavier's POV
"And, you can start!" The announcer bellowed as cheers went up in the crowds. A bell rang and I readied myself.
My opponent was a smug, muscular giant. His ego was as high as Burj Khalifa and that may very well be his downfall.
He smirked as he circled me.
But I was never one to be intimidated so I swung a hard right hook just under his jaw, taking him by surprise. He stumbled and I got in another jab straight to his stomach. The cheers were resounding.
He glared at me as he pulled himself together.
Without any plan or strategy, he came at me hard, aiming at my side.
I waited and just as his fist was about to make contact with the side of my stomach, I moved away. He staggered and I punched him hard on his spinal cord.
He grunted and hunched slightly, once again, running at me, aiming for my stomach this time.
I did the same thing I previously did and twisted my body away just at the right time, managing a yawn for the audience before I gave him a left uppercut. Before he could recover, punches rained down on him as I weaved in and out of the way whenever he tried to punch me. The crowd went wild as the cheers rose to a clamorous height.
I got many hits in as I delivered a rapid sequence of blows. My elbow connected with his stomach as he howled and bent over.
"Get. Out." She said in an emotionless voice.
My fists came in contact with his back and a harsh crack resounded. I winced as I remembered the crunch I had heard from her leg when I had pushed her away, having lost control of myself, letting my anger get to me.
He crumbled to the ground, curling around himself in pain as I watched, disgusted. He hadn't even put up a fight.
The referee counted up till ten before ruling the boxer as 'knocked out' and announcing me as the winner. I had three more matches to go before I could head back home and if it went at this rate then I would be home earlier than I had originally thought.
Walking down, I waited until they called me for the next match. At the boxing ring, I was commonly known as Ironfist. Being one of the strongest boxers and the best trained one since Father owned the ring, I usually came here to let out some steam or just for entertainment if I'm bored.
The next two matches were also uncomplicated. I won in just a matter of minutes. The crowd was roaring in the stands as I walked back to my room, having to wait till my next match.
Inside my room was Blake, who was still aggravated at me, for doing what I did to Elaine. He automatically had a brotherly instinct towards her and told me to stay away from her if I couldn't not hurt her.
I gladly agreed.
I knew the words I had uttered were wrong and an utter lie, but I had to say them. I had to make her realize that I was a monster. That she couldn't be with me, not as friends or anything else. It was the only way that I was sure that she would hate me.
And now, I wasn't so sure if I wanted her to hate me. A week had passed. She ignored me completely at school. It was as if I didn't exist to her. Her eyes never caught mine anymore, they just swept past me as if I was invisible. I could see the hurt flash in her face from time to time, especially when she caught sight of me but didn't let her gaze linger. And I hated it. She was still limping. Her ankle seemed better but I couldn't be sure.
My blood seemed to burn whenever I saw her with that Benson kid. She seemed to be having fun with him, laughing and speaking to him any opportunity she gets. The kid, of course, was more than happy to get her attention. He lapped it up like some kind of love sick puppy.
That disgusting, sick swine.
And you're much better? My mind retorted.
Anyone with eyes could see that he had a thing for the girl. But the latter acted like she had no clue. She kept leading him on with an innocent expression on her face as if she was just hanging out with a friend.
And she probably thought of it as that too.
Oh really? How can you say that? What if she actually likes him and his company?
She wouldn't do that. She doesn't like him.
Right? I was having second thoughts.
And why do you care? Did you not want her to hate you?
Yes, but...
Shaking my thoughts away, I stepped into the room and took a seat on the sofa as I waited.
Our training sessions had stopped but since Elaine really wanted to get into Harvard, she sent papers with explanations and questions through Blake, covering up the chapters that she hadn't questioned and explained to me.
Blake threatened me that he would tell Ma about what I did to Elaine if I didn't finish the papers that she had given. And I gladly did so.
It was hard. To understand the complicated subject of Chemistry without her voice calming me. I hadn't realized just how much she had done for me and still was continuing to do for me, until she had quite literally fallen from my grasp.
I missed her and I couldn't deny it.
But I couldn't go to her either. I couldn't speak to her. Couldn't hear her melodious voice. Couldn't get a waft of her sweet scent which made me nearly heady and dizzy.
I had done this for her own good.
But she would never know. She will always remember me as the a$$hole that sprained her leg and then called her names. And I couldn't do anything to change it.
Heaving a sigh, I walked out and back into the ring when my name was called.
"And we have Ironfist on one side and Flash on the other!"
My opponent this time, was light-weighted and seemed to be working through strategy as his eyes roamed over me, trying to work out my weaknesses.
"And you may begin!" The bell sounded again.
Flash waited for a millisecond before gracing me with an upper cut which I skillfully avoided. He watched me for another second before going low for a jab. Right as he was about to punch me, I weaved out of the way and delivered a hard blow to his spine.
He immediately stood up and backtracked, watching me closely. Deciding to stay on the defense, he raised his gloved hands and blocked my jab as I threw another left hook with my other hand.
He was caught off guard and stumbled backwards when I jabbed him in the stomach. Dancing away from his reach when he tried to give me a right uppercut, I slammed my fist down on his spine where I had previously hit. Without letting him regain control, I threw punches after punches in the same area, but not with enough force to shatter his spine. I wanted this match to last longer. I was finally having some fun.
He uttered a sound of inconvenience and moved out of the way. Soon, I found out why he was called the Flash.
With the grace and agility of a leopard, he weaved in and out, defending any punches that I dispensed and getting his own jabs in.
I gave him a sharp jab on the stomach and he keeled over, leaving his spine exposed. Lifting my elbow, I slammed it down on his spine and heard a satisfying crunch as he collapsed onto the ground.
The crowd erupted in cheers and started chanting my name over and over again. I was widely known as the spine breaker within the ring and any of my previous opponents know enough to not leave their spine exposed to me in any circumstances, that is if they had survived the fatal attack.
Wrapping a cloak around me, I walked back into my room and took a shower in the bathroom that was fixed on the side.
As soon as I was done, Blake and I headed home. Blake had two matches today at the ring and he had won both. But he didn't seem very satisfied. He had a longing look on his face that I recognized. He had the same look whenever he was away from Rebecca for any length of time.
I just shook my head. My friend was in love.
As we reached home, Mom greeted us.
"Mama?" I asked, frowning. "You should be asleep by now. What are you doing up so late?"
"I was waiting for you, figlio." Mama said, smiling gently. "Elaine delivered this to give it to you a while ago. She said to send it through Blake when you're done."
My heart jumped in my chest as I heard her name. She had been here?
"Is everything alright, between the both of you, son?" Mama asked. "She seemed quite...lifeless and dull, especially when she spoke about you."
"What did she say?" I asked, trying not to let the eagerness show.
"She didn't say much. I just asked her how you were doing in your studies and she just replied with a 'good'. Did you have a fight with her?"
Blake snorted, coughing to cover it up.
Mama narrowed her eyes at Blake. "Speak up, Blake. I know you're dying to say something."
Blake looked at me and I silently warned him.
Do not tell Mama about her.
Mama looked between us as she saw us share a look.
"Blake?" Mom asked, getting her sweet and persuasive voice out.
Blake took a deep breath. "You would better ask your son yourself. I'm pretty sure he'll be glad to tell you what he did," Blake flared up.
"Di cosa sta parlando, figliolo?" (What is he talking about, son?)
When I didn't answer and just looked at the ground, shamefaced, she turned back to Blake.
"What did he do, Blake?" she demanded.
"He called the sweet, innocent girl that you refer to, as a slut and told her that she was just like her mother."
Mama gasped and turned to look at me.
"Figlio? Dimmi che non è vero." (Son? Tell me it's not true).
"È vera madre." (It is true, mother).
"Why would you do that?" Mother asked, sliding down to the couch. "She's such a delightful girl."
When I didn't answer, mother stared up at me with utter angst in her eyes.
"And have you asked her for forgiveness yet, figlio?"
A moment passed and then I shook my head.
Her eyes lit up with fire.
"I want you to go and apologize to her tomorrow," Mother ordered.
"I can't, mother. I can't," I said and without waiting for what my mom was going to say next, I strode up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door shut.
*********
"Chase," I greeted as my second in command walked through the doorway.
"Hiya Boss," he saluted.
Blake sat beside me on the couch. He was still very much pissed off at me. Chase handed me the files that I had asked for.
"We found out that it was Normbones who attacked one of our pubs, boss."
"Normbones? What's this? First, they send someone to spy on me and now this?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows.
"I want you to get all the information you can about Normbones."
"Already done, boss." Chase said, pleased with himself as he handed me another file.
I swept through it. According to this, it looked like Normbones had been planning to attack us for a long while but had been waiting for some kind of signal.
And what's more? One of Greenwoodery's ships had also been assailed and destroyed. I frowned.
Normbones was a quiet neighboring gang that usually didn't cause much trouble. They preferred to stay by themselves and had no connection with neither Greenwoodery or Worthcomer.
Greenwoodery and Worthcomer were both the currently competing, most powerful gangs in the country. So, to meddle with both of the gangs at once required quite a lot of courage which Normbones was not supposed to have.
Something seemed fishy.
"Have you contacted Father?" I asked Chase and he nodded. "What did he have to say about the attack?"
"He asked for you to deal with Normbones. That he doesn't want any distractions. He is working on the rumor that had spread that Greenwoodery was planning for an attack."
I nodded. "Alright. We can rest a bit on Greenwoodery then. Our main focus is going to be Normbones. I want you to send someone to spy on them. Maybe, that person can even join that gang and give us information. I don't care how you do it, but I need daily updates about Normbones."
"Yes sir. I'll get it arranged," Chase nodded.
"Blake," I spoke.
He inched his head in my direction.
"I need you to track the number plate of the car that we had seen in West Street."
"But that car must be long gone by now," Blake frowned.
"And that's where your job comes to play. I need you to figure how to get the number plate. I'll ask Chase to give you all the information he has about that car," Blake nodded.
"And what are you going to be doing?" Blake asked.
"I'll need to arrange a meeting with the leader of Normbones. To try and get anything out of him. And I gotta arrange everything for my trip to Redwood. Dad wants me to settle some business there and I really should visit my uncle too."
"Yah," Blake replied and then added, "you know that's really dangerous right? Meeting the leader of Normbones?"
I shrugged. "I was born in danger."
"That's why you did that to Elaine." Blake said as realization crossed his face. "You were trying to make her hate you so that she won't get involved in all of this gang business."
I nodded but didn't answer. "I did my job too well," I sighed.
"Yah. She really hates you now," Blake agreed.
"I know but what could I have actually done? She was trying her best to become closer to me and she was slowly crumbling my defenses. I couldn't put her in danger. I won't. Not again."
Blake sighed and didn't say anything.
"I don't know, Xavier. All that I know is, she didn't deserve that."
I didn't say anything.
Of course I knew that she didn't deserve that.
"But at least do your best in your Chemistry exam. You owe that to her."
"I know and I will." I promised.
After a few minutes of silence, Blake said,
"C'mon, let's hit the gym. We can have a boxing match after."
"Do you want to injure yourself, Blake?" I teased.
"Ha! No chance! I'm going to beat your a$$."
"We'll see."
*********NJ