"No..."
My opponent. Four.
Tobias.
His face mirrored my disbelief. "No."
I involuntarily said again.
His eyes shifted from mine, I turned around to see who he was looking at. Eric.
Who was leaning on the cage's railings; grinning like he won the lottery.
He held Four's stare for a good five seconds before shifting his gaze to me.
I frowned, flaring my nostrils at him, while he leaned his head to the side with a fake pout plastered on his face.
I swear to god I'll plaster his face on the pavement one day.
I looked back at Four who was still staring at Eric.
"And the fight begins!" A bell rang twice as the judge shouted in the mic.
Four finally looked at me, clenching then unclenching his hand.
I nodded at him.
I nodded my head knowing that he has no choice in breaking our pact that we made 5 years ago.
"It hurts," I winced as Tobias cleaned the gash on my back from yesterday.
"Better than infected, believe me you won't like it," he sighted, pressing the grey washcloth drenched in alcohol more lightly this time.
How ironic that we clean our wounds with the same thing that cause them.
I could still hear his sound; yelling, as he threw a bottle at alcohol at me for no reason.
He would make a great archer;he never missed a target, me in other words, even if he was drunk and has one eye open.
"Promise me something," I glanced at him, "we will never turn like them. No matter how much rage we carry, we will never become barbarians like them," he mumbled helping me zip the grey rag we call cloth.
"Promise we will never hurt each other, not like that," he glanced at me, "not like them."
Yes Four helped me train, but it was never like this. The fight will go on till one of us is unconscious.
Only one will walk out of this cage.
And it's all that prick fault with his stupid new rules.
"You're not gonna stare each other unconscious, now are ya?" Eric yelled with his devil smirk earning a howl from the crowd.
Prick stupid son of a prick.
I took a step towards Four as he did the same, "I can't do this," he gasped lowly enough for only me to hear.
"It's okay..it's okay,Tobias" I whispered, wishing it was Eric in that cage, wishing it was anyone other than the only person who never hurt me.
We circled each other for a good 20 seconds, "Tobias," I mumbled, "we have to do this people are getting suspicious, just imagine I'm a smartass erudite transfer," I tried lightning the mood cause I know it broke him to even think about what is going to happen in the next minute.
He shook his head, but cracked a smile, "You're a smartass, Clary." I chuckled, but I knew we were running out of time someone has to make the first move.
I glanced at him and his eyes mirrored mine, "just like we're in practice,"
Except one of us is gonna knock the other at the end, probably him cause I'm just a loud mouth with an attitude.
Tobias lunged forward for a punch so slow and I kicked my foot which he easily deflected.
"Come on number boy! We came here for a fight, don't waste our time!" Prick yelled causing the crowd to erupt with howls and more yelling.
Maybe I'll stick a dagger in his expensive stupid chair so when he sits he gets what's coming for him.
"Tobias, it's fine," he stared at me with pained expression, "you've no choice. We've no choice."
~
After 20 minutes beads of sweat were trickling down my face as I tried to steady my breath.
Four tackled my to the floor, a whimper escaped my mouth as my back hit the cage's ground.
"I can't do it," his voice hitched.
Just one more swing at me and I'll get knocked out.
"To..Tobias," I tried steadying my breath, "just do it."
"No, I'll let go of your arm hit me on the head," he lowered his head into my ear.
"No I can't do this-"
"Just fuckin'do it!" He shouted as a chill ran down my spine.
He let go of my right arm giving me a nod so quick you wouldn't even notice it.
I swung my hand at the back of his head, the quickest spot to knock someone out cold, just like we practiced.
The crowd howled again as the judge rang the bell announcing the winner.
I glanced down at Four, Tobias, and felt the guilt erupting inside of me.
I was hauled up by two guards as another 2 carried Four to the infirmary. I strode out of the cage and followed them, but another guard stopped me, "you can't go in."
"What do you mean 'I can't go in' that's an infirmary not a stripper club," I shoved his shoulder walking past him, but he grabbed my arm.
The same one I knocked Tobias with.
"Those are orders."
"Who's orders?" I tried walking, but he won't let go of my hand.
"Me."
"Of course it is," I turned around to be greeted by a rather cheerful prick.
"Walk with me initiate," he motioned to the guard to let go of me.
"Do I have a choice?" I rolled my eyes crossing my arms.
"No," he grabbed my arm shoving me in front of him.
Oh I'll definitely stick that dagger in his chair.
"Quit a performance you and your number boy did up there," he let go of my arm as he walked by my side.
"Did you do it?" I stoped in my place, "Did you pair us?"
He turned around, "what made you think such thing?" He traced my cheek, but I quickly took a step back.
"Did. You. Do. It."
"Oh I certainly did a lot of things you need to be a bit specific, cucciolo," he smirked.
"Did you pair us?" I spat at him.
"What if I did? What you gonna do about it?" He licked his lip raising his pierced eyebrow.
Nothing.
I could do nothing.
I hate it.
"I want my necklace back," I crossed my arms fighting the urge to ooze his eyeballs out.
"You certainly are something else," he chuckled deeply.
He had the necklace that Four gave me for over 2 weeks.
"I want my necklace back, Eric," I frowned.
"Oh I love it when you say me name!" He chuckled and began circling me.
"I'm not joking," I turned around facing him.
"I fuckn want it back!"
"Such a dirty mouth," he pouted.
I rolled my eyes at him and before I could say anything he grabbed my jaw just like he did earlier, "I thought I warned what will happen if you rolled your eyes at me again... what already happened." He let go of my face and I stumbled a few steps backwards trying to put as much space between me and him.
"So you paired me with Four...cause I rolled my eyes at you?" You must be kidding me.
"Among other things," he put his hands in his pocket, "however, I'm feeling quit generous at the moment so," he took my necklace out of his pocket, "want it take it."
I reached for the necklace, but he shoved it in his shirt, "want it take it," he smirked.
"Are you joking?" I cried pointing at his chest.
"I most certainly not!"
"Whatever you just want me to touch your chest," I mumbled as I stepped closer to him.
"Ahh the ladies die to get the opportunity, consider yourself lucky, cucciolo."
I fought the urge to roll me eyes at him which gets harder by the second as his smirk grew bigger.
"Let's get this over with."I huffed, "can't you take your jacket off?"
"Are you ordering me?" He raised his eyebrow.
"No I asked you, did you want a please with cherry on top?"
I swear to god my eyeballs are starting to hurt from the amount of power I'm using to stop them from rolling.
"I would like to hear that," he crossed his arms and damnnnn his biceps could crush necks.
No.
His biceps are ugly.
Ugly stupid sexy biceps.
"Now if you'll stop daydreaming about my biceps can we get this over with?" He snickered.
"Wha- you're the one who put my necklace in your shirt!"
"Tick-tock," he smirked.
Prick.
I grabbed both of his arms and shoved them away from his torso, wasting no time in pulling his jacket's zipper.
He was wearing a sleeveless shirt which was ridiculously tight and you can see the necklace just above his six pack.
"Like what you see? Bet it's better than your number boy," his eyes darkened.
"Umm nah, actually Four's a bit more toned," okay that was a lie, with the amount of waffles Four eat he'll have a mechanic belly by the end of the year, I've to hide the waffles stock from him.
"Good for him," he growled obviously annoyed.
Oh he didn't think i was joking.
Well good he deserves it.
Feel insecure prick!
I took a deep breath as I held the bottom of his shirt and sank my hand to reach the necklace.
My hand traced his toned abdomen, I could feel him tense, but before he could say anything I grabbed the necklace and examined it.
Just like he took it.
"Still waiting for a thank you," he crossed his arms.
"For what," I snapped.
"Well for starters for giving you the stupid necklace and for giving you an opponent who didn't throw you like a ragged doll."
"First of all, you took MY necklace," I shoved it in my pocket so he won't take it again, "and second of all you just paired me with Four cause you hate him and you know we are friends," I sniggered at him.
"You know anyone who would even dare think about saying anything of what you say on daily basis to me who've been six feet under a long time ago," he growled stepping closer.
"I'm not scared of you," I growled back.
"I could kill you," he brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"Yeah? So could another person," I took a step closer, "So could a dog. So could a dedicated duck," I leaned into into his ear, "You're not special."
"Everything here can kill you, but I can do it the most efficiently," he leaned even closer if that was even possible.
"You better, because anything less than that isn't going to work."
I stepped away and walked slowly towards the dorms feeling his burning gaze shooting explosives at my skull.
~~~~~~~~~~~................~~~~~~~~~~~
Ayooo guys I'm back with another chapter please tell me what do you think it really gives me a motivation to write and don't forget to vote.
What do you think is gonna happen between Eric and clary?
Jasmine🥀