I stare at Jayson in shock, confusion rushing through my body at his question. Do I see him as a monster? Of course I do! He has beat me nearly unconscious more times than I can count. How could I think any different of him? He did fix me up after my session with my father though, and he stayed with me and looked after me until I woke up, until he knew I was okay. I mean, he just stitched me up for gods sake! He has been so uncharacteristically nice to me since we have been back at school. He hasn't once hurt me like he normally would. Is that the actions of a monster?
"You can't ask me that," I push myself away from him, wincing as a bolt of pain shoots through my stomach.
"Why not? Because you don't want me to know the answer?" his voice is forceful, obviously not taking no as an answer on this matter.
"How can you think that I would think of you any differently? You have been nothing but mean to me ever since I came to this school. You have beat me, tormented me; you have made my life a living hell here," I sigh, trying to walk over to the door to the shower room, but Jayson blocks my way, his eyes determined, his body tense as he stares down at me.
"I haven't hurt you this time," he looks almost smug at this revelation, his eyes shinning with accomplished glee. I roll my eyes at him, shoving him out of the way, hissing with pain and cursing under my breath as I unlock the door, forcing my way out.
"Congratulations, you have lasted a grand total of three days without beating me up. You should be proud of yourself," my voice is dripping with sarcasm that I'm sure even a deaf man could hear. I start off towards the combat hut, wanting to just forget everything that happened in the shower room, erasing the memories of him being gentle and consoling me as I cried in his arms. I'm sure he will just use the information that he gained about my past against me at some point.
"Eva just wait a second, please," Jayson grabs my arm, trying to stop me from walking. The force of his pull spins me around, making me slam into his chest. I groan in pain at the attack on my stomach, the pain shooting all the way up my back.
"What the hell, Millard?" I groan, trying to push myself away from him, but his arms wrap around my back, holding me to him. I look up at him in surprise, but he is just staring down at me, a heated look in his eyes that makes me blush from the intensity of it. I lift my hands, placing them against his warm chest, trying to push out of his grasp, but his grip around me doesn't falter, his eyes never leaving mine, the heated look piercing through me, stopping my attempts.
"What are you doing?" I manage to whisper out, but I don't think he hears me. He looks lost in his thoughts as his eyes stay on mine, almost like he is battling with himself over something that I am not aware of.
Before I can react, Jayson leans down, crashing his lips onto mine in a bruising kiss. My body goes stiff, my breathing caught in my throat at the sudden action, but I don't fight it, my body reacting to his as if it has been waiting for this, longing to be in his arms. I melt under his touch, his arms tightening around me to keep me up as I go limp. I sigh, pushing my hands up from his chest and into his hair, pulling a groan of satisfaction from him. I can't believe that I am kissing Jayson Millard.
Wait. Why am I kissing Jayson Millard?!
My eyes shoot open, my mouth still against his as a sudden wave of shock runs through my body. What am I doing? I shouldn't be kissing him! I slam my hands down on his chest, pushing him away from, making us both stumble back from the force of it.
We stare at each other, our breathing erratic, lips red and eyes wide. Realisation hitting the both of us. We just kissed. We actually just kissed out in the open, where anyone could have seen us. Why would he kiss me? It doesn't make any sense, we hate each other...don't we?
"Eva, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," Jayson apologises, running his hand through his hair, his eyes portraying his nerves.
"Why did you do that?" is all I can whisper back, my mind in disarray. My hands lift to my face, shaky fingers feeling my lips, swollen from his sudden attack.
"I don't know, just, in that moment, it was all I wanted to do," he mutters honestly, his apologetic eyes boring into my still shocked ones. "I wouldn't hesitate doing it again either," I gasp at his candour, his eyes growing darker, the heated look returning to them as we continue to stare at each other.
"It's wrong," I whisper my thoughts, my mouth betraying me. His eyes brows crease, his eyes losing their heated gaze, giving me the chance to breath again.
"Why is it wrong? You seemed more than happy to kiss me back," his body is tense, his tone edged with anger. I can tell that he is getting frustrated, whether at me or something else, I am not sure.
"You caught me by surprise," I try to defend myself, straightening my back, ready to fight for my defence at any cost.
"And yet you still kissed me back, you wouldn't have done that if you truly thought it was wrong," Jayson bites back, his hold on his anger slipping.
"It doesn't matter, you shouldn't have kissed me," 'keep your cool Eva, you don't want to be saying anything you don't want him to know now, do you?'
"Just admit you liked it!" he shouts at me, slowly stalking up to me, but I take a few steps back, keeping the distance between us.
"I definitely did not like it," I scoff, but even I know that it is a lie. Some traitorous part of me actually liked being in his arms as he kissed me, and I actually kissed him back! Willingly!
"Stop lying to yourself! Why do you feel like you have to hide your feelings? Its okay if you like kissing someone, no one is going to judge you," he continues to walk closer to me, but I match him step for step, moving backwards as he advances forwards.
"We hate each other! We shouldn't be kissing, we should be fighting!" I shout back at him, meeting his heated eyes with my fiery ones. 'You're losing it, Wood, keep it together!' I reprimand myself internally. I can feel a panicked feeling of being trapped wash over me, my breathing going shallow as my mind tries to thing over what happened, to explain how I felt in the instant.
"I think we both know that things are different this year," his voice is low and threatening, but it makes me blush nonetheless, his eyes talking to part of me that I can't control. "I'm admitting that I liked kissing you, why can't you?"
"Wood! Millard! Where the hell have you been?!" Orland suddenly shouts from the entrance of the combat hut, making me jump, spinning around and blushing as I notice that everyone is out of the hut and staring at us.
"Her wound had opened up, sir. I was helping her stitch it," Jayson shouts across to him. Orland's eyes flash down to my stomach, seeing a new bandage covering my stomach, the stains of blood still soaking my shorts and stomach. His nods his head, clearly pleased with the answer before turning back to the class, shouting at them to get back in the rings and fight. I notice Charlie staring at me with a questioning look in his face. I give him a small smile, shaking my head at him, begging him not to ask any question or make a scene.
"Wood, do you need to go to the nurse?" Orland asks as Jayson and I make our way over to him, his face conveying his worry as his eyes flick between my face and my stomach. Its odd seeing Mr Orland so worried about someone, but I guess he has never had to deal with someone who was injured before they stepped into his class.
"No, I'm fine sir, I can continue with the class," I answer, not stopping as I walk past him into the hut.
"Eva, you should really sit this day out, you need time to heal," Jayson jogs up behind me, gripping my elbow, trying to stop me. I yank my arm out of his grasp, spinning around, pushing him away from me, making him stumble back, but he is able to catch himself before he falls.
"Stop pretending like you give a shit about me. You are not my keeper, you do not decide what I need to do and when I need to do it, so stop acting like you fucking own me!" I growl at him. A chorus of laughs and applause rings through the hut, everyone's attention on the two of us at the entrance. I can feel my cheeks heating at the attention, embarrassment coursing through my body.
I turn back around, walking over to the empty ring in the centre of the room that Jayson and I were fighting in not too long ago. I lift myself into the ring, wincing at the pain shooting through my stomach, but I shake it off. I have to complete this class. I don't even want to imagine what my father will do to me if he finds out that I went to the nurse.
He's different this year, angrier, more brutal. It's like he's lost all control of his rage, letting loose any chance that he gets me alone. Maybe its because we don't have our sessions this year. He didn't have to agree with the bet, though, he could have forced me out of the house and back in with the Zeus', leaving us victim to the Ares and their torments for the rest of the year. He let the bet play out though. I'm sure he has an ulterior motive to his decisions, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it could be.
I watch silently as Jayson pulls himself up into the ring with grace. My cheeks flame at the sight of my blood still staining his naked torso. I can't believe he kissed me. I can't believe I kissed him back! What was I thinking? I guess in that precise moment, I wasn't thinking at all. It just felt...right. It felt normal to be in his arms, in his embrace; but how can that even be possible?
I cry out in pain as a sudden, swift kick is sent into my stomach, aimed straight at my freshly stitched wound.
"What the hell?!" I shout, doubling over in pain. I look up Jayson who is looking down at me guiltily, but there is something else clouding his eyes, something that I can't read.
"What's got you so distracted, Wood?" a malicious smirk takes over his face, but it doesn't reach his eyes like it usually would. His eyes betray the façade he's hiding behind. HIs eyes are remorseful, guilty and apologetic. I straighten up, glaring at him with just as much determination as him, but I get the feeling that we are determined for different reasons.
--------
I ache all over. My stomach is bleeding again, and I can feel the hundreds of bruises that are bound to be covering my body. A whole day in the ring with Jayson Millard will do that to you, and more.
Once we returned to the ring, he was relentless and meticulous. He always aimed for my stomach, knowing that it was my weak spot, but he was angry, and when a fighter is angry, they make mistakes. He was proving himself to be too predictable. Even though he was giving hard and heavy hits to my stomach, he wasn't using any technique, his moves fuelled by anger.
I had him down on the mat more than he did me, but he caused me more injury than I did him. He walked out of the class at the end of the day with a few bruised ribs, a black eye and a possibly broken nose, but me? I am hobbling back to the Ares house with a bleeding stomach, sprained wrist, possibly broken ankle and numerous other injuries that I don't have the energy to think about right now.
The second that Mr Orland called for the end of day, Jayson was out of the ring and out of the field faster than I could get up off of the mat. I'm pretty sure I am the last one to head out of the field. I can just about hear the babble of students laughing and talking over what happened today, but none of them seem to notice me struggling behind them. I don't mind though; I don't really want anyone else thinking that I am weak and uncapable of looking after myself.
I wonder how different this year would be if this stupid bet hadn't have been made. I think back to the train ride, where this all began. I remember how excited Jenny was about the bet, and the way that Jayson winked at her; it was as if she knew about it beforehand. That's not possible though, Jenny hates the Ares house just as much as the rest of us, doesn't she? She did seem pretty excited to have Ben staying at the house with her. What if she was apart of the bet? Some sick idea of a joke to get in Jayson's clutches without anyone being able to get in his way.
I can't get the feel of his lips against mine out of my head. The way that he was holding me against him, it just seemed right, like that was exactly where I was supposed to be. His hair was so soft under my fingers, it felt amazing when I ran my fingers through it. 'No! Stop thinking about it!' I shout at myself internally. Why can't I stop thinking about it?! I mean, it was my first kiss. Oh god, I can't believe he is my first kiss. Out of everyone, why did it have to be him?!
The Ares house slowly comes into my view. I didn't realise I had walked so far already. I have been so lost in thought, I haven't even been paying attention to where I have been going. Throngs of students are making their way into the house, everyone's lessons obviously finishing at the same time. It is around 4;30pm, so that would make sense.
As I get closer to the house, I can see the two girls - who I haven't been bothered to learn the names of yet - are clinging to Jayson, running their hands down is bare chest, their faces seemingly worried about the blood that is on it. I can't help but snigger a little, if only they knew that it was my blood that was on him. I bet they would die on the spot if they found out that we had kissed. My cheeks heat as the memory flashes through my mind again. I can still feel the ghosts of his lips against mine.
One of the girls notices me walking towards the house, and turns to whisper into Jayson's ear, making his head snap up to me, his attention leaving the girls completely. His eyes are heated as they look at me, but I can see the remorse in his eyes as he notices me limping. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore, the walk making it feel a little looser, meaning that it's probably just a strain.
"Hey Zeus! Don't you think it's about time you made us dinner?" A voice shouts from the door to the house. I look over and notice Kane coming out of the house, smirking at me as he watches me limp down the walkway to the house. I roll my eyes at his arrogance, frustration instantly running through me. All I wanted to do was have a shower and go to bed early, is that too much to ask for?
"Bloody hell, did you start your period or something?" Kane laughs, a rumble of laughs following him out of the house as more of the boys come out to see what is happening. Kane looks proud of himself as more boys laugh at his comment once they see what condition I am in.
"It doesn't surprise me that you don't know what a real injury looks like, I know you still play with the wooden swords in your class, but its okay, you'll catch up one day!" My voice is laced with fake sympathy and compassion, and he knows it, his face falling and his eyes turning a dangerous shade of emerald.
"Big talk coming from the girl who can barely stand. I bet you wouldn't even be able to defend yourself right now," Kane snarls, all manner of humour leaving his body. I limp closer to him, dramatizing the slight ache in my ankle. He doesn't need to know that it's basically fine now.
"What are you going to bet on that?" I ask when I'm close enough without having to shout. His eyes widen at my comment.
"You're joking right? There's no way you can beat me in your condition," He turns to his friend who all nod in agreeance, realising that I am too injured from my fight with Jayson to be able to fight Kane. I can feel Jayson aching to get involved, but he knows that I have to fight this battle by myself if I want to last the year in this house.
"Humour me," I simply say, shrugging my shoulders, looking up at him with 'innocent' eyes, hoping that he will fall for the façade.
"Fine, if I win, you will be my personal slave, you will do everything I say, even if it is something sexual," he smirks as his boys 'ooh' from behind him, similar smirks growing on their faces, probably all thinking that Kane will let them all have a go with me. I shiver the thought slightly but shake it away quickly, returning to impassivity.
"Okay, but if I win, for the rest of the year you are only allowed to wear dresses and skirts," I hear Jayson choke back at laugh at my forfeit for Kane, and i can't help but feel a little bubble or pride grow in my stomach.
"You won't win," Kane says, but his confidence falters for a second, knowing what the consequences will be on his reputation.
"Then you won't have an issue with accepting the bet," I smirk at him, putting my hand out for him to shake, to seal the deal. He looks back at his friends for a second, looking for reassurance; they all nod at him enthusiastically, wanting him to win the best just as bad. Kane turns back to me with a new found confidence and slaps his hand into mine, shaking it with a smirk on his face.
Oh boy are you in trouble.