Gift of the Goddess

Chapter 4- I beat up some thugs.

I guess this is to be expected. There was always that twinkle in her eyes when they talked. Besides, Zack was a lot cooler than me. His style, his jokes, his go with the flow attitude. Yeah, like someone as cool as her would like someone as lame me.

As much as I wanted to shut it out. I couldn't help but compare myself to him. The entire walk leaving the school was just an infinite loop, reminding me why I should've seen this coming.

The thoughts only came to a halt when I saw him at the school entrance, Zack. He waved excitedly toward me with a huge grin on his face. Then a flicker of rage hit me. I forced up a huge smile and started power walking toward him.

"Hey Stry—!" He stopped. "Oh, this is not good," he mumbled as he stumbled back.

When I got close I kneed him in the nuts and he flopped to the ground. "Ah! Can't you take a joke!?" He yelped as he curled up into a ball.

"That's for the face paint, and oh yeah, Alexis wants you to ask her to Homecoming " I said cheerfully.

"Find your humanity Stryder! I never knew my devilish charms were this powerful! I don't want to die just yet!"

I sighed, "Get up."

Zack rose to his feet but stayed hunched over.

"Look, I don't plan on taking her to Homecoming. That was never the plan."

"I know I may seem mad, but all I want is for Alexis to be happy. So don't fight me on this one. Just take her, for me alright? I know you like her,"

My whole body was feeling heavy, it was a workout keeping this smile on. But I had to remind myself it wasn't about me. It was about her happiness. Besides, this isn't that big a deal right? It's just a girl.

I looked him in the eye and he looked back into mine. We stared at each other for a moment, until Zack finally looked away.

"Fine!" he groaned. "Man, I don't think I'll ever win one of those."

"Good. Now let's get out of here."

With that, we headed out of the school grounds and started our trek down the road. Most of the walk was me chastising Zack over the face paint. But as we were about halfway to my house. We saw two Red Steel gang members walking toward us.

One was tall and had a Red Steel beam bandanna tied on his arm. While the other guy had his hood up and had a bandana covering his mouth. As we got close, they stopped walking and blocked our path.

"Hey kids, remember me?" The guy with the hood said as he pulled his hood down.

Revealing a shiny bald head, and then it clicked. It was the same guy from yesterday!

Then BAM! The baldy leaped in and clocked Zack in the face. I charged forward at the guy, but his friend anticipated me and decked me in the face. I stumbled back but caught myself. When I turned back around I saw them running off with Zack slung over their shoulders. I chased after and watched them turn into an Alleyway.

When I made it there, I saw them both on top of Zack beating him. I wasted no time and charged them both, tackling them off him. I rolled on the ground but quickly popped up on my feet. I turned to check on Zack, I became speechless. He was up and running away!

"That little—"

BAM!

Someone ran in and decked me in the face. I stumbled back but managed to hold my ground. I shook my head and regained my focus, then got into my stance. It was the baldy coming at me again with a barrage of punches. I smirked at him and started dodging and weaving. Eventually even out boxing him. As I was beginning to overwhelm him, his friend came up and sucker punched me.

I exaggerated my stumble and got some distance between us. As baldly came in close, I turned and kicked him in the nuts with all my might. He dropped to the ground with a squeal, and his friend took a step back. He went into his pocket, and pulled out a switch blade.

"Huh, you got balls kid, but it's over." He snickered

My mind went to mush.

I need to calm down and think before the other guy gets up. But the only option I had was to either surrender, or fight with a chance of getting stabbed. Yeah, Like surrendering is even an option at this point...

Then, he reappeared.

From out the corner of my eye, I could see Zack at the entrance of the alley. He was making gestures for me to come back to his end. I couldn't help but smile, that knucklehead didn't leave me after all!

I took a step back and the guy lunged at me with the knife.

My eyes traced over him and examined his stance. Then my body just moved. I let the blade stab into my arm, and I grabbed onto his. Then I turned and flipped him over my shoulder, and slammed him into the ground.Then I took off toward Zack.

As I got closer to him, I could see he was holding something up in his hands. I couldn't make it out at first, but when I got to him, it all became clear. Zack was holding a lit molotov! I started debating if this was even real, but my heart almost pounding out of my chest answered that for me.