Grave Digger

Chapter 19- Jealousy

"Up!"

I feel a hard swat in my behind, and I shoot up in my bed, ready to kill who ever did that, only to find Blanton with a bo staff, Sam behind him leaning against the door.

"I'm having a serious problem with people walking in an out my apartment. I can't have sleep now!" I shout and Blanton nods.

"C'mon, up. You're spending the morning with me." He says.

"I usually spend my mornings with coffee, it helps a lot better with waking me up." I reply snarkily before throwing the covers off my body.

Half an hour later we're walking behind the campus, open fields that lead all the way back to the tree line that was nearly a mile away. Paladins in training, all trailing out into the fields. I dress comfortably in an off shoulder t-shirt and sweats, abandoning the sneakers I wore out of habit. Kendric never wore shoes either to spar either.

Yawning from exhaustion or chatting happily amongst themselves.

"Why am I here?" I ask with a loud open mouthed yawn.

"We need to keep you distracted." Blanton states obviously. "You having any sort of free time makes everyone here a little nervous. If you couldn't tell."

"No, I could tell. I just don't care." I shrug.

"And that's the problem. You don't care. Maybe your job left you with extensional nihilism, and I understand, eleven years is a long time. But you're young still! Community, fun, a social life should be your top priority. I've never seen a twenty year old act like they were a fifty-five year old, anti-social war vet."

"Thank you, I try." I snap back smartly making Blanton groan in exasperation and Sam only stares at me.

"You'll be joining during free fight. Then we'll see how much of a smart ass you are." He retorts coldly. I smirk raising my eyebrows.

That's not smart.

"Do I get a staff too?"

I watch as Blanton leads his troops in training. Basic attack and defense techniques. Defense making me think about Juni, and how far he's progressed in his self defense class. He says he's getting better, but seeing his father that day was a huge set back. Thankfully I haven't seen the worm, and Juni hasn't said anything about that day.

"Alright fella's! We're switching to free fighting, keep it clean! All of you versus one!" He says and turns to look back at me.

I tilt my head, a half smile on my face as I stare back at him.

"So this is your brilliant plan of distracting me?" I ask.

"Kendric said to keep you busy." He shrugs and with his wooden bo staff he waves me in.

I shrug, taking my hat off and dropping it onto the ground, walking into the center of the crowd. Seeing familiar faces, glaring at me or smiling at the opportunity to beat me.

From the group, Caleb steps out, sword in hand as he glares at me.

"No hard feelings?" I grin jokingly and he huffs stalking towards me, with a twirl of his sword. Swinging it up and bringing it down to strike, I lunge to the side, barely moving from my spot, my body low to the floor as the blade of his sword misses me and hits the floor.

The metal all but an inch away from my shin.

His eyes lock with mine and in one fluid motion, I lean back on my hand, and lift my legs up, kicking him hard in the chest making him fly back into the crowd.

Hitting his fellow comrades with the whole force of his body all them being knocked down. I swiftly spring back up on my feet and smile as I see Caleb struggle to recover. Clutching his chest as bruising began to form, I look back to Blanton who shifts his eyes from Caleb to me.