Knowing Sang: Moments from the Blackbourne Boys' Persective

Tooth & Nail

Gabriel

The coach didn't stay on after gym class to make sure everybody left like he's supposed do. Should've figured the staff at this place would be just as useless. As I'm exiting the locker rooms I hear an all-too familiar voice.

"Hey, faggot. Where are you going in such a hurry?"

I really don't wanna do this right now. I gotta find Sang. Nate isn't here today and she'll be all alone. Then again, she's smart enough to know to find her way back to the buses. Kota's supposed to be there with her. And I need to deal with these guys anyway. They pissed me off one too many times.

Before I've barely turned around one beefy asshole pins me up against the far wall of the hallway. I raise a brow and smirk. "You think you're so tough, don't you?" I prod.

"Shut the fuck up!" He grabs me by the shoulder, pulling me away from the wall only to slam my head back hard. Ow. Fuck. Black spots swim across my vision and my head rolls back, but I do nothing.

"Gabriel!"

Motherfucking Jesus it can't be. But I'd know that husky sweet voice anywhere. I turn to see Sang standing across the hallway. Her hands clench tightly on her things, her green eyes wide with fear. Fucking shit, Sang! No! Go away! Get out of here! I've got this! I plead with my eyes, but the stupid girl doesn't listen.

Something determined comes over her face. Her eyes turn flinty; her perfect petal-pink lips that I yearn to draw but can never get right, set in a hard line. Her bag drops to the ground unheeded as she strides forward, looking for all the world like an avenging angel. I think I must've fucking died and gone to heaven from that head slam.

The guys all turn to Sang, although the one holding me doesn't let go. "Hey there," he says. "Where'd you come from, sexy?"

Sang's eyes flicker towards me before returning to him. Her chin jerks. "What are you playing around with him for?"

"What, you mean gay 'tard here?" The asshole pushes into my shoulder again. I grunt, my eyes turning to Sang, trying to convey to her to get the fuck out of here.

But of course she doesn't listen. "What are you, some kind of homophobe?" she says.

The guy holding me lets go, and I take the chance to redline Kota and Vic while never taking my eyes off Sang. Her fists clench, eyes turning the deepest, most gorgeous shade of green if I ever saw one.

"I just wondered why you were here playing with the boys instead of the girls."

What the fuck is she doing?! "Sang," I call to her. Loudly. Desperate now. "Don't." Her eyes flicker towards me.

"Shut the fuck up!" Another shove into my gut and I double over, clutching an arm around my stomach.

I continue to taunt them still, trying to redirect attention away from Sang. "Yeah, yeah, you've said that already." The effort causes me to hiss in a breath, but it works. His face twists into a sneer, his shoulders rounding out to ready for another punch.

Then suddenly Sang's tiny hands are cupping his fists. Everyone freezes. My mouth falls open.

"Dude, seriously. Are you going to play with him or me?"

Oh my God.

"Go home, Sang."

No one's listening to me, not even Sang. "She doesn't want to talk to a fag," the guy holding me again says, before turning to her, "you're Sang? I've heard about you."

Sang's eyes go wide.

"Greg said you were kinky shit."

Her eyes widen even more. She steps back, before some motherfucker grabs her by the arm from behind. The crowd of guys shifts around us, releasing me and forming a circle around her.

I clench my fists. "Let her go," I warn.

"What do you guys think? Do we want to see what kinky shit looks like?" And before I can do anything his arm shoots out, wrenching at the collar of Sang's shirt. The sound of buttons clattering against tile fills the hallway, and at that instant I understand what it means to see red.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" I jump up and land a hard kick onto the back of the motherfucker's knees, punching at the side of his neck. He screeches like a banshee. Just as I'm about to reach for Sang the guy who has her pulls her back, and I'm buried under the rest of them.

Kota

We arrive just as a bunch of guys are piling on Gabe and we go after them, throwing ourselves on top of them. There's a sharp cry. I turn my head. Sang's being jerked back by someone else, and she's tugging and jerking to try and free herself. Our eyes meet for a millisecond, then Victor and I are pulling the guys off of Gabriel. He holds his own, swinging fists, legs, anything he can.

The entire hallway is in absolute chaos.

Victor and Gabriel are now both at my side. One, two, three. Academy training kicks in. No unnecessary exertion. Hard and fast strikes. Efficiency and precision. Occasionally dodging when we have to. Most of the people crowding around watching fled earlier and the only ones left are the few pesky ones. I can't let myself even start to think of Sang right now.

Focus, Kota!

Someone heaves himself onto Victor. I glimpse back but am forced to turn around again at the sight of another body in my periphery.

My fist connects with his abdomen.

Then a yell to my left.

"Sang!"

Sang? Sang!

Victor

One second I'm fighting beside Kota, and the next a much heavier weight pulls me back sharply. I don't have time to think or breathe as I see Sang cling to the guy's shirt and yank. I scramble to my feet again but I'm too slow.

His arm swings out, catching her in a backhanded slap across the face that rams her into the wall.

I cry out. I think I said her name.

And then a kick, blindly, not caring where I hit the bastard. He shouldn't have hit Sang. He shouldn't even have touched her, dammit! He comes at me again and I aim a fist to his face. When I see him retreat, I whirl back around.

"Sang!" Her cheek is red, quickly swelling, lip torn and bleeding. Crouching on one knee in front of her, I lift a fingertip to her forehead, brushing away stray hairs. Her eyes look up, wide and green and full of fear. That same haunted look Kota and I saw the first day returning. No. At least she doesn't turn away.

I vaguely hear Kota and Gabe curse and shout, barking orders at the few left or something. But all I see is Sang. Our eyes on each other. Taking her in my arms, I press her close.

"Victor," she breathes against my neck. Her small frame feels even smaller in this moment, shivering against my own, her hands a cool touch on my heated skin. I shudder to think what else could've happened. She was lucky. She should never have gotten involved.

Bending down, I clasp an arm firmly behind her knees, the other at her waist and pick her up off the ground before standing with her. Her face buries in my shoulder. She's still trembling. I press my cheek against her forehead.

It's the only comfort I can offer right now.