Heads or Tails

Chapter 4

Mai

Bang!

No matter how many times I show my best to Raven, she keeps saying the same thing.

"Again."

I punch and kick the same punching bag, with the same moves, always trying to hit harder. Sweat is sliding down my body, but luckily Raven was nice enough to give me proper clothes for this; matching blue marble active wear.

Raven walks to my side, and stands there, wearing her dark grey active wear, "Again."

I glare at her, my ponytail swinging behind me, "What's your problem?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You see I'm doing well, so why don't you cut the crap and give me something better to do?!"

She rolls her eyes, "You're not ready. Look at the slip up you've made yesterday."

Right as I think it couldn't possibly get any better, I see Damian behind Raven, jogging right towards us.

Raven shows no expression as he stands next to her, but I can probably guess she's annoyed.

"Hey," He scratches the back of his head, "can we talk?"

"No," I punch the bag.

"Mai, please."

He sounds so pathetic, begging like that. Like a dog begging for a bone.

Raven speaks up, "Damian, what makes you think you can talk to her while she's training?"

"Please, Raven, I need to talk to her!"

I cross my arms and watch as she grabs the collar of his sweaty, baby blue shirt, "No."

I let out a sigh, "I'll hear him out."

She rolls her eyes as he's thrown to the floor, and Raven walks off, "You have 20 minutes, don't think I'll let you take a longer break than that."

I give Damian a bitchy look, and he gives me a nervous grin.

*****

Damian kept asking me questions once we were alone and sitting down. Asking me where have I been, why I left him, and trying to bring up old times. He's not ready to know where I've been; not yet.

I'm sure he remembers that day as well as I do; the day we met. It was lightly snowing that day, sometime when it was dark. In an old broken down town we lived in. I was working for this man, by the name of Quentin, just to make some money as I put some of my skills to work. I was out looking for someone the man assigned me to look for.

That's when I met him.... Damian. That dumbass had gotten himself into trouble at a small bread shop, stealing himself some food. It makes me smile a bit just thinking of it. Little Damian, helpless and running away from danger. I was 15 at the time, and so was Damian. Stupid Damian.

Seeing him so helpless as the man chased him with a shotgun, I just had to help him. There was no way he'd survive. I ended up beating up the jackass owner of the bread shop, and pulled Damian by the hand to safety a few blocks away into an alley. There was something about him and his idiotic grin while we sat there in the snow, that made me want to talk to him.

And that's exactly what I did.

Talked with him for hours on end, about where we're from and our lives. Even though I got so much crap for not completing the task I was assigned that day, I still made a best friend.

We talked everyday since then, and I'd teach Damian all I knew, so he'd be able to defend himself when the time came again. But of course, he still got into trouble most of the time.

Until I ran away.

Now, being here in front of him, 2-years-later, I can see that we've changed so much. Both of us 19, more grown up than last we've met, and it's a bit strange. Annoying, even. I didn't leave to get away from him, it was the people I had been working with. It got out of hand.

I let out a sigh and pinch the skin between my eyes, "How many times do I have to tell you, Damian?"

"Please Mai, why can't we just go back to how we once were?"

I slam my hands onto the table, "Damian!"

I look at his pleading eyes, and close my eyes. It's silent for a few minutes, and I can sense him starring at me as I stare down at the table. This is starting to get on my nerves.

I take in a deep breath, "We can either start fresh, or don't talk at all. No in between. You got it?"

I give him a sharp look, and he slowly nods in defeat. I let out a sigh of relief.

"We're different people then who we once were."

I wait a minute for a response that never came.

I stand up, "So you better realize that."

As I walk away, I stop and look over my shoulder at him, "Very quickly."

*****

I'm pounding my fists in the punching bag once again, with Raven repeating the same word, but I don't listen. My thoughts are all over the place with the conversation I had with Damian.

Damian Taylor.

Bang!

Why can't you clearly see-

Bang! Bang!

That if you never understand what I tell you-

Bang!

Then we were never meant to be.

Raven raises her hand, and I stop, standing here breathless.

"Take a break until tomorrow," She begins to walk away, "We'll start another piece of training, and see where that gets us."

I look down at my hands, and sigh.

Damian Taylor.

I give the bag one last punch, and sit on the floor, trying to catch my breath.

You better hope I come to like you one day, as much as you do with me now.