Chapter 9: Forfeiting Is Not an Option

Scarlet's POV

Looking me straight in the eye with a small smile, he unexpectedly took my hand to his lips to place a small kiss on the back of it. It was barely a touch, a chaste kiss, but was enough to blow all the lab meters into the red. I felt my cheeks start to burn with a dangerously high temperature. This was not something a normal American high-school student would do for a greeting!

He didn’t let go right away, but lingered a bit. His hands were big compared to mine and the feeling of his touch was very comfortable, making me not want to let go either.

“Sooo…” Simon drawled, pulling me out from the daze I had fallen into when looking at Christian’s vivid gray, almost silver eyes. I whipped my hand away and tried to act as if what happened had been nothing unusual. “Christian, how come you transferred schools so late in the year? There’re only about a month left,” Simon asked. He was obviously fighting off a slight smirk, but he couldn’t keep it off his lips despite the effort.

“I didn’t transfer. I guess you can say this is more like a visit?”

“Oh– so, it’s like a short-term exchange or something?”

“You could say that,” said Christian.

Taking time for an exchange on the last months of the senior year did seem weird, but what did I know? He could be just a really mature junior for all I knew. I was reluctant to believe that though.

“That’s cool. Taking time off to check out other schools like this. Or find new hunting grounds.” Simon winked with a smirk.

Christian chuckled. “No comment on that.”

“Okay–,” I interrupted Simon, who was ready to respond. This was going somewhere I didn’t want to go. “I think you can keep that talk for when I’m not around – no offense but I’d rather listen to Mrs. Viola sing an aria.”

“What’s wrong with her singing?”

“It’s awful,” I said at the same time as Simon. “Seriously, if possible, don’t take the drama class. You’ll need an ear operation after a few hours of listening to her,” continued Simon with a slight shudder.

“That bad?” Christian seemed to have a hard time believing us even when we both nodded.

“On a scale of one to ten, it gets a solid negative 10.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything else I should know?”

“Don’t wake the librarian when he’s sleeping,” I said. “And if you have to, make sure there’s no book or heavy object close by. He may take you for a burglar or murderer about to attack him in his half-awake state.”

The corners of his mouth turned up, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Noted. Which book did you get hit with?”

I smiled. “I dodged it, but it was a Spanish dictionary.” There had also been a few attempts with textbooks, plus a paperweight, but those didn’t seem nearly as impressive. My dodging skills had experienced a kind of evolution during these high-school years. I often wondered if there were any unfortunate victims who didn’t have amazing ninja skills like me and got hit. Maybe that would explain why there were always so few people hanging around between the bookshelves.

“What are you doing after school?” asked Simon, looking at Christian.

“I was thinking about checking out a gym nearby to see if they had any MMA training here. I need to let out some steam now I have some time,” he said.

“You also do MMA? That’s awesome,” Simon exclaimed, sending me the ‘you-hit-the-jackpot’ look, “You should check out Roxy’s Gym. We go there and the training is pretty high-level.”

“We?” Christian asked with interest, looking at me like he saw me in a new light.

“Yeah. I can’t go today, but Scarlet will. She can show you around.”

I stared at Simon with wide eyes. What did he mean by saying he couldn’t come? Only yesterday he’d told me he could.

“Nice. I’ll take you up on that offer.” Christian grinned at me, not caring at all that I had made no offer whatsoever. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a fighter though.”

The way he said it irked me. So, what exactly did a fighter look like? Just not a girl, I guessed. Being a high-achieving female, by default I had a defensive reaction every time I smelled discrimination. My hackles were well and truly up.

“Why? Because I’m a girl?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“No, I know girls can also kick ass in MMA, but you give off a timid vibe so I thought you wouldn’t like violent sports like that.”

Simon burst out laughing while I stared at Christian, dumbfounded. Did I really look like a spineless ninny? The thought was quite horrifying.

“That’s really rude,” I said to him. I’d really been liking the guy till now… “Well, my first impression of you was a bit different as well,” I continued, but added a cute smile, not wanting to totally bite his head off, in case…well…

“What gave you that idea?” asked Simon while wiping tears from his eyes, still shaking from laughter.

Christian looked at me critically, taking in every detail. My cheeks flushed a bit at the open staring, but I stayed still.

“Just how she looks, you know? The librarian glasses, I guess… and the way she ties up her hair loosely on one side.” Then he looked at me, finally remembering I was actually in the room. “I can imagine you sitting in a corner with a thick book.”

I flushed completely red at his straightforward words because he was right in a way. You could find me doing exactly that, and it wouldn’t even be a rare occasion, either. I opened my mouth to protest but nothing smart popped into my head. Where was my smart tongue when I needed it? No doubt I’d think of something about half an hour after seeing him.

“Now you say it, she really does look like a bookworm,” said Simon with a scrutinizing look, making me feel even more self-conscious under another round of judging.

“Stop staring at me,” I said, feeling wronged. You couldn’t just judge a book by its cover— it wasn’t fair. At least not when it came to people.

“I can imagine tugging on that hair…” Christian said with a grin, and I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a criticism or a flirty tease, but I was almost sure he winked at me. It was probably my imagination.

For the second time, I saw Christian’s full-out grin and I couldn’t help being stunned again. How was it possible to look so good just by smiling? Especially to someone you were pulling apart, piece by piece.

“Although she is a nerd,” said Simon, earning a warning look from me, “she is mostly this crazy lady you don’t want to mess with if you want to keep your balls intact.” I wanted to smack Simon for his words. That was not how you described someone! Besides, I wasn’t crazy most of the time… well, I thought I wasn’t at least. And his balls were quite safe; I for sure wasn’t going anywhere near them.

Christian quirked his eyebrow and looked at me again, trying to find what Simon had described.

“Really?” he asked, like he didn’t believe it.

I didn’t really agree with how Simon had described me but refuting it didn’t go either. Couldn’t give him a reason to think he was right, now, could I?

“Well, if liking jiu-jitsu makes me crazy, then I guess I am. But so are milIions of other women, then. And I haven’t ruined anyone’s possible fatherhood,” I added, giving Simon a pointed look with a promise to try later.

He chuckled at my response, but Simon had to get his say. “Not yet, you haven’t.” I glared at him, but he only smirked and popped the last piece of bread into his mouth.

“So, you specialize in jiu-jitsu? I’m more of a boxer but I won’t say no to a jiu-jitsu match.” He looked at me with an easy smile, but his eyes held a challenge that made my blood boil from excitement.

“Are you challenging me?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Maybe. Do you dare to take me on?”

“Ouch! Now you’ve done it.” Simon chuckled loudly, pulling Christian’s attention to him for a second. I smirked, my heart now beating faster for an entirely different reason.

“What?” Christian asked with slight confusion.

Simon shook his head with pity. “You have no idea what you just got yourself into. Be ready to get your pride crushed by the lioness you have just awakened.”

Christian turned back to me, the curiosity prominent in his eyes. “I’d like to see that. So, what will it be?”

I couldn’t keep the wide smile from my face at his words. Nothing got me going more than someone doubting my abilities. I licked my lips from excitement.

“You’re on. Forfeiting is not an option.”