Hayden's Pov.

"Self-defense helps you build your confidence, it helps with your balance, it will help bring back your warrior spirit and it will make sure you are never the victim again."

Ally nods but I can see she is still nervous. It took me a week of pestering her before she actually started. She may have nodded her head and agreed to learn but she has been avoiding starting. It was funny at first. I would just have to say or hint that we should first learn how to punch or maybe how to throw someone over her shoulder and she would kinda giggle before disappearing into the bookshelves of the library or somehow shrink even further into her hood. Eventually, after a day or two, it became frustrating and it took three days of solid annoyance before she caved and said we could start after school on Monday, at her house, in the backyard, away from any onlookers or the threat of being caught.

"The bright side here is that you have the element of surprise. You have never fought back or so much as protested which means he won't be expecting it."

"Hayden are you sure this is a good idea. I mean he hasn't been that bad lately. One push into the lockers in a week and suddenly you think I need to learn how to fight."

"He is going easy on you now because he is biding his time but as soon as he sees his opportunity he will come back full force."

She sighs and hangs her head. Her fringe is covering her eyes. After a five minute debate of why she should take her hoodie off and then two minutes of her looking anxious and not wanting to come near me without it, I finally dragged her out into the middle of the yard. She still looks awkward and doubtful but I can see trust in her eyes. She knows I am right and she knows that I won't hurt her. She lifts her head and squares her shoulders.

"Okay, where do we start?"

A smile breaks out over my face and I feel hope rise in my chest. Hope that even when I am not around she will be safe. Hope that Snotlout will finally leave her be. Hope that after all these years we will finally be able to work together and move forward.

"At the beginning of course."

She laughs a little and seems to relax ever so slightly.

"Okay, so first we identify the best places to strike. Neck, groin, and knees. These are the easiest way to take someone down."

She is looking at me with wide eyes and then she just bursts out laughing.

"Don't you think to kick him in the groin is a little low? Funny but low."

"And him shoving you into the lockers, punching you in the stomach and constantly making your life a living hell is taking the high road?"

"Point taken. Continue."

"For a groin kick, you use your dominant leg for the maximum amount of damage."

"I thought you were going to teach me how to punch or flip someone?"

"Basics first."

"So now you gonna show me how to punch?"

"Eager are we, princess. I guess we could work on your punching."

She grins and I feel myself returning it. It's funny to me how she can have such an effect on me.

"Ok. First off your basic boxing stance is feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, feet diagonal and back heel raised, weight evenly distributed between both legs and knees slightly bent, elbows down and hands up, dominate hand at the back, head behind your hands, chin slightly down but make sure you can see over your fists."

I shift into the stance as I talk so that she can see what exactly I mean.

"When you punch start in this relaxed state, exhale as you throw the punch, tighten your fist and muscles at impact and then release your hand back to you."

I demonstrate twice, both slow and deliberate. She nods and tries to absorb it all.

"Make sure to keep your stance and balance for better power and make sure that the hand you aren't using is defending the side of your body and always, I mean always, make sure your thumb is on the outside of your fist or else you will break it."

I finish and gesture for her to try. She shifts into the stance and throws some punches into the air. I can see she is frustrated and her arms drop to her sides. She looks at me with a pout on her face. I chuckle a little.

"Firstly your stance is off, second swing more with your hip and lastly try keeping your balance."

She tries to adjust her stance but it doesn't look quite right. I step up behind her and tap her feet apart slightly, I make her bend her knees a bit, and reach around to take hold of her wrists and bring them up, her left one slightly more forward than the right.

"Okay I am going to guide you through a few punches okay?"

She nods and I slowly extend her arm a few times.

"Now when I extend your arm twist your hips forward."

She does as she is told and I can feel the added strength in it.

"Now every time your arm moves forward exhale when it makes contact tighten your muscles then relax again."

I guide her through it and I can feel it working I let her take over. Me just here for corrections. I can feel every place where we make contact and it sends a warmth rushing through me. I can't even remember why we never got along, it feels like a lifetime ago now.

I step away and she stops looking back at me. Her head is tilted in confusion and her big innocent eyes make me want to pull her close and kiss her until she has to pull away and gasp for breath.

"I should probably head home. We will continue tomorrow."

"Okay. Thank you for your help."

I nod and head home. It should freak me out more that I want to kiss her but it doesn't. It just feels right. Like whatever keeps pulling us together is right in doing so.