I stepped out of my long, refreshing shower and luxuriously stretched, feeling great. I threw on pajama pants and a t-shirt before stepping in front of the mirror. I tossed my hair up in a messy ponytail, so naturally pieces of hair escaped.
I looked across the room, expecting to see Grace in her pajamas, but was surprised to see her fully dressed.
"What are you doing?" I said as I looked her up and down, with an eyebrow raised.
"Jerry asked me out! Isn't this great?" she squealed.
"And you only told me now? What kind of best friend are you?" I screamed as I jumped up and down with her excitedly. Her enthusiasm is often contagious.
Completely ignoring my inquiry, she proceeded to explain where they were going. They weren't doing anything too special, just going to eat in one of the restaurants in the hotel.
She posed in front of me, twirling around and modeling her outfit for me. "Well, how do I look?"
"Completely kiss-worthy! If you're lucky," I said suggestively.
She grinned and pulled me off the bed. "You're going to Jack's room, right? I'll walk with you to the elevator."
I followed her out the door and through the hall, toward the elevator. We laughed and joked the whole way, it felt good to unwind and relax with my best friend. We both got on the elevator and I got off on the 2nd floor.
"Have fun!" I said to her as the elevator doors closed.
I continued down the hallway as I tried to find room 248.
230, 231, 232. I still had a ways to go.
I heard noises behind me and I realized that I was being followed. A couple of guys that I had fought, and beaten, were trailing behind me. Like an idiot, I slowed down, trying to figure out what they were doing. That gave them time to catch up to me.
One of them pushed me into a wall and sneered in my face, "Looks like we found her."
My heart was beating so loudly that I was positive they heard it. My hands were hanging limply at my sides, and I clenched them to keep them from shaking. I could take either of them, no problem. But there were two of them. And they were both black belts. I think I have the right to be a little scared.
I cleared my throat and asked as calmly as I could, "What do you want?"
The sharp edges of the wall started to dig into my spine, and I shifted uncomfortably.
"What we want is to know how a girl like you could beat us. I didn't even think girls were allowed to do martial arts. There aren't any at my dojo," he said rudely. He turned to laugh with his friend, acting like this whole thing was a joke. Acting like I was a joke.
Rage boiled through me, replacing my apprehension. These were just more guys who didn't think a girl belonged here. I stepped forward, breaking the iron grip that the guy had on my arm in the process.
"So that's what this is about? You guys are too much like babies to accept that a girl beat the snot outta you? Well, I got news for you mister-" I was just getting warmed up when a certain somebody interrupted my rant.
"What's going on here?" Jack said, with his arms crossed. It took me exactly two seconds to detect the glint of cold anger in his eyes. He could look downright intimidating when he wanted to.
The guys turned around and sized him up. They seemed to realize that he was a black belt semi-finalist and started to back off. I bet they didn't think they could take two very mad martial arts experts. They scampered down the hallway with their tails in between their legs. Wimps.
Now that the jerks were gone, the burst of maniac energy I had somehow found drained out of me, leaving me with the usual fatigue of a long day. I leaned back against the wall and took a couple of deep breaths to calm my surging heartbeat. I'll never admit it, but I was actually scared for a moment there. My sweaty palms and beating heart were proof of my fear.
As soon as they were out of sight, Jack came up to me and grabbed my arm. He inspected the marks on it, from where the guy had dug his nails in. "You'll live," he decided after his medical exam.
I snatched my arm back, "I could've told you that, dummy," I said, "Let's just go to your room."
We headed down the hallway toward room 248. "How long have they been bothering you?" Jack questioned. His over-protective nature started to break through. This wouldn't be the first time he played all big brother on me.
"First time I've seen them since the matches," I explained, "They're just a couple sexist guys who don't think a girl should fight."
"Well, they obviously haven't met you yet, I learned that the hard way," he grinned as he held the door open for me.
"Well, that's the first smart thing you've said all day," I teased as I plopped down on one of the beds. It was neatly made, and smelled like Jack.
I looked at the messy pile of sheets on the other bed and raised an eyebrow at Jack.
"That's my roommate's bed, you'll meet him soon enough. He's getting ready for a date-" Jack was interrupted when a familiar Latino burst into the room from the connecting door.
Jerry was dressed in only a tank top, holding two shirts up.
"Which one, man? I am freaking out! She's so pretty, and nice, and hey Kim-," he stopped and took a double take.
"Kim? What are you doing here? See! I told you that she's real," Jerry said, looking pointedly at Jack.
Meanwhile, Jack just stood there, looking overwhelmed. "Wait, you two know each other? And definitely the blue one, dude," Jack said, gesturing to one of the outfits.
"WHOOO!" Jerry yelled as he danced out of the room, pulling his shirt on in the process.
"So, anything I'm missing here?" Jack said, plopping down on the couch.
"Oh you mean how I know Jerry? Grace's going out with him today, dummy!"
"It's Grace?" Jack asked, looking genuinely surprised, "I did not see that coming."
"Come on! They're adorable together!" I smiled as I folded my legs beneath me.
Before he could reply, the connecting door banged open. I jumped, startled, and was surprised to find that the bed was no longer under me. I fell to the floor with a loud thump. My breath whooshed out of me as I lay winded on the hotel carpet.
A mob of people stormed in. In actuality, it was only two people, but they made enough noise that my first thought was that I needed to duck and cover.
I sat up and looked at them over the bed. Both of them were dressed in bizarre costumes that resembled something I'd seen in a recent horror movie. They yelled something about cookies and took off, closing the door with a bang behind them. I stared after them, completely dumbfounded. I've literally been in this room for like forty-two seconds and its already more interesting than the room Grace and I shared.
"And now you've met the rest of the gang," Jack laughed at my expression.
"Well at least I know that you haven't been bored without me," I said.
Jack came around the bed and held out his hand, to help me up. I grasped it and pulled myself up, feeling the strength in his arm. He pulled with more force than I had anticipated, so I ended up stumbling forward. I ran right into him, but he easily steadied me by grabbing my waist. My other hand was curled into a loosely formed fist and was resting lightly on his chest. I looked up at him, an apology ready on my lips, but I faltered when I saw the uncharacteristic intensity in his brown eyes. I immediately froze, my breathing quickening before it all together stopped.
Suddenly, I backed away, breaking his grip on me. Clearing my throat, I tried, unsuccessfully, to hide the blush that was creeping up on my face. Jack didn't look any better off.
"Let's go sit down," I said, quietly. He nodded and moved back toward the couch.
I was still unsteady from being so close to him. I could still feel his body pressed up against me, warmth searing through my clothing. What was wrong with me? He was… is my friend. I blamed my tangled feelings on my fatigue. There was no possible way that Jack was anything but a friend. It was just not comprehendible.
But, by the time we had sat down and started talking, the awkwardness of that particular moment was long gone, buried underneath the comfortable familiarity between two close friends.
He explained how he had been manipulated into joining the Bobby Wasabi Dojo, and how he had stayed and helped them keep their dojo. I tried not to let my feelings of jealousy and pain taint the conversation. He had fit in so well, apparently even rejoining karate in the process. Meanwhile, it had taken me weeks to get over his departure.
On the other hand, it did make me smile when I saw how his face lit up when he talked about his home in Seaford. I knew that karate was a source of happiness in both of our lives, so when I heard how he rejoined it, my heart swelled to the point of bursting.
After we had shared our stories, Jack suggested that we should watch a movie. I got up to choose from the selection that his roommate had brought. Surprise, surprise! It was made up of only Disney movies.
I chose Ratatouille and popped it into the DVD player that the hotel thoughtfully provided for us. I went back to the couch and sat down, stretching my legs. I swung them onto the couch and put them in Jack's lap.
"Really?" Jack complained, gesturing to where my legs comfortably rested.
I smirked at him and hit play. He threw his arms up in the universal I-give-up gesture and dropped them on my legs. His touch sent shivers up my body, but I tried to ignore it. Stupid teenage hormones.
I rested my head against the armrest and tried to concentrate on the movie, but my eyelids kept drooping. The fatigue and stress of the day did not help at all. Inevitably, my eyes soon closed and stayed closed.
I looked at her sleeping form. Her arms were tucked against her side and her cheek was pressed against the armrest. I don't know what was wrong with me, she was just a friend. A very good friend, but a friend nevertheless.
I flashed back to the first time I saw her after two years. Her hair had tumbled down her back in shiny waves, even if it was slightly mussed from her time on the mat. Kim's cheeks were flushed and she was breathing heavily but I was still stunned by her natural beauty.
A lock of hair had escaped from her loose up-do and lay across her face, moving every time she breathed. Impulsively, I reached forward and brushed it back. She stirred and I drew back as if I had been shocked. I really didn't know what I was thinking.
My thoughts were interrupted by a light knock on the door. I gently lifted Kim's legs off of me and got up. I opened the door to find Jerry and Grace waiting.
"Hey Jack! I was just wondering if Kim was still here, she wasn't in the room," Grace questioned, peering around me.
I turned so she could see Kim sleeping on the couch. "She's still here. We were watching a movie and she fell asleep a while ago."
Grace nodded and smiled, turning back to Jerry. I turned away, as they shared a quick hug, and then Jerry came into the room.
Grace turned to me and asked, "Do you mind bringing her to our room? I don't really want to wake her since she has her semi-finals tomorrow."
"No problem," I answered as I opened the door wider to let her in.
I made my way back to the couch and gently slipped my arms under her knees and back, lifting her up. She was surprisingly light and warm against me. She murmured something unintelligible, and snuggled closer to my chest, clutching my shirt with one of her hands. A small smile played across my lips at her action.
Grace held the door open for me as I followed her out into the hallway.
"We didn't leave you guys all alone too long did we?" Grace asked conversationally as we headed to the elevator.
"Nah, we had an awesome time watching the movie, although she fell asleep almost immediately. She's always had that problem," I laughed as I remembered our 'all-night' movie marathons. They usually ended up with me watching and her snoring. That girl could sleep for a week, straight.
"Anyway, what's up with you and Jerry? I heard ya'll were getting along pretty well," I smirked as she turned a delicate pink.
"Yeah, I guess. We met in the warm-up room, like right before Kim's first match, and the rest is history," she sighed, looking happier than I've ever seen her.
I was happy for her, but the mention of Kim's match reminded me of the loosely veiled threat to her in the semi-finals.
"Did she tell you about what Kai said?" I asked Grace.
"She mentioned something, but she didn't seem concerned."
I furrowed my brow in concentration. Typical Kim. Thinking that she could take on the world, but someone had to remind her that she wasn't completely invincible.
We had reached the door to Kim's and Grace's room. Their room was exactly like ours, with two twin beds and a TV. The only difference was the lack of a couch.
Grace gestured toward one of the beds and headed into the restroom. I made my way to the bed, and laid Kim down beneath the covers. I was pulling them back over her, when she stirred and opened her eyes.
"Hey sleepyhead," I whispered, grinning at her disoriented expression.
She blinked at me, and decided that it was too much work to stay awake. She turned on her side and burrowed into the bed sheets, slipping her eyes shut.
That just made my smile wider. I chuckled and tucked her in, then turned to leave.
So, what'd ya think? I don't know if this chapter turned out quite right, but I wanted to get it out as quickly as possible for all you lovely people!(: So excuse my rushed ending. I won't bore you with a long A/N, so I'll leave you with my final words... REVIEW! :D
-Courtney(: