A angel in need

Chapter 9: Painful Memories

I stood outside the school,by one of the few trees by the buliding-relaxing with the cool shade. I glanced at the skate board in my good arm.

"I should really get some new weels...Oh well,not exactly a emergecy now. Man,I hope my arm heals..." I thought,a needle dug into my heart as I remembered someone who wasn't going to heal. "No,no stop! You ARE NOT going to think about it! It'll just make you cry..." My brain scolded me.

I suddenly senced something. Jack. "That monkey actually belives he can sneak up on me? I'll show him-Kim Crawford style!" I let a before hand smirk slide onto my face. I stood perfectly still in till the last moment.

"BOO!" I yelled and fliped around. Jack jumped ten feet in the air-did I mention the priceless look on his face? I just stood their cluching my stomach,gasping for air,as mad laughing fits took over.

"HOW'D YOU DO THAT?!" Jack asked in shock.

I stoped laughing long enough to answer him. "Because I am a ninja," I said with a straight face.

"Shut up!" He laughed,then said,"Come on! Rudy will kill me if I'm late."

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"Kim,this is my sensei Rudy. Rudy,this is Kim." Jack introduced us. Rudy was a short,middle aged man with dirty blonde hair,and as I could tell,a huge ego.

"Hello,Kim. Welcome to my dojo!" Rudy said,offering me a sweaty hand to shake.

"Umm... Thank you." I replied,akwardly shaking his wrist. I glanced around. It wasn't the largest dojo,but it was big enough. Trophies dotted the side-bar,most had Jack's name on them.

"Poodle grooming? What tha-"

"She wants to join the dojo!" Jack's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Umm...Her?" Rudy asked,unbeliving.

"Excuse me,but I'm a 1st degree black belt in karate." I said with a edge to my voice. The guys crept closer to listen.

"Woah,woah,woah." Jerry spoke up. "Your just going to walk in here and asume to be a part of our dojo? You have to pass a test." He said crossing his arms.

"Okay." I shrugged,and walked over to three dummies-not the guys,actual dummies. In a matter of seconds they were on the ground. I brushed a stray hair away and looked at them.

"Well,what do you think,guys?" Jerry said nervously.

"She's in."

"Got my vote."

"'A' plus." And with that last thing said,the guys turned around and went back to practice.

I turned back to Rudy,who was standing in shock. "Well,I guess I'm in." I said,he didn't answer back. "Hello?" I waved my hand infront of his face,still nothing.

"Hey,Kim!" Jack called,I looked up. "I'm going to go change into my gi,be back in a few!" He said,and walked into what I guess was the boy locker room. I shrugged and looked again at Rudy,still frozen solid.

"Well,might as well make the most of this." I thought and grabbed a pink marker that was in my pocket. With it I drew a lovely mustash on his face.

I stood back to inspect my work. "Perfect! I wonder when he'll notice..." I snickerd and walked over to a bench.

I watched as Jerry and Eddie walked into the ring,with a Bo staff in each their hands. I felt my blood grow cold. My hands started shaking,as the images flashed in my head. No matter how much I tried to push them away they came back. I

I felt the world begin to fade when a strong hand helped me up. I got lead into a room,and sat down onto a couch.

"Kim?" A voice asked,I knew it was Jack's but I didn't answer back.

"Kim? Kim,are you okay?" Jack repeated. I relized I had my eyes closed,I slowly opened them,the light nearly blinding me.

When my eyes focus,I see that I'm in a office,on a old couch. The office has to be Rudy's-for a number of reasons. Jack's sitting infront of me,looking at me in concerned eyes.

"Huh,someone cares. That's a first."

"Kim,what's wrong? I saw you out there,something happened." He said in a almost stern voice. I bit my lip,and looked down,some of my hair fell down over my eyes,and I pushed away the blonde locks. I felt his gaze soften.

"Don't worry,no one else is listening."He said,and when I still didn't answer,he added softly,"Kim,you can trust me."

I looked up into his brown gaze and got lost in it. I was frozen,and yet I was over come with a security that I have never felt before. I let out a shaky breath and began,"Well..."

~Flashback~

This was the first tournament in which Lilly and I were both black belts. We were so excited when we saw our teammates winning their matches.

Our sensei came over to us.

"Okay, I want to know who wants to do which event so I can tell the announcer. One of you's is gonna do the peg kick, and the other will spar with bowstaffs."

"Who's the opponent for the bowstaff?" We asked. Sensei pointed to a big, burly guy sporting a black gi with orange stripes.

He was a Tiger Claw, the baddest of the bad when it came to dojos. They made the Black Dragons look like wimps. The Tiger Claws taught you no mercy,and to do all you can to win. They go to all extents to make a name for their dojo.

He wasn't just a Tiger, though.

"Kim, Kim, what do you want to do?" Lilly persisted.

"I-I can't go up against that guy." I stammered.

"Why not? You've pummeled guys a lot stronger than him." Lilly said. She was right, but just then realization dawned on her face.

"Wait! Is this the guy you were talking about? The bully you stood up to and then was suspended?"

"YES! He swore he would get even and make me regret it! I can't beat him at bowstaffs! He'll kill me!"

"Girls, I'm waiting for an answer," Sensei called.

Lilly put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, calm down. He wouldn't kill you with a bowstaff, that's just messed up. Besides, you're much better at the peg kick than me.
I'll go up against him." She said confidently. She was a lot better, but that guy still scared me like nothing else.

"No, wait, Lilly, I'll face him!" But Lilly had already told Sensei her choice.

I watched in dread as Lilly sauntered in the ring with her bo staff and a grin on her face.
I couldn't help the fear pouring in my veins,and my heart pounding like a drum.
I gulped as they faced each other. The harsh sound of the judge calling the fight to begin rang in my ears as all the sounds of the croud grew dim.

They feinted and jabbed-I admit,Lilly was amazing with the Bo staff. She took a strike at the oponent,causing him to stumble.

Just as I sighed with relief, he lept up.
With a swing he broke Lilly's Bo staff like it was a toothpick. Then he swung at her head, smashing it with a THUD!

Lilly fell over, a hollow thump echoing in my mind. For a moment I stood in shock. Then I rushed forward. I tried to get to her,but the guards held me back along with the others. The whine of a siren was heard in the distance-but I didn't care. The image of Lilly's motionless body was in my head,blocking out everything else.

Only one thought was in my head,"I could've stopped it. I could've been the one. But I did nothing..."

~End of Flashback~

When I was done,a few lone tears slipped down my face. Jack moved over and hugged me,mummering comfert in my ear.

"It's just my fault! I could've saved her-heck,I could've stopped the whole thing! But I didn't. I'm a horrible person. All the things they said about me are true. It should of been me that died with a concussion,not her!" I cried.

Jack drew back a little and looked at me. "Kim,it's not your fault-it's that person's fault. You couldn't of done anything. You couldn't of stopped her from sparring,it was her choice. She knew exactly what she was doing,and what she was risking.

You are not a horrible person,and nothing they said is true. You are a wonderful,beautiful,inteligent girl. And if anyone can't see that,they don't know what their missing." He looked at me and added with a whisper. "And I for one am happy you are not dead."

Once again I got caught in his dark,chocolate gaze. When our eyes met,we both leaned forward closer,and closer. I could feel his warm breath on my cheek.

Then suddenly the door slammed open,"Well what do we have here?"

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Sad... We killed off one of her only friends she ever had... And oooh Cliffie! Don't forget to vote!

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