The bell rang signaling the end of the school day, the halls filled with students pushing each other out of the way. The chaotic pandemonium allowed me to relax, I thrived in chaos it slowed the turmoil inside my head. I gripped the strap of my messenger bag tightly in my right hand, running a hand through my layered crimson hair that fell to my waist.
I was shoved forward by a shoulder, anger poured through me. "Watch it!" I snapped.
Teagan Jameson smirked at me, his chocolate eyes glittering with mirth. Teagan was Mason High's star running back. His red and white Varsity letter jacket offset perfectly with his smooth skin the color of milk chocolate, with teeth that belonged on a Crest whitestrips commercial. Teeth that belonged to a smile every girl swooned over, everyone but me. That smile made my stomach turn.
"Oh," my face dropped into indifference, "its you. I shouldn't expect any less." I turned around and began walking away.
"So, Kalena, heard Max dumped you. I wonder why that was." His voice called after me. I stiffened, clenched my fists at my sides and turned my head.
"Well he told me that he was too in love with you to lie to me anymore." I smiled brightly and stalked down the hallway, ignoring the look of fury that passed over his face, wading through the incessant amount of students, looking for my best friend Nayeli.
"Lena! There you are." She rushed over to me, the light catching the golden hue of her skin. Nayeli was a pure blood Cherokee Native American. Her thick black hair was pulled back into a braid; her almond eyes were strong and steady. A necklace with a white feather hung around her neck.
"Hey Nayeli, sorry I got held up by Super Star and his cronies." I jammed a thumb over my shoulder.
She shook her head, eyes down, "you two will never have a civil conversation will you?" I snorted and shook my head, my bangs flopping into my eyes.
"When it snows here, in sunny Cali, only then will we have a normal conversation." We had stepped outside the graffitied doors and into the blaring sun. I gestured wildly around us, then placed a finger on my chin.
"Hmm where shall we go? I know lets go to the beach!" I shouted, spinning around, my hair twirling around my waist. Even in the heat of California's sun, I wore jeans and black shirt. I was never one for showing off my body.
"Lena" Nayeli's voice was motherly and of faux disappointment, "don't you have somewhere to be?"
I huffed and rolled my eyes, "yes I know, I know. Are you coming to the dojo with me?" I was a martial artist, had been since I was six years old, I was only a brown belt, once step away from becoming a black belt.
She nodded, linking her arm through mine, "of course, as long as you come to the pau wau tomorrow night with me."
A pau wau was a Native American tradition where everyone would meet to sing, dance, socialize, and honor the culture. I attended every year with Nayeli, well ever since I knew her. She dressed me up and showed me off, we had so much fun.
"Of course, don't I always. Well lets go." We began to cross the parking lot, giggling amongst ourselves; a car flew around the corner towards us. It was a cherry red Dodge viper, I knew that car, anger boiled through. I shoved Nayeli quickly across the lot and stood stiff, arms across my chest.
"Lena get out of the way! You're going to get hit!" I waved her off and stood straight, fearless.
The car screeched to halt, inches from my kneecaps. A furious Teagan stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut, "what the hell were you thinking Smith! I could have killed you!" his eyes were filled with anger, his jaw clenched, fists at his sides.
I breathed in calmly, "Maybe you shouldn't drive like a bat out of hell. Next time you actually might hit me." my voice was cold.
I grabbed Nayeli's arm and walked the rest of the way to my car, throwing my bag in the back seat I climbed into the driver's seat. I slammed my palms on the steering wheel, "he is such a bastard you know that?"
Nayeli started cackling, doubled over in her seat, "you haha you guys are haha you showed him." I blinked, shifted the car into drive, and pulled out of the parking lot. My anger still boiled deeply inside of me, my training taught me to control it. My face impassive, my emotions locked into boxes.
We pulled into the parking lot of the dojo and I jumped out popping open my trunk. I grabbed my duffel bag and stalked determinedly into the dojo. Nayeli following close behind me.
"How long are you going to be here?" I shrugged I didn't feel like talking, my focus was on releasing the anger that clawed angrily at its black box.
I left Nayeli to sit in her usual spot, in sensei's office with a book. I changed in the locker room, stripping out of my clothes and into a pair of black workout pants and a cut-off tank top. I pulled my long hair back into a ponytail and then braided that.
I clenched my jaw as I taped my hands and feet, Teagan pissed me off. He was rich and popular, everything every guy wanted to be and every girl wanted to be with. He found it humorous to annoy me, to belittle me, to put me down. I slammed my hands together and stretched my limbs.
"Lena, mat now!" my sensei's voice echoed throughout the pale walls of the locker room. my head snapped up and I jogged out of the room onto the blue mats.
Sensei Jack Ho stood hands clasped behind his back, his hair was pulled back into a low pony, his slanted brown eyes intensely focused. His hands dropped to his sides and he bowed. I bowed back, a respect always given.
In a blur of motion he attacked, fists flew at my face, I dodged and ducked, I dropped down sweeping my leg to the side. He jumped, I flashed up his foot stuck out and slammed into my chest, I flew back, my ribs creaked.
"Good, good. Back to normal training." His voice was wise and slow. I massaged my chest where pain began to bloom but nodded.
"Yes sensei." A grin broke out across his face and he reached a hand down to me, I took it and let him pull me up.
"Your getting there Kalena. Keep working." I grinned, pride blooming in my chest.
"Of course sensei." I bowed once more and took off to work out.
My workout was rigorous and had been put up on the wall in a list,
Regular Workout
2 mile run
20 minutes of jump rope
Dumbbell exercise 200 times
100 dips
100 pushups with hands in fists
50 incline pushups
Jumping side kick over 3 foot vault horse
Hitting bag with side of elbow and inside of elbow 200 times
Jump kick on bag
Leg exercise
Sit ups
I began my two-mile run on the inside track, my iPod blaring Nickelback in my ears. Sweat poured down my face, my leg muscles burned brilliantly. I smiled wildly, I enjoyed it.
By the time I had finished my run, the sun began to sink low beyond the horizon. Nayeli stepped out of the office as I was sipping from a water bottle.
"Hey Nayeli, you can leave now. I have the rest of my workout to finish." I rolled my shoulders back, re-stretching my muscles.
Nayeli looked disapprovingly at me, "did you get your homework done?"
I sighed and nodded, "at school yes I did. I'll be home around midnight, I'll text you."
She shook her head, "your going to kill yourself one day, you know that right?" I smiled softly.
"We all die someday, now get along, I have some work to do."
I pushed myself into my workout; my muscles screamed at me, sweat poured down my face in rivulets. Pain pushed my forward; I was on my 130th sit up by the time sensei came in. His strong jaw twitched when he saw me.
"You must get sleep young Kalena." I pushed myself off the mat with shaking arms; exhaustion ebbed its way through my limbs.
"Yes sensei, I'll see you tomorrow." He shook his head,
"No Kalena take the day off." I froze,
"But sensei" he held up a hand, effectively cutting me off.
"No buts stay away from this dojo" I hung my head dejected.
"Yes sensei" I gathered my clothes and left the dojo. Reaching my car, I threw my stuff in the back seat next to my backpack, pulled out of the parking lot, and drove to the beach.
The moon hung upon the stars, glittering off the sand incandescently, my house sat right on the beach line. It was small and homely, a pale tan color. My parents had bought it for me right before their accident. I was 16 years old when they got into a car accident, killing them instantly. I was devastated and threw myself into my karate; banishing all thoughts.
I climbed into my bed tiredly, telling myself I'd take a shower in the morning. I sent Nayeli a quick text, letting her know I was home and fell into a deep sleep.