CHAPTER 10: ASH
She wouldn’t talk to me. Heck, she wouldn’t even look at me. I wasn’t an idiot. In Snow’s eyes, I’d obviously messed up. I just couldn’t figure out how. Maybe it was the “little lady” comment?
“No, Wilbur,” she sighed as my partner performed the move wrong. Again. We’d been working on the same escape techniques for about an hour. “You pull away to break away. Remember?”
The skinny guy flushed. “Yeah, sorry. Could you show me again?”
“Sure,” she said, fitting her body behind his.
Even as Snow twisted an arm behind his back and pushed him against the wall, Wilbur smiled. I shook my head. With the braces and comb over, Wilbur might’ve look harmless. But he was smart. The guy was putting the moves on my ninja girl, and she didn’t even know it.
“Now, you just use your body to push back…that’s it. And pull away.” As Wilbur spun out of her hold, she said, “Perfect. Now, try it with your partner.”
I put my hand on his wrist and twisted. He struggled, turning so his mouth was lined up with my ear as he screech/yelled, “NO!” But apart from damaging my hearing, the guy got nowhere. I was stronger and more than a little pissed. So. Snow would permit Wilbur to rub up against her, but I wasn’t worth a glance? Oh, yeah. I was pissed.
As Wilbur went limp, I let up—bullying was never my thing—but just then, he whirled, popped me in the gut with an elbow and broke free.
“Nice,” Snow said, and I glared.
“That wasn’t part of the exercise,” I said.
“In the real world, there’s no plan, Stryker. You’ve got to be ready for anything.”
I cursed, rubbing the sore spot on my stomach while she gave Wilbur a high five.
“But hey,” she said, eyes flaring, “I’m just a little lady who needs a big, strong man to protect me. What would I know?”
Ah, so that was it.
“Listen,” I said,” Snow, I’m sorry. I—”
She raised her voice to address the class. “Time’s up everyone.” The other self-defense students looked over. “Pack up, and I’ll see you guys next week. We’ll be working on throws and more aggressive defense techniques.”
Following her to the sidelines, I waited while she pulled out a towel, took a sip of water. “Need something?” she asked after a moment.
“Yeah.” Crossing my arms, I raised a brow. She still wasn’t looking at me. Time to fix that. “I just wanted to know how that one got past you. You’re supposed to guard my body. Wilbur has some sharp elbows.”
It worked. She finally faced me, but I didn’t like the closed off expression.
“You’re on Agent Smith’s time now,” she said, nodding to the bleachers where Smith was sitting back, watching us. “Take it up with him.”
“Are you still mad?” I asked.
“No.”
“I said I was sorry about the whole ‘little lady’ thing. I’m a Southern boy at heart. It just popped out.”
She rolled her eyes at this, and a sudden thought hit me.
“You’re not seriously friends with that Nara chick, right?”
The memory of the way she’d spoken to Snow pissed me off even now. It didn’t really matter if they were friends. I’d had to do something. Simple as that.
“Hell no,” she said, taking another pull on her water. “But what was all that ‘stolen heart’ crap? I had it covered.”
“Oh, I know you did,” I said. “The cousins thing went over real well.”
She glared. “That was your idea.”
“I admit, not one of my best.” I waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. “So, a few people think we’re going out. It’s not so bad, is it?”
Snow shook her head, rolled onto her arms and ignored me. I watched as she went through a quick but thorough regime of exercises—pushups to crunches to jogging in place to high kicks, 10 on each leg. A few pieces of hair escaped the ponytail at her neck. The ends swung back and forth, some clinging to her face. The whole thing kind of put me in a trance.
She’d just switched legs when she said all flushed face and out of breath, “So…you’re just going to stand there and watch me sweat?”
Perfect opening.
“Absolutely, it’s the highlight of my day.”
Snow shrugged, moved back into pushup position, but I could tell by the way she’d lost her rhythm I had her attention.
“You gonna keep pretending to ignore me?”
“You’re hard to ignore,” she muttered.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Please, don’t.”
When my favorite part of the exercises came around, I said, “That’s a hell of a sidekick.”
“Thanks,” she said, not stopping. “Coming from The Whip that means a lot.”
Hearing my old nickname, I grinned. “You been checking up on me, ninja girl?”
“No, Koi told me.” The sarcastic edge couldn’t hide her curiosity. “He went all fanboy when you came in. So, what’s the deal? He seems to think you’re some kind of soccer God. Is that true?”
“Not a God,” I said, “but I’m pretty damn good.”
She scoffed. “No need to be humble. Tell me how you really feel.”
“Always.”
“If you’re so great,” she asked, facing me, “then why aren’t you playing now?”
Good question. “No team to play for.”
“Wait…you love soccer, and your parents sent you to a school with no team? That’s bullshit.”
“Technically, they didn’t,” I grimaced. “Crispin Catholic was so bad last year the trustees pulled the soccer team’s funding. Guess they wanted to concentrate on lacrosse.”
“So, you’re just giving up?”
“No way,” I said fiercely. “The dream to play college ball is still alive and well. Even if there’s no chance of getting scouted, I can still walk on.”
At her blank look, I explained.
“A walk on is a player who has to try out instead of being invited,” I said. “It’s harder that way, but I’ll make it. I train four to five days a week, spend most nights at Finley’s Field playing the guys there. You should come around some time.”
“What for?” she said dryly. “Do all the fake girlfriends sit in the stands cheering on their menfolk?”
I laughed so hard it was embarrassing. She’d managed to surprise me again, one of the many reasons I was so into this girl. Snow looked like she wanted to smile, too, but was fighting it. Koi came up, looked between the two of us, shook his head then said, “So Ash, are you coming?”
“Not sure,” I gasped. “Snow, you going?”
“Going where?” she said.
“To the Bruce Lee Marathon.”
“The what?”
Well, that got her attention.
“Yeah, Koi said they’re all going over to his house to watch Lee’s best flicks.” I noticed Koi making a cutting motion across his neck, but I didn’t know why. “Are you in?”
“That sounds great,” she said, eyes bright. “I love Bruce.”
“Ash man, can I talk to you for a sec.” Koi dragged me a couple steps away and bent his head. “The Snow Queen can’t come. It’s just the Elite.”
I was taken aback. “I thought she was part of your team.”
“Yeah, but…well, she’s a chick.”
“And?”
“And this is Guys Night,” he explained. “No girls allowed.”
“Oh,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Snow. She still looked so excited. How could they not invite her? Bae was a few steps behind her giving me the evil eye as Min-Hee leaned against him. “And Bae Bae’s okay with you guys leaving her out?”
“Nah, it’s not like that,” Koi rushed to assure me. “Snow understands. We’ve been having Guys Night for a while now. She knows the deal. Besides, Nara and her fine friends have their own Girls Night. It’s only fair.”
Min-Hee had joined Snow when we came back, their arms linked together. Nara and her crew were flirting with some guys off to the side. She let out a noise that could’ve been a laugh but sounded more like a witch’s cackle. I winced. As much as she liked Min-Hee, I couldn’t see Snow wanting to hang with them.
“So, Bruce Lee tonight?” Snow said hopefully.
“It’s for Guys Night,” Koi said.
“Oh.” As I watched her face fall, I could’ve punched him.
“Nothing personal.”
“I get it,” she said, but her voice had gone so low it was nearly non-existent. Incredulous, I looked back to Bae Bae, but his face stayed stone cold. And I’d thought they were close. Couldn’t he tell she was upset?
“We have plans anyway,” Min-Hee said, squeezing her hand. “Us girls will be having a good old time while you boys are stuck inside watching your dumb movies.”
I looked to Snow. “What are you guys doing?”
She grimaced. “Shopping.”
“Sounds like fun,” I said dryly.
Min-Hee was the one who answered. “Oh, it is! We go and try on shirts and jeans and search for the best deals. It’s like a treasure hunt.” She threw a glance at Snow. “Plus, my girl here is in dire need of some new clothes.”
“Min,” Snow said embarrassed, but Min-Hee was smiling.
“I just love dressing her up,” she said and rubbed her hands together. “She’s like this angry Korean doll that lets me put her in whatever I want because she knows it brings me joy.”
“Because you’re relentless,” Snow corrected.
Min-Hee pretended not to hear. “Now that you two are dating, maybe she’ll even let me buy her a dress.”
Bae Bae sent Snow a sharp glance. “Dating? You’re actually dating this guy?”
“Oh hush.” If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it. A big guy like that getting shushed by a tiny thing like Min-Hee? For a second there, I worried for her safety. But like a punctured balloon, he deflated.
“I just don’t see why she needs to get all decked out for him, Min.”
Koi scoffed. “You guys are crazy. The Snow Queen would never trade in her gi for a stupid dress.”
“Well, why not?” Min-Hee said. “Girls wear dresses. Snow’s a girl.”
“Yeah, barely,” he said. “I’d like to see you try and put her in one of those short frilly numbers. It’d be freaking hilarious.”
Koi was too busy laughing to see Snow’s eyes go all flinty. It was like watching a storm cloud roll in. Her face grew darker and darker as he kept snickering. I wanted to tell the guy to stop, but Bae Bae beat me to it.
“Koi, for your own good,” he said, “shut the hell up.”
“Why?” Koi nudged me. “The Snow Queen’s never been into girly stuff. She’s always been one of the guys.”
I raised a brow. “But not enough to be invited to Guys Night.”
“Ash, man, she’s not really one of the guys—but not like Min-Hee and those girls either. She’s like…some kind of weird Snow Queen hybrid. You know what I mean?”
“No,” I said as Snow sidled up to him.
Koi looked scared for a second, but then she smiled. Relief was clear in his voice when he said, “You get me, right, Snow?”
“Sure,” she said, the look transforming to that scary smile I recognized from when she took on Buddy Jr. I wasn’t a fortuneteller, but I knew one thing. This would not end well for Mr. Woo.
“Nothing personal,” he said and patted her shoulder.
“Sure,” she said again, grabbing onto his hand and forearm.
He never saw it coming.
Koi squealed as Snow threw him over her shoulder. It happened in an instant. He flipped, went ass end over teakettle, and landed on his back with an “Oomph.” Koi’s eyes were still wide with surprise as she dusted off her hands. “Payback,” she said in explanation, “for making me do karaoke.” Splayed like a bug on the ground, all he could do was stare up at her.
“You know,” I said, drawing their attention, “I don’t think I’ll be able to make Guys Night. My mom was hoping Snow and Mrs. Lee would come over for dinner. She’s making her famous pot roast tonight. She would’ve invited you herself, but since I was going to see you anyway…”
Snow blinked. “You mean…come to your house?”
“Yeah.”
“To eat dinner with your family?”
I nodded. “Mom and Dad will be there, plus Agent Evers and Smith. It’s not a big deal.”
It was totally a big deal. I wanted her to come. More than that, I wanted to be her knight. I wanted to save her from mall hell, Min-Hee’s enthusiasm and those vicious girls. Snow hesitated. Probably trying to come up with some excuse. I couldn’t have that.
“But if you have to go shopping,” I sighed, pulling out the big guns, “and spend hours trying on dress after dress, talking with Nara—”
“No,” she said suddenly. I smiled. The panic I’d seen on her face was exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for. “Omma and I will be there. What time?”
“Eight o’clock.”
“Should I bring anything?”
“Just yourself,” I said.
Snow tugged on her gi, looking uncomfortable. “Do we need to, like, dress up?”
“Nah, our family dinners are usually pretty quiet, casual.” And boring, I thought. “Hey, maybe you could wear your CCDS uniform,” I suggested.
The look she shot me wasn’t encouraging. But a guy could dream.
* * *
All that talk of clothes must’ve gotten to me. When I got home, first thing I did was go upstairs and change out of my sweats.
“This look okay?” I asked, hair still damp from the shower.
“Yeah,” Smith said. He’d been sitting on the chair next to my bed for the last thirty minutes, looking at me like I was crazy.
I turned around. “You sure?”
“Yeah, man.”
“It doesn’t look like I’m trying too hard?”
Smith dragged his hands down his face. “It’s just like the other ten shirts you tried on. Why are you getting all dressed up anyway? It’s not like she’s royalty.”
And that answered that question. I threw the shirt off and pulled on another. I’d been told by girls I dated that the color brought out my eyes. Would Snow think that?
“How about this one?”
Smith threw up his hands. “Holy…Ash, when did you become such a chick?”
I shrugged. He was right, but I couldn’t help it. Snow was coming to my house for the first time. My usual cool had gone right out the window. Nerves were eating at me. The more I looked at the green shirt, the more I thought it matched my eyes a little too well. In the mirror, they looked like two glowing green lanterns. Geez. I threw that one off, too, and went back to my first choice. You couldn’t go wrong with white, right?
A knock at my door, and Mom poked her head in. “Almost time, Ash. They should be here any minute.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, smoothing my shirt. Was it too white?
“You look fantastic, honey.”
“Yeah?” I asked.
Her eyes were full of mischief. “Like a true Southern gentleman. Besides, you’re my boy,” she laughed. “Baby, with those genes, you’d look good in anything.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him,” Smith said.
Dad opened the door wider and whistled. “My God, who is that hot young man?”
I groaned and pushed up my sleeves. Mom was one thing, but Dad? He was so embarrassing. If anyone was trying too hard it was him in his suit and tie. I’d have to talk to him before Snow and her mom got here.
“I can’t wait to meet the girl who has my usually too-cool-for-school son so nervous.” He winked. “She won’t know what hit her.”
“Dad, seriously,” I said. “Try not to say or do anything to embarrass me tonight. It’s bad enough you’re in politics. I love you, but you’re kind of a square.”
Dad went cross-eyed, hunched his back and limped further into the room. “It won’t be easy,” he wheezed, Igor come to life, “but I’ll try my best, massster.”
“Jesus,” I said, jumping away from him.
“Just kidding around,” he said, straightening up. “I promise to be on my very best behavior.”
I nodded, having just slipped on my second shoe, when the doorbell rang. We all stood frozen for a second.
“Evers will get it,” Dad said after a beat.
Like hell. I rushed down the stairs, skidding to a halt in the main hall, and saw Evers turn to face me, his hand on the doorknob. He raised a brow at my entrance.
“I’ll get it,” I said as calmly as I could.
“Alright, Mr. Stryker.”
I rolled my shoulders. We’d had this conversation before, and it didn’t do any good. Still, I decided to try again. “Mr. Stryker is my father, Agent Evers. Can’t you just call me Ash?”
He bowed his head, the military cut a perfect match to his rigid stance. “I’ll try, Mr. Stryker.”
So much for that.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, hoping Snow wouldn’t see how wound-up I was. Cool, I thought. Just be cool. Snow’s just another girl. She probably won’t even notice your shirt. You may be into her, but she doesn’t even see you that way.
Yet, I thought with a grin.
Placing my hand on the door, I turned the knob and pulled back.
“Hi, there,” I said, so excited to see Snow that I didn’t even realize anything was wrong. The horror on her face was what clued me in. Both she and her mother were staring down at our Welcome mat. “Are you okay? What—”
I stopped short. My eyes followed theirs down to the dead rat on our doorstep. The thing could’ve been sleeping—if it wasn’t for the knife sticking out of its belly.