Morning Diamond

Beaten in the Best Way

“Claire,” the instructor called. “Mike tells me you are a talented fighter. What training have you had?” Claire glared at Mike, but answered the instructor’s question, listing the various self-defense courses and other disciplines she had trained in.

“Excellent!” He responded. “Will you give the class a demonstration?” She looked at the instructor-noting his age and reminding herself to be gentle because of it- and nodded her agreement. “Fabulous. Class, move to the walls. Claire, if you will,” He encouraged her to take her place in the center of the room. “Start with your eyes closed and facing that wall.” She nodded and did as he directed.

Taking a deep breath she cleared her mind of Mike and everything else. This was her game, one she had played many times. She would use her skills to prove her capabilities and show everyone she could be useful in class. She exhaled slowly, listening.

She knew the exact moment someone stood behind her. She heard the light brush of clothing as he reached for her. She dropped to the ground and swept her leg, but something went wrong. There was no impact. Her eyes flew open just as the attacker’s feet hit the ground. Bugger! He had jumped over her sweep. Seldom were her movements anticipated. She looked up and her eyes widened.

Mike quickly regained his balance and stood over her. So she would be fighting him. “Bring it on!” She stated and narrowed her eyes.

“My pleasure, C.” He reached for her, laughter in his eyes. She quickly rolled from him, getting to her feet and taking her defensive stance in one fluid movement.

“My name is Claire!” She stated firmly.

“I know, but I like C!” He circled her and suddenly the game became much more exciting. “Your hair has faded; I can see some silver in it.” He teased, distracting her from arguing over her name.

“It’s my natural color.” She glared.

“Which one? The red or the grey?” She rushed him, but he was faster than she anticipated. He dodged easily and she made a mental note. He was faster than her brothers. Okay. He had his height against him, as well as weight. She sized him up. Six foot three and maybe two hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle. She shook her head. Don’t think about the muscles!

She could use his size against him. She told herself being five foot four and a buck ten gave her the advantage. Her small size made her quick and harder to catch.

She charged again, this time when he dodged, she shifted in the last second. She caught his leg with hers and put all her weight into his side. He rolled over her back. She smiled with victory as she turned to look at him, but to her dismay he stood firmly on two feet. She straightened. He should have been flat on his back! Mike chuckled. “You are too eager, C.” She squatted back getting into a position close to the floor, a predator’s stance. “Now, you didn’t answer me. Is it the grey or the red that’s your natural color?”

“It’s white!” She seethed. He grinned.

“I bet it’s beautiful, much better than the fake color. I’ve never liked fake women,” he reached out, casually, as though he would pet her. She knocked his hand from her, and lurched forward to grab the back of both his knees. With a firm jerk she sent him flying backwards. Her success was short lived. Mike rolled his legs over his body the moment his back hit the mat, executing a perfect back summersault. He now faced her-eye level-in an identical squat. “I’d love to see your hair in its natural color.”

“You may get your wish. The dyes only work for about a week or two. My hair doesn’t seem to keep the colors well,” she remarked, knowing full well she would dye a dark brown later this week. In fact, now she’d do it the moment she got home from class. His grin flashed. He leapt forward. She tensed, but inches before he reached her he jumped, twisted in midair and landed inches behind her. It took little time for him to have his arm wrapped gently around her neck.

“You’d make a cute brunette,” he whispered, his breath teasing her ear. She closed her eyes enjoying the feel. Distractions were bad. She focused on something else, like how he knew her thoughts. She quickly changed her mind about the box of dye sitting on her bathroom counter.

“I’m dying it purple!” She grabbed his arm, holding it tighter against her and threw her weight forward. Together they rolled. She adjusted herself so that when they landed she straddled his hips and her hands held his shoulders on the ground. He gazed into her eyes and grinned. When he attempted to sit up, she firmly shoved him back down.

Mike casually brought his hands up to cup behind his head. “I can’t imagine purple. It wouldn’t suit you. How about green?” She made a look of disgust. “No?” He struggled. “Blue?” She made a less than feminine sound and he chuckled. With one swift movement he sat up wrapped one arm firmly around her and twisted. She found herself with the cool mats pressed against her back and his large body weighing her down. “Yellow. There is something to be said about a sun kissed woman.” Laughter escaped her.

“Did you come up with that on your own?” Claire asked. He responded with a grin. “I thought not.” She lifted a leg and hooked it around his. With the other she pushed hard against the mats. She succeeded in rolling him, but before she could release her leg, he trapped it beneath his.

“Now, how will you ever get free?” His eyes sparkled with mischief.

“You insult me!” She twisted off him, rolling her leg as she did and breaking his hold on her. She quickly moved away. He sat up, amused. She blew him a kiss and ran straight at him. He shifted, expecting to catch her.

Mike’s eyes widened as he watched her throw herself onto her hands and push off. She spun in the air once, landed for a brief second then pushed off again. She flipped and twisted over his head and landed. Now it was her arm wrapped tightly around his neck, with her other pressing his head forward.

“Gymnastics. Who would have thought it would come in handy?” She placed a mocking kiss on his cheek, smacking her lips quite loudly. An explosion of applause and cheers broke Claire’s focus. She blinked back her surprise. For the first time since beginning the spar, she remembered they were not alone. She let go of Mike and stood to bow for the class.

“Well done Claire!” The instructor complimented as he stepped forward. Claire offered a helping hand to Mike. He looked at it and raised a brow, intrigued, and accepted it. “I have just graduated you from student to assistant to my assistant.” Mike did not let go of her hand when he got to his feet. Instead he squeezed it and winked. “I’ll give you a list of the days you and Mike will be in charge of the class. I expect you to use the other days wisely to plan your demonstrations. You may go now.” He dismissed them and turned to the other students. “For the rest of you, let’s begin.” Claire looked at the clock. There was still a half hour left of class. Mike began pulling her towards the door.

“Wait, I can’t leave,” she protested. He ignored her, scooping up her bag as he passed and pulled her from the gym.

“He doesn’t want us to see what he is teaching and vice versa. It makes the final exam more interesting. The days he teaches we stay away and he is gone the days we teach,” He explained.

“But, I.” She attempted to pull her hand free, but his tightened. “Mike. I have to stay in class. My brothers.” That stopped him. He turned to regard her. She attempted to tell him that she could never deceive her brothers in such a way. Mike sighed. He looked around for a quiet corner to speak with her. The university hallway was far from clear.

“Come with me,” He stated, but didn’t give her the option to refuse as he pulled her along and into an empty classroom. The moment they were alone he released her hand. “Why are you in that class?” She rolled her eyes; certain he already knew the answer.

“It’s required,” Her sarcasm made him smirk.

“And how did you feel about that requirement?”

“I thought it would be the stupidest thing ever!” She confirmed.

“I figured as much. When I saw you walk through that door the other day, I knew you needed to be rescued from boredom. Plus I wanted to spend time with you.” As he spoke gently to her he softly trailed a finger down her cheek. She shivered, amazed at how he affected her.

“How did you know I didn’t need the class?” She breathed. He gave her an ‘are you serious’ look that made her feel like a child.

“You feel you need to ask that even though you are fully aware I watched your sparring game with your brothers?” He chuckled.

“I guess not,” She smiled weakly. “Ok, one more question.”

“Shoot.”

“Where are you from?” He raised a brow. “Just curious.”

“At the moment I am from Tyrell!” She rolled her eyes knowing full well he was not an alien from another world. He smiled. “Oukland.” She returned the grin. Oukland was not too far from where she and her brothers had lived while in foster care. Maybe her brothers would see that as a good thing and let her date a boy from the neighboring town.

After that day Claire and Mike saw each other whenever possible. They used the days they didn’t teach to get to know each other and seldom put together a teaching plan. Choosing instead to take turns teaching different techniques during class. They soon found that each had different fighting skills that were useful to the other, but she hated to admit she learned more from him than he did from her.

Claire also discovered Mike had been volunteering for the last four months as an assistant to the self-defense instructor. It was a relief to know their growing relationship would not affect his standing with the university nor hers as a student.

There were days she felt her heart would burst with joy when she saw him. Others she despaired over deceiving her brothers, but the guilt seemed never enough to keep her from Mike.

Mike got his wish to see her with yellow hair- as bright as the sun- but to his dismay she also dyed her hair green two weeks later. Her brother’s had not liked the color, but they seldom interfered with her dye choices. Fortunately that color did not last long and all three men seemed relieved when she replaced the green a week later by weaving blonde strands through a medium brown.

As the semester grew to an end, Claire felt a sadness grow deep within her. “After this semester, we won’t be able to see each other anymore.” She told Mike as they walked to the gym hand in hand.

“Yes we will.” He said confidently.

“You don’t understand. My brothers, they will never allow it.” He stopped then and looked down at her. “C,” She smiled. She had grown to like the nickname he had given her. “I think it is time we let your brothers know about our relationship.”

“Is that what this is? A relationship?” She asked. He smirked and tweaked her nose.

“Has been from the moment I looked into your eyes. You just didn’t know it yet.” She rolled her eyes, but giggled. His corny lines always made her laugh. He looked at her seriously, but his hand pushed through his hair. Something he did when he was out of sorts. “I want to take you out on an official first date. Will you go to the dance with me tonight?” She didn’t hesitate to accept, but after class when he walked her to the front door of the university- and she saw her brothers’ car sitting at the curb- she doubted they would let her go.

“It will all work out. You will see,” Mike reassured her before taking her hand in his and kissing it. It was something he did every day when they parted. She often thought there was a place she would much rather he kissed. “Someday. Soon.” He flicked the tip of her nose softly.

“What is that supposed to mean?” She snapped.

“You carry your emotions like an open book. I can read every thought you have in your eyes.” She doubted it, but then again she’d never been good at lying. Maybe the truth did shine in her eyes. She left him at the door and walked outside, bracing herself against the confrontation to come.