10 Not That Bad

Pum!

Dash, who had taken more hits than he could count, broke free from the grip of the two idiots who attacked him from behind, thanks to Devon. He managed to land a few more blows before an adult's shout stopped them.

"Hey, stop right now, kids!"

"Damn it, let's go, Dash!" Devon kicked Maicol in the groin once again, leaving him holding his nose and crying, and then ran to grab their things.

With a burning face, Dash clenched his teeth and said, "You've just met the dragon warrior and the mantis, who is my partner. Don't mess with us next week, or we'll mess you up just like today."

As Dash assessed the situation, he saw the four boys writhing in pain on the ground and realized things had gotten a little out of control. It meant he couldn't keep the fight under control due to the superior number of opponents, and now his nose was bleeding a bit, but he didn't care; he needed to run.

"Let's be friends from now on!" Dash shouted, waving his hand, and followed Devon down the alley.

That's how their first fight unfolded, similar to a baptism if you think about it.

"Are we still running?" Dash, behind Devon, saw her running toward a crowded street and thought it was enough.

Devon stopped, struggled to catch her breath, and said, "Did you see how we messed them up? Just when one was trying to poke your eyes, I kicked him in the balls, hahaha!"

"Yeah..." Dash remembered how Devon, from behind, started throwing punches just when he was taking a beating. He swore he took most of them but didn't say anything.

Looking at the ice cream shop, Dash smiled and said, "Come on, today we'll eat that giant ice cream together!"

"Aren't we going home?"

"Let's eat ice cream first. I think I need something cold on my eye, or it will swell."

Shortly after, Dash bought an ice cream with more than thirty flavors. Honestly, for two people, it was just what they needed as a reward, so he thought it wasn't that bad.

While eating the ice cream, he thought that maybe getting involved in fights wasn't right, but he felt happy because he had never been able to fight even with a mosquito before. The weakness he felt back then made it impossible for him to step back, and just when he wanted to stop the fight, he felt angry taking those hits.

All that pent-up fury in his chest came out in this fight, but the important thing is that he knew how to control himself, and things didn't escalate.

"Oh my God, Dash, your left eye is turning purple." Devon, who was focused on the ice cream, exclaimed in surprise at Dash, who was enjoying a fruit drink.

"Does it look that bad?"

"It doesn't look bad, but your parents will ask about it. What do we do?"

Dash thought silently. These wounds were certainly trophies of war, but he would obviously be in trouble if his parents found out he had been in a fight.

"Let's say we fought with a flock of ducks. I read on the internet that ducks can be very violent when you touch their tail."

"Better not tell them anything. I have makeup at home, so I think you can hide the wounds on your face for a while before they disappear." Devon found a smarter solution to Dash's nonsense.

"Then let's not worry. Aren't you hurt?" Dash looked at Devon, who was in perfect condition, and felt a little resentful. Even though he would have been angry if someone hit her, taking all the damage felt unfair, knowing that she also fought.

Devon lifted her foot and said, "Just my foot hurts. Kicking so many times and with that force, I think it damaged a nerve."

At this point, Dash regretted asking. He shook his head and said, "Since you like kicking, you should train with me. It would be less boring if you were there."

Devon thought about it and nodded, "Alright, I think next time I'll kick better."

When Devon agreed, Dash and she returned home for her to put makeup on the wound on his face.

After watching a movie, Dash never thought the hits he took would hurt, but after five hours from the fight, he felt pain in many parts of his body that weren't hit.

When his mother picked him up, Dash said goodbye to Devon and got into the car.

"Do you think I'm a taxi to follow behind?" Elena looked at her son, who had sat in the back seat, and pointed to the empty front seat.

"I thought you'd pick up Dad..." Dash didn't want to be near his mother because she was so perceptive that she might notice something. It's not that he feared being scolded, but because, being just a kid, he could receive severe punishments that would ruin his plans to participate in the Kung Fu tournament in China. He didn't want the already slim chances of going there to become impossible for him.

Elena, who noticed her son's silence, looked at him closely. She sensed a slight scent of perfume in the air and frowned. Closing the car windows, she felt the smell even stronger, so she asked, "Son, is there something you're doing behind my back?"

"What?! No, nothing at all!" Dash was alarmed and denied everything.

Elena, with other thoughts in mind, said, "You and Devon are still young, so you shouldn't do something foolish. Your father should have this conversation with you, but I warn you, you and Devon should wait until your bodies develop."

"Huh?" Dash was stunned. What kind of conversation detour is this?

"Some silly kissing is okay, but nothing beyond that."

"Oh, that, don't worry..." Dash understood what his mother meant. The smell of makeup on his face wasn't very strong, but his mother had a sensitive nose, so she noticed.

At this point, he didn't know whether to be angry or relieved at this misunderstanding. He was indifferent because he wasn't discovered, but it's a bit worrisome that his father might think of those hormonal teenage things.

At his age, Dash hadn't reached that stage yet. All he cared about was becoming the dragon warrior, and he would definitely achieve it.

Beep-beep!

Dash checked his cellphone and saw it was from Devon.

Devon Lee: "[Did your mother find out?]"

Dash sighed and replied, "No, everything is out of orbit. Don't worry, she doesn't know anything."

Elena, who averted her gaze to her son's cellphone, could read some messages and shook her head. She hoped not to have a grandchild at a young age. She should talk to Frederick and let him handle the education of their son, who was reaching the age of getting interested in a girlfriend.

"What a headache..."