Tell Me You Understand

Gym class was not my favorite subject. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I hated it more than anything else.

I didn't know anyone who would be happy running around in a circle for half an hour, only to be forced to play some sort of sport afterward. On my best of days, I was a klutz. I had two left feet, and if I didn't want to break a bone, I needed to be very careful about where I put them.

On bad days, I was likely to take out anyone in the surrounding area.

My lack of coordination was a constant source of amusement for Bai Long Qiang, and I would often catch him following behind me just to make sure I didn't kill myself.

But back to gym.

After an 'awesome' run, followed by an 'amazing' game of dodgeball, I was more than ready to call it quits for the day. My body hurt, my head hurt, and all I wanted to do was get changed and head home.

I was the last one in the change room, and as soon as I opened the door, a hush fell over the crowd. Not overly caring, I walked over to my locker and opened it… only to find it completely empty.

Thinking that maybe I had just gotten the number wrong (stranger things have happened), I moved one locker over, and it, too, was empty.

"Maybe try the showers," said an incredibly unhelpful voice.

Letting out a grunt, I made my way to the showers, only to realize that one of them was still on. Pushing open the door that was slightly ajar, I froze as a bucket of slime crashed onto my head, drenching me in the sticky, gooey substance.

To make matters worse, I found my change of clothes and my bag on the floor of the shower stall, completely soaked.

There went my homework.

"Ooh, what a shame," purred Ye Mei Hui, her arms crossed as she looked down at me. "Whatever are you going to do?"

I turned around to look at her and raised an eyebrow. "I feel sorry for you," I said, not bothering to react to her words. I would go home, get cleaned off and dried, and be as good as new. She would forever be a bitch.

"Excuse me?" she demanded, dropping her arms to her sides and narrowing her eyes on me. "You feel sorry for me?"

"I do," I answered, taking the bucket off my head and placing it on the floor.

"You are nothing but a freak of nature. A kid that should go back to grade one," she snarled, but her words weren't hitting the target like she wanted them to.

"I am a freak," I agreed as I started to wipe the slime off of my face with my hand and flicked it onto the floor. "I am six years old in grade 10. Your grade. Hell, I am even getting better marks than you are, which has to hurt, and I have the love of your life following me around like a shadow to protect me. I absolutely feel sorry for you."

She let out a loud screech and lunged at me. Seeing her move coming from a mile away, I stepped to the side, and she flew past me into the shower that was still running.

Guess I wasn't the only one going home wet tonight.

"You are pathetic enough to take pleasure picking on a six-year-old. That fact that you need validation that much makes me pity you even more." I stressed my age more than once, reminding her and everyone else in the room who sided with her exactly what they were doing.

"Have fun with your life. I'll be sure to let Bai Long Qiang know how you feel about him," I continued, bending down to pick up my clothes and backpack.

I would never sink so low as to get into a fight over a guy, and I wasn't about to start now. As far as I was concerned, this was Bai Long Qiang's mess, and he needed to be the one to clean it up.

I apparently had assignments to rewrite.

----

"What the hell happened to you?" demanded Bai Long Qiang as Wang Tian Mu left the girl's locker room. He had been waiting for a while, surprised that no one had come out, but now he could see why.

"Your girlfriend," she said, coming to a stop in front of him. She was dripping lime green slime, and her feet were literally leaving a trail that would have made the swamp creature proud. "I suggest you have a talk with her."

Pushing past Bai Long Qiang, Wang Tian Mu turned to look at him. "And if your taste in girls is that bad, I suggest you change teams and go for a guy. They would probably be a lot less trouble."

With those parting words, she continued her way down the hall, leaving footprints in her wake.

He didn't know what to do. He moved to chase after her, trying to explain himself, but there was really nothing he could say. He fucked up.

The door behind him opened again, but he didn't bother to turn around and see what was going on. A loud wail was his only warning before someone flung themselves at his back, their hands wrapping around his waist tightly.

"Let me go," he said through clenched teeth. He could feel the wetness from the body leaching into his clothes, but it wasn't enough to cool down his temper.

"But—" came the voice, and Bai Long Qiang stiffened for a second before throwing the arms off of him. "That bitch got me all wet!"

"Was that before or after you dropped the slime on her?" he demanded, his face twisting into a sneer. He had promised both her and his family that he would look out for her, that he would protect her. And this happened?

She had made a mockery out of him and caused Wang Tian Mu to be upset with him.

She wasn't going to get any sympathy from him.

"If you come near me or her again, I can promise you, you will live to regret every decision that you have ever made while mine and her family rip yours apart. Tell me you understand."

Ye Mei Hui staggered back, a look of fear crossing her face.

"Tell me you understand."