Page 7 of Caged

John explained different strikes, while the rest of SSI demonstrated them and their effectiveness. He paired me with AJ to show the class how simple moves could help overcome size disparity. I couldn’t help but notice Jaden was always on opposite side of the room.Probably for thebest. We’d end up arguing and embarrassing ourselves. And worse, making SSI look bad.

Something neither of us wanted to do.

“Remember, you’re not trying to win a fight. You’re trying to buy enough time to get to safety,” John said when someone asked how realistic it was for someone without years of training to beat a bigger guy in a fight.

We held pads and coached students through a few simple moves, including eye gouges. By the end of the class, everyone was having fun hitting the bag like it represented an ex-boyfriend who’d cheated on them.

Near the end of class, Jamie and I demonstrated how to break free if someone used duct tape to bind their wrists. Apparently, it was a running joke to bind Jamie’s wrists with bright pink tape.

“They get nervous for this bit, so we like to loosen them up with a good laugh,” Jack said as he wrapped baby vomit green tape around my wrists. I’m sure the company had a better name for the color, but it was the ugliest shade of green I’d ever seen.

The guys collected discarded tape while Meg and I handed out information packets to the students. They received a certificate for attending, handouts with tips and tricks, plus additional resources, and business cards for SSI.

“You don’t need to help,” Jack insisted when Meg picked up a chair.

“I’m pregnant, Jack, not broken,” she argued without any zeal.

It took about two seconds for the women to gang up on Jack, myself excluded. Though I agreed. Meg was perfectly capable of folding a few lightweight metal chairs.

“Fine.” Jack gave up and threw his hands up in front of this chest. “But don’t over do it.”

When Meg stuck her tongue out at Jack, Ashley got a case of the giggles. “I bet if you flutter your eyelashes, he’ll leave you alone.” Emily and Meg joined in, leaning on each other and laughing until tears rolled down their cheeks.

“Do I want to know?” Jaden asked.

“No.” Jamie, Jack, and AJ said together.

“You don’t know why they’re laughing, do you?” I asked.

“Nope,” AJ said.

“Not a clue,” Jack said.

The girls must have told Blake, because her eyes rounded in shock before she bent over laughing.

“I know.” Jaimie gloated. “But Em swore me to secrecy.” The guys turned on him, demanding he spill his guts, but he wouldn’t budge.

Meg called me over and explained. Last summer, Ashley told Emily to flirt with Jamie by batting her eyelashes at Jamie, but Emily immediately had images of cartoon characters fill her head, so now any time one of them brought up fluttering eyelashes, they all devolved into giggle fits.

I appreciated her sharing the story, but I still felt like an outsider.It’s my own fault.I’ve kept myself distant to protect myself.

Times like this reminded me just how lonely playing it safe could be.

“Alright, ladies, class is over. Time to go,” John said with a smile, his love for them shining in his eyes. He turned to the guys and said, “Back to work. You don’t want me to keep your mother waiting, do you?”

“No, sir.” They said in unison. Even AJ and me, because no one wanted to upset Mary Sheppard. She was the team Mama Bear, but wouldn’t think twice about giving us a talking to if we fucked up.

“Max,” Meg was the only person from the office who chose to call me Max instead of Maxwell. “We’re going to Em’s to hang out and order food. Want to come?” Meg asked.Funny how she refers to Jamie’s house as Emily’s.

“I’m sure she’s too good-” Jaden corrected himself, “too busy to join us.” His insulting words and tone hit the mark. They probably all thought that was the reason I always said no.

I wouldn’t have accepted, not because I thought I was too good for them or even too busy, but because I felt out of place in the tight-knit group.

And I’d learned the hard way not to get too close to my co-workers.

But I didn’t want them thinking he was right, so I accepted.One hour can’t hurt.“That sounds fun. Can I bring anything?” I asked.

Jaden’s ‘fuck you’ expression felt satisfying in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

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