Page 43 of Dating After the End of the World
“Since you seem to have successfully completed challenge number one, why don’t we move on to the next?” Blake smirks.
“Why don’t we.” I smile back.
“This time, I want you to get me to tap out, in any way you can.”
“Any way I can?” I raise a brow, inviting him to reconsider his choice of words.
“Any way you can.”
Blake takes a step back, squaring up with me. I get into position, a slight crouch with my arms out in front. He nods and furls his fingers, inviting me to attack. This time he’s more than ready for me. I can see the determination in his eyes, and I know that, head-on, I stand no chance. His size and strength will make short work of me. The fight will be over before it begins.
I fake low and then come up quickly like I’m going to throw a punch with the plan to dive low again as soon as he rises to counter the hit, but he doesn’t move. He doesn’t even flinch. It’s like he’s in my head. I back off and try again, erratically switching between fake jabs, lunges, and side steps, but none of it works. Blake remains stoic, watching my core, realizing that I can’t move if the rest of my body doesn’t move with me. He and my dad must have been training together. I’m going to have to let him counter my first attack, but what position sets me up best for my own retaliation?
Think, Casey.I try to recall everything Dad taught me, but I’m drawing a blank, and it’s because Blake is staring at me. Did he just wink? I think he winked at me. Oh yeah, he’s inside my head. But he’s not gonna stay there.
I fake a jab and shoot low, knowing that Blake will likely jump back and press me down into the ground face-first, neutralizing my efforts and leaving me exposed. Just as I suspect, when I dive low, his legs pop back and his weight shifts forward, his hands shooting at me, ready to drive me into the ground—but at the last second, I sidestep, letting his own momentum take him down. In an instant, I’m on top of him, wrapping my arm around his throat and using my opposite hand to pullback as hard as I can. He’s in a choke hold, so he should be tapping out in less than thirty seconds. Maybe I should count down for him ...
Suddenly, I’m floating in the air, or at least it feels that way. Blake starts to stand, and I wrap my legs around his waist so I won’t fall off. He’s on his feet again with ease, as if I’m not even on his back choking him out.
“Come on, Casey. Kill him,” Tessa yells.
“Tessa! This is training,” her mother chides her.
Blake grabs my arm with one hand and flails his other backward, getting a hold of my other arm. In one quick motion he bucks forward and yanks, sending me flying and tumbling to the ground.
Standing over me, he smiles down, still catching his breath from my choke hold.
“Not bad, Doomsday.” Blake extends a hand to me.
I swat it away and pull myself up.
“Again,” I say, turning to face him while sucking wind. My back aches from hitting the ground, but I ignore the pain. I’ll deal with that later, after I beat Blake.
“You sure you wanna do that?” He tilts his head, giving me an amused look.
“Oh yeah. Let’s go, boat boy.”
He furrows his brow. “Boat boy?”
“You know, because of the navy and, like, boats and stuff ... shut up,” I say. I’m flustered and already sore. I’m beyond tired too, because he woke me up before the crack of dawn.
“You got this, Casey,” Tessa yells. “Not the trash talk, though, but we’ll work on that later.”
“Okay, come and get it.” Blake grins. He crouches a little, beckoning me with both hands.Oh, I’ll get it, Blake. I’ll get it so hard.Tessa’s right—I should stop with the trash talk, both internal and external.Just focus on taking him down.
I steal a couple of deep breaths and charge forward. This time I don’t bother to try to fake him out. I run straight at him, fully erectand upright. He’s so confused that he just absorbs my body crashing into him. Rather than a full-on attack, it looks like the most aggressive hug anyone’s ever given.
Blake glances down at me in surprise as I’m wrapped in his arms. “What was that?”
“This,” I say, raising my leg and kneeing him right in the dick.
He sinks to his knees, moaning. His hands go straight to his crotch, holding it as he sucks in air. Several people gasp. Tessa claps and cheers.
“I’ll get some ice,” Elaine calls out as she scurries to the house.
“Don’t waste the ice on Blake’s nuts!” Tessa yells, but Elaine either doesn’t hear her or ignores the request.
“I think you’re the one that needs the training,” I say with a smirk.
