Page 7

TOMMY

“Circle around!” Chris snaps from the outside of the cage, his booming voice creating a clear distinction from the person he is outside of this gym.

In the real world, Christian Watkins has no time for anybody, no inclination for small talk, and no fucking tolerance for making friends when he’s already so rich with those.

It’s me.

I’m his friend.

But inside Love it doesn’t surprise me the kid is a goodie-goodie question answerer. “We worked on our kata!”

“And takedowns!” Molly inserts.

“Which takedowns?” I grab another kid and yeet him to the left. Then another, directing her to the right. “Can anyone remember the name? ”

“It was the one where we do, like…” Jeremy grabs a classmate and tosses that little sucker over his shoulder with a ferociousness that’s gonna get my ass sued. But the kid bounces like he’s made of rubber, bounding back to his feet with a megawatt grin plastered across his face.

“Right.” I brush a hand over my mouth, if only to hide my smile. Then I walk down the middle of my groups to find one last kid. He lands right in the middle of short and tall. But most interesting of all is the fact I don’t know him.

In this town… that’s damn near impossible.

“What’s your name?” I turn and take a dozen hula hoops from the wall, tossing them to the floor to create an obstacle course.

But when the kid doesn’t answer by the time I’m done placing them, I come back with a frown and study him again.

More thoughtfully this time. I actually look at him, his trembling jaw and shimmering eyes hidden behind thick glasses.

He’s no loud-mouth Molly or people-pleasing Jeremy. He’s quiet. Shy. Terrified, even, as I crouch and search his misty stare. Lowering my voice, so it’s just for me and him, I try again. “My name is Tommy. Do you wanna tell me yours?”

He merely stares, his cheeks flaming red. But I know these types. Jesus, I’ve lived with one my whole life, so I drop my gaze and try a new approach. “That’s cool. You don’t have to tell me. You’re here for classes, huh?”

In my peripherals, he nods.

“But you don’t really want to be here, do you?”