20 Dollar Nose Bleed

Training with Patrick is a lot harder than you'd expect. Every hit I tried, he countered. Every block I tried, he broke through. There was no way I was going to win this without a little help or cheating but that's what these sessions are for. To train. Andy was stood at the side lines watching us fight. He occasionally calls in advice for me, telling me where I'm messing up or reminding me what attack I should have used. He's a lot of help actually.

Patrick stepped to the side as I charged him, he was fast for a chubby guy, but this time I was quicker. I leapt up into the air, his wooden pole swept through the air I had been, and tumbled over him landing perfectly. I swept my leg out and knocked him to the floor where I knelt on his chest, one foot on his weapon yielding arm and a knife to his throat.

"Yield!!!!" I yelled and I tried to regain my breath.

"Okay, okay. I yield." he said laughing. "You take this too seriously sometimes."

I removed the knife from his throat and loosened the pressure on his arm, he had dropped his weapon a long time ago. I took a moment to look around the room at the weapons. We were running low on stakes.

"Erm Wednesday?" Andy called.

I turned my gaze to him, still knelt on Patrick's chest.

"What did I do wrong then?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing. But it's what you're doing n-"

Patrick grabbed my leg and spun me to the ground. I landed face first on the concrete and hissed as Patrick grabbed my arms, pulling them behind me. He made a fake gun with his fingers and shot me as I glared at him.

"You said you yielded!" I screamed furiously.

"I did. But the Dandies won't. You need to learn to keep fighting, even when you think you're about to break or when you think you've won. You'll be dead in a second if you don't." he said casually, keeping his foot on my back while he tied my wrists together.

"Are the restraints really necessary?!" I growled.

"Yes. I can see the look on your face. You need time to calm down. So I'm making it so you can't hit me. Or throw one of those knives of yours at my head." he laughed. I glowered at him and wriggled a bit.

Andy and Patrick walked over to the work bench to look at one of Patrick's new weapon designs, leaving me all alone on this uncomfortable floor. I can't say it was the most fun in the world. I tried to move my hand as much as possible to try and find a way to escape out of these ropes but couldn't. It had to be impossible. Then I remembered the throwing knife in my back pocket. If I could just reach it I could get out.

I pulled my hand as high as I could and wriggled my way into my back pocket. The knot got caught on the pocket but I could feel the cool silver against my finger tips. I strained against the ropes but finally managed to get a good enough hold to pull it out of my pocket and into my hand. Success. I began sawing at the rope as I watched the two guys converse about the kinks in the work. I had tried to tell Patrick that me and Sunday used to be very good at designing things and that I could probably help but he just dismissed it with a wave of his hand. If I had designed that there wouldn't be any kinks.

Finally I managed to break out of the ropes and spun into a crouch, making no sound what so ever. I pulled three knives from my satchel and threw them at Patrick. If my aim was correct one would pin his hat to the wall and the other two would land either side of his head. All in all it would teach him not to mess with me. But they never made contact. As the knives flew threw the air Pete appeared and grabbed them all without even as much as a blink. I froze, my jaw hanging open, as I stared at him.

"Rule number one Patrick. Don't leave prisoners armed. This one almost had your head." Pete said and shook his head, dropping my precious knives on the floor.

Patrick and Andy turned to me with surprised expressions. I growled again and went to grab my jacket from the hooks on the wall, giving Pete the finger in the process.

"I wouldn't have hit him." I snapped.

"You're aim was off. You would have sliced his left ear a little. Nothing too big. You're still not allowed to do that though. Not even to make your point. Because one day you'll miss and someone will die. Then how will you feel?" Pete said calmly as he watched me collect my things.

"Shut up. You're not my Dad." I yelled.

"No I'm not. But I know he wouldn't have been very impressed with what he just saw. Learn to control your anger." he replied more calm then ever.

I ran up to him and slapped him as hard as I could.

"Don't you dare talk to me about my Dad as if you knew him. You knew nothing about either of them and you never will!" I hissed into his face and stormed off into my room.
He followed and grabbed my wrist when I was halfway down the hall, spinning me to face him.

"Come with me." he said and dragged me upstairs.

Behind the door I thought was Andy's room are some stairs apparently. These stairs lead up about two floors to another door. This door opens to reveal another hallway. At the end of this hallway is a red door with a lock on it. A broken lock. And behind this door is the rooftop. The great expanse of shingles and concrete spreads for further than you expect. Pete dragged me onto the roof and sat me down, sitting next to me in the middle of the roof.

All around us there were tree tops and fields. There were houses a few miles away but not close enough to see us. We were completely hidden. I saw Pete lay back beside me but ignored him and carried on looking around. It was getting close to sunrise now. I could see the first hints of sun rays waving to us from behind the trees. The sky was a beautiful rose pink colour. It was so relaxing it was unbelievable. I smiled to myself at the sight, wondering why I had never noticed the extra door before but I was glad I knew it was here now. This might just be my new favourite place.

"I was terrified and would you mind if I sat next to you and watched you smile?" Pete asked from beside me. I frowned at this.

"What did you sa-"

"So many kids but I only see you, and I don't think you notice me." he cut me off.

My frown deepened.

"What are you trying to say Pete? You're not making any sense."

"Well I've seen your boyfriend and I don't think he treats you right."

"What are you talking about? Are you referring to Brendon?"

"But that's non of my business is it?" he continued.

I looked at him but his eyes were shut with his arms behind his head.

"I'm not the way you think I am, girl." he said without looking at me.

"I don't know what you mean Pete. You're not making any sense."

"I'm not the way you think I am, girl." he repeated.

"I never asked you to repeat it idiot! I said I don't know what you mean!" I yelled at him but he didn't move.

"The only girl who ever gave me the time was the one who only wanted five minutes of mine."

My heart was racing. I leaned towards him slightly frowning and stared at him.

"Is this what you brought me here to say? Because if you like me you sure do have a funny way of showing it Pete. It's not that you're not cute or anything you're just being a bit of a dick recently don't you think. I mean like the other night when, just because I'd fallen asleep on you, you freaked out. Don't you think that's a bit over the top? Have you even ever done anything nice for me? I don't remember."

I was freaking out. This was going to make things so awkward from now on. I mean here he was telling me he liked me and I was just sat here slagging him off and freaking out right in front of him.

"I really am sorry Pete. You're just not the kind of guy I'm looking for right now. I mean you did try to start a fight with Brendon in the middle of a shop and you never have been nice to my sister. The girl's my twin Pete! You could at least show a little respect." I snapped.

"Are you even listening to me?!" I hit his arm and his eyes snapped open to focus on me.

Pete lifted a hand to his ear and pulled out a headphone before letting it rest on his chest.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

My heart sank. After all of that he'd just been singing along to some of his music! What a relief... Or was it a disappointment? He isn't that bad looking anyway. What are you saying! Shut up!!

"So you just disturbed me just so you could stare at me and float off into you're own little world? Nice one genius." he scoffed.

"Well sorry for thinking that since you dragged me up here you would have wanted to make some conversation for once." I replied, hastily avoiding telling him what I thought had really been happening.

"I only brought you up here so I could be sure you were going to kill Patrick. And so you could calm down. I mean you're so ridiculously tense it's unreal!" he laughed.

"Of course I am. My sister's a vampire and the main assassin for the bad guy and the four guys I'm staying with are vampire hunters, one of which is a vampire, who are probably going to kill my sister one day soon." I rambled angrily.

Suddenly Pete was in my face with a finger pressed against my lips.

"Shush! Now watch." he said and turned my face towards the horizon.

It was at that moment I noticed the change in scenery. But in fact the only thing that was changing was the sun. The rose pink colour in the sky was being replaced my a bright orange/yellow colour which was taking over the sky like a wave. This change brought with it a whole new look on the surrounding area. The trees around us didn't look threatening and scary any more they looked bright and welcoming. The houses didn't look boring and grey, they looked bright and cheerful. And the fields just seemed to invite you to sit on them and enjoy the promising sun light. It was wonderful.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I heard Pete say from beside me.

"Mmmhmm." I replied, not wanting to ruin the moment with words.

"This is my favourite place to go. No one disturbs me up here and it means I can watch the world go by from a safe distance without having to watch my back all the time. You always get the best views high up too." he said almost trance-like.

"It is beautiful." I agreed.

There was silence after that as we both watched the sun come up.

"Right! Okay! Let's get you inside. You need to go to bed. Big day tomorrow. Come on idiot get moving!" he snapped and lifted me up by my arm.

Just when I thought I was seeing a different side to him he goes and ruins it. Stupid boy.