So, like, it's been a freaking week since those nightmares that were supposed to be just in my head decided to crash the party of reality. And guess what these nightmares are? A massive, unscalable wall, and to make it even worse, it's got the mug of my ultimate annoyance, Hazel Hunt.
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This past week has been a total buzzkill. My school, which I used to rule like it was my personal kingdom, is no longer under my command. And why, you ask? Hazel Hunt, that's why.
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Ever since day one, she's been this thorn in my side, ruining my hustle when it comes to collecting lunch money from the weaklings who owe me. Like, seriously, what's her deal? She's messing with my business, man!
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I mean wherever I looked she was their to ruin my day, I mean what did I do to deserve all of this, I mean what the hell!
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I've tried settling things with some old-school, fist-to-face diplomacy, but every time we throw hands, it's a disaster. Me and my crew end up on the ground, noses bleeding, bodies covered in scars. It's total madness!
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"Darn her," I muttered, strolling through the school halls with my hands in my pockets, fixated on one thing – Hazel Hunt, always Hazel Hunt.
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"Chill, boss, don't get all worked up," Charlie advised, standing beside me.
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"How can I not be ticked off!" I snapped, drawing attention from nearby students who quickly averted their gaze upon realizing it was me.
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"That girl has wrecked everything," I grumbled.
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"Well, what if we lay low around her? Get a bit sneakier with our money moves?" Charlie suggested.
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"What? Run and hide?" I retorted, the mere idea making me sick. "I'm not giving her that satisfaction!" I bellowed, grabbing Charlie's collar. "Say it again! Say it again, and I'll..."
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My sentence trailed off as fear washed over Charlie's face – a look I'd seen a dozen times before. Releasing his collar, I continued down the hall, dismissing the stares and whispers of the crowd. They weren't worth my time.
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"I'll show her who's boss. I'll prove it during P.E.," I declared, determined to reclaim my dominance.
***
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"Hey, Hunt!" I shouted, strutting through the basketball courts in my PE gear – blue shorts and a grayish shirt with our school name splashed in the middle.
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"What do you want?" she huffed, clearly annoyed.
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"A challenge!" I declared, pointing my finger right at her.
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"Huh?" she replied, raising one eyebrow, clearly curious about what I had up my sleeve.
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"What the heck are you on about now, rat?" Hazel asked, her eyes reflecting nothing but disinterest.
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"A push-up challenge, right here and right now!" I proclaimed.
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"What?" Hazel said, raising one eyebrow, clearly puzzled.
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"You, me, this moment, push-ups. I challenge you!" I shouted, grabbing the attention of a few onlookers.
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"What do you hope to gain from this?" she asked, crossing her arms.
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"Your ass underfoot," I replied nonchalantly, not really caring how that sounded.
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"What?" Hazel seethed.
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I could practically see the veins on her forehead as she held back from clocking me in the face.
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"You heard me," I smirked. "Push-ups now."
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Hazel marched toward me at a brisk pace, stopping just inches away.
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"Fine," she gritted her teeth. "I guess it'd be a nice change from kicking your butt," she said, smirking back.
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"Today's the day," I thought to myself as Hazel and I got in position.
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I shot her a smile, but her eyes were glued to the ground, totally uninterested.
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"As many push-ups as we can crank in a minute," I declared, convinced I could pull off at least 40, if not 50.
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Hazel stayed silent, eyes still fixed on the floor.
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"Ready," I said. "Begin!" I yelled, diving into my set without wasting a second.
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In no time, I was pushing close to 20, sweat dripping, but I didn't let up.
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Smirking, I soaked in the gasps and wows from the crowd. "Yeah, I know I'm amazing," I thought again.
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Turning my head slightly to the right, I soon realized I wasn't the one stealing the spotlight.
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"What the?"
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"I said, looking at Hazel who was hitting an unreal speed, knocking out a dozen push-ups in a single second.
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"Shit," I muttered between breaths, picking up my pace. I hit 30, then 40, then 50, but it didn't matter because, even though I sped up, Hazel, that witch, did the same.
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"Time!" one of the students called.
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I collapsed, doing everything I could to catch my breath, while Hazel just stood up without breaking a sweat. No heavy breathing, no sign of effort. She looked down at me with that infuriating smirk.
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"Darn her," I thought.
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"This isn't over," I declared, pulling myself up.
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"Oh yeah? Looks pretty over to me," she said, crossing her arms.
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"Sit-ups," I insisted, anger flaring.
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"Really?" she sighed.
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"Sit-ups!" I repeated, not willing to take no for an answer.
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"Fine," she said with a bored look.
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"Ready," I said, once again next to Hazel, getting set for the next challenge. "Begin!" I yelled as the sit-up competition kicked off.
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"Winner Hazel!" a student called out after a minute had passed.
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"Dang it! Squats!" I shouted, refusing to throw in the towel.
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"Winner Hazel!" another student announced, this time with less enthusiasm.
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"Dang it. A race!" I insisted.
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"Winner Hazel."
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"Dang it, dang it, dang it!" I yelled, my body drenched in sweat, breath nearly gone.
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"Dude, give up," she said, still looking unfazed after all the exercises.
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"Was I seriously the only one putting in effort here?" I thought.
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The score wasn't even funny.
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- Push-ups: 55/90 [Winner Hazel]
- Sit-ups: 40/90 [Winner Hazel]
- Squats: 50/90 [Winner Hazel]
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I won't even bring up the race; my embarrassment is suffocating enough. "Dang it, why can't I beat you!" I yelled as I watched her stroll away.
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Hazel halted and looked back at me, a proud smile stretching across her face. "Because, little rat, you're weak."
***
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Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
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