Class soon ended, and David waved good bye to Scarlet, and left the room, to the stairwell.  Kidding, I was just kidding, Scarlet thought.  “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” A girl asked behind Scarlet.  “Huh, it’s you again,” Scarlet said.  Behind her was Sierra.  “What was that about?” Sierra asked, calmly.  “Oh, I just had to talk with him, about some private stuff,” Scarlet said, putting her stuff in her bag.  “And what was that about a picture?” Sierra asked.  “Oh, I just took some embarrassing pictures of him the other night when he was sleeping over,” Scarlet said.  Sierra was stunned by what she heard.  “S-sleeping over?” Sierra asked.  “Yeah,” Scarlet said, smirking.  “I-I didn’t know you to were a couple,” Sierra said.  “Ha, no, he was spending time with my roommate, Ashley, we barely talked to each other,” Scarlet said.  “A-and your roommate?” Sierra asked.  “I don’t know, they seemed pretty lovey-dovey, but I guess they aren’t in love,” Scarlet said, pointing to her written question on the topic.  “Oh, that’s… interesting,” Sierra said.  “What about you, you were asking him on date before class,” Scarlet said, smirking.  “What, no I just want him to join the swimming club, that’s it,” Sierra said.  “That’s gonna be a tough sell, see ya later,” Scarlet said leaving the room.  Sierra studied her face as she talked.  She seemed oddly clung to David, at the start of class, but once he was gone, her mood had changed, Sierra observed.

David managed to leave the classroom, and get to the stairwell.  Suddenly, David was grabbed off of the ground.  “Hey there,” Emma said, holding David up.  “Emma it’s you, you scarred me there,” David said, sitting down in her hand.  Emma was wearing a very cute skirt, and shirt.  “Let’s have lunch together,” Emma said.  “Um, sure that sounds good,” David said.  Emma was about to walk down the door opened, and Skylar walked in.  Skylar paused for a second, recognizing Emma, and seeing David in her hand.  “You again,” Skylar said, changing her demeanor.  Emma was visibly frightened.  I gotta do something, David thought.  David stood up, and yelled to Skylar.  “Stop Skylar we’re good now!” David yelled.  Skylar stopped again, processing what David said, and remembering how he told her that Emma apologized.  Skylar stepped back and straightened herself out.  “Sorry, I assumed the worst,” Skylar said, calming down.  Emma seemed to calm down as well.  “It’s okay, I get it.  For what it’s worth I’m really really sorry for what I tried to do on Wednesday, I hope you can forgive me, both of you,” Emma said, looking back at Skylar.  “What are you two doing?” Skylar asked.  “She’s just taking me to lunch,” David said.  Skylar looked at Emma, clearly not over Wednesday.  “If that’s the case, then you wouldn’t mind if I joined you two,” Skylar said.  “Of- of course not,” Emma said.  Emma walked down the stairs, making sure to be extra careful with David in her hand.  Skylar looked down at David, saying, if you need help, just say so, with her eyes.

The three of them made it to lunch and got a table.  The tension was palpable.  “So, Skylar how’s MMA club gonna work?” David asked breaking the tension.  “The classes will be shorter, and yours will focus on fundamentals and what to expect from the club.  The later class is the one that I’m teaching, and it’s when the varsity club practices,” Skylar said.  “You’re trying for the MMA club?” Emma asked astonished.  “Yeah, I got interested in it after… Wednesday…” David said, realizing that he should’ve thought about what he said.  David looked at the two girls above him, and admired their contrasting beauty.  Oh yeah, I originally wanted to join the MMA club to get closer to Skylar.  So much has happened these past few days that I almost forgot about that, David thought.  The awkwardness returned.  “So, Emma we talked about doing homework together, when works for you?” David asked.  “Oh, right, any day is fine with me, my club meets on Tuesdays, Thursdays,  and Saturdays, so any day other than that works,” Emma said.  “Oh, what club is that?” David asked.  “Cheerleading,” Emma said.  “You’re a cheerleader?” Skylar asked.  “Yep, I’m light enough to be one of the flyers, so I do the cool flips and stuff,” Emma said, looking happy with herself.  “That’s really cool,” David said.  “Thanks, you should come to a practice some time,” Emma said.  “Probably not the best idea,” Skylar interjected.  “What why not?” Emma asked.  “There are lots of cheerleaders, and with that many he might fall into the wrong hands,” Skylar said.  “Ugh, you’re too protective, if David wants to come, he should come,” Emma said.  Skylar looked at David expectantly.  “Well, that sounds fun, but I don’t know, if there are that many cheerleaders, then there’s got to be one bad apple, right?” David said, trying to be as on-the-fence as possible.  Both Skylar and Emma seemed okay with that answer and continued eating.  “I’m done eating, I gotta go prepare for the club, see you then David,” Skylar said, walking away.

Once Skylar was gone, Emma sighed in relief.  “Man, that was awkward,” Emma said.  “Yeah,” David said.  “It would’ve been better if it was just the two of us,” Emma said.  “Yeah,” David said, again.  “But, now that we’re alone, it’s like a date,” Emma said.  “A date?” David said.  “Yeah, a lunch date is a must, if I’m gonna get you to fall for me,” Emma said.  David remembered Emma’s pledge to make him fall for her.  I gotta move her thoughts past that, David thought.  “So, we should plan on Studying on Wednesday, like at 5,” David said.  “oooo, a study date, so forward,” Emma said, smirking.  “I’m serious, I want to get homework done before the weekend,” David said.  “Yeah, me too, Wednesday it is,” Emma said, standing up.  Emma put the plates up, and returned to David.  Emma walked David out of the cafeteria, and up to his room.  “This’s my stop, thanks for the ride,” David said.  “No problem,” Emma said, placing David on the floor.  David looked up at her, but is vision was obscured by the sight of her skirt and panties.  “You just can’t keep your eyes off me,” Emma teased.  “Quit your teasing,” David said.  “Hey this was a date, don’t I get a kiss?” Emma asked.  “Good bye,” David said, slipping under his door.

Emma stood up, in the hallway.  Before she arrived at the door, Emma considered taking him back to her room, or trying to get a kiss out of him, but no.  “Well, I didn’t do any of that, but at least we’ll study together on Wednesdays,” Emma said, aloud.  The door opened behind her.  “Emma?” Hazel asked.  Emma turned around.  “Hazel, its you,” Emma said.  “What are you doing out here, come in,” Hazel said, pulling her cheerleader friend into her room.  Emma and Hazel sat on Hazel’s bed.  “This is my roommate, Zoey,” Hazel said, motioning to Zoey.

“Hey,” Zoey said, waving, before returning to her computer.  “Zoey, this is Emma,” Hazel said.  “Hi,” Emma said.  Zoey stopped for a moment.  Emma, she’s the girl from Wednesday, right?  What’s she doing here?  She was standing outside our door, was she with David?  Zoey thought.  “So, Emma, what were you doing in the hallway?” Zoey asked.  “I was just dropping off David, we had lunch together,” Emma said.  “Lucky, I’ve been trying to talk to David for a few days, but we haven’t talked since Thursday,” Hazel said.  Lunch with David, that’s interesting, Zoey thought.  Zoey scrolled up on her document to the parts when David has mentioned Emma.  She did say that she’d make him fall for him, is this her first step?  Zoey thought.  She’s just after sex though, right?  Not love or romance, David should know that so I guess he should be fine.  I’ll have to ask him about her tonight, Zoey thought.

David relaxed in his room for a while.  The gi that mom ordered, won’t be here for a while, so I’ll just go in regular clothes for now, David thought.  David got up, and headed for the door.  David texted Jenna in case she wondered where he was, and David made his way to the dojo.  Because it was nearly 2:00, the path wasn’t nearly as crowded as the morning, but David still walked in the grass to avoid being stopped.

David arrived at the wooden building and stepped inside.  Inside there was a long shelf where the students put their shoes.  David found an empty slot, and slipped off his shoes and socks, and walked onto the mat.  Many of the other new-comers and members had already started stretching and making introductions.  David purposely arrived right before the club started, to attract the least attention.  David slowly walked beside some of the other girls, and started stretching.  There weren’t many girls in the club maybe only a dozen total.  “Well, look who we have here,” A girl said, standing over David.  David stood up trying to look as unfazed as possible.  More girls started crowding around Davd.

Just then, a wooden, sliding door opened, with a loud thud.  “Everyone line up,” a girl said.  The girls crowding around David dispersed, and got into a neat line, with David somewhere in the middle.  “My name is Suki, and I am the JV Captain, it is my job to decide who is fit to stay in this club, and who is not.  If you do not take this seriously, then you will be ordered to leave.  We take MMA seriously, because it can prevent real harm from coming to you or your loved ones.  Though we don’t have enough newcomers to warrant tryouts, consider this first week as your tryout period, if you haven’t been ordered to leave, or have been acknowledged by myself as fit for the club, you will become an official member,” Suki said, walking along the line, and walking back. 

Suki had black hair that reached her chin, and she was wearing a gi with a black belt around her waist.  She was very clearly of Japanese descent, but she didn’t have an accent.  Suki walked back across the line, looking at the newbies from top to bottom.  Then Suki stopped when she arrived at David.  “Your name is David, right?” Suki asked.  “Yes,” David said.  “Well then, David, is this a joke to you?” Suki asked.  “What?  No I want to learn this stuff,” David said.  “Well, “this stuff” is used to defend yourself against enemies, and I don’t see how teaching you, will have any difference for you,” Suki said.  “What, but I want to learn,” David said.  “*sigh* Alright, but I won’t give you special privileges, and you will be treated and evaluated like every other member,” Suki said.  “That’s all I want,” David said.  Suki continued walking along the line.  “Some of you may wonder why we have an MMA club instead of clubs for every martial art, well there are 2 reasons.  1, there were too many groups of 3 or 4 of Karate or Kung fu, that couldn’t make a club.  2, when there were enough members for a club, there were too many scheduling issues.  This first day will be focused on fundamentals, making sure that all of you know the basic kicks, blocks, and punches, so let’s begin,” Suki said.  Suki ordered the class to do all manner of punch, kick, and block, counting to 10 in Japanese.  David didn’t know any of the moves, but he was a fast learner, and just copied what the others were doing.