Swayer's POV
| watched in horrifying embarrassment as the video played out. Penelope had shoved me back and pointed her fist in my chest and was now arguing with me. | could hear every word.
I am embarrassed but I can't say if I am angry at her or on the video.
"What the hell?" | turned back to the punching bag and slammed my fist against it. "Who posted that?" He shrugged. "| dunno man, but she seems scary. But she's hot. Nice job, bro." No, no, no, nice job was definitely not it. | bet everyone at school had seen it. Now they know that there is someone out there that can talk to me that way. Girls throw themselves on me not yell at me or tell me what to do or what not!"My reputation is at stake, Trey! Shit."
| grabbed my things, not bothering to train today, and walked back to the doors. "Sorry T, I'll see you later!" | yelled back at him. "Where you going?" | pushed the doors open with a bang. "I'm going to find Penelope."Swayer rushed to the school on his motorcycle.
Penelope's POV | had just exited the last class of the day and decided that | was going to go to the gym. In math today, | had tried to look up new gyms that are local, but there were none. Most of them were at least two hours away. | guess | would just have to find out the times that Swayer never went. So, I don't have to see his face again after the school.Speaking of Swayer, which | do not want to do but my mind is forcing me too, he hasn't been at class at all today. Everyone was gossiping about us now. And how fiery I was and what an amazing couple we would make. Two girls even dared to glare at me and whisper how jealous they were because | had been dating Swayer. Ew. No. | would never date Swayer. | walked to my locker and stuffed my English textbook in. It was at least ten inches thick. "Penelope." | heard his voice rumble in my ear. | turned around to notice that he was a good two inches from my face. Our lips are inches apart and if I hadn't pulled back then our lips would have met. I took a deep breath and said "What do you want?""Come with me." he growled. "No thanks." | spat in his face and he onlysmirked.
"Too bad." He grabbed my arm and started to pull me through the crowded hallway and towards the back exit. "What are you doing?" | said, trying desperately to get his grip off of my arm. But it was impossible. He has those firm hands and his grip tightened as I tried to remove my hand from his grip.He didn't answer and eventually, | just gave up. | watched as the girls in the hallway gazed at him like he was chocolate. Cursing me like I have stolen their boyfriend and I shouldn't ever come to this school.| rolled my eyes as he opened the glass door and dragged me out of the school. We were in the back parking lot where the teachers parked their cars. He pulled me towards the middle. And blocked my way with both of his hands."Have you seen the video?" he asked, staring into my eyes. "Of course | have, people have been showing me it non-stop. It's annoying." He scoffed. "Not only that, but humiliating. Do you know what it's like for me to have a video out there of a girl telling me what to do?" | smiled and pouted my lip. "Aww, poor bigboy is scared of a girl?"
His face turned angry and he pushed me back against a wall. His face hovered inches from mine. | could feel his breath on my lips and it smelled like cinnamon. His chest was pressed up against mine and my heart started to beat rapidly. He smirked and leaned closer, if that was even possible. "Don't mess with me Penelope. You won't likethe consequences."
"And what would those be?" | asked breathlessly. His lips brushed against my ear and |drew in a breath. | could feel him smiling.
"You'll see."
Then he backed away and walked back to a motorcycle parked next to an alley. | stared as he strung his leg over the seat and met my gaze. | looked away.Don't think too much, sweetheart. This will never be going to happen! He chuckled
"You comin?" he asked. | looked at the motorcycle and then at him. He was so weird, acting all innocent now like nothing had just happened. | shrugged. "Whatever." | walked over and ran my fingers over the back of the motorcycle."An XLCR. Nice."
He looked at me with raised eyebrows. "You know about bikes?" | shrugged. "I know a little bit." | hopped on the back and tightened my legs at the sides. Swayer chuckled and grabbed my thighs, pulling me forward and wrapping my legs around his. He took my hands and put them around his waist and said, "Hold on babe." | rolled my eyes as he zoomed off. My eyes watered, but it was still amazing. My dad had owned many Harley's and late 70's Sportsters, so naturally, | always grew up around them. My grip on Swayer's waist tightened as he speed up. | could feel his hard abs underneath my hands and wondered what it would be like to run my fingers along them. | instantly blushed at the thought. "Where do you live?" he said loudly overthe wind.
| told him my address and saw him grin widely. "What?" | asked. He shook his head and turned a corner, | leaned along with him. "Nothing. It's just that | know someone who lives next to you. "Who?" He pulled in front of my house and stopped the bike. "Me." and then he hopped off with me following his lead. My mouth hung open in shock to look up at the equally large house next to mine. It looked like the exact same replica, but flipped. "You?" | watched as he flipped the kickstand on his bike. "You're my neighbor?" He smirked and looked at me. It made my stomach flutter. What the hell? "Yep, now we can hang out more,' he said and smiled again, walking up the steps tohis porch. "You comin'?"
| shook my head and nodded towards my house. "| have to change and go to the gym. You won't be there will you?" | saw a flash of hurt in his eyes but ignored it. "Maybe." | groaned and walked into my house, having enough of Swayer for one day. My mom wasn't home yet, surprise surprise. I took a deep breath and dialled my mom's number. I waited until the dialled toned goes to the voice mail. Tears started to form up in my eyes remembering the loneliness I have in my life. How my world collapsed the day my parents got separated and I was without giving any choice was sent to my mother. It's not like I didn't love her but my dad is far better than her. She never bothered about me, never ask me about my day. I just miss my dad. I brushed off my thoughts along with tears and went upstairs to get ready. Right as | was pulling off my jacket, | heard a few knocks on my window. | looked over to see Swayer throwing pebbles at the glass. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You could break the window!" | said when | slid it open. 'I'm just trying to get your attention, sweetheart." He grinned. "Why would someone design a house like this?" | mumbled under my breath, but Swayer had overheard. "What's the matter, babe? Worried about flashing me once in a while?" he winked. |threw a pebble at his face.
"Ouch!" he rubbed his cheek. | smiled in approval and sat on the window frame. Looking down, | had never noticed that there was a white vine ladder that reached to the bottom. Many plants tangled up around it and stretched out to the sun. | apparently never noticed the wide window across from mine that occupied a horny teenage bad boy. "Why aren't you out tonight?" | asked him. "What do you mean?" "| mean,' | said, stretching out my arms, "it's Friday, | thought you'd be out partying right now. Maybe drinking..." He chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm competing tonight." | raised my eyebrows. "You compete?" He nodded. "Yeah, there's one downtown today by the denny's Bar. You should come." | thought about it and maybe watching a fight wouldn't be a waste of a Friday night.So, I said "Okay."
He instantly lit up and winked. "I'll see you at seven then, darling." Then he got up from the windowsill and closed it, still smiling and winking at me from the inside of his room.I don't know what happen but the thought of meeting Swayer tonight makes me feel all those butterflies in my stomach. He is all nice and crocky at the same time and I… I seem to enjoy his company.
Penelope's POVAfter taking a shower, brushing my hair, and then applying on some mascara and eyeliner, | stood in front of my closet, just staring.The weather said it would be chilly, what a surprise, so | picked out a dark maroon colored shirt with a black leather jacket. | pulled on some light jeans and vans, thenwent to grab my phone.| looked to see there was a message froman unknown number.Unknown: hey sweetie, you ready for tonight? ;) - Swayer| wondered how the heck he got my number.Penelope: how'd you get this number??Swayer: | have my ways...Penelope: ok? And yeah, I'm pumped!Swayer: alright then babe, see you in a few ')| chuckled and slid the phone into my back pocket. | checked the time and it read 6:47. Crap, | had to get there soon.Running down the stairs, | came to a halt w
Swayer's POV| walked to the center of the mat and faced my opponent. He towered a good half foot over me, but | Knew | couldn't let his height intimidate me. Before the referee started the fight, | glanced around with my eyes to scan out the room for Penelope.| instantly saw her right in the second row, her eyes locked onto mine and | felt a rush of adrenaline in me. She smiled and cheered out, and | smiled to myself and faced the beast.The bell rung and | shifted from foot to foot, holding my hands in front of my face. The crowd went silent and all | could hear the breaths of my opponent and me.He threw the first punch but | ducked right before and swung to his stomach. He grunted but quickly repositioned. We kept throwing punches to each other, and once| knocked his jaw sideways.Without me knowing, he lunged and tackled me to the floor. His body weight pinning me down as he threw punches repeat
"Ingrid Thatcher. Thank you so much for saving me. Really, it means the world tome." She said.| smiled and nodded. "You're welcome. | wouldn't let some lunatic get away without a fight.""Where did you learn how to?" she asked."In California, my old home. My dad taught me part time and | got really interested. If you want you can come by and-"She shook her head furiously. "Oh no, | mean, | can't do that. | hate fighting, especially watching it. That's why it took me a while to build up the courage to smack the guy in the head with your sandwich..." she looked down at the smashed lunch in the plastic bag she was carrying. "Sorry about your sandwich." She apologized.| waved it off. "No problem. Your life was more important anyways. Don't worry about it."She thanked me and her cellphone rang. Ingrid looked at the caller, listened to the other end, and told me that she had to get
Swayer's POVMonica stood, picked up her purse, and shook her head at me. "You should really try and get to know her better, Swayer. Maybe you'll actually realize that you like her soon enough. | dont want you growing up and looking back at your life and remembering all the girls you've slept with and thrown away. Maybe she's the one."| laughed my ass off at this one because no way in hell would Penelope ever marry me or | marry her. We weren't soul mates, we weren't even dating for that matter and Monica was already trying to plan weddings."Well, | have to go. But think about it." she came back over and kissed me lightly before walking out of my room.Why was she telling me this, and more importantly, what is Penelope doing to me?Penelope's POVA few weeks passed without me seeing Swayer. | began to worry but thought nothing of it. He did live next to me, maybe I could go check up on him.&n
Penelope's POV| looked around, astounded by the amount of flowers covering the meadow-like clearing. | looked over Swayer's shoulder and saw a crystal clear pond."Wow." | whispered and Swayer turned around to glance at me with a grin on hisface.The dirt road stopped at the edge of the pond. Swayer and | hopped off and | speedily walked to the pond.| stopped when | saw small twinkling lights hovering over the water. Fireflies.| reached out to grab one and lost my footing, but Swayer's arms pulled me back before | fell face first into the water.My body was turned back towards him and my chest was pressed up against his. Our breathing was shallow and my nose was mere inches away from his. | looked into his deep brown eyes and felt a tug towards his lips.| looked away and gently pulled myself out of his arms, immediately blushing."How did you fin
Penelope's POV"It's complicated Swayer.""Bullshit."| pulled his hand slowly away from my face and he stood there with a confused expression."| need to get going." I said.He followed me out without a word until | came to the doors."How'd you get here?" he asked.| pointed to my mom's white Mercedes. It's sometimes nice when your mom's a lawyer, though is she ever found out about my deeper past and secrets back in California, she would kill me."Just think about it Penelope." Swayer called from the doorway of the gym when | was loading into the driver's seat."Think about it."Swayer's POV| don't understand why Penelope doesn't want to fight. She said something about 'not being able to tell me' or 'it's complicated', but | had an itch to find out why.The next morning | went for a jog to the gym ins
After a while.Penelope's POVSo here | was, massaging Swayer's shoulder while he sat on the couch with a bowl of cheetoh puffs. | was currently standing behind the couch, wishing | could take a break from this pretty exhausting work."Catch." Swayer said and before | could comprehend what was happening he threw a cheetoh puff in my face. It whacked me in the forehead and | stopped my hands and just stood there with my eyes closed and mouth in a straight line. | breathed in slowly and calmed myself from his laughter. Oh how | wanted to suddenly massage his neck. With my hands. Very, very, tightly."You have a little cheese right there..." Swayer pointed to my forehead and chuckled lightly."You won't be laughing when | strangle you to death in your sleep." | said."Here." He sat up from the couch and leaned over the back. His fingers slowly brushed off the cheese dust from my forehead and
Swayer's POVWhen we got there, there were five guys standing with cameras and cards, trying to get Penelope to attend another match. | grabbed the cards and ushered her inside,shutting the door."Oh my gosh, | won." She finally said and chuckled, pulling her into another hug."Yeah you did! And by the way, you stink."She hit my arm playfully. "Now you knowhow you smelled like that first match."We laughed and after she pulled on her jacket, we rode our bikes to a diner nearby. While we tried to get out of the arena, many people and reporters took pictures and handed me cards that | stuffed into the pockets with the rest.We got a seat in the back corner of one ofmy favorite diners in this city."This place has the best onion rings you'll ever taste." | said as the waitress placed a small basket of onion rings down
Swayer's POVWhen we got there, there were five guys standing with cameras and cards, trying to get Penelope to attend another match. | grabbed the cards and ushered her inside,shutting the door."Oh my gosh, | won." She finally said and chuckled, pulling her into another hug."Yeah you did! And by the way, you stink."She hit my arm playfully. "Now you knowhow you smelled like that first match."We laughed and after she pulled on her jacket, we rode our bikes to a diner nearby. While we tried to get out of the arena, many people and reporters took pictures and handed me cards that | stuffed into the pockets with the rest.We got a seat in the back corner of one ofmy favorite diners in this city."This place has the best onion rings you'll ever taste." | said as the waitress placed a small basket of onion rings down
After a while.Penelope's POVSo here | was, massaging Swayer's shoulder while he sat on the couch with a bowl of cheetoh puffs. | was currently standing behind the couch, wishing | could take a break from this pretty exhausting work."Catch." Swayer said and before | could comprehend what was happening he threw a cheetoh puff in my face. It whacked me in the forehead and | stopped my hands and just stood there with my eyes closed and mouth in a straight line. | breathed in slowly and calmed myself from his laughter. Oh how | wanted to suddenly massage his neck. With my hands. Very, very, tightly."You have a little cheese right there..." Swayer pointed to my forehead and chuckled lightly."You won't be laughing when | strangle you to death in your sleep." | said."Here." He sat up from the couch and leaned over the back. His fingers slowly brushed off the cheese dust from my forehead and
Penelope's POV"It's complicated Swayer.""Bullshit."| pulled his hand slowly away from my face and he stood there with a confused expression."| need to get going." I said.He followed me out without a word until | came to the doors."How'd you get here?" he asked.| pointed to my mom's white Mercedes. It's sometimes nice when your mom's a lawyer, though is she ever found out about my deeper past and secrets back in California, she would kill me."Just think about it Penelope." Swayer called from the doorway of the gym when | was loading into the driver's seat."Think about it."Swayer's POV| don't understand why Penelope doesn't want to fight. She said something about 'not being able to tell me' or 'it's complicated', but | had an itch to find out why.The next morning | went for a jog to the gym ins
Penelope's POV| looked around, astounded by the amount of flowers covering the meadow-like clearing. | looked over Swayer's shoulder and saw a crystal clear pond."Wow." | whispered and Swayer turned around to glance at me with a grin on hisface.The dirt road stopped at the edge of the pond. Swayer and | hopped off and | speedily walked to the pond.| stopped when | saw small twinkling lights hovering over the water. Fireflies.| reached out to grab one and lost my footing, but Swayer's arms pulled me back before | fell face first into the water.My body was turned back towards him and my chest was pressed up against his. Our breathing was shallow and my nose was mere inches away from his. | looked into his deep brown eyes and felt a tug towards his lips.| looked away and gently pulled myself out of his arms, immediately blushing."How did you fin
Swayer's POVMonica stood, picked up her purse, and shook her head at me. "You should really try and get to know her better, Swayer. Maybe you'll actually realize that you like her soon enough. | dont want you growing up and looking back at your life and remembering all the girls you've slept with and thrown away. Maybe she's the one."| laughed my ass off at this one because no way in hell would Penelope ever marry me or | marry her. We weren't soul mates, we weren't even dating for that matter and Monica was already trying to plan weddings."Well, | have to go. But think about it." she came back over and kissed me lightly before walking out of my room.Why was she telling me this, and more importantly, what is Penelope doing to me?Penelope's POVA few weeks passed without me seeing Swayer. | began to worry but thought nothing of it. He did live next to me, maybe I could go check up on him.&n
"Ingrid Thatcher. Thank you so much for saving me. Really, it means the world tome." She said.| smiled and nodded. "You're welcome. | wouldn't let some lunatic get away without a fight.""Where did you learn how to?" she asked."In California, my old home. My dad taught me part time and | got really interested. If you want you can come by and-"She shook her head furiously. "Oh no, | mean, | can't do that. | hate fighting, especially watching it. That's why it took me a while to build up the courage to smack the guy in the head with your sandwich..." she looked down at the smashed lunch in the plastic bag she was carrying. "Sorry about your sandwich." She apologized.| waved it off. "No problem. Your life was more important anyways. Don't worry about it."She thanked me and her cellphone rang. Ingrid looked at the caller, listened to the other end, and told me that she had to get
Swayer's POV| walked to the center of the mat and faced my opponent. He towered a good half foot over me, but | Knew | couldn't let his height intimidate me. Before the referee started the fight, | glanced around with my eyes to scan out the room for Penelope.| instantly saw her right in the second row, her eyes locked onto mine and | felt a rush of adrenaline in me. She smiled and cheered out, and | smiled to myself and faced the beast.The bell rung and | shifted from foot to foot, holding my hands in front of my face. The crowd went silent and all | could hear the breaths of my opponent and me.He threw the first punch but | ducked right before and swung to his stomach. He grunted but quickly repositioned. We kept throwing punches to each other, and once| knocked his jaw sideways.Without me knowing, he lunged and tackled me to the floor. His body weight pinning me down as he threw punches repeat
Penelope's POVAfter taking a shower, brushing my hair, and then applying on some mascara and eyeliner, | stood in front of my closet, just staring.The weather said it would be chilly, what a surprise, so | picked out a dark maroon colored shirt with a black leather jacket. | pulled on some light jeans and vans, thenwent to grab my phone.| looked to see there was a message froman unknown number.Unknown: hey sweetie, you ready for tonight? ;) - Swayer| wondered how the heck he got my number.Penelope: how'd you get this number??Swayer: | have my ways...Penelope: ok? And yeah, I'm pumped!Swayer: alright then babe, see you in a few ')| chuckled and slid the phone into my back pocket. | checked the time and it read 6:47. Crap, | had to get there soon.Running down the stairs, | came to a halt w
Swayer's POV| watched in horrifying embarrassment as the video played out. Penelope had shoved me back and pointed her fist in my chest and was now arguing with me. | could hear every word.I am embarrassed but I can't say if I am angry at her or on the video."What the hell?" | turned back to the punching bag and slammed my fist against it. "Who posted that?"He shrugged. "| dunno man, but she seems scary. But she's hot. Nice job, bro."No, no, no, nice job was definitely not it. | bet everyone at school had seen it. Now they know that there is someone out there that can talk to me that way. Girls throw themselves on me not yell at me or tell me what to do or what not!"My reputation is at stake, Trey! Shit."| grabbed my things, not bothering to train today, and walked back to the doors."Sorry T, I'll see you later!" | yelled back at him."Where you going?"&nbs