Writing prompt
Nia adjusted her skirt with a mischievous grin. "They call him Punch," she remarked offhandedly gesturing towards the figure lurking behind her. The three boys that were steadily advancing towards her staggered to a stop.
"Yeah? Why's that?" asked one. There was a slight quiver in his voice, betraying his unease. The speaker was lanky, thin but strong like a wire. His eyes were a watery blue and he had a chip in his front tooth. His eyes traveled over Nia slowly and he sneered appreciatively. Rubbing his jaw he glanced back to appraise the threat in the shadows. "He doesn't look like much," he concluded coolly as he slithered closer.
Punch stepped from the shadows and watched the group shift with unease and they took all of him in. As captain of the basketball team Punch was tall but strong. The muscles in his arms rippled as he casually draped an arm over Nia's petite frame and smiled. "Come on Nia, tell them why." Punch was handsome. He had sandy hair that fell into his warm brown eyes, but now they held no warmth as they tracked the small group of boys that were harassing his best friend's little sister.
"We didn't know she was with you man, our bad" the second of the three spat shoving his hands into his pockets. "We were just looking for a little fun."
Tossing her glossy auburn hair over her shoulder Nia snapped in agitation, "I told you to leave me alone."
Punch unslung his arm from her shoulders and took a step forward. A vein in his neck throbbed as he asked, "Is that true? She asked you to leave her alone?" His voice was slow, each syllable in his sentence was crisp with anger.
The third member finally found his voice, turning to the leader he mumbled "Jake she's not worth it. We're not looking for a fight. Looks like she's claimed."
Curling his lip Jake turned away and stepped in the opposite direction. "You're right Nate, I don't even know what diseases she could give me." He glanced back for one last look, "what a slut."
Nia sincerely hoped that his last look was worth it, because he didn't see much after Punch's fist came hurtling towards his face. A loud smack resounded through out the parking lot and Jake fell to ground. With a moan he clutched his nose as blood gushed between his fingers. Nate and the unnamed member gripped Jake's arms and lifted him to his feet.
"Told you," Nate grumbled wiping blood on his jeans.
"I'm going to take the young lady home, any complaints?" Punch questioned steering Nia towards his run down truck. No complaints were uttered. Punch shook out his hand, and slammed the door after Nia as she scrambled into the cab of the truck. Grinding his teeth Punch started the car and peeled out of the parking lot.
In the darkness of the cab she brushed her fingers across his swollen knuckles and whispered "Coach Brighton is going to be so pissed."
With a deep breath he turned to her "I don't care if he's pissed that guy needed to be taught a lesson. No means no." He stretched his fingers out hissing in pain as he did so.
Sighing Nia fell back into the seat. "God I'm sorry, it looks like hurts." Playing with the end of her skirt she glanced up at Punch, "Don't tell Taylor okay? He will be angry you had to step in."
Punch pulled into her driveway and shut off the engine. Shifting to look at her he sighed. "Nia I cant keep saving you, quit flirting with every guy that glances your way. Because a lot of them look, and my body is paying the price."
Upset, Nia quickly unbuckled the seatbelt and jumped from the truck. "I didn't ask you to save me. I'm not six anymore. Go ahead and tell Taylor, Clay. I'm not asking anymore favors." She slammed the door and the whole car shook. Clay watched her figure retreat into the house. Sighing he started his the truck and shifted into gear. Her words echoed in his head 'I'm not six anymore' and she wasn't. She wasn't the girl who's pigtails he pulled, she now had long hair that she left down and cute little smirk that melted his heart every time he caught sight of it.
That night he lay awake staring at his ceiling. "What am I going to do?" he groaned aloud "I cant like Nia that's ridiculous." His phone vibrated and he rolled over to retrieve it. Rubbing his eyes he opened the blinking text.
Clay I'm not saying sorry for what I said but I'm sorry for slamming your door. -N
Chuckling he typed back:
I'll forgive you only if you stop calling me Clay, you only call me Clay when you're pissed at me.
After a brief moment a vibrate signaled her response.
Fine. Goodnight Punch.-N
Grinning he let the phone clatter to the bed stand. He had developed a fondness for the nickname. He was given it when he drank all the punch they were selling on the side of the street. They didn't make a dime. He threw up later and sassy six year old Nia scolded his eight year old self "That's what you get, Punch." Ever since then the name stuck. Taylor quit calling him it about a year ago but Nia continued to. Closing his eyes Punch laughed, Nia never told those boy why she calls him Punch.
"Yeah? Why's that?" asked one. There was a slight quiver in his voice, betraying his unease. The speaker was lanky, thin but strong like a wire. His eyes were a watery blue and he had a chip in his front tooth. His eyes traveled over Nia slowly and he sneered appreciatively. Rubbing his jaw he glanced back to appraise the threat in the shadows. "He doesn't look like much," he concluded coolly as he slithered closer.
Punch stepped from the shadows and watched the group shift with unease and they took all of him in. As captain of the basketball team Punch was tall but strong. The muscles in his arms rippled as he casually draped an arm over Nia's petite frame and smiled. "Come on Nia, tell them why." Punch was handsome. He had sandy hair that fell into his warm brown eyes, but now they held no warmth as they tracked the small group of boys that were harassing his best friend's little sister.
"We didn't know she was with you man, our bad" the second of the three spat shoving his hands into his pockets. "We were just looking for a little fun."
Tossing her glossy auburn hair over her shoulder Nia snapped in agitation, "I told you to leave me alone."
Punch unslung his arm from her shoulders and took a step forward. A vein in his neck throbbed as he asked, "Is that true? She asked you to leave her alone?" His voice was slow, each syllable in his sentence was crisp with anger.
The third member finally found his voice, turning to the leader he mumbled "Jake she's not worth it. We're not looking for a fight. Looks like she's claimed."
Curling his lip Jake turned away and stepped in the opposite direction. "You're right Nate, I don't even know what diseases she could give me." He glanced back for one last look, "what a slut."
Nia sincerely hoped that his last look was worth it, because he didn't see much after Punch's fist came hurtling towards his face. A loud smack resounded through out the parking lot and Jake fell to ground. With a moan he clutched his nose as blood gushed between his fingers. Nate and the unnamed member gripped Jake's arms and lifted him to his feet.
"Told you," Nate grumbled wiping blood on his jeans.
"I'm going to take the young lady home, any complaints?" Punch questioned steering Nia towards his run down truck. No complaints were uttered. Punch shook out his hand, and slammed the door after Nia as she scrambled into the cab of the truck. Grinding his teeth Punch started the car and peeled out of the parking lot.
In the darkness of the cab she brushed her fingers across his swollen knuckles and whispered "Coach Brighton is going to be so pissed."
With a deep breath he turned to her "I don't care if he's pissed that guy needed to be taught a lesson. No means no." He stretched his fingers out hissing in pain as he did so.
Sighing Nia fell back into the seat. "God I'm sorry, it looks like hurts." Playing with the end of her skirt she glanced up at Punch, "Don't tell Taylor okay? He will be angry you had to step in."
Punch pulled into her driveway and shut off the engine. Shifting to look at her he sighed. "Nia I cant keep saving you, quit flirting with every guy that glances your way. Because a lot of them look, and my body is paying the price."
Upset, Nia quickly unbuckled the seatbelt and jumped from the truck. "I didn't ask you to save me. I'm not six anymore. Go ahead and tell Taylor, Clay. I'm not asking anymore favors." She slammed the door and the whole car shook. Clay watched her figure retreat into the house. Sighing he started his the truck and shifted into gear. Her words echoed in his head 'I'm not six anymore' and she wasn't. She wasn't the girl who's pigtails he pulled, she now had long hair that she left down and cute little smirk that melted his heart every time he caught sight of it.
That night he lay awake staring at his ceiling. "What am I going to do?" he groaned aloud "I cant like Nia that's ridiculous." His phone vibrated and he rolled over to retrieve it. Rubbing his eyes he opened the blinking text.
Clay I'm not saying sorry for what I said but I'm sorry for slamming your door. -N
Chuckling he typed back:
I'll forgive you only if you stop calling me Clay, you only call me Clay when you're pissed at me.
After a brief moment a vibrate signaled her response.
Fine. Goodnight Punch.-N
Grinning he let the phone clatter to the bed stand. He had developed a fondness for the nickname. He was given it when he drank all the punch they were selling on the side of the street. They didn't make a dime. He threw up later and sassy six year old Nia scolded his eight year old self "That's what you get, Punch." Ever since then the name stuck. Taylor quit calling him it about a year ago but Nia continued to. Closing his eyes Punch laughed, Nia never told those boy why she calls him Punch.
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