Project Servile : Defect [Book #1] ✔ Complete!

➽ T e n : Trapper

"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
- Joseph Campbell

A loud thud echoed through the room. The wind flew out of my lungs and yet there he still stood with that cocky smile. Albeit, battered with a split lip and a swollen eye. Every hit I managed to land on him, he would hit back just as hard. I forced my legs to lift me up and the quiet whispers in the back of my head were growing louder with frustration.

I wish I had the opportunity to watch him fight. To study him in detail. How he always seemed to be a step ahead, even when I would feign an attack. How his movements made his body seem like liquid, flowing gracefully from centuries of practice. Every move was just a simple reflex. His transcended sparring skills had become, strictly, second nature. I knew I had to look like an uncoordinated child next to him, but still my hits drew blood. I even managed to pin him at one point even if it only lasted a half a second. I would qualify that as a major accomplishment, if not a victory in its own way.

"Are you two getting tired? Just going to circle each other the rest of the day?" Draven shouted at us with his half-hearted insults through the entire fight.

Harley and Draven were going to spend their time practicing with weapons of so many different types, I had no idea such things existed. They stopped, however when they realized I wasn't going to give up. Now they had bets, which just fueled my desire to have the prince laying on his back. That thought suddenly sent blood rushing to my cheeks.

Draven barked out a laugh. "Oh look! Maddie just thought of something inappropriate. You can see the blush even under all the bruises!"

Jaxon's eyes sparkled with excitement, his whole body flush with enjoyment. I had a feeling that he didn't visit the gym as much as he wished he could. That's when it happened. When his eyes locked onto mine and a wonderful smile caught my breath. A smile with no filter, no hesitation. The slight flutter of my heart kicked up a memory, one I thought I knew inside and out.

As he advanced on me, I stumbled backwards with my vision blurring between a memory and reality. The full effect of his smile, pure and directed right at me, sent my mind spiraling. I was suddenly my five year old self, walking the dimly lit halls of the Academy. Smiling lightly at every pair of eyes that accidentally connected with mine and feeling the slight disappointment dropping my mood lower each time a person failed to smile back at me. I felt the sadness creep up on me when I knew I was going to give up smiling at people, when I noticed him standing there. The beautiful man, dressed in a tailored gray suit, and talking quietly to one of the headmasters.

Whenever I tried to remember the specifics of the man, he was always blurry. A generic looking man with the typical male shape about him but this time, I saw every detail. Right down to the light stubble peppering his chin and the shade of hunter green that's been in my thoughts since I slammed into him. My five year old self saw an opportunity with a stranger, if one smile could be returned it would make me believe again. So I smiled, the biggest smile I think I ever had in my short years just as he looked up at me. The light crinkle in the corners of his eyes sent my heart flying with joy when he smiled hugely back at me.