it.”
“Ah, well, better than nothing.”
The man laughs and spits near the front bumper. “Ya’ll hear this fucking kid? Better than nothing. Where the hell did they pick you up at, anyway?”
***
I find Katia behind building 11 on a small stretch of grass.
I hear her long before I see her.
Grunts. Rawrs. Grrrs.
She’s hacking, slashing, and kicking a thick log. She backs up after each series of strikes and charges again, changing up her attack, ducking and kicking, over handed and under handed.
It’s all very theatrical.
Sweat drips down and around her eyes and turns her paper thin undershirt translucent against her toned caramel colored torso. She turns her head towards me and nods before charging in for another attack.
Three quick blows and a cresce nt kick.
Chunks of wood spiral o nto the grass.
“How were things in the grease pit?” She walks back towards me, hands on her head, swords pointed towards the sky, breathing heavy.
“How the hell do you think they went? Those guys and me, we don’t mix. I have a feeling you knew that would be the case.”
She shrugs. “Don’t know till you try.”
“Uh huh, well, I tried. You can find me something else.”
“Not sure there is anything else. I’ll have to dig.”
“Well, dig, really hard, because I’m not going back there.”
“And, what do I get for helping you out?”
I hold my arms out sarcastically. “My eternal gratitude will have to do.”
She taps a finger against her chin as if actually giving thought to my offer. “Oh, alright, I suppose that’ll do.” She swings her swords around once a nd sheaths them away smoothly. “You’re softer than I thought you’d be, especially for a Georgia boy.”
“What, because I can’t swing a wrench?”
“Isn’t that what ya’ll do out there? Change your own oil and blow the stuffing out of woodland creatures?”
“It’s not what I did. Wasn’t really my thing.”
She hops down off the small patch of earth and stands toe-to-toe with me on the pavement, her shoulders still rising and falling rapidly. “You can handle a gun at least, right?”
“I haven’t gotten this far based solely off my charm.”
She laughs, bringing a hand down on my shoulder. “That’s the goddamn truth.”
“Wait...what’s that supposed to...”
“Oh, Tim, you’re hopeless. You stare at my ass like it’s the last meal on the planet, but, for some reason, you’ve yet to try to get yourself a bite.” She brushes the tips of her fingers across my cheek, scratching me gently with her nails.
My heart pops against my ribs. I cough and fall away from her, trying to get my bearings back. “Wow, you’re not exactly subtle are you?”
“Tim, look around you. There isn’t exactly time for subtlety.”
“Maybe I just prefer to be a gentleman.”
“Or, maybe you’re just scared.”
“Scared? Of you? No, dream on.”
“Prove it then.”
“How?”
“Put your hands on me.”
I glance around, nervous. “What the hell...no! Put my hands on you? What does that even mean? Like , grab your boobs?”
She rolls her eyes. “No, moron, put your hands on my hips. Pull me towards you. You’re not even comfortable being close to me, are you? Are you gay?”
“Uh no, I like girls. I’m not gay.”
“Virgin?”
“Okay, you know what, screw this...”
“Oh , my God, that’s it isn’t it? You’re a virgin! Holy shit, why didn’t you just...”
“Fuck off!”
She blockades me as I turn to storm away, my ego throbbing like a smashed thumb. “Oh, chill out. There’s no need to get all hurt about it, shit. It’s not a big deal.”
“What are you supposed to be , Katia? The community...”
“If you call me a whore, or a slut, or anything else that implies spread legs and easy picking s, I’ll slap the shit out of you!” She holds a finger inches away from my nose.
“Okay, calm down , crazy. I’m just saying, I’ve never seen a girl as forward as you, okay. Usually the
“Ah, well, better than nothing.”
The man laughs and spits near the front bumper. “Ya’ll hear this fucking kid? Better than nothing. Where the hell did they pick you up at, anyway?”
***
I find Katia behind building 11 on a small stretch of grass.
I hear her long before I see her.
Grunts. Rawrs. Grrrs.
She’s hacking, slashing, and kicking a thick log. She backs up after each series of strikes and charges again, changing up her attack, ducking and kicking, over handed and under handed.
It’s all very theatrical.
Sweat drips down and around her eyes and turns her paper thin undershirt translucent against her toned caramel colored torso. She turns her head towards me and nods before charging in for another attack.
Three quick blows and a cresce nt kick.
Chunks of wood spiral o nto the grass.
“How were things in the grease pit?” She walks back towards me, hands on her head, swords pointed towards the sky, breathing heavy.
“How the hell do you think they went? Those guys and me, we don’t mix. I have a feeling you knew that would be the case.”
She shrugs. “Don’t know till you try.”
“Uh huh, well, I tried. You can find me something else.”
“Not sure there is anything else. I’ll have to dig.”
“Well, dig, really hard, because I’m not going back there.”
“And, what do I get for helping you out?”
I hold my arms out sarcastically. “My eternal gratitude will have to do.”
She taps a finger against her chin as if actually giving thought to my offer. “Oh, alright, I suppose that’ll do.” She swings her swords around once a nd sheaths them away smoothly. “You’re softer than I thought you’d be, especially for a Georgia boy.”
“What, because I can’t swing a wrench?”
“Isn’t that what ya’ll do out there? Change your own oil and blow the stuffing out of woodland creatures?”
“It’s not what I did. Wasn’t really my thing.”
She hops down off the small patch of earth and stands toe-to-toe with me on the pavement, her shoulders still rising and falling rapidly. “You can handle a gun at least, right?”
“I haven’t gotten this far based solely off my charm.”
She laughs, bringing a hand down on my shoulder. “That’s the goddamn truth.”
“Wait...what’s that supposed to...”
“Oh, Tim, you’re hopeless. You stare at my ass like it’s the last meal on the planet, but, for some reason, you’ve yet to try to get yourself a bite.” She brushes the tips of her fingers across my cheek, scratching me gently with her nails.
My heart pops against my ribs. I cough and fall away from her, trying to get my bearings back. “Wow, you’re not exactly subtle are you?”
“Tim, look around you. There isn’t exactly time for subtlety.”
“Maybe I just prefer to be a gentleman.”
“Or, maybe you’re just scared.”
“Scared? Of you? No, dream on.”
“Prove it then.”
“How?”
“Put your hands on me.”
I glance around, nervous. “What the hell...no! Put my hands on you? What does that even mean? Like , grab your boobs?”
She rolls her eyes. “No, moron, put your hands on my hips. Pull me towards you. You’re not even comfortable being close to me, are you? Are you gay?”
“Uh no, I like girls. I’m not gay.”
“Virgin?”
“Okay, you know what, screw this...”
“Oh , my God, that’s it isn’t it? You’re a virgin! Holy shit, why didn’t you just...”
“Fuck off!”
She blockades me as I turn to storm away, my ego throbbing like a smashed thumb. “Oh, chill out. There’s no need to get all hurt about it, shit. It’s not a big deal.”
“What are you supposed to be , Katia? The community...”
“If you call me a whore, or a slut, or anything else that implies spread legs and easy picking s, I’ll slap the shit out of you!” She holds a finger inches away from my nose.
“Okay, calm down , crazy. I’m just saying, I’ve never seen a girl as forward as you, okay. Usually the
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