Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ TKO- Total Knock Out ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

chapter 9

So far the day had gone well for Zell, besides that fact that he hadn't seen Seifer once that morning in the office. Nida was in a few of his classes and he'd talked to a few people but probably never would again. It was lunch now and he waited in the long line with Nida to get his food.

"Don't be nervous it'll be fine, you can sit with my friends." Nida said looking behind him at a slightly shaking Zell. "Who said I was nervous, I'm just a little cold that's all, its freezing in here." He rubbed his arms. "Oh ok, anyway don't get the hamburgers the meats a little off. Everything else seems fine depending on what you like." Zell nodded and followed Nida up the line.

After getting their food they went inside the crowded lunchroom to find Nida's friends. People were eyeing the two of them as they passed, mostly Zell. Over the noise you could hear a few whispers going around. Zell tried to keep his eyes forwards but couldn't help glancing around.

'Don't be nervous, don't trip and don't make eye contact.' He took a breath and straightened himself up. "There's our table, come on." Nida directed Zell towards a small group of people and not really seeing what happened Nida flew forwards tray and all and Zell dropped his own tray to grab Nida's waist in time.

"Are you o.k.?" Zell asked helping him up, the room filled with laughter and Zell spun around to see the person that pushed Nida standing in his face.

"Hey when I push someone I expect them to hit the ground. Who asked you to interfere new guy?" Rob said getting closer to Zell's face. "That's a real jerk thing to do ya know." Zell said not backing down at all. "Come on lets just forget it, I'm fine." Nida said "Shut up nerd boy, so the geek finally found a playmate." Rob said turning to Nida and he pushed him again, making Nida fall onto the table. Zell grabbed the kids collar and threw him a short distance from the table.

"Leave him alone asshole." Zell said. Rob got up and tried to punch at Zell but Zell dodged it and swung back hitting him square in the jaw. Rob staggered backwards holding his jaw, blood dripped from his mouth.

"I'm gonna get you fucking freak." Rob straightened himself and picked up a nearby chair raising it he brought it down towards Zell, gasp went up from the crowd and Zell backed up and covered his head from the chair but nothing happened. He looked up to see the chair hovering over his head then it was thrown forwards at Rob who ran for it and the crowd cleared out of the chairs way as it landed.

Shocked Zell slowly turned to see who was behind him. Seifer looked down at him smirking.

"You know fighting in school will get you in trouble." He said, he looked towards Nida's table then back to Zell. "Later chicken." He moved past him and left the lunchroom. Zell stood their mouth agape and watched him go. He was startled when someone touched his shoulder.

"You alright?" Nida asked. "Huh, yeah great." He answered half mindedly. He went with Nida to sit at the table as everyone else returned to their seats. "That guys such a jerk." A girl at the table said. She had short bouncy brown hair and the brightest green eyes. "Yeah but Zell here saved me, guys Zell Dincht I met him a few days ago at work." Nida said. Everyone at the table waved. Zell smiled and nodded at them.

"So where'd you learn to punch like that Zell?" Selphie asked. "Oh I-" "He's a boxer, cool huh?" Nida said before Zell could finish.

"Wow really? Now there's two resident boxers here." Another kid at the table said. "Yeah but Seifer's probably still the best around." Selphie threw in.

"I bet." Zell mumbled to himself. 'Wow he said he'd see me later, I wonder if he meant it....'

"Wait a minute! he called me chicken." Zell said out loud. "Oh don't think anything of it, he calls everybody something. Says he has a problem remembering names." Nida said taking something from Selphie's tray. "I heard he just doesn't care for introductions and saves you the trouble by naming you himself. Who knows, sure is cute though." Selphie said picking up a French fry.

'Yeah well I'm gonna make him know my name and remember it, some way it'll happen.'

* * *

At Deling's gym that afternoon. Zell was silently punching at the large bag hanging in front of him and Squall also quietly held onto the other side of it and watched.

"So....." Squall finally said, not taking his attention from what he was doing Zell replied. "So what?" "How was school? You barely said two things since I got you." Squall backed up from the bag and crossed his arms.

"Like you ever say more than two things." Zell joked and also stopped what he was doing. He looked off into the distance to think about how to describe his day. 'Well it was freezing in there, I got into a fight at lunch, didn't really have lunch, couldn't find most of my classes and was late to a few. I only saw Seifer like twice, he still doesn't know my name and what the hell does chicken mean? It turns out Nida's a geek but still a cool guy. I only made like one friend besides him.'

"Zell?" Squall asked after giving him his moment. "It was alright I guess." He shrugged and went back to punching.

Squall walked away to the nearby bench and pulled a piece of paper from his duffle bag. He took it back over to Zell and held it out. "I got your schedule, its pretty full," Zell stopped and took the paper. "Looks like a few guys made it this year and with pretty high standards." He stared at Zell as he read over the paper.

"How come these other guys matches are on here?" He asked. "Incase you wanna check out the competition."

Zell nodded in understanding and immediately skimmed the papers for Seifer. Sure enough there he was and Zell had to use all the strength he had not to smile. "Hm, here ya go." He handed the papers back to Squall and continued his punching.

After Squall returned the packet he went back to Zell. "You'll have to use more force than that if you're gonna take down the big guys." Squall said, Zell glanced at him for a second and went back to punching, this time with more force. "Harder!" Zell hit harder, still not meeting Squall's standard. "Come on go for the weak spot and hit harder!"

.............................

Zell pulled back and punched his opponent as hard as he could in the throat sending him backwards against the rail. "Perfect, one more time." His coach encouraged from the side line. Zell bounced over towards the dazed man before he could revive himself he punched him hard again in the same spot. The guy fell sliding down against the ropes and hit the floor. The ref runs over and starts the count. Zell watches half out of it himself from the fight. "Winner Dincht." The ref said and spit out his gum grabbing Zell's arm.

The crowd cheered and Squall entered the ring throwing an arm over Zell's shoulder. "You did it kid, you did it." Zell smiled through the pain in his face and wiped blood from his mouth. The TV cameras swarmed the ring and Zell waved into one. "Hey Ma, I made it."

............................

Zell's face faded from the TV and the screen went black as Seifer turned it off, he dropped the remote on the chair beside him. "The chickens good but too much of a beginner." He mumbled to himself. "What?" Irvine asked from the bar in the kitchen. Seifer looked at him annoyed

"Nothing." He replied. Irvine just waved it off and went back to drinking his beer.

"The match over already." He said taking another drink. "Yeah it was...... entertaining if anything." Seifer said walking over to the kitchen to get his own drink. "Who won? That little kid from the down town?" Irvine asked handing him a bottle. "Yeah." He took the bottle and sat on the stool beside Irvine.

Seifer absent mindedly drank his beer thinking about Zell and their encounter in the gym the night before. 'Funny looking kid but kinda cute, hm I've been around to Irvine too long.'

* * *

After the match the winning pair went home and Zell was in the bathroom cleaning off his face. He stared at the bruises on his bare chest and frowned.

"Don't worry they'll go away." Squall said appearing in the doorway from the mirrors view. "Yeah they'd better, no one would want a bruised boyfriend." Zell replied through the rag over his mouth. Squall raised an eyebrow and Zell noticed in the mirror. "Its nothing, just hoping for the future." He replied and smiled.

"Wishful thinking." Squall mumbled on his way back to the living room. "Yeah very wishful." Zell said and an image of Seifer staring down at him from the lunchroom appeared in the mirror. He sighed and dropped the rag into the sink, then left the room turning out the light. He leaned around the corner peering into the living room. "Night Squall." He waited for a response getting a simple wave of the hand and went into his room.

He jumped on the bed onto his stomach and pulled a lap top from underneath it. He set it up and lied down in front of it.

"Lets see, Seifer Almasy...." He typed in the name and some sites appeared on boxing and Deling famous citizens. "Cool." He clicked on the first site he saw and waited. He read down the page until he found his name and clicked on that. His face lit up with more than the glow from the computer screen when he saw the images of Seifer on the screen.

"Now lets see, blah blah ah biography. Click." He waited. There was a full length picture of him on the screen in jeans without a shirt and red boxing gloves on, with his arms crossed and a small profile beside it.

"6"2, …. LBS mostly muscle, 18 years shit he's only a year older than me." His smile broadened and he continued skimming the page. "Best moves, uppercut and right jab.... watch out for triple punch 3 strikes your out." He saw the picture that was in the newspaper. "Known throughout Deling City as the champ, boxing for 6 years since he was twelve, geez that's young. Coach and manager Irvine James Kinneas blah blah blah. He competed in several matches and won tons of trophies. click here to see, not right now." He skimmed the rest of the page then backed out.

"What else?" He heard a noise outside the door and snapped the pc shut. It was Squall going into the bathroom, when he heard shower water running he sighed and lifted the top back up. "Guess its getting late," He glanced at the clock on a drawer in front of the bed against the wall. "Well goodnight Seif, maybe I'll see you tomorrow." He backed out and shut off the computer placing it back under the bed.

He got off and pulled a shirt out of the same drawer with the clock and slid it over him. He climbed in the bed and pulled the picture from the newspaper from under his pillow, he stared at it longingly. "Stupid crush." He puts it back and settles into the bed, suddenly hearing loud music from the bathroom he opens his eyes. "Ugh stupid Squall." He turns over on his stomach and buries his face in the pillow.