Punch Until It Stops Hurting

The next morning smelled like pancakes.

N blinked awake slowly.For a second, she forgot everything.

Then it all came back.

"You up?" Mullet Girl called from the kitchen.

"Yeah."

"Ready to box?"

N paused. "Yeah."

At the gym, the sound of gloves hitting bags echoed loudly.

Mullet Girl stood behind N, adjusting her stance.

"Rotate your shoulder more. Don't drop your guard."Her hands gently guided N's arms into position.

That touch again.N swallowed.Focus.

One hour passed."Let's take a break," Mullet Girl said.

"I'm fine."Another hour.

"N, you're sweating like crazy."

"I said I'm fine."

30 mins

Mullet Girl grabbed her gloves mid-swing."Okay. This is ridiculous. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"Stop lying N We're done."

"No, wait."

"We're leaving."

Outside, N walked ahead quickly. Mullet Girl followed.

"Talk to me. Tell me what I can do."

N stopped walking.

Turned around slowly.

"You can't do anything."

The words came out colder than she meant.Silence stretched between them.

"I'm sorry I just have a lot on my mind."And then she left.

Leaving Mullet Girl standing there.

Watching her walk away.

Days passed.

N didn't go to school,Didn't go to training,Didn't text anyone,Her room was dark,Curtains closed,Trash on the floor,Clothes scattered everywhere,She hadn't brushed her hair in two days and Her eyes were swollen from crying.

Across town

Mullet Girl stared at her phone. No messages or location updates Nothing.

"She's safe... right?" she muttered.

She opened their chat.Not opened.

Her stomach twisted.

"I should check on her."

Back at N's house, her phone buzzed.She stared at the ceiling before slowly reaching for it.

4 messages from Unknown Number.

7 from Mullet Girl.

1 from J.

She opened the unknown first.

Unknown:Why haven't you come out of your house?

Don't think you can hide from me.

We have a lot to talk about, little girl.

Her blood ran cold.

She switched to Mullet Girl's messages.

Hey are you okay?

Did you get home safe?

Why weren't you at school?

You missed training.

Are you sick?

Talk to me please.

I'm worried.

Her chest tightened.

Then J's message.

Hey. Why didn't you show up to school? What's going on?

N locked her phone. Ignored them all.

Knock She froze.

Another knock.

She walked slowly to the door and opened it.

Mullet Girl stood there.Concern written all over her face.

"What are you doing here?" N asked flatly. "I'm checking on you. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. I'll text you tomorrow. You can go."

Mullet Girl stepped closer.

"It's okay. You can tell me."

"I'm fine."

N closed the door.

Hard.

She leaned against it.

Her chest rising and falling fast.

Minutes later

Knock.

She swung the door open, annoyed.

"I said I'm fi-"No one. Her stomach dropped. She looked down.

An envelope.

She looked around the street. Empty.She grabbed it and rushed inside, locking the door.

Her hands trembled as she opened it

A note.

Looks like you can't text. Guess we're back to this. I have a surprise for you.

Something clinked inside.

She flipped the envelope over.

A necklace fell into her palm.

The necklace.The one she gave J when they were kids. The one J was wearing last week.

N felt sick.She ran to the bathroom and threw up.