Promised to the Alpha Twins

III

Before entering the house, I always had to make sure that my aunt had already arrived. It was dangerous to be alone with Dub. Elene's car was parked, so I entered without much caution and headed to my room. I was too tired to even think about eating, and after taking a shower, I crawled into bed.

I was snoring and dreaming about unicorns when a noise at the door of my room woke me up.

Dub was trying to get in. I huddled under the blankets, praying that Dub wouldn't think of opening the door. Although I was sure that shouting would be enough to wake Elene up and make her come to the room, I preferred not to resort to that measure and hoped Dub would realize on his own how foolish what he was trying to do.

With my heart paralyzed, I saw that the shadow under the door didn't move. It was fixed, standing, hesitant to open. I intensified my prayer, hoping that Dub would convince himself of how foolish it would be to open the door of my bedroom and that it was best for him to leave once and for all.

Then I saw that the shadow under the door hesitated, was about to leave, but even so, I was ready to scream.

After agonizing seconds, Dub left, and I could release the held breath, but I was soaked in cold sweat. I had to do something quickly and get out of that lifestyle once and for all. At any moment, on any day when Elene wasn't at home, Dub could feel bold enough to break through that door he didn't dare to open that night.

Although I could sleep, I didn't sleep well, and every noise of the night, no matter how small, woke me up.

The next day I hurried to get ready and left before my aunt did to go to work. Although Dub usually slept until noon, there was the possibility that he was just waiting for my aunt to leave to finally enter my room and catch me while I got ready for school. I didn't intend to give him that chance.

I arrived at school with a racing heart, partly because of what had happened - or almost happened - the night before, but also aware of the presence of the twins, whom I could encounter at any moment.

I went to the first class according to the schedule the principal had given me when I enrolled, but it turned out there were some changes in the schedule. Although it was something that could always happen, I hadn't counted on it, and even less on being the last of the students to find out, all because I didn't have a cellphone, let alone the information shared in the class w******p group.

I had to traverse half the school to reach the room where they were assigning the elective classes for that year.

"Is there only that option left for enrollment?" I asked the teacher in charge of the registered list. Due to the almost half-hour delay, I had no choice but to take the judo class.

Judo, yes, you read it right.

Judo.

Who takes judo at school?

"That's what's left for those who arrive late," the teacher replied with a hint of reproach, as if the last-minute schedule change were my fault.

I had no choice but to write my name in the Judo class and head to the room where they were about to start.

I'll take advantage of this moment in the story to be honest with you and tell you that sports and I were born to hate each other. Any outdoor physical activity makes my skin crawl, and if it's also a competitive activity, I prefer to protect myself, lie down, and play dead.

I was born with two left feet, two left hands, and the reflexes of a sloth.

And now, to top off the beginning of my first day at school, I had to go to Judo class.

When I left the room where the classes were being registered, I managed to see the twins, and my heart raced immediately. I noticed that they also tilted their heads, and our eyes met. Although it lasted no more than a second, it was enough for me to realize that they were enrolled in the wrestling class because they were wearing one of those uniforms used for that sport, and I could see that they had a perfect body, with long and muscular arms, pectorals that almost seemed to want to burst out of the lycra covering them, and muscular legs that a football player could envy. I blushed and looked away, but the image of their sculpted bodies would never erase from my mind.

But my surprises for that day were just beginning.

Upon entering the judo room, my jaw dropped recognizing Aly. She was dressed in white and threw kicks so high that they surpassed my height.

"Sussan?" Aly was also surprised to see me. At least there was a familiar face in the class I didn't want to enter.

"I didn't know you liked this... martial art?" Aly wrinkled the corner of her lips.

"And I suppose you're here because you had no other choice, right?" I had to admit it. Being the last student to enter, I assumed it was obvious that I was there for a very different reason than a love for Judo. At least, someone familiar was there to give me some moral support.

The instructor, or Sensei, as we had to call him, didn't take long to start the class, and I had to put on a borrowed judogi that was two sizes too small. I was very uncomfortable with those small pants pushing to get between my legs.

When they assigned us in pairs, I thought I would be lucky to start my first lesson with Aly, but I ended up paired with a girl who had all the stereotypical characteristics of being the school bully and the captain of the cheerleading team: she was a tall girl, slender, with silky blond hair, big blue eyes, and a look designed and practiced to make anyone who didn't have her approval feel small, as it seemed to be my case from the moment we saw each other.

Sensei gave the order to start the practice, and my partner pounced on me with the speed and fury of a lioness protecting her cubs. In a second, my face was on the ground, she was on my back, applying a lock that was starting to hurt me. I didn't think that such a thin and angelic-looking girl could not only have so much skill but also that strength. It felt as if an industrial pulley, or something similar, had caught me.

"I've seen you flirting with them," the girl said against my ear, while pressing my arm, which only needed a simple additional pressure to break. "It's better for you to stay away from them, or next time, I'll fracture your elbow, bitch."