“What are you talking about?!” I yelled. “This is literally insane! We can’t let Liam fight Pavel the exploder.”

Jacob laughed. “Pavel’s big,” he said. “But he’s also really slow. There’s a reason he’s not a wide receiver or a running back. Liam’s got this.”

I didn’t care if Liam was faster than that student that looked like he was 30. I knew Liam had grown over the summer. But I’d never forget when he was born. Months too early. I’d visited him in the hospital every day. He’d been so small. I knew he was healthy now. I knew that…and yet…

No. He could not fight that huge kid. This was absolutely ridiculous.

It was true, my brother and I bickered. Hell, sometimes I hated the twerp. But mostly I just loved him and I always had his back. And I couldn’t let him do this. If he got hurt, my parents would never forgive me. I’d never forgive myself.

“Jacob, you have to stop the fight.”

“What?”

Gigi walked across the stage signaling round one and then the bell dinged.

“Jacob, please! My parents will kill me!” It didn’t matter if they thought I wasn’t here. If Liam got hurt… I shook my head. I didn’t want to think about that.

“Scarlett, I promise he’ll be fine.”

“You can’t promise that!” I cringed as Liam took the first swing. His glove landed perfectly against Pavel’s stomach. But it didn’t matter. The next punch could make contact with Liam’s face. I wasn’t going to sit here and let him get irreparable brain damage. Stupid little twerp. I stood up.

“Wait, I kind of want to see what Pavel’s got going on,” Sophie said.

“Soph!” She didn’t seem at all concerned about the fact that her cousin’s face might not be recognizable tomorrow. I tried to walk past Jacob to go down to the ring, but he caught my hand.

“Okay,” Jacob said and stood up too. “I’ll stop it, but Liam’s going to be really pissed.”

“I don’t care if he’s pissed! He could get hurt like you!” I stared up at the blood on Jacob’s face.

“I’ll take care of it. I’ll be right back.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a quick hug. “Thank you, Jacob.”

He nodded and I let my arms drop from around him. I watched him push past the other spectators in our row.

Sophie gasped as she stared down at the ring.

I cringed. I didn’t want to look.

Chapter 13 – Why Snakes?!

Friday

Sophie’s eyes grew even rounder as a few other students gasped.

I reluctantly turned. Liam had Pavel in a headlock. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried that when I finally looked Liam would already be knocked out.