Shakespeare's Trollop Read Online Free PDF Page B

I was, so I kept reminding myself not to discount him as an opponent. What I didn’t allow for was the macho factor and Carlton’s inexperience. Carlton was determined to best me, and inexperienced enough to gauge his strike wrong.
    He struck at my ribs, seiken , with his left fist, and I blocked him, my right forearm coming up under his striking arm to deflect it upward. I didn’t propel his arm sideways enough—definitely my mistake—so instead of his punch landing in the air to my right, as I’d intended, his momentum carried him forward and his fist smacked my jaw.
    The next thing I knew, I was down on the mat and Carlton was leaning over me, looking absolutely horror-struck.
    â€œDammit, Lily, say something!” he said frantically, and then Marshall shoved him aside and took his place.
    He peered at my eyes, asked me several interesting questions about what parts of my body I could move and how many fingers I could see, and then said, “I think you’re gonna be okay.”
    â€œCan I stand up?” I asked peevishly. I was deeply chagrined at having been knocked down by Carlton Cockroft, of all people. The rest of the class was crowding around me, but since Marshall had said I was in no danger, I swore I could see some suppressed grins.
    â€œHere,” Janet Shook said, her square little face both worried and amused. I gripped her outstretched hand and she braced her feet and pulled. With a little help from my own feet, I stood upright, and though everything looked funny for a second, I decided I was almost normal.
    â€œLine up!” Marshall barked, and we took our places in line. I was sandwiched between Becca and Raphael.
    â€œ Kiotske! ”
    We put our heels together and stood to attention.
    â€œ Rei! ”
    We bowed.
    â€œClass dismissed.”
    Still feeling a tad shaky, I walked carefully over to my little pile of belongings, pulled off my sparring pads, and stowed them in my gym bag. I slid my feet into my sandals, thankful I didn’t have to bend over to tie sneakers.
    Janet joined me as I walked out to my old car.
    â€œAre you really feeling all right?” she asked quietly.
    My first impulse was to snarl at her, but instead I admitted, “Not quite.” She relaxed, as if she’d expected the snarl and was pleasantly surprised at the admission.
    I fumbled with unlocking my car, but finally got it right.
    Janet said, “I’m sorry about Deedra. I’m sorry you had to find her. It must have been awful.”
    I tilted my head in a brief nod. “I guess you and Deedra had known each other for a long time, both growing up here and all.”
    Janet nodded, her thick brown hair swinging against each cheek. She’d let it grow to chin length, and wore bangs. It became her. “Deedra was a little younger,” she said, leaning against my car. I threw my gym bag in to land on the passenger’s seat, and propped myself against the open door. It was a beautiful night, clear and just a little cool. We wouldn’t have many more evenings like this; summer practically pounces on spring in southern Arkansas.
    â€œI was a year ahead of her in school,” Janet continued after a minute. “I went to Sunday school with her at First Methodist. That was before they formed Shakespeare Combined Church, and way before Miss Lacey’s first husband died and she married Jerrell Knopp and began going to SCC. My mom is still real good friends with Miss Lacey.”
    â€œWas Deedra always…promiscuous?” I asked, since I seemed to be expected to keep the conversation going.
    â€œNo,” Janet said. “Not always. It was her chin.”
    And I understood. Her severely recessive chin was the only feature that had kept Deedra from real prettiness, the flaw that had kept her from being homecoming queen, head cheerleader, most prized girl to date—everything. It was easy to imagine Deedra gradually coming to feel that