Chapter 59 Master of ruining hair

He realized that Bill really went along with it and persevered. His sister too and that she could be snappy. She was a klutz when it came to dancing. 

Luke had been lucky so far, but he could see her stepping on the others' toes. As there were now an unequal number of girls and boys in the class, he got caught once and Bill stood in front of him. 

The girls giggled. Luke groaned.

"We can also ..." 

"Well, otherwise I'll have to listen to Sarge bitch. " 

Luke reached for Bill's hand. He was amazed at how good Bill was.

"Why haven't you grabbed a girl here yet?" he asked.

" It's complicated..." came after a short silence. 

"Really? " Bill made a few movements and nodded. 

"What do you mean? I thought you would ..." 

"Bill, I was free at boarding school. I could let my hair grow long, none of my moves were monitored non-stop."

"What's changed?" 

"Family, Bill, I overslept the day before yesterday ..." 

"I know, Sarge pulled you in from behind while you were still chewing on your sandwich." 

Luke nodded.

"My aunt woke me up army style. So dragged me out of bed and threw me in the shower. After changing, put me in the car with Sarge with coffee and a sandwich. He stole the coffee."

"Why?" 

Luke looked at Sarge, who was watching them both. Luke paused.

"I'll tell you why, Bill," he pointed at Sarge.

"He lost at the motorcycle race!"

Sarge looked at him, saying nothing.

The next lesson was PE, they could go to the school gym, there were mats there.

Sarge stood in the middle in his tracksuit, everyone sat around the mats.

"As announced in the last lesson, self-defense today, you will fight in pairs. "

Luke hung his head.

"To be fair, Luke won't be with any of you."

" Yeah, better that way, I nearly tore my shoulder off last time!" came from Eddi.

"Yeah, that's unfair," came from Ted.

Luke looked up and saw the questioning looks on Bill and Saskia's faces.

"Martial arts..." Then Bill remembered.

"But so he has something to do." 

Luke raised his hand.

"Can't I just go for a ride on the scooter? I've got training later anyway."

"No. I want to see how you've done so far anyway."

" Do I have to?"

Sarge stared at him, saw his face, said no, he couldn't shirk.

"Then I'll hand out the couplets now."

Luke had to wait until the end to stand in front of Sarge, who grinned.

"What was that about losing?" 

" Yeah, wasn't it? Liz told me. She said she ripped you off."

" She cheated."

" Sure ..." 

" Then go for it, I don't care what. You don't have to hold back."

" All right..."

Luke pulled together everything he had seen from Sarge in all his fights so far and attacked directly. He ignored all graceful movements and unnecessary moves. 

He targeted his weak points, his hips, knees and neck. At first Sarge grinned, but when he landed a few hard hits, he became serious and began to counterattack, Luke had to work hard to avoid him. 

Wich his punches and kicks and grabbed, kicked and punched him as he had learned to do. He saw him stagger for a moment.

"Hhahaa Eddie, you lost to Bill's sister," it reached his ear. Which confused him for a fraction. Was grabbed by Sarge and flung. He landed hard on his back, jumped up and tried to pounce on Sarge again.

" Fight over!" came from him as he turned to Eddie and Saskia.

" What why?"

Sarge pointed at Eddie and Saskia, Eddie was lying on the mat with a bloody nose, his hands between his legs and whimpering.

Saskia looked around defensively.

"What, he told me himself to fight back as best I can!"

"Good. We'll take a ten-minute break and then we'll continue with the equipment."

Luke sighed.

He wasn't even warmed up yet, he put on his shoes.

"Where to?" came from Sarge.

" To the toilet? I can go too ..." 

Sarge raised his index finger.

" I dare you, my machine is faster than your scooter."

" Yay." Luke walked towards the toilet, turned and left the gym.

He took a deep breath.

"You're better than when you messed with me in the tunnel," Bill suddenly said next to him.

" I've been dragged to training every day since I got back. " 

"Then why don't you have a girlfriend?" 

Luke looked up at the sky.

"I don't know, every time I've said to myself. The person was already taken. So ..." 

He grinned and looked at Bill.

"Wait a minute, what's so complicated with you now? Bill, you were the number one stud back then."

"Always was for both of them ..."

" Really?"

" Vienna was the idea of having a few sexual adventures with my friends and then coming back bored. And then ..."

Luke patted Bill on the shoulder.

"Will get over it, so what are you going to do with the internships?"

"Fashion. "

Luke looked at Bill.

"Fashion? Although, come to think of it, you were president of the Outfit Club ..."

Bill looked around nervously.

"My aunt wanted me to go into advertising, but Sarge said I was free to choose ..." 

" Then live your heart out Bill."

" What about you?" 

" I don't know, I could ask my uncle or my aunt for 1A internships... but that's too easy. Maybe I should just join the army."

" What about art?"

" Well... I'm not good enough"

" But..." 

" It's a hobby Bill, nothing more. "

"Hey you faggots, break's over!" came from Ted, who was standing by the door.

Luke looked at Ted, then at Bill, who remained silent.

They went back inside, Sarge had set up equipment, Eddie was feeling better too. Saskia was standing on a mat with her arms crossed in front of her chest. 

"She wants to fight you, Luke," came from Lina.

"Why?"

"She wants to know why we're all saying no..." 

" I see..." Luke looked at Sarge.

" Hurry up," came only as an order.

Luke sighed and went to the mat.

She looked at him, Luke couldn't say anything. She attacked directly. She mainly aimed for his face or tried to hit his balls. He dodged her attacks effortlessly. Which made her even angrier. 

He thought about what to do and decided to chop his mother's liver. Without holding back, he missed Saskia, she lifted off the mat a little, landed crashing on the mat and held her side, moaning.

He squatted down in front of her, looking at her.

"Satisfied?" 

Her eyes said no, she straightened up in pain, Luke kicked her forehead and she landed on her butt. She didn't give up, Luke stepped on her feet and she landed back on the mat.

"Luke, stop playing with her!" 

" But...she won't give up."

" Then do something to break her fighting morale..." 

Luke looked from Sarge to Saksia, he had an idea and grinned, she looked at him confused.

"Don't you dare, me..." she began. 

Luke grabbed her hair with both hands and ruined her hairstyle. She screamed and ran away from him. 

Luke laughed evilly, looking at his hands. She had really soft hair. Luke looked at his class. Who looked at him reproachfully.

"Really now? " came from Leo.

"You're bullying a poor girl..." came from Lisa.

"Like a bad guy..." came from Eddie.

"Oh... that reminds me, I'm doing an internship at the hairdressers," he approached her.

"And practicing," he grinned.

The girls looked at him in horror, backing away from him. Luke got a slap on the back of the head from Sarge.

"Stop that nonsense."

" But her hair is her weak spot."

"Your aunts have really ruined you ..." 

He looked at Sarge innocently.

"They were just explaining to me the wisdom about the importance of hair ..."

 He got another slap on the back of the head. 

"I want to see you try that with them."

" Better not ... Or I'll be a bald man..." 

Sarge grinned.

For the rest of the lesson they had to jump, swing, balance or swing over equipment.

Luke was glad when it was finally over. He rushed straight to training after class and had to let off steam.

During the break, he always went to Yusuf and got an extra bag. 

He looked at his aunt, who told him that a few days ago a blonde had run away from his uncle Ibraham, who was on duty and wanted to bring her plates. And after she described what the car she had fled in looked like, he was able to work out who it was.

When he returned to the classroom, he held the bag in front of Saskia's nose while she was engrossed in her tablet.

She looked at him questioningly.

"I'm supposed to tell you he's harmless."

She lowered her eyes, slightly embarrassed.

"But he's tall ..."

"Yes. And he has two daughters our age who are tame. "

Bill pulled the bag towards him and looked inside.

"Ohh ... that doesn't look like what you're used to from Luke."

Luke put his bag down and pulled out a can of soda.

"That's right, I always get leftovers of what's served in the restaurant, although ..." 

He looked in the bag. 

"You got the number four and homemade confections. Ibraham was an army cook, but before that he was a pastry chef."

Bill took out the bag and opened it, Saskia's eyes grew wide and her stomach growled. 

"Hey Luke, come here," came from Eddi. Luke went to him.

"What's up Eddi? "

Eddi chewed a burger.

" Why don't you ever come to Burger World with us? " Eddi smacked his lips.

Luke grinned and sipped his can.

"I get the food for free, Eddi, that's why. "

"Oh come on Luke" Eddi looked at him.

" I tried, but my uncles intercepted me. "

" What do you mean intercepted? " asked Leo, who was drinking a Coke. 

" They grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, put me in the van, put my scooter next to me and drove off and then my aunt told me to go there and then Yusuf's father and mother said the same thing twice in Arabic and Turkish. " 

He emptied the can.

"Well, I've been getting my lunch there ever since."

"But the restaurant isn't in a respectable neighborhood."

Luke burped softly.

"Anyway, it's a neighborhood like any other in the islands. " 

"Still, Luke Burger World is hip!" Eddi grinned. 

Luke sighed.

" Fine, we'll go after school, Eddi, you pay."

" What? Me?"

" Well ."

Eddi looked at him.

" Suit yourself, but you're doing the challenge."

" The challenge?"

" You'll see, Luke."

Luke sat down as Sarge came in and everyone took their seats.

What surprised him was that Saskia had already finished eating. 

The lesson was over before the bell rang and John came in. He was holding a bundle of leaves in his hand. 

Sarge looked at him questioningly.

"Ah, I'm just in time. " He turned to the class. 

"Hello I faithful helping hand of the devil."

Everyone fell silent.

Saksia raised her hand. John looked at her, Luke wondered why he never took off his sunglasses.

"No questions, I'm here to give you the information for your internships. Enclosed is a piece of paper for your parents to sign."

He went to each table and put a piece of paper down. At Ted's, he looked at it.

"See you tomorrow, real signature, no copy or imprint on it. "

Ted gave him his usual defiant look. John leaned towards him.

"You don't have to do this anymore. I've taken the liberty of visiting them both at work and getting them to sign."

Tedd froze.

"You what?!" 

John grinned. 

"They're glad you want to take your place Ted. Even if your father would have liked you to join him at the company."

" YES? And where should I be? " he said challengingly.

"Sports casting and advertising. They're looking forward to seeing you too Ted. "

Ted turned pale. 

" How ... I don't have anyone ..."

John grinned and continued handing out.

Luke looked at his pile. He looked at Eddi.

"Eddi, I can't today ..."

Eddi looked at him.

" What, why?"

" I have to get my signature at the Ministry, my mother is asleep when I get up and drive here. "

"Tomorrow, then."

Luke nodded.

As soon as the lesson was over, Luke whizzed off on his scooter to the ministry, where he had to wait an hour for the first time until he was told that his mother wasn't at home. 

Field work with refugees. Depressed, he drove home. Looked at the note, sighed, went to his grandfather. Knocked on the window. 

Alex woke up from his nap, looked around in confusion. Then looked at Luke.

"What time is it?"

Luke looked at his watch.

" About 7 o'clock in the evening."

" Wuh, so a good six hours sleep. " He stretched.

" What brings you here?" 

He walked in.

" Well, Uncle John gave us this to sign today and my mother is away on business. "

Alex grabbed the note and read it through. 

"Eeeeee, Betinna's really put her foot down. " He reached for his cell phone and called someone.

"Am I interrupting something? Yes? Okay, I'll make it quick. Since you're not here, my darling, your son is with me now. I just wanted to let you know that I'll sign the consent form for the internship for you."

He was silent for a moment.

"Good, I love you too, where was he going again?"

Alex looked at Luke.

"I wanted to do something with the exos..." he said quietly.

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute. " He switched to mute.

" Luke, for that you have to become a member of the force, take exams and so on. "

"I know, but ever since I saw that thing from the sergeant ... Grandpa, I really don't know what else to do. "

Alex looked at him.

"Not an entertainer, anyway," he clicked away the silence.

"Sue? Yeah, he wants to carry on the family tradition. What are you laughing at? " 

He hung up the phone.

"What's she saying? " Luke asked cautiously.

"She says she can't imagine you as a psychologist anyway. " 

" Great ..."

Alex signed. He dialed another number.

" Well John, just got home? .. Yes. I've just been looking at Betina's notes. Where did I get that? John, who do you think Luke goes to when his mom's not around? " 

Alex lit a cigarette and took a drag. 

"John, I know you wanted to put pressure on the others with the time limit. But you and I need to sit down tomorrow. Yes. He wants to do something with Exos... Yeah, I know. That's why we have to figure something out. Well, tomorrow morning then." 

Alex hung up, took a drag on his cigarette and slipped the note to Luke.

"Luke, even in my position, I have to abide by the rules. You'd have to complete basic training before you're even allowed to join the exo unit."

Luke thought about it.

"It's okay."

Alex shook his head.

The next few weeks were quiet-at least that's how Luke felt.