“While it’s important to stay conscious of the situations you are inbeforethey become threatening, not all dangerous situations can be avoided. Sneak attacks, lures, or even trusted individuals acting out of character can be large factors on why a situation may become dangerous. You honestly never know, and it’s best not to use blame-laying language out of respect for any victims who have experienced attacks.” Jenny didn't look pointedly at the snarky guy from before, but I had a feeling by the shrinking of his shoulders, he got the message.
“The truth about this is, no one who’s been put into these horrible situations is at fault. Prevention is our best tool, but it can fail too. So we are here today to build up the rest of the arsenal.”
Over her shoulder, Ceci turned her head to look at me for the first time since the instructor started speaking. And she was frowning at me. I frowned too. Her expression showing a glimpse of questioning I instantly wanted to answer. What was suddenly bringing this on? Why was she looking at me like that? I wanted to ask her. In fact, I was going to. But before I could, she looked my face over, up and down, before directing her attention to the front again.
Jenny spoke, but I was no longer paying attention. She could talk about the importance of being aware of your surroundings until she was blue in the face, and still I’d have the image of Cee’s frown marring my vision instead.
My mind blurred out. I just wanted to know what that look meant. The only thing that eased my churning thoughts was the cross-eyed look Ceci shot my way when she noticed me staring for too long.
Even as I chuckled, the ache of worry remained. It was crazy how tightly my emotions were tied with hers. A twisting strand that just seemed to grow shorter and shorter, threatening to someday become too tangled to loosen.
Done listing off the top factors attackers look for when they’re scoping out a victim or the best ways to disengage before an altercation even begins, Jenny clapped her hands again, breaking the image of me and Cee threading together apart.
“Now, let’s talk vitals. Who can tell me any one of a person's vulnerable areas? These are spots that will hurt anyone, big or small,” Jenny asked the class.
“Eyes, nose, ears, throat,” Ceci said with no hesitation whatsoever.
“Good!” Jenny exclaimed with an excited hop. “On top of those, there’s also—”
“Chest, knees, ankles, groin, and if all else fails, anything squishy. Organs hurt if you hit hard enough,” she went on.
I looked at her.Everyonelooked at her.
“Okay,” Jenny said on a slow release of breath. “I think this is the bodyguard's way of telling us not to make her mad.”
The class laughed, and Ceci raised her chin in the air, a proud student. I shook my head.
“What’s your name?” Jenny asked.
“Ceci.”
“Everyone, Ceci is exactly right. All the areas she mentioned are especially vulnerable to anyone. If you’re ever cornered, and you need to think quickly, remember these places,” she said, pacing her area as she spoke. “It’s also good to note that elbows and knees only bend one way.”
“Elbows and knees only bend one way,” Ceci repeated under her breath as if it was a chant or a mantra.
Leaning toward her, I said, “You are so scary. Put your fucking horns away.”
“Shh,” she reprimanded, waving her hand in my direction in a‘quiet down’motion. Though, a slight smile still peppered her expression as she shushed me.
“Okay, so let’s get into some moves.”
With that, we paired off and started into some hands-on demonstrations.
Starting off with what to do if someone grabbed you around the shoulders and tried to steer you away with them. Jenny explained how to use their leverage and their own arms and legs to twist those body parts that“only bend one way”unnaturally, allowing yourself time to run.
Next she moved on to explain how to get away if someone got a hold of your hair, which had something to do with twisting the hair grabbing arm and exploiting those vulnerable areas Ceci so graciously pointed out. Then she briefly covered the best ways to strike vulnerable areas from various positions.
Each move went through a cycle of the instructor demonstrating it first, the class attempting the motions on their own, and finally the class enacting the scenarios with their partners.
I let Cee take the lead on these, which she was more than happy to do. Her telling me to‘pull her hair like I fucking meant it’might forever be burned in my brain, but it was also testament to how much she was engaged in the class. Which was a relief.
I wasn’t really here to learn self-defense; I was here to empower Ceci into taking her control back. And be here for her while she did it. I didn't want her feeling like I just dropped her off and told her she needed to figure it out. I know that’s how she was feeling with her family right now. I wanted her to know I would figure it out with her.
And selfishly, I wanted to know all of her options of escape if she ever, God forbid, had to defend herself like the other night again.
We were just coming back to our positions after a quick water break when Jenny announced, “Okay everybody, really good job so far! We are moving onto our last move of the day. And we’re running out of time, so I want to demonstrate this one on a volunteer.”
Instead of skating her eyes around the room and surveying for any actual voluntary offering, she zeroed straight in on me. “Ceci, is it okay if I borrow your guy?”
