The Cop and the Princess - Chapter Ten:- Teaching lessons

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The Next Morning

The farmhouse slowly came to life with the morning sunlight.

Outside, the cool morning breeze made the garden feel peaceful.

Hope was sitting on the wooden bench beneath the old tree.

Casey sat quietly in front of her.

“Stay still.”

Casey tried.

“I am.”

Hope laughed.

“No, you’re wiggling.”

Using both hands, Hope carefully brushed Casey’s messy hair before tying it into a neat little ponytail.

“There.”

“Much better.”

Casey immediately touched her hair.

“Do I look pretty?”

Hope smiled.

“The prettiest.”

Casey grinned proudly before running off to show Rose.

Hope watched her disappear inside before leaning back against the bench.

A few moments later…

Leon stepped out onto the porch holding a cup of coffee.

He watched Hope for a moment before looking toward Sara, who had just walked outside.

“Sara.”

She looked at him.

“Hm?”

Leon smiled.

“You know…”

“If you’re going to stay here with Detective Parker for a while…”

“…I think you should learn a little self-defense.”

Sara tilted her head.

“You really think so?”

Leon nodded.

“I do.”

“It’ll make you more confident.”

“And if you’re ever in danger again…”

“…you’ll at least know how to create enough time to get away.”

Sara thought about it for a second before looking toward Hope.

“Should I ask her now?”

Leon smiled warmly.

“Go.”

“I have a feeling she’ll say yes.”

Sara nodded.

“Okay.”

She walked across the garden toward Hope.

Hope looked up as she approached.

“Morning, Princess.”

“Morning.”

Sara stood there for a second before speaking.

“Can I ask you something?”

Hope chuckled.

“That’s becoming your favourite sentence.”

Sara laughed.

“Maybe.”

Hope smiled.

“Alright.”

“What is it?”

Sara hesitated for a brief moment.

“Will you teach me some self-defense?”

Hope blinked.

“Suddenly?”

Sara scratched the back of her neck.

“Well…”

“I actually think it’s a good idea.”

Hope nodded slowly.

“…It is.”

Sara immediately pointed toward the porch.

“It was Leo’s idea.”

Hope looked over.

Leon simply lifted his coffee with a small smile.

“I hope you don’t mind.”

He called out.

“I’d just feel better knowing she can protect herself if anything ever happens.”

Hope smiled.

“Not at all.”

“I was planning to teach her someday anyway.”

She stood up.

“Looks like someday is today.”

Sara’s face immediately brightened.

“Really?”

Hope nodded.

“Really.”

Hope stood a few feet away from Sara, rolling up the sleeves of her hoodie.

“Alright, Princess.”

“We’ll start with the basics.”

Sara nodded eagerly.

Hope smiled.

“Before we do…”

She raised one finger.

“Rule number one.”

“The goal isn’t to win a fight.”

“It’s to give yourself enough time…”

“…to get away safely.”

Sara listened carefully.

“I understand.”

Hope nodded.

“Good.”

“Now let’s begin.”

Leon quietly leaned against one of the porch pillars, a mug of coffee resting in his hand.

He smiled.

“I’ll just watch.”

Hope laughed.

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“Feel free.”

“Just don’t become my referee.”

Leon chuckled.

“I make no promises.”

Sara stood a little straighter.

"You mean..."

"Actual combat training?"

Hope nodded.

"No guns."

"No fancy moves."

"No movie nonsense."

She pointed at herself.

"Rule number one."

"If someone bigger attacks you..."

"Run."

Sara frowned.

"...That's your first lesson?"

Hope laughed.

"The smartest fight..."

"...is the one you never have."

Sara folded her arms.

"I thought you'd teach me how to beat them."

Hope grinned.

"I'll teach you how to survive them."

Just then...

Hope's two sisters wandered into the backyard carrying bowls of freshly cut fruit.

One looked around.

"Oh."

"Today's entertainment has started."

The other immediately dragged two chairs beneath the shade.

"Front-row seats."

Hope sighed dramatically.

"You two are the least supportive family in history."

"We're very supportive."

"Of Sara."

Hope pointed at them.

"Exactly."

Sara couldn't stop smiling.

Leon walked over and quietly stood beside the sisters, still holding his coffee.

"I guess I found the audience section."

Rose laughed.

"Welcome."

Hope tossed a soft training pad toward Sara.

"First exercise."

"Try to touch my shoulder."

Sara caught the pad confidently.

"That's all?"

"That's all."

Sara lunged.

Hope simply stepped aside.

Sara stumbled right past her.

Hope caught her elbow before she could fall.

"Again."

Sara attacked a second time.

Hope calmly pivoted.

"Nope."

Third attempt.

Hope leaned backward just enough.

Sara missed once again.

Hope smiled.

"You're aiming where I am."

"You should aim where I'm going."

Sara sighed.

"This is impossible."

Hope shook her head.

"No."

"It just feels impossible."

She gently tapped Sara's forehead.

"Stop chasing me."

"Start reading me."

Sara narrowed her eyes.

"I am reading you."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"And what am I saying?"

Sara thought for a second.

"...You're annoyingly confident."

Hope burst into laughter.

"Correct."

"But that's not what I meant."

Even Rose laughed from the porch.

"She's got a point, Hope."

Hope looked offended.

"I came here to teach."

"Not to be roasted."

Rose smiled.

"Unfortunately..."

"You walked into the wrong family."

Hope looked back at Sara.

"Again."

This time...

Sara didn't rush.

She watched Hope's feet.

Her shoulders.

The way she shifted her weight.

Hope immediately noticed.

"There you go..."

"Now you're thinking."

Sara slowly stepped forward.

Hope shifted slightly.

Instead of reaching for Hope's shoulder...

Sara suddenly grabbed Hope's wrist.

Hope smiled.

"Better."

"But not enough."

In one smooth movement...

Hope twisted free.

Then lightly tapped Sara's shoulder.

"You're out."

Sara groaned.

"I was close."

"You were."

Hope nodded proudly.

"Much closer."

Sara smiled.

"You actually mean that."

"I do."

Hope stepped behind her.

"Now..."

"If someone grabs your wrist..."

"Don't pull away."

She gently demonstrated the movement.

"Turn."

"Break the grip."

"Then move."

Sara copied it once.

Twice.

Three times.

Hope nodded approvingly.

"Good."

One more time."

Sara took a breath.

This time...

She stopped thinking.

She simply reacted.

She turned.

Shifted her weight.

Grabbed Hope's arm.

Before Hope even realized what had happened—

She found herself lying flat on the grass.

Silence.

Hope blinked up at the bright blue sky.

"...Well."

Sara's eyes grew wide.

"Oh no!"

"Hope!"

"I didn't mean—"

Hope slowly sat up.

She looked at Sara.

Then at her sisters.

Then at Rose.

Nobody spoke.

For exactly three seconds.

Then—

Leon suddenly clapped once with a huge grin.

"Bravo, little sis!"

"You actually got her!"

That was all it took.

Hope's sisters exploded into laughter.

Rose tried to stay professional.

It lasted about five seconds.

Then she started laughing too.

Hope sighed dramatically.

"The student..."

"...has betrayed the master."

Sara hurried over.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Are you alright?"

Hope looked at her with a completely serious face.

"I've been defeated."

Sara immediately offered her hand.

Hope accepted it.

As Sara helped her back to her feet...

Hope smiled.

"You know..."

"That throw..."

"...was actually perfect."

Sara blinked.

"Really?"

Hope nodded.

"I just wasn't expecting you..."

"...to stop thinking."

Sara laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Behind them...

Rose quietly lifted her phone.

Click.

Hope slowly turned around.

"...Rose."

Rose smiled innocently.

"What?"

"You took a picture."

"No."

"You absolutely took a picture."

Rose glanced down at her phone.

"It was a video."

Hope froze.

"A..."

"...video?"

Both sisters immediately gathered around Rose.

"Oh, this is priceless."

"Play it again!"

Hope started walking toward them.

"Delete it."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'm injured."

Rose laughed.

"Exactly."

"You can't catch me."

Hope sighed.

"I raised the wrong family."

Sara laughed so hard she had to grab Hope's shoulder to steady herself.

Hope looked at her.

"You're laughing too?"

Sara tried to answer.

She couldn't.

She was laughing too much.

Hope shook her head, trying not to smile herself.

"Fine."

"But if this somehow reaches Jennie..."

"...I'm moving to another country."

Rose looked up with a mischievous grin.

"I think Jennie would absolutely love to see it."

Hope pointed dramatically at Rose.

"You..."

"...are the real villain in this story."

Rose simply smiled.

"I've been telling everyone that for years."

Hope picked up the practice mat and leaned it against the fence.

"Alright."

"Training's over."

Sara stretched her arms.

"I actually enjoyed it."

"You'll regret saying that tomorrow."

"Your muscles are going to hate you.

"Exactly."

Leon, who had been quietly watching the entire session, finally spoke.

"Hope..."

She looked toward him.

"Hm?"

Leon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before smiling.

"Can I ask you something?"

Hope folded her arms.

"Depends."

"If you're asking me to train you after watching Sara throw me on the ground..."

"...the answer is no."

Everyone laughed again.

Leon chuckled.

"No."

"I think I'll skip that part."

He became a little quieter.

"You know..."

"I've been thinking since I came here."

Hope noticed the slight change in his expression.

He looked toward Sara for a brief moment before speaking again.

"I wasn't here."

"When everything happened..."

Sara lowered her eyes.

Leon sighed softly.

"My little sister had to go through all of that..."

"...and I couldn't do anything."

"I've been thinking about that a lot."

The yard grew quieter.

He looked back at Hope.

"I know I can't become a detective."

"And I'm definitely not expecting you to turn me into one."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"But..."

"If something ever happens again..."

"I don't want to freeze."

"I don't want to stand there wondering what to do while Sara is in danger."

He paused.

"I just want to make the right decision."

Hope looked at him for a few seconds.

Then she smiled.

"That's actually a good reason."

Leon nodded.

"So..."

"Can you teach me how people like you think?"

"Not fighting."

"Just..."

"...how you stay calm."

Hope thought for a moment.

Then picked up the wooden stick lying nearby.

"I can do that."

She walked toward the soft dirt in the backyard and knelt down.

With the stick, she drew a simple square.

"Imagine this is a house."

She placed a small stone inside it.

"This is the person you're protecting."

Another stone outside the square.

"And this..."

"...is the attacker."

Sara and Leon both stepped closer.

Rose and Rachel watched from behind with quiet curiosity.

Hope rested the stick across her knees.

"The biggest mistake people make..."

"...is staring at the attacker."

Sara frowned.

"Shouldn't we?"

Hope smiled.

"For a second."

"But then..."

She tapped the ground around the square.

"I start looking everywhere else."

Leon looked down at the drawing.

"What do you mean?"

Hope moved the attacker stone slightly.

"If someone wants to hurt you..."

"They've already imagined what you'll do next."

"So don't only watch them."

"Watch everything around them."

"The exits."

"The walls."

"The people standing nearby."

"The things they're ignoring."

Sara listened carefully.

Hope continued.

"I don't react to the criminal."

"I react to the mistake they make."

Sara tilted her head.

"What if they don't make mistakes?"

Hope laughed quietly.

"They're human."

"They always do."

"Sometimes..."

"...it just takes patience."

She looked at Sara.

"When you were trying to touch my shoulder earlier..."

"You kept looking at my hands."

Sara nodded.

"I thought you'd block me."

Hope smiled.

"My hands weren't attacking."

"My feet were."

"You watched the wrong thing."

Sara scratched her head.

"...That's true."

Hope nodded.

"So don't just watch what people show you."

"Watch what they forget to hide.

After a moment, leon smiled.

"I think I understand."

Hope looked at him.

"Good."

"But don't expect to get it right every time."

Leon laughed.

"I'll try."

Hope twirled the stick between her fingers.

"The smartest person in the room..."

"...isn't the one who knows everything."

"It's the one who's still willing to learn."

Rose smiled warmly.

"I like that."

Rachel nodded.

"Me too."

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