Fight Like a Girl

r e f e r e e

❝The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It’s the same thing, fear, but it’s what you do with it that matters.❞

-Cus D'amato

        

        “What the-”

“Miss Davis, are you ready to begin?” I jerk my head to the ref. He lowers his brows and purses his lips, as if to ask- What’s your problem?

“Gimme a sec. Sorry.” I look back over to where my Dad is sitting.

She’s not there anymore. What the hell?

You okay? Dad mouths. I nod back.

I nod at the ref.

“Ready.”

He is forced to run through the rules once more. One last look at Dad and-

There she is! She’s walking toward me!

“Delaney, it’s not too late,” she whispers, “you can leave now, save yourself.”

I shake my head. She’s not real, she’s not there. Ignore, ignore, ignore. I look back, she’s gone. I return my eyes to the current situation.

My competitor is giving me weird looks, but the ref hasn’t noticed my weird actions.

She’s not there, she’s not there, she’s not there.

“Delaney, dear, look at me. You know I’m here.” I feel her hand touch my face, her cool, porcelain skin brushing my cheek. I look at my competitor.

The buzzer rings, and I’m unaware that it was time for the match to begin.

My opponent body slams me to the ground.

Shit.

She pins one of my arms to the ground, reaching for the other. I struggle to free myself, and I pin her right in her right rib cage. She stumbles off of me.

Everett was telling the truth. I try to rummage through what he’s given me, but I can’t seem to remember anything. It’s alright, I still have the ribs to work with.

I scramble to my feet, trying to focus on her.

I go for another in her right ribs, but after that she learns to protect them. She’s weakened, for sure, though, and if I can get an aim at the right side of her head to knock her up a bit, I can slam her on her right side and she’ll be out.

Before I can think any longer, she attempts to get me in the jaw. I duck and come back up to her right side. I miss her her head and hit her neck, but I reconcile my hand and slam it into the side of her head padding.

Next, I try something risky. I wrap my arms around her, and pull her down to the ground with me. If she’s strong enough, she’ll be able to pin me. But if she’s not, I can pin her.

This is the make or break moment for us.

She grabs me, and is about to pin me, but I have a shot at her face.

I wind up my hand, and-

There’s Karen.

“No, Delaney, don’t you dare hit me! Not again!”

Oh, fuck her.

I give the girl a jab to her right cheek and spin her around. I pin her to the ground.

Knockout.

I release her, and let the ref grab my arm and take it to the sky.

“Winner of the first match of the day, Miss Lane Davis!” At first I’m panting, trying to fully grasp what’s just happened. I- I won? I’ve got a chance at qualifying. Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap!

I see Everett in the crowd before I see my Dad. He’s the only one from his team standing, and the guy sitting next to him is trying to pull him down. Bastard.

Dad’s got his hands cupped around his mouth, probably yelling at the top of his lungs.

Go me. I freakin’ did it; and I don’t care if this day isn’t going as much as I expected it to go, because it’s better. It’s more… real.

Karen can suck it.

********************

Before I know it, I’m already prepping for my next match. I’m the one with the best time, so I get to go first. And hopefully second, with no third match.

My second match brings no surprises. Well, one.

Coach’s pep talk.

“Alright Davis. You know what to do. I saw you gettin’ all scared, I don’t know what was going on, but you gotta cut it out. Go out there and make me proud- I know you can.”

“I can make you proud?” I say it jokingly, but I’m actually serious.

“Let’s not get crazy here.”

He smirks at me.

The ref calls us in, and we touch gloves. Look at Dad. Smile.

Rules. Buzzer. Go.

I use the same technique as the last girl, starting with a heavy body slam. She hits the ground with a thud, and I go for her face. She dodges, grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around so that she’s on top.

Shit.

I sock her in the nose, she hits my cheek in response.

I get to my feet somehow, while she struggles to stand up straight.

I hit her in the ribs, and she keels over in pain. I can tell where her weak spot is now, and I hit the other rib. I go rib to rib until she’s against the wall.

“Good, good, good!” I hear Coach whispering.

I smirk at him, a stupid move, because my opponent takes advantage and sneaks free. I fall to the ground.

She grabs my hand, pins it. Crap.

I hit her in the stomach.

She stumbles backwards, I crawl over to where she is and pin one of her hands.

I pin the next.

The rest is a blur.

Buzzer.

“Lane Davis, advancing one step further, to her next final round! Winner of the first final round!”

This time I don’t look at the crowd. I look at the girl, who I’ve left like a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. Her coach is by her side. She’s crying.

I can’t help but feel a tad bit sad for her. She’s worked hard, just as I have. And yet, her journey ends here, while mine continues.

I look out into the crowd.

Dad smiles at me.

You’re doing it, Lane, he mouths.

Yeah, I am.

AN: GO LANE!!! ps... only 11 more chapters. yikes. I have a really good ending, though.