Fight Like a Girl

c o a c h

❝The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses—behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.❞

-Muhammad Ali

“Look at me.” Coach grabs my chin. “That’s right, look at me.” He nods, maintaining steady eye contact with me.

“I’m looking.”

“What I’m about to tell you is the most valuable information you will hear in your entire boxing career.” He switches his hands to my shoulders.

“Mm hm,” I nod, waiting to hear what he’s going to pull out of his ass next.”

“Don’t fuck up.” He says in a dull, quiet tone. I nod again, as if what he’s said is serious. I know it’s not.

The ref runs us through the procedure, one more time, I tell myself. This is his last job of the day.

Touch gloves. Here we go.

The buzzer blows.

She immediately swings a left hook at my rib cage, which I dodge. I sock her in the stomach. She stumbles backwards.

She’s easier than my first competitor of the day, if she can’t even take that.

I take her to the ground, and jab her ribs a few times. I straddle her so she can’t get up.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” I whisper, but I’m wrong, because she takes out my nose. She squirms free.

She’s rather small, so she dips and dives all my punches. But I know if I can take her down, it’ll be easy to take her out.

Finally I manage to get her to the ground again. She’s tired, I can tell. Sitting around watching fights all day isn’t exactly the best preparation.

I grab one arm, but she somehow hits my nose again, and I have to struggle to get to her other arm. She’s flailing around, trying to get out, when I grab her other arm.

I pin it to the ground. That should be it.

She takes her head and slams it into mine.

I’m nearly out, I’m seeing stars, I can feel her grab my hands and try to pin me, but somehow I manage to take my elbow and jab it into her chest.

I scurry to her and lift her to her feet. I can barely see her, just an outline. I slam her into the side of the ring and begin punching her in her ribs and stomach area, over and over again. She’s losing it. She crumples to the ground.

Is that it? Did I do it?

A buzzer rings.

Yeah, I did.

And I’m freaking out, because holy crap, I made it to state. I did it, and I can’t control myself. The ref lifts my hand into the arm-

“Lane Davis, sectionals CHAMPION!” I cover up my mouth with my other hand. I-I don’t think this is real. I look at Dad, he’s got a tears streaming down his cheeks, and Everett, whose entire team is now standing to applaud me.

Coach comes up to pat me on the back.

“Way to go, Davis.”

I can’t help but fling my arms around his neck.

“Thank you so much, Coach.”

AN: Omggg look at that pretty trailer!! Made by @reachingformorex , isn't it perfect? The one scene where she opens the door up... (that's Karen...) dun dun dun... IT'S SO GOOD AHHH!! sorry for short chapter lol