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THE JIU JITSU CLASS WAS HELD in a karate dojo all the way in Little Tokyo and even from outside, Noelani could hear the chatter and the sound of a gong clearly being rung.
Noelani pushed the door open to the dojo and looked around, noting the people of different ethnicities, races and genders in the expansive, earth toned room.
The people were already lined up in four horizontal lines, all barefoot and all in workout clothes.
Noelani slipped off her pale blue crocs and quietly dropped her gym bag by a window near the entrance and then stood at the end of the last line, right next to an African American woman who looked to be around the same age as her with long, wavy, midnight colored hair pulled into a low ponytail.
At the front of the room was an East Asian man who looked to be in his mid forties, dressed in a traditional Jiu Jitsu robe and a black belt with a red patch tied around his waist.
He made eye contact with Noelani, "Is there a reason why you're late, miss... Uh. What's your name?"
"Noel Morales. Um, yeah. I was breastfeeding." Noelani admitted then pursed her lips into a straight line, "That usually takes some time."
The instructor and a few people in the line in front of her gave her a blank stare.
Noelani knew that she didn't exactly look like what people pictured a young mom to look like, granted, but she had figured that very few people chose to lie about taking care of a child.
"Right." The instructor said in a low tone before turning his head to look at the rest of the class and speaking up, "Pair up and spar so I can see how you fight. Uh, you," He jerked his head towards Noelani and the woman next to her, "Don't make the lateness a habit, okay?"
Noelani nodded and then pursed her lips at being called out.
The rest of the class began to split up into duos and Noelani turned to face the woman next to her to start sparing.
She was already studying Noelani, her brows furrowed, "Do I... Do I know you from somewhere? I swear that I've seen you before."
Noelani tried not to release the aggravated sigh that had formed from her question.
Jalen held some notoriety just from him being himself and anyone around him got a little of it as well, which included Noelani.
But as much as she loved him, she hated that she was known for just being his longtime girlfriend.
Noelani considered herself more than that, a mother, a surfer, an animal lover, before she tied herself so tightly to her relationship that she included being Jalen's girlfriend as one of her titles.
"Um... I doubt it." Noelani lied as she positioned herself across from her in a fighting stance.
The woman came at her in a speedy manner but Noelani was ready for her.
The woman tried to sweep an ankle across Noelani's feet to make her fall but Noelani took the hit and then used her background in kickboxing to make her opponent collapse.
"Ow," The woman placed a hand on the side of her stomach where Noelani had spun and kicked her, "Damn. Where'd that come from?"
Noelani blew towards a curly piece of hair from her bang, "Eleven years of kickboxing."
"Ah." The woman got up and dusted off her flowy navy blue tank top before peering at Noelani's face once more, "Are you sure we haven't met before? You from L.A? You an actress?"
"Nah, but I've been here for a while," Noelani said quickly," I'm not an actress."
But it was too late.
She could see the look of recognition and the way that the other woman's eyes were lighting up.
"You're um... Um... What is his name? Shit. Um, Jalen Green's girl? Right?" The woman asked, pointing in her direction, "I think I've seen you court side on tv a couple of times."
Noelani blinked, trying to avoid an eye roll, "Um, yeah. I guess. I don't really define myself by him."
The woman put her hands up in a defensive stance, palms up, "My bad. I just figured that I've seen you somewhere. I'm Jamie Taylor."
"So, J.T? Like the City Girl?" Noelani asked as the two circled each other to continue their fight, the sounds of other pairs sparring in the dojo causing low booming sounds throughout the area.
Jamie nodded then attempted to strike Noelani once more but she ducked the hit and then judo flipped Jamie over her shoulder.
"Exactly like the City Girl." Jamie said in a choked tone, slight pain on her face.
"Ugh. Did I flip you too hard?" Noelani asked in a worried tone.
"Yeah," Jamie extended a hand upwards and Noelani gripped it, prepared to help her up but the other woman nearly pulled her arm out of her socket and onto the ground.
Noelani laid on the ground, the memory of the first time that she had been alone with Jalen flitted throughout her mind and caused her to laugh.
"You got me," Noelani continued to snicker.
"I had to. You were beating my ass, low key. I need you to teach me that." Jamie rose to her feet and then reached a hand downwards towards her.
Noelani gave her a suspicious look and Jamie rolled her eyes with a smile, "C'mon. I'm not gonna do it twice."
Noelani narrowed her eyes but let Jamie help her up from the gym mat.
"You're okay for being famous," Jamie commented as Noelani dusted off her shirt.
"Famous? Ha! Not even close." Noelani replied as she turned to the front towards the instructor.
Inside, Noelani was jumping for joy.
She had finally found a space where she was allowed to be Noel.
