F1 One Shots

#108 Max - Karate

NARRATOR POV.: 7 years old girl fights bravely with a bigger and older boy with only an orange belt, while he has a green one. (The girl is on the lower level- aut. note) The little one, however, does not give up, and her minority and agility help her a lot. Her hair is tied in a tailored braid from the top of her head, and it's quite long, so it flies with a shuffle around her head with every twist, jump or dodge. Her parents, their friends and her friends are sitting in the audience cheering her on.
-Time!- referee shouts, informing everyone about 3 minutes long break. So far there is a tie, so the result will be decided by this round. The brunette calmly walks over to the edge of the mat and listens carefully to the coach's comments while drinking the water calmly. She doesn't get nervous at all. She is the best in her year, the only one with an orange belt, while the rest of the kids have yellow or even white.
After a while, the whistle sounds again and the players face each other again. The girl is calm. She knows how to win and what to do to achieve this goal.

RICHELLE'S POV.: I climbed onto the mat again. I watch Cole carefully. He is two years older than me and has a higher rank, so he is an interesting opponent, but to be beaten. I'm a bit beaten up, but I'm used to it. If I cried after every bruise, I would have given up karate a long time ago. While standing on the mat, I can hear my mother's composed, but proud voice in my head: "Kom op, mijn kleine draak! Niemand kan jouw vuur blussen! Hij brandt diep van binnen! Onthoud dat!" (Come on my little dragon! Nobody can put out your fire! It's burning deep inside you! Remember that!) I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, opened them, and prepared to fight. "The victory is mine!" I told myself. Moments later, the referee resumed the fight.
-Aaaaija!- I allowed myself to release some of my accumulated energy through screaming. My punches were accurate and sure, and my dodges were quick and agile, just like me. And my eyesight was focused on the opponent. I entered the Zen zone again. Nothing was reaching me, only the goal mattered...
We've been fighting for a while. The clash ended so that I knocked Cole to the ground and he did not get up anymore...
-The winner is.... Richelle!! -referee exclaimed with joy. Immediately after that, there was a decoration, as my fight was the last one. I got silver because one English girl was a bit better than me. I was calm until I got off the mat, then I ran straight to my parents.
-Mijn kleine draak! (My little dragon!)- I flew straight into the arms of my mother, who was crying with pride. I hung around her neck and she picked me up and hugged me close.
-I got silver!- I said, looking at both parents with glittering eyes.
-Bravo Elle!- dad was smiling from ear to ear. I hugged him too, still sitting on my mom's hip.
-It'll be gold next time!- I said confidently.
-We'll see Draak, now, we're going to change and then party!- my mum laughed, and then I went with her to changing room. There, all the boys and girls from my group congratulated me. That was very kind...
Then we actually went to celebrate with all my aunts and uncles and my friends. I did not fail to persuade my mother to inform my grandparents as well. They were very happy and so was I. We partied late, and when I went to sleep, my smile did not leave my face...

3 YEARS LATER
NARRATOR POV.: As always in Wednesday, Richelle is waiting for her dad, to pick her up from Karate practise. However, Uncle Daniel came to pick her up instead...
-Uncle Danny? Where's daddy?!- she asked in surprise, jumping into the backseat and fist-bumping Riccardo and putting the bag on the seat next to her.
-Your dad... He had to do a few things...- the elder replied hesistantly and start the engine. The rest of the ride was in a nicer conversation and Richelle didn't even suspect what had happened...
She waited for her dad to come back until the very night, and she stayed awake until he came home...
-Elle? You're not sleeping yet?- he asked her, surprised.
-Where is Mummy?- she asked back, looking at her father caucionsly, ignoring the question.
-Mummy.. She needed to fly abroad for a bit ok? She'll be back soon...- Max replied, huged her and kissed the top of his daughter's head -And now, go to the bathroom!- he added, and took care of his daughter. Even he didn't suspect that he won't be sleeping that long that night...