The Will To

F I F T E E N (saturday special)

"That's better. Feel the strength in your legs? Use that as leverage. Shift it through to your arms. It'll make for a more powerful strike."

Nola did as directed and used the power of her base to thrust a palm strike at a punching bag. It landed with force. She flipped towards me with a smile strapped to her flushed face, expectant.

"Better," I said, moving towards her. "Okay, let's practice escaping from a bear hug. This works for when someone comes up from behind and wraps their arms around you. I'm gonna show you how it looks and then we'll practice."

"Aye, aye, Sensei."

I noticed Talia watching us keenly among the group of women from the edge of the studio. Every second Saturday of the month, she opened her studio doors for a half-price self-defense lesson. It attracted many people (evidenced by the full room), one of which was Nola, who had decided to participate in response to Lyla's rape. Though I usually hit the gym Saturday morning despite a dire need for sleep, I was filled with energy as I drove Nola and myself to Talia's studio bright and early that morning. I hoped the taste of this self-defense class would urge Nola to sign up for the next series the following semester.

In a modified stance, I stood behind Nola to imitate an attacker. She crouched low because she was a bit taller than me. After I wrapped my arms around her stomach, Nola drove both elbows into the sides of my neck and successfully spun around, using her hands to bring me to the ground. When I picked myself up, she was beaming. "I feel like such a badass!" she exclaimed, hopping back and forth. "Did that hurt?"

"We went half strength, Nola," I said, brushing my hands along my spandex pants.

"I know, but I feel so strong!"

I rolled my eyes but she knew that I did so endearingly.

We continued practicing until Talia dismissed the class, her sight never far from Nola and me. When we grabbed towels to wipe away our acquired sweat, Talia called us over.

"So, what'd you think?" she asked.

Nola, who was glowing underneath the sweaty hair clinging to the sides of her red face, said, "I think I'm in love."

Talia laughed. "It's pretty empowering, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna stop by my Cyber Security professor's office and demand he give me those two points I missed on the midterm, because I feel like I could do just about anything right now."

"And to think I've been trying to get you to come to this class for a year," I said. "Do I finally get to tell you 'I told you so?'"

"You failed to mention I'd feel like this afterwards."

I pulled my ponytail tighter. "Don't lie. You just liked throwing a few punches at me."

Nola said through a bright chuckle, "See? You get it."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Talia said. "You're welcome to come to any of the other sessions I have, and, I'll even make an exception and let you come with Will to any of the classes left in her self-defense series."

"I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up," Nola said.

"You do whatever you're comfortable with, but there is always something to learn from the class." Talia glanced at me. "Plus, you've got a good teacher to help you out."

I knew what Talia was doing and shut her down by crossing my arms and saying, "Or you could just sign up for the next self-defense series and go through the whole thing."

"Yeah," Nola said, and her glow dimmed. She tucked her lip inside her mouth and averted her gaze to the wall of mirrors. "I'm sure you've heard. Everyone has—about the rape that happened on campus?"