little toy guns

Taking Fire

I could not help but laugh and cringe as I watched The Blob. Marty was curled up next right next to me she was asleep but at least it was company.

I glanced at the clock it was 11:56 p.m. my parents would go crazy if they knew I was up. I had training at 7:00 in the morning and I was supposed to get a good night's sleep because someone was coming to watch tomorrow. Now technically today being that it was midnight. It was the only thing my parents agreed on anymore. My training on weekends and school on weekdays.

I lived with my mom and dad but it was not like they were married anymore. My mom slept in the room next to mine and my dad slept in the one down the hall. Because neither one wanted the master anymore it was mine we switched everything around. Now it is like living in a hotel. You see the other people staying there but you really have nothing in common.

Sometimes it feels like we are all just roommates until it comes to parenting me then they agree but what type of dinner to have and it is World War III. Marty rolled over once I turned the T.V. off. It was time to turn in.

In the morning I woke up to the sound of screaming. It was almost as if it was my alarm clock anymore. I looked at my clock it was 4:59 once 5:00 clicked into place my real alarm went off Marty stretched and gently hopped out of bed. For a German Sheppard, she was a bit small but still big enough to scare people. She walked over to the door that led outside and went through the dog door. I jumped into my shower and scrubbed up.

When I got out of the shower I saw Marty on the bed. I dried my hair and put it up into a ponytail. Hopping into some baggie black gym shorts and a sports bra. I grabbed my gym bag and stuffed a change of clothes into it. I sat on the bed next to Marty and slid on my running shoes. Marty looked up expecting me to take her with me. I smoothed back her ears as I pet her promising to take her for a run tomorrow. I grabbed my house keys and put them in my bag. Slinging my bag over my shoulder I snuck out the back yard saying goodbye to Marty and stared my run to the gym. On my way, I stopped by a coffee shop. I got some strange stairs for only having on a sports bra but I ordered and left. I walked as I ate and then picked up a jog.

Once I reached the gym it was open and I invited myself in. Some man sat in the bleachers and a long-haired boy was messing around with the heavy bag. I went into the locker room and made my ponytail into a bun I hate when my hair sticks to my neck. I took off my shoes and I wrapped my hands and ankles walked back out to the center room and stood behind the boy at the bag. "You know just hitting it willie nillie like that is bound to do more damage to you right?" I asked him. "'Willie nillie?' Who even says that anymore?" He asked turning around. "I do now please if you don't mind getting out of my way I am so not in the mood for you." I told this stranger. I pulled my headphones and phone from my pocket as he stepped away from the bag.

I fell into a rhythm and soon I felt a hand on my shoulder. I stopped and turned to see my dad aka the owner and the boy and man from the bleachers. I pulled out my headphones and stopped the music. My dad spoke first.

"Nick this is Greg and his son Alexander." My dad turned to both of them and said. "Gentlemen my daughter Nicole." Alexander man that was too long. Xander that's good. "Greg has brought Alex here to train with you." Said, dad.

"Don't worry I'll go easy on you." Xander said as I walked by. I halfway hit him. He doubled over, baby.

"Too bad I wont." I whispered.

"Nicky one lap now." I did not complain because I had asked for it. I did not hit him as hard as I could have but I did hit him. I started my jog around the gym and watched as Xander went to get changed. He came back and I was standing next to my dad by the practice ring. I was suited up and ready to go as Xander came over. I climbed through the ropes and into the ring as I waited for Xander.

Once he was ready to go my dad laid out some rules. "This is just to see how the other works I don't want to see any full blows right now we are just getting to know each other. For every blow that is too hard or causes damage, you will have to make up for in laps. Understand?" We both agreed and started sparing.

"Why did you start fighting?" Xander asked a bit of an Aussie accent.

"What why does that matter?" I shot back. We both landed a few hits before he pinned me to the mat. His glove clad hands held my arms down.

"We are getting to know each other right?" I wrapped my legs around his waist and flipped the tables.

"Why don't you start?" I asked as I pinned him.

"My mom. You?" He asked shoving me off of him. I jumped up and took some of my anger at my parents out on him.

"Nicky three laps later." Yelled my dad. I chuckled

"Him." I told Xander as we circled each other looking for an opportunity.

The match went on and on till we both had six laps racked up. My ribs ached and so did my legs by the time we were done. I walked into the locker room Xander on my heals. As he walked in and stripped himself of his shirt and fixed the bun on his head with his hands. I grabbed my bag and through him my brush and then headed to the single-stall showers.

Once I was done and changed I figured Xander was gone and walked out bag packed ready to go home. I walked out into the main gym where others had started to arrive. It was 9:00 the gym just opened. I looked around and was somewhat surprised to have my eyes fall on the lean tan back of Xander. He was back at the punching bag. His form of approaching the bag was different this time it was as if he was taking out all of his rage out on it. I know the look because I had stood in the same place for the same reason many times. As I walked over I could hear Green Day from his headphones. I plucked one from his ear he quickly turned to me his brown hair was a sweaty a mess on his head. His brown eyes stared me down. "What?" He asked slightly panting.

"I was thinking I could get to know who I was sparing with." I told him.

"Well you look done and I'm not." He said his voice full of sass. "Rain check?" He asked like he was sorry for his previous tone.

"Ya sure." I told him as I walked away.

I walked home and found my parents were not home. Marty was in the back yard and came running to me. I looked in her bowl to see it was dirty from breakfast so she has eaten. Mom probably fed her before she left. Once I cleaned Marty's bowl I sat on the couch. My cardio workout reminder beeped. I had jogged to the gym so I skipped it. I could feel Marty staring at me from the back door. I rolled my head back to look at her.

"Come on Mart I have work in almost an hour." I told her. She laid down and sulked. I got up and went to the back door she scrambled up her tail wagging as she looked at me.

"Don't look at me like that I don't like you." I joked with her. Her tail only wagged harder as I spoke to her. I walked out and picked up her ball it was getting gross but that was how she liked them. I bounced the ball getting her attention. She play pounced and wanted to grab it from me but she was better trained than that. I tossed the ball and she went bounding after it.

After we were done playing because we had to get to work Marty was panting and lapping up water like crazy. I grabbed her harness and leash as I walked to the door. I called Marty and put her volunteer vest on after her harness. Once her leash was attached she was ready.

After the drive to the hospital, Marty was relaxed and laying down in the backseat. I walked her in and got our visitor passes.