Broken Beautiful Hearts

21. Breaking My Fall

When I return from the locker room a few minutes later, I'm wearing black leggings and a fitted tank under my T-shirt, and showing considerably less skin.

There's a guy in the ring with Owen and it's not Lazarus. I recognize the fauxhawk. It's Tucker. He's wearing a T-shirt, sweats with a red stripe down the side, mismatched socks, and his high top fans.

"You have to stand up to those boys," Lazarus says from his seat at the chess table, "or they'll never leave you alone. That's the way it works. Take down the ring leader and just the rest of them won't bother you anymore."

Tucker sighs. "That's not going to happen. Garrett, the guy who has it in for me, outweighs me by a hundred pounds, easy. The only way I'm going to take him down is with a bulldozer."

"Size has nothing to do with it. Even if you can't take him down, you can stop him from kicking your ass." Owing motions for Tucker to move to the center of the ring. "Come on. I'll show you."

"I'm not sure I understand," Tucker says.

Lazarus looks up from his chess game. "Stop talking, Tucker. You don't need to understand. Just pay attention."

I move closer to watch.

"So here's what you do," Owen says. "Bend your wrist back like this, so the heel of your hand is facing up." Owen demonstrates the correct position, and Tucker mimics it with his hand. "Good. You're going to use the heel of your hand to strike."

"That means hit, right?" Tucker asks.

"Yeah. There are three parts of the body that are vulnerable on everyone: the eyes, hitting the nose up toward the bridge, and right here." He touches the hollow at the base of his throat. "If you strike any of those places with the heel of your hand, you should be able to stun that person long enough to take off - if the hit doesn't take them down completely."

Tucker looks at the heel of his hand. "What if I don't hit them hard enough, or in the right spot?"

"The nose is the easiest target. But you have to strike in an upward motion, like this." Owen demonstrates the move in slow motion, raising the heel of his hand up to Tucker's nose as if he's going to hit it.

"There are a lot of nerves in the nose, so if you hit someone there, it hurts like hell and it will make their eyes water."

Tucker still looks unsure.

Own motions toward him. "Try it."
Tucker performs the same movement, thrusting the heel of his hand upwards until he reaches Owen's nose. "Like that?"

"Exactly like that."

He walks Tucker through the move over and over, explaining each step.

The first few times, Tucker's aim is off or he executes the strike incorrectly. With each failed attempt, he appears more dejected. "I'll never get it right."

"Try again," Owen says, sounding like Cutter issuing instructions.

"I've already done it ten times," Tucker complains.

"And we'll keep doing it until you get it. So are you going to try again or quit?"

"It's bad luck to give up in a boxing ring," Lazarus says.

"That probably only counts if you're a boxer." Tucker says.

"It counts no matter who you are," Lazarus says. "A ring is for fighting, not quitting. Sometimes you fight with your fists and other times you fight with your will."

"Come on." Owen gestures for Tucker to try again. "Stand up straight and concentrate. Visualize the move before you do it. See yourself executing each step."