𝐷𝐴𝑌𝐿𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 - 𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑅𝑇𝐸𝐸𝑁 𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑆𝑂𝑁𝑆 𝑊𝐻𝑌

25. ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ

„Now, faster." she barely heard the voice over the ringing in her ears. „Come on, faster!" her heavy breaths were the only sound she could hear as she fastened her actions.

„I can't!" she shouted with a final punch, taking a huge step back from the punching bag and using her forearm to wipe the sweat streaming down her face.

Tony nodded and caught the punching back, stabilizing it before approaching Mani, who now plopped down on the floor and struggled to take her gloves off. He kneeled in front of her and helped her with them, the two not speaking a word until the gloves were off.

Mani hissed in pain as she stretched her fingers, leaning back against the wall of the small gym they were in. Tony smiled and handed her a bottle of water which the girl gladly accepted, drinking almost all of it within seconds.

„How did that feel?" the boy asked, picking her towel up and wiping the sweat threatening to make contact with her eyes.

„Amazing." Mani breathed out, her eyes stuck on the punching bag in front of her. She smiled to herself and threw her head back, fist bumping Tony.

But, let's start earlier.

It's been a month since Zoya Andrews left town, since Justin Foley went missing, since the news about the Baker trial spread, and since Alex Standall's suicide attempt. Mani found herself struggling, and looking for a way to fight the stress.

First, she turned to alcohol. Every night when she was alone in her room, she'd have a bottle of vodka accompanying her. The alcohol helped her sleep, kept her from thinking about everyone she lost. Kept her from seeing Jeff every time she closed her eyes.

However, when Monty found out about what she was doing, he did everything in his power to stop her. Starting with taking the bottles away, he even bribed the local liquor store's owner to stop selling her the alcohol. With his help, she eventually stopped. And the search of some kind of relief continued.

And then, Tony Padilla once knocked on her door, holding two pairs of boxing gloves, offering to teach her and help with her feelings.

She took his help.

So now, the two found themselves sitting together in the local gym, tired after their daily session, but content with how they were feeling. The two teens found new comfort in each other, in the person neither of them expected.

„Okay. I'm gonna go see Alex now." Mani muttered after her breathing finally came back to normal. Tony nodded and helped her stand up.

„Do you need a ride?" he offered, picking up his bag and taking a sip from the water bottle he was holding.

„Nah, I've got my car. See you tomorrow, Tony." she waved and walked out, cracking her neck as she approached her black Charger.

Mani found herself being able to drive without freaking out once again. It was her small, personal win that she was very proud of. She and Monty even had a small party (just the two of them drinking wine and watching Ice Age) to celebrate her success.

As she finally approached the Standall house, she stopped the car and got out, grabbing her bag along and walking up to the steps. She knocked and after a few seconds the door opened, revealing Alex's dad. Armani smiled and waved.

„Hi, Deputy Standall." she greeted and returned an amused smile in return.

„I think I told you to call me Bill, Mani." he said, shaking his head at girl's antics and stepping aside, letting her enter.

„You sure did." she smiled and took her shoes off before going upstairs, approaching Alex's room. The girl took a deep breath in and knocked, flinching at his loud response.