ᴀᴜʙʀᴇʏ 'ᴅʀᴀᴋᴇ' ɢʀᴀʜᴀᴍ
The sound of my gloves hitting the heavy bag echoed through the gym, a rhythm I was growing accustomed to.
"Give me a few more," Roxx said, shifting the weight of the bag closer to me. Roxx was more than just my brother; he was also my trainer, a guy who pushed me to dig deeper and find the strength I didn't know I had.
I nodded, adjusting my gloves, my fists now enveloped in the familiar padding. I unleashed a series of hard punches, the impact reverberating through my arms.
"Good shit, Drake! We're moving into the ring now. Gotta do mitt work, boy!"
With a quick sip from my water bottle, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and made my way to the ring. It felt good to be here, to lose myself in the training.
Onika had come to watch, and I was grateful. I didn't want her cooped up in the hotel alone, especially with Omari at school and Ava flying back to Toronto to be with Sophie for the week.
I glanced over, Onika smiled and gave me a thumbs-up. That little gesture meant the world to me. It was like fuel for my fire, and I smirked back, appreciating her support.
"Alright," Roxx said, stepping into the ring, his eyes glinting with determination. "You ready?"
I nodded, getting into my fighting stance, the energy in the air shifting as I focused. "Show ya girl how you coming bout her," Roxx said with a laugh, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
The mitt work began, and I had to catch Roxx around the ring. He moved fast, but I was faster, dodging and weaving, my feet light on the canvas.
We sparred, I felt the rhythm of the fight take over, my body responding instinctively. With every jab and cross, I poured my heart into the punches, hoping to impress her.
I was showing her I was committed.
With Roxx's encouragement ringing in my ears, I pushed harder, lost in the flow of movement and sweat. Each hit, each dodge, became a part of the unspoken conversation I wanted to have with her a conversation about strength, and resilience.
We wrapped up, and I slipped off my gloves, feeling the ache settle in my muscles. "Fuck yeah, nigga," Roxx said with a grin as we slapped hands, locking into our usual handshake. "Well done today."
I nodded, still catching my breath. "Appreciate it, boy."
He leaned in, voice low so only I could hear, "Go talk to your future wife."
I laughed, shoving him playfully. "Man, get outta here."
I stepped out of the ring, putting the gloves back in their place, then grabbed a seat next to Onika. She looked up at me, smiling, her eyes warm.
"You're really a hard worker," she said, her voice soft but filled with admiration. "Seeing you train, I could tell you really love what you do."
I smiled back, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. "Yeah, it keeps me grounded. It's something I can control, you know? Gives me a reason to keep pushing."
Onika nodded, her gaze steady. "I get it. You put so much into it—I can see that. It's inspiring."
Her words hit deep, like she was seeing more than just the training. "Thanks for saying that. So," I said, grabbing a towel and wiping the back of my neck. "Is there anything you want to do today?" I looked over at her, and she shook her head slowly.
"Come on, you serious, Nicki? You've been cooped up in that hotel room too long. This is your last day before you get to move into the new place I got for you," I said, watching her closely. "We could go swimming, maybe?"
