The Weight of Silence

Chapter 4

As I threw another punch, Sayjan effortlessly dodged, stepping to the side with a smirk.

"Not bad, but you've got to be faster," he teased, his voice light but confident.

I tried to focus, but the teasing made me feel a little more self-conscious. I threw another jab, but this time, he swayed back, avoiding it with ease, his grin widening.

"You're gonna have to do better than that if you want to land one on me," he said, his voice full of playful challenge.

I narrowed my eyes, determined to land a hit. I threw another punch, this time aiming for his stomach, but again, he was too quick. He dodged, then lightly tapped me on the shoulder with his glove, making me stumble back.

"Gotcha," he said, laughing.

I huffed, a little frustrated but also laughing along with him.

"You're not making this easy," I said, trying to hide the smile tugging at my lips.

He shrugged, his grin never fading.

"It's not supposed to be easy."

I lunged at him, throwing a combination of punches, but he dodged every one, moving effortlessly around me. The more I tried, the more he seemed to enjoy the game, his movements fluid and teasing.

"Come on, Adma, you've got to be quicker than that," he said, his voice teasing but encouraging. "You're too predictable."

I let out a breath, my frustration growing, but then something in me clicked. I stopped trying to match his movements and decided to just focus on the flow, not on landing the perfect punch. I feigned a jab to the left, then quickly swung my right fist toward his side.

But before I could get too comfortable, he suddenly lunged forward, his arms wrapping around my waist. I gasped in surprise as he pulled me into a playful, but surprisingly strong, hold.

"Wait, what are you—" I started, but before I could finish, he gently spun me around and wrestled me onto the floor, laughing.

"Now you're really in trouble," he teased, pinning me down just enough to make me realize he was stronger than I'd expected.

I laughed, wriggling underneath him, trying to break free.

"You're cheating!" I protested, my heart racing from the sudden shift in the game.

"Cheating?" he asked, his voice playful. "This is boxing and wrestling, all in one."

I tried to push him off, but his grip was firm, and the way he was smiling made it hard to stay mad.

"You're not playing fair," I said, though I was laughing now, caught up in the fun of it all.

He leaned down slightly, his face just inches from mine, and for a moment, everything felt still.

"Fair?" he said, his voice low and teasing. "What's the fun in fair?"

Before I could respond, I managed to shift my weight, using my legs to push him off just enough to roll us both over. Now I was on top, grinning down at him.

"I think I've got you now," I said, trying to catch my breath.

Sayjan raised an eyebrow, looking up at me with a mock-serious expression. "Oh, you think so?"

I nodded, holding my position, but he wasn't done yet. With a sudden move, he twisted his body, flipping us over so that he was back on top, pinning me down again.

"Gotcha," he said, his grin widening.

Sayjan's expression softened, his playful grin turning into something more genuine. "You're pretty good at this," he said, his voice quieter now.