Hit Like A Girl

2- Ezra

"Ezra! We're ready for you in five. Be prepared to walk." One of the many crewmen yelled to me.

Three.

Two.

One.

Time to walk.

Now, let me explain. I am not a movie star or a super star. I am a professional kick boxer. I don't like to be related to the prissy girls that act and sing for a living. I like to fight, and I'm not afraid to take a hit.

I walked out of the locker room and down the aisle that led to the boxing ring. I could barely hear the announcer as he announced my entrance into the arena. I only knew he had said my name because the screaming got louder and then even louder when I came into sight of all the fans who where here to observe the fights.

This is what I was used to. The loud, the screaming, the fans. This was my life and I loved it.

"Okay Ezra. Focus. This is championships. Only the best of the best are here. You can do this. This is what I trained you for." My trainer Mark said into my ear while squeezing my shoulders.

Mark has been my trainer since I was 11. He'd been my trainer ever since I moved to Chicago from New York. I kept warming up with Mark, waiting for the announcer to announce my opponent. I could barely hear though, the arena was so loud. I only knew my opponent had been announced, because the screaming around me got more excited and frantic. I just kept working on my moves instead of watching her walk in.

I turned around just as she was climbing into the ring, and man was this girl intimidating. Everything she was wearing was black. Her sports bra, her shorts, straight down to her sneakers and gloves. All black. The only thing that she wore with color was a bright gold boxers robe. And her whole body oozed with confidence. Her grey hair was braided in two tight braids on either side of her head. This girl looked familiar but I wasn't sure who she was. Her piercing grey eyes met mine and it hit me. I knew exactly who she was.

Greer?!

"Dad! Do I have to go?" My five year old self whined to my father as he dragged me from the car.
"Ezra, you know that your uncle and I agreed this would be the best fit for you." My father said to me.
I whined some more about how I want my Uncle Dave to just teach me one on one, even though I knew this was an argument that I wouldn't win.
Once inside the gym, I looked around anxiously. Finally I spotted him.
"Uncle Dave!" I screamed and ran across the room into my uncle's waiting arms.
"There's my favorite girl!" He grinned at me, "You ready for class today?"
I nodded nervously as he set me back on the ground. After he exchanged a few words with my dad, he walked away and my dad led me into a room that was down the hall from the bathrooms.

I stood on the mat watching my uncle pair the other five years old together before he started the class. My eyes were wide as a small girl padded across the mat towards me. She stuck out her hand to me and said, "I'm Greer."
"My name is Ezra." I said with a small smile.

I had little time to react to this realization, and to the flashback, that i just experienced before the referee had me move forward and bump gloves with Greer. After bumping gloves I bounced backwards on my feet and got into a defensive position. Next thing I knew, I heard the announcer call out.
"Round One! Fight!
I knew in my heart that I couldn't actually fight Greer. I've known her too long, and she's too important to me.
She threw a right punch aimed at my face and I blocked it. It was then that I knew she knew who I was too. She wasn't putting in the effort. I threw a punch to her stomach. We both were just doing enough to keep the crowd interested.

We went back and forth like this until the announcer called the end to round one, and i went over to Mark.

"What the hell are you doing out there?! You aren't fighting, you're being a child!" Mark screamed at me.

"Mark! Her coach is my uncle. She's basically family. She was my boxing partner until I moved and started with you. I can't fight her."
Mark looked shocked but he didn't say anything to me. He just wiped my forehead with a towel and sprayed water into my mouth from the water bottle, and he handed me back my mouth guard when we heard the referee call my name. I stood up and went back to the middle of the ring.

"Round Two! Fight!"