Freshman

January

Dani's POV

I had a pretty good break from school, I spent New Year's with Will, Lizzy, and the rest of the gang. They were all drunk by the end of the night (drinking's not my thing) , while I sat in the corner. Wasn't very fun to be honest, but these are my friends now, and I have to compromise.

With the New Year came exams, new classes and a whole new schedule. I had no classes with Abby, but I saw her occasionally. We don't really talk on Skype anymore, and I barely speak to Mel.

I've still be playing lacrosse and such. Boxing's been really tough, my competition is three times my size and it's not easy being a girl in these kind of sports. I decided to try a different type of lacrosse (indoor) which required padding and a bunch of other expensive safety equipment. I went to Alysha's art show (where my Mom got mad at me from texting Will the whole time),

My mom isn't really a big fan of my sports, she says I need to be a lady, but hey at least I'm not a hermit anymore. I haven't started lacrosse yet, just been boxing and such. I had a really big exhibition match a while ago, and it was intense. Lizzy and her friends said boxing was lame and not for girls, so I hadn't gotten the chance to tell her I had been boxing still, and I didn't plan on stopping. It wasn't that hard to hide it from her anyway.

"Are you ready for this?" asked my Dad in the driver's seat of our car. I nodded and he looked at me.

"You've been boxing for a long time now, you can always quit if you want. I fear for you, it's getting way more violent"

"I'll be fine Dad" I answered. "I always am"

"That may be true, but how will you explain your bruises at school?" I shrugged at his question. "Beats me, but I don't want any daughter of mine walking around school with a busted eye"

"I'll be fine" I said as he pulled into the parking lot of my gym.

"You promise me that?" he answered. "Don't go overboard, I know you and if you're hurt I want you to get out of that ring"

I can't get him to leave me alone about this. "Yes Daddy" I said and jogged into the building.

The air was moist, and the lighting low. The only windows we have in this banged up gym are placed high up, and small things really. There's a ring in the center, and looking around I notice they've taken down the black punching bags for the exhibition. The seats are set up, and everything is ready.

Tonight I'm fighting a girl from Orangeville, I've heard she isn't much of a threat, but you never know. I'm the only girl who trains at this gym, and the boys aren't too fond of me.

I head straight for the closet I have to use as a change room (since this was an all male gym before I got here) and lock the door. I smile as I look at the pale green wall that I've plastered with my posters of famous boxers. Muhammed Ali and Sylvester Stallone included.

I had gotten a hair cut since my hair was so unmanageable, and it's shoulder length now. There's less hair, which I don't like, but at least I can pull it back.

I throw a black Everlast tank top over my red sports bra, and a pair of baggy red shorts with a white line on the sides over my body. I pull on the helmet as well, and my shoes.

I open the door, only to the familiar sound of pubescent males.

"Look who it is" taunted Kevin. I can't stand him, think ugly kid with shaggy black hair, a uni-brow and smell that's a mixture of boy and man.

I shove past him. "Leave me alone I've got a fight in ten minutes and need to warm up"

"C'mon you know I'm just teasing" he laughs with his friends. I narrow my eyes at them, they're pretty much copies of Kevin, just with different hair colors. But they're all equally stupid.