A Game of Revenge

Strength

Hit, hit, hit.

I was breathing in gasps. The oxygen flowed into me roughly, but it never felt like it was enough. I breathed in short bursts, to control myself.

Hit, hit, hit.

I saw their faces swirling in front of me. I saw their bodies constantly crashing together in passion. I see Nora's eyes glare into mine as she spoke her words of hate. I hear Dan's booming laughter mocking me.

HIT, HIT, HIT.

I spin and round-house kick the bag in front of me. I calm down as I watch the bag slowly come to a stop. I sit down and put my head in between my knees. My breathing slowly comes back to normal. My head whips up when I hear slow clapping. My stormy gray eyes meet a pair of dark brown ones.

"Damn princess! That last combination was strong." Kyle is standing in the corner. His dark, calculating eyes are assessing me. I watch him walk over to me and reach his hand down to help me up. I look at his hand, and just turn away and get up myself.

As I pass him, I roughly shove him. "Do not call me princess," I spit at him. His eyes widen in shock at the venom in my voice, but he slowly recovers.

"Bad day, huh?" he questions. I slowly nod. Over the past year Kyle has really helped me feel a little bit like my old self, before the incident. When Kyle and I first met, I had just moved to his hometown- Chicago. I was actually waitressing at a restaurant- a job my grandmother had gotten for me literally the first day I was here- when a man decided to get a little "handsy." He grabbed my ass, and my fist connected with his face. Kyle had been sitting a few tables down and he witnessed the entire thing. He came up to me after while I was icing my hand, and he told me I had a mean right hook. He also could see right through me. He knew I was hurting and I was angry. He gave me his number and invited me to his boxing gym, so that I could burn off steam and he could teach me how to really fight. Ever since then we have become close friends, and he looks out for me.

Kyle walked up to me and pulled me into a hug. I stayed there for a moment. Something about Kyle's hugs just made me feel at peace. "Feel better princess?" he questioned with concern written all over his face. Instead of shoving him away, I nodded and looked up at him. He pushed my hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. "Addie, I wanted to ask you-"

A loud bang from across the room caused me to jump back in surprise. I saw some guys walk into the gym from the locker room. When I looked back a Kyle he seemed to have this annoyed look on his face. "Hey Ky, is something up," I say as I walk over to my gym bag and collect my things.

"Nah, just a little tired. Hey princess do you need a ride home tonight?" he asks hopefully.

"Don't I always" I laugh. He came over and scooped up my bag and lead me out of the gym. Once we were in the car we sat in comfortable silence as Ky drove me home. We arrived there fifteen minutes later. I reached out to grab my bag from the back. I saw Kyle awkwardly scratch the back of his neck, as he looked at me. I looked at him curiously.

"Um, Addie I was wondering if you were free tomorrow? I have something I want to talk about," he said shyly. I wanted to question him further, but it was obvious he was uncomfortable so I decided to let him off easy.

"Sure thing Ky, we could go see a movie like always..."

"Adalina!" My abuelita calls from the porch. "Mija it's getting late, come inside."

I quickly hop out of Kyle's car. "I'll see you tomorrow Ky! Thanks for the ride." I walk up to my house and I watch him drive off. For some reason I have this weird feeling in my stomach tomorrow is not going to be what I'm expecting.