"How are you, sweetie?" dad answers when I call him on Monday. He is still in Paris. "I'm coming home next week and I'll bring someone. I'm sure you'll like her," he chirps. I ignore the bitter taste that spreads in my throat when I think about my dad's new affair.
"I got a job at a beach restaurant," I inform him proudly.
"That's great news!"
"Yeah, it's pretty-" I begin and want to tell him how nice the Beach Wreck looks after the renovation and about Billy, the owner, who was a marine before he bought the old building down at the beach, but then I hear noises in the background and dad cuts me short, "Sweetie, I'm sorry. Michelle needs my help. Please, let Jake know that we'll come next week." I don't have a clue where Jake actually is right now, but I also don't get to ask when exactly they come and if Michelle is the woman he is dating at the moment, because he hangs up the minute I open my mouth.
My stomach grumbles and I realize I haven't eaten today. Unfortunately, the fridge hasn't anything good to offer. With a sour expression on my face, I pour myself a glass of water and I look out the window when my eyes remain on the pool in our backyard. I'm reminded of the house party and how Luis has thrown me into the pool there. In all my nineteen years of existing, I never had to deal with such bold behaviour and impudent personality as Luis'. I haven't seen him nor any of his friends since Friday night. It's probably better since I'm still processing that party. Even at night I dream of white powder and dark alluring eyes. I'm ripped out of my thoughts when the door bell begins continuously to ring.
"I'm coming!" I yell for the hundreds time whilst hurrying to the hallway. I yank the front door open, revealing Ana who is dressed in gym shorts and a sports bra. Her bobbed blonde hair is pulled out of her forehead, an alice-band holding it back.
"Are you ready?" she asks and hits her fists into the air in a boxing gesture. She pauses when her eyes take in my appearance, scanning me skeptically from top to bottom. "Why are you not changed?"
"What are you doing here, Ana?"
"I'm here to pick you up for the self-defense class."
"I'm sorry? For what?" I must have misunderstood her.
"You're kidding, right? I told you last week!" she gets into a fuss, "My dad gave me the course as a birthday present, remember? I knew you didn't listen when I told you!"
I don't respond, my brain still processes what she just revealed to me. Ana never ceases to surprise me.
"Come on, you said you're coming! I don't want to do it alone! Don't let me down!" she whines. Although I can't remember when I said I would come, I feel bad that I daydreamed when Ana must have informed me about it. I'm not convinced doing a self-defense course, but neither do I see a reason why I should abandon her.
"Give me a sec," I sigh defeated and hurry back inside to change into gym clothes.
Shortly afterwards, we arrive at the harbour where the course would be held in one of the large hangars. The hall is old and so is the interior with its sport equipment.
"Wow, this is antic." There is one boxing ring and a few other things like mats and a punchbag in the big hall when we cross the room to get to the changing rooms.
"Yeah, unfortunately there was a flooding in the gym where it usually takes place, so they had to move out here," Ana explains.
"Well, then we're probably lucky they found another location for it," I say with dry sarcasm, but Ana ignores me anyway.
"Ok, let's go!" My best friend cheers after we shoved our stuff into the lockers. We walk up a small steel staircase that leads to a fitness room where circa fifteen girls are warming up already. The trainer, Gabriela, has somewhat like a steel body consisting only of muscles and skin. She looks a bit butch and her forcing voice scares the hell out of me. I think she is one of those extreme feminist and it becomes apparent when she screams at her male assistant. For a demonstration lesson only, of course. Everything is bearable until we get to the contact-lessons, where we basically fight against her or her assistant. I gulp when it's my turn to defend myself against her. Unfortunately, it takes five seconds before my back collides with the ground.
YOU ARE READING
BREATHE
Teen Fiction"He makes me question every promise I've ever made to myself and he makes me open up when I don't even want to let myself in. He helps me to breathe when I forget how to."
