The Outsiders: Before My Time Part III

Pre-Slap

Bri's POV

July 2020

I wrapped my hands carefully in gauze, the sharp stench of sweat, worn leather, and too much Lysol was clinging to the walls of the old gym, hanging heavy in the air. I flexed my fingers, feeling the tension settle in my shoulders as I eyed the heavy bag. The gym should have been locked up for the night, but Dally never really cared about schedules. He always kept the gym open late for me.

"Hurry it up," Dally barked. He stood nearby, his arms were crossed and that familiar scowl deepened with age. Dally was older now, rough around the edges. He always has been, but he carried himself like a man who had earned every scar. His hair was snowy white, and the fire in his eyes hasn't dimmed a bit.

Dally opened this place up back in the 80s, it was his answer to a world that tried to chew him up. It started as a boxing gym for underprivileged kids, especially the ones tangled up in gang life. He sees himself in those kids. He wanted this place to be a safe haven, something he never got when he was growing up. Sometimes Dally will even run self-defense classes, like the ones he taught me back in '65.

Dally has never been one to walk in a straight line. He had been in and out of jail most of his life, and trouble always found him. He hasn't been arrested again since he got released from jail back in 2017. He has been working hard on himself, trying to get a sense of control back for his life again.

I am proud of Dally. He made good on his second chance. He has become a legend around here. Not for the record he had, but for the lives he has saved. He is living proof that you can start from the bottom and completely turn your life around. He chose to become someone who protects rather than destroys.

I glanced at him, half-annoyed, half-smiling. I tossed my black hoodie on a nearby bench so I was just in my sweatpants and sports bra. "Ever heard of warming up?"

Dally snorted. "You've had six months to warm up. Let's go."

I finished wrapping and I slipped on my gloves before I stepped up to the heavy bag. Dally hovered close, his arms were still folded. I started light, just trying to warm up. My first few jabs were light and controlled.

"Keep your elbows in," Dally called out.

I adjusted my stance and hit the bag again. "Better?" I asked sarcastically.

"You're still dropping your right after a hook."

I shot him a playful glare between punches. "You're still a pain in my ass."

"That's coaching, sweetheart."

I settled into a rhythm. Jab. Jab. Cross. Hook. Reset. Over and over. My feet slid across the mat, I still feel a little rusty but I'm slowly getting back into how I was before my break. My knuckles were already aching and I was annoyed by how hot the gym felt. I clenched my jaw in an attempt to control how heavy I was breathing.

"Focus on your breathing. You look winded already," he stated dryly.

I paused, my chest was heaving. "Give me a break. I had a kid like... six months ago."

Dally grabbed my water bottle and tossed it to me. I managed to catch it between my gloves. "Get some water."

I dropped one of my gloves to the floor. I opened the water bottle seal and took sips in between breaths. I started coming to the gym a few years ago, after Dally got out of jail for the last time. An old buddy of his that he used to hang with at Buck's named Vinny managed the place while Dally was gone, he's been his right hand man since they opened. After I had Goldie, came back to work out with him in April. Now, I feel like I am finally back to my regular training.