Never Back Down

Chapter 6

This morning I decided to ditch school. I search up fighting gyms and found Tri-Star MMA gym, which stands for Mixed Martial Arts. Hopping onto my precious motorcycle and I speed down the California streets looking for the address of the gym.

     

         Pulling up to the address that was on the computer I find a big brown building with a black door. Walking through the doors I am instantly hit with the nasty smell of sweat. Looking around I see punching bags, manikins, arena’s, lots of guys around my age fighting each other and no women at all. Walking over to a mat that was in the corner of the room I set my bag down and tape my hands. Getting onto the mat I practice my kicks and punches.

           

 “You’re a pretty good fighter!” Startled I turn around to see Jayce.

“Thanks?” I say.

“You should rotate your body when you punch. It gives your punches more power, not that you need more power. If you were to be fighting someone you would have knocked him out if you hit him the right way.”

“Thanks!” Jayce walks over to the mat next to me and I go back to improving my fighting. As I was about to punch the bag I felt someone put their hands on my waist. “Move your hips when you punch, you will have stronger punches.” A deep voice whispered in my ear. Looking back to see who is holding my hips I see a guy that’s about my age with black hair and brown eyes that’s face is really close to mine. Turning back around I push my fist out in front of me while he rotates my hips for me. “See your punches are more powerful now.”

“Thanks?” I turn around to face him so that my back is not towards his front but now front to front. As I turn the guy keep his hands on my hips. Looking around I see that no one was looking at us except Jayce.

“My name’s Jordan!”

“I’m Chantelle!”

“You have one powerful punch and kick. I have been watching you for the past five minutes. You fight?” He asked

“No, I just started fighting.”
“Well for a beginner you are really good; heck you are better than some fighters that have been fighting for more than a year.”

“Thank you!” Jordan leans closer to me until his mouth is right next to my ear.

“Listen I’m in this street fighting group and a slot just came open for someone to join in. You would be fighting girls obviously, but I would not be surprised if you started versing boys because of your skill level!” Leaning back so that he can see my face he waits for me to answer.

“I will consider it.”

“Ok, here’s my number. I need to know by Thursday because that would be the final day that people can enter the matches” Jordan hands me a piece of paper with his number on it and lets go of my hips and walks back over to where he was practicing. Going back to what I was doing I think about what he said. This could be the chance that I have been waiting for!

           Trying to fall asleep that night was like trying to get a dolphin to walk on land. It was impossible. Getting out of bed around 6:30 because I could not fall asleep I get ready for school.

           Arriving at school early I walk to my locker to find all the boys except Jayce that I sat with on two days ago standing at my locker waiting for me. Walking up to them I ask them why they are at my locker.

“Is it wrong for friends to wait for other friends at their locker?” Chase says.

“I guess not,” All of a sudden my phone started to blast the song Gangnam style by PSY. “I don’t remember setting that as anyone’s ringtone.” While I was taking out my phone I see Zack start to do some weird random dance. It looked like he was a chicken running around with its head cut off and a mixture of a dying donkey. It looked so bad that I felt bad for him. His arms were all over the place like he was trying to fly, his head was going in circles, his body was twisting everywhere and it looked like he had two left feet.

“Zack, man you’re making us all look bad over here!” Jayce walks up to Zack and smack’s him in the head. Looking back at my phone I press the answer button.

“Hello?”

“Hey Chantelle, it’s me Jordan.”

“Oh, hey, what’s up?”

“Have you considered joining yet because we could really use you?”

“I think I might just join. Do I have to talk to anyone about this?”

“Yeah just meet me at the gym at 5:00 and my boss will be there to decide if you’re good enough.”

“Ok, anyways I got to go Jordan.”

“Okay, bye!” Hanging up, I look away from my phone to see all the boys staring at me. “What?” I snapped at them.

“Who’s Jordan?” Chase asked.

“A person that I met yesterday” Just when Jayce looked like he was about to say something the bell rang for first class which was English for me. Walking to the English room I walk in to see Mrs. Walsenburg standing at the front of the class with a big smile on her face. This is not going to be good. You see when Mrs. Walsenburg has a big smile on her face it means that she is going to tell us about what it was like for her back then. I decide to sit in the back so that I can get away with not listening to her. “Good morning class” She said with a big smile. “I was walking home yesterday and I saw someone digging a hole. It reminded me of the time when we did not have toilets, we had to take a shovel and dig a hole to do my business, then put the dirt back in the hole covering up the insides. Then that reminded me of how we had to make everything in order to survive, we had to work hard. It taught us how to become responsible kids. You guys have it easy you…” That was where I stopped listening to her and fell into a deep slumber.

I was awakened by the sound of the second bell ringing, putting my stuff into my backpack I walk out of the class. Heading in the direction of my next class I run into someone. Looking up I see Jayce looking down at me “You going to take the offer?”

“What are… Oh you were listening to what Jordan was telling me!”

“How could I not listen to your conversation? He had his hands on your hips and was so close that you couldn’t have stuck a piece on paper between you. It wouldn’t fit!!” By the end of his mini rant he was steaming.

“Are you jealous that that was not you?” I say tauntingly.

“No, I just couldn’t help but notice.”

“Ediga scdigus medigi, youdigu idigar idigain midigi widiga” A little red head said some words that I have never heard before.

“Um, what?” I ask.

“Yidigu idigar idigin tidiga widiga” She was speaking the same language or way.

“Um, I can’t understand you” All of a sudden she just pushed me out of the way and walked by.

“I think you were in her way,” Jayce said.

“Thanks for stating the obvious!” I say sarcastically looking over my shoulder at him and heading off to my next class.