Day after day I have practiced like this and harder. The weight is getting heavier, from 2.5 to 3 each. The square blocking is a smaller space for me to dodge. And the way I go, changes to left and right block, zig-zag way, one block to another two blocks away. Whenever my body is comfortable with the method the coach has to change to another.
"We got the name of the fighter."
Mr. Laith comes in.
"You keep going."
Coach tells me and I nod to him.
"Who?"
Coach asks Mr. Laith.
"GEMBLER."
"Mmm."
The coach makes a sound in his throat.
Then, both of them turn to look at me.
"You got what I asked for?"
He asks Mr. Laith.
"Yes. it's outside."
"Let them install it in the Dark room."
"Sure."
"Rookie."
"Yes, Coach?"
"Take a break."
"Oh, gosh..."
I spell my emotions out and let my body fall down on the floor immediately.
"!!"
Coach watches me and shakes his head a little. Mr. Laith chuckles softly and gets upstairs.
"Where's Emris?"
I ask Coach.
"Why did you ask about him?"
"Do we have to change rooms again tonight?"
"No, he's out in the ring right now."
"Hm?"
I raise my head up while my body is lying down on the floor.
"He's having a match tonight."
"What!?"
I want to go!
I give him a look.
"What?"
He flinches.
"..."
"You have to practice."
He answers me without hearing my question.
"5 minutes."
I tell him.
"We can do a lot in 5 minutes."
"When I have a 5-minute break on blocking."
I suggest.
"..."
"Do you think you can practice the blocking, run to the center building, watch him fight, and come back here to practice in 5 minutes?"
He asks.
I'll try.
'Are you crazy?'
"Yes."
I answer.
"Hmpt. Sure, if you say so."
"Yes!"
"But if you're late by more than 0.09 seconds. You will be punished."
"Like what…"
"You will have no breaks for 5 days."
"Ha!?"
That...But I want to see him.
"Yes!"
I accept the challenge.
"Hmpt, deal."
"Y-yes.."
Xin, you have to…
'No. You want to see him, but I don't. you're on your own.'
You're mean.
'Heh, yes.'
Why? Help me.
'I'll help you in anything, but not for him.'
It's not for him, it's for me. I want to watch him fight.
'I don't like him.'
Fine...Sh.
I give him a slighted feeling.
The blocking of the square shapes is smaller than yesterday, with more ropes and more complexity. I get up on the stage, preparing myself, breathing in and breathing out.
"No guard down, lower and quicker dodge, keep the rhythm, only side back and your back can touch the ropes. Don't forget to punch the air as well."
"Yes, Coach. Which way to go first?"
"Which block is closest to you… Block from block. You can see which one is closer and more open to get in, that is the next one. There's no right or wrong. The outsider's eyes might see differently from yours, but you choose what is right for you. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Go!"
"Thud-Thud…Thud-Thud…Thud-Thud."
I keep punching, dodging and skipping the footsteps on the floor while my sweat is pouring down on the ropes and on the stage. My wrists are red and my ankles are red because the weight is heavier than before.
"Breathe."
The coach.
"Phoo-Phoo… Phoo-Phoo."
I go back and forth in different directions again and again with another rhythm and another new one, also changing my breathing with each movement. Time passes by as the night comes, telling me it's time to be ready.
"Take-A-Break."
"Thud! Thug!!"
I slide myself down to the floor and jump out of the stage. And run to the stairs.
"Heh."
Coach watching me leave.
I run out with my sweats, my weight, my sporty outfit and my messy hair that high up. And grab the water bottle on the way.
"Where are you going!?"
Mr. Laith shouts at me after seeing me running past him while he talks to the staff outside the Playground.
I run my heart out to the Center building and turn right to the elevator.
"Hi, kid."
The security guard greets me.
"Hi."
"Ting."
"Bye."
I tell him and press the underground button.
"Come on, Come on."
I mumble to myself.
"Ting."
The elevator opens.
Fuck!
It's full of people down here. they are blocking my way in.
Fuck this.
I run and push them out carelessly, dodging their arms, elbows, and drinks in their hands.
Aren't you gonna help me, Xin?
'…'
Fine!
I run up the sideway, climb to the slop wall, and jump from table to table.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Is that Laith's kid?"
Some guys yell at me.
Found it.
I finally see the darker entrance where the black curtain covers it. I run toward there, but few securities guard the way.
"Hey! You can't get in."
He blocks me.
"I'm with Emris, Mr. Laith sends me. "
I tell him while jumping at the same place.
"..."
"It's very urgent."
"Fine, get in."
Hehe.
I run inside without a break.
"Wow."
I see the biggest stage I have ever seen, the black and red light switching on the ceiling and the audience sitting around the dome. It's very huge.
I hurried to get to the front stage area. Seeing Emris's Coach directs him to the front of the stage, but not too far and not too close.
I run down the stairs and push myself to where the coach stands.
"Wow…"
I'm watching him fight.
"What.. How did you come here?"
Emris's coach asks me with confusion.
"I run here."
"..."
Then he ignores me and pays attention to his fighter.
Emris is big and…scary. His arms are riffed, and his veins are popping out, the same as his opponent. His movement is very heavy attacks. I can feel the impact of them. The sound and the vibration. He's about to jump and kick them with his two feet.
"Thug!!!!!"
That man falls down. Emris quickly on top of him and punches him again multiple times, and with the last punch, his right arm gets black with sharp spikes around his arm. His skin turns deep black from the elbow way to his fist.
"THUGG!!!"
And that man's gone. Also, the stage's floor that falls down creates a hole.
That's unbelievable.
"Gooddd!!!"
Emris' Coach shouts at him, and he turns his face to us.
"!!"
I see his eyes; his silver-gray eyes are now bright red.
He stares at me while holding the punch, and the black color fades away to normal. He gets up, and while people and the audience are cheering,
but his eyes are on me.
The judge announces his name, and he wins the match. But he does not seem to care and gets off stage immediately.
He walks toward my direction to his coach. But why is he staring at me?
"..."
He stops in front of me.
Then, I give him the water bottle.
"..."
He says nothing and glances at the bottle.
"Congratulations, Emris."
I tell him and give him the water bottle.
"What are you doing here?"
He asks with a steady voice. But his reaction is slightly surprising.
"To watch you…and here, the water."
"..."
He takes the water bottle.
"Roelle!!"
Mr. Laith's voice from behind shouts at me.
I turn my face to him.
"Ah..."
And someone's big hand is on my head. He controls my head to turn back before I even see Mr. Laith.
"..."
I look at Emris's eyes, which have already turned back to a beautiful silver-gray color, like snow.
"!!"
And Mr. Laith grabs my hand.
"Why do you run away like this?!"
He asks.
"Fuck! Coach is going to kill me! I gotta go."
I flinch and scold myself. I quickly run away again.
"I'll see you at the Playground."
I shout back while running ahead.
I run, and I slide to pause. I turn my body to them. Emris is still looking at me.
"Congrats again, you're amazing!!!"
I shout from the top of my lungs and continue running.
I run to the elevator and press the button.
"Ting"
I get in.
"Come on, Come on."
"Ting"
"What time is it?"
I get out and ask the security guard at the same time.
"9:44"
"Thank you."
In only one minute, I run nonstop to the playground. I push the door and jump the staircase to the underground.
"THUG!!!... I'm here!!!"
I say it out loud.
"Hmm."
And Coach is coming out from the resting area with Raden.
"Good, get into the ring."
Coach tells me.
"Ha...ha...right now?"
"Yes, right now, go on."
"Ha...Ha...yes...coach...right...now."
I'm panting heavily and putting my hands on my waists.
I walk to the stage, more like dragging myself.
"Come on."
"Ha...Yes..."
I tell the coach and climb up to the stage awkwardly.
"What the hell happened to you?"
Raden is watching me.
"Ha…I …Wait, let me...get...up."
I put my leg up and another,
"She just took a break."
Coach answers for me.
"...Did she?"
Raden.
I am crawling myself to the center.
"..."
"Legs."
Coach tells me.
"!!"
"I just ran here."
"So? Go!"
"!!"
I raise my leg and kick the pads.
He sure is teasing me right now.