SWNOVELS Chapter 25
25. A Good Future.
I stand frozen at the door, staring at him. He’s attacking his opponent with all his might, not even noticing me. His opponent tries
to match his strikes, but Aiden is faster and more powerful. He dodges the other man’s punches masterfully and strikes like a
cobra, targeting his most critical places. His expression is single-focused and dangerous, and his unyielding. He looks like he
means business, and failure is not a word in his vocabulary.
Suddenly, how this man managed to overpower Coraline makes much more sense.
What rotten luck do I have to wind up in the same boxing club as freaking Aiden was? Seriously, what the hell?
I want to turn and run. Choose another club, reviews, and five stars be damned. But what reason can I give Brennan for turning
tail? That I’m intimidated by one of the members of the club? How absurd and humiliating will that be?
No that won’t do. I am going to have to see this through until the end. And I’m going to face whatever happens like a man,
dammit. I’m too tired of being scared of the world. Even looking at him makes me angry, and its high time I used that anger, not
letting it turn into fear.
“You okay, Mr. Greyson?” Brannan asks, noticing my inner turmoil.
“Perfectly fine, Brennan,” I look at him and give him a smile, “I was just taking everything in. Also, please call me Jace. Mr.
Greyson is my father.”
Brannan smiles back, “Oh, I understand the sentiment. The club is a real beauty if I say so myself. I’d go as far as to say that our
facilities are state-of-art, even.”
The club really does look good. It got a worn-out, brick-walled, grunge feel to it. The ceilings are lined with bar lights that
illuminate what looks like a giant warehouse that got converted to a boxing gymnasium. There is an open area where a few guys
and girls are stretching and exercising, while a separate area, is occupied by the members punching away at the sandbags
hanging. In the middle of the layout were two full-sized rings, both of them occupied, one by Aiden and his opponent, who was
now down on the ground, and the other by two women. Dotted around the club were instructors in black clothing.
Had it not been for Aiden’s presence, it would’ve been such a nice atmosphere for my first day at the club.
“Well, first, let’s get you tested so I can make a program for your training. Do you know how to throw a punch? You said you’ve
gotten into fights before.” Brannan asks, and I break myself from my observational stupor.
I can’t help but blush, “They were not all that successful.”
Brannan nods, “I see. Well, in that case, we should start from the very beginning then. Why don’t you stow that bag away in the
lockers and follow me.”
I follow his instructions and meet him on a mat in the open area. Brannan circles me as I stand, his gaze contemplative, I wonder
what he says. The skinny man who looks like he would blow away like a leaf in the wind? Or someone with the potential to be
more? Did he see me as a good future boxer, or was he mentally scratching my name off the list?
“Alright,” Brennan puts me out of my misery, and stands in front of me, “punch me.”
“Huh?”
“Punch me, Jace. Give me your best shot.”
“Um, alright, sure,” I clench my fingers into a fist and swing at Brennan, aiming for his midsection.
Of course, he swiftly catches my fist.
“Hmmm. Again.” He releases my fist and orders again. I try to punch him once more, but he catches my fist again.
“I’m lousy at this, aren’t I?” I murmur, feeling embarrassed but Brennan shakes his head.
“Not lousy, merely inexperienced. Ow, let me show you how to punch someone.”
And from then on, Brennan gives me pointers to hold my posture and clench my fingers in such a way that would prevent me
from breaking my fingers, especially my thumb when I hit. He teaches me how to hold myself so I won’t stumble with the force
between my own swings, and commends me when I get it right after the second try.
“You’re a fast learner,” he grins, “you’ll catch up to the proper level soon, just watch.”
very
By now, I’d realized that Aiden had noticed me. I did not miss the way his eyes latched on me the first time and the sheer anger
that enveloped them I wondered if he would march up to me then and there, but he did not. Instead, he ignored me and went
back to his opponent. But I felt his eyes on me a few times as I maneuvered around the mat with Brannan Perhaps he was
keeping his distance because Brennan was there. Or perhaps he didn’t want to fight me anymore. I sincerely wish it is the latter.
Brannan moves me to the sandbags next and gives me a pair of gloves. He teaches me how to bind my hands with practice
tapes before putting the gloves on, and holds the bag for me to punch. After two hours, I am exhausted and dripping sweat, my
whole-body aching. There’s nothing I want more than to go home and get on my bed. I’ve never been the most active person,
but my stay at the hospital followed by my healing period had weakened my body greatly.
But Brennan still had plans for me.
“We need to do a final assessment,” he says, and calls over a junior instructor, “I want you to fight him.”
My eyes widen, “wait for real?”
“Of course, for real. It doesn’t have to be impressive; I just need to see how you do in an actual fight.” The fight does not go well.
In the end, I’m wheezing on the ground, nearly dead, my newly mended finger hurting. But Brennan has a strange light in his
eyes, and he smiles at me.
“You’re not as bad as you seem to think you are,” he tells me as he gives me a hand to get up from the floor, “in fact, your
reflexes are excellent. You’re very nimble, and your coordination I s not too bad.”
“Huh? That’s strange,” my brows furrow, “I am actually very clumsy.”
“I have a hard time believing that. Truth is, you’ve got a lot of potential, Jace. I know just the program to train you in, and within
no time, I’m sure you will be up in the ring, holding a good fight with some of my finest.”
I perk up at that, pleased, “you really think so?”
“Of course,” he nods, “come on the next day as well, and I’ll finish putting the program together for you. I look forward to teaching
you, Jace. I have a feeling you got a good future in boxing.”