"I didn't want them to know."
"Why?"
Maya looked away.
Warren understood immediately.
"This is about Thomas."
"Partly."
"You spent ten years blaming yourself for a decision he made."
"Don't."
"Maya."
"Don't."
He stopped.
The door opened without a knock.
Adrian entered.
"Can we talk?"
Warren stood.
"Tomorrow."
"I want to know who she is."
Maya crossed her arms.
"I'm in the room."
Adrian looked at her.
"Fine. Who are you?"
"Your ego's worst Tuesday."
Warren coughed to hide a laugh.
Adrian didn't find it funny.
"I searched your name."
"I'm sure that was productive."
"Almost nothing comes up."
"Wonderful."
"People with real records don't disappear."
Maya studied him.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The mistake."
Adrian frowned.
"You think visibility equals ability."
"I think people who are good usually prove it."
"I did."
He stiffened.
Maya continued.
"Twice."
Warren sat down before he started laughing.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You embarrassed me."
"No. You challenged a stranger because you thought she'd make you look impressive."
She stepped closer.
"You embarrassed yourself."
Adrian looked at Warren.
"You're really letting her talk to me like this?"
Warren's smile vanished.
"Yes."
Adrian stared at both of them.
Then walked out.
The office door slammed.
Maya looked at Warren.
"You have a bigger problem than I thought."
"I know."
"No."
She pointed toward the closed door.
"You've created someone who thinks respect means obedience."
Warren looked tired.
"What would you do?"
Maya stood.
"Nothing."
"What?"
"I'm not here to fix your gym."
"Then why are you here?"
"Zoe."
Warren nodded slowly.
Maya collected her bag.
Then stopped.
"Beginner classes?"
"Monday, Wednesday, Saturday."
"Who's teaching?"
Warren hesitated.
"Adrian teaches Wednesdays."
Maya looked at him.
"Not anymore."
Zoe Bennett hated the dojo immediately.
"Too many mirrors."
Maya parked outside.
"That's your complaint?"
"People can watch themselves being annoying."
"Fair."
Zoe looked through the window.
"Is that the guy?"
"What guy?"
"The one you threw."
Maya sighed.
"Who told you?"
"The internet."
"What internet?"
"All of it."
Someone had posted the video.
By Wednesday morning, it had spread through local martial arts groups.
The clip showed Adrian smiling.
Maya moving.
Adrian hitting the mat.
Then the second exchange.
The tap.
Warren's bow.
Caption:
North Harbor champ picks random woman. Finds out she's definitely not random.
Maya hated every second.
Zoe loved it.
"You looked terrifying."
"I looked tired."
"Same thing."
When they entered, conversations stopped.
Zoe whispered, "This is horrible."
"It'll pass."
"What if it doesn't?"
"Then we charge admission."
Zoe laughed.
That helped.
Warren had assigned a brown belt named Claire Morgan to teach the beginner class.
Claire was thirty-one, patient, technically strong, and completely uninterested in showing off.
Exactly what Maya wanted.
Zoe joined eight other beginners.
Maya sat near the wall.
Adrian trained on the far mat.
He didn't approach.
For twenty minutes, class went smoothly.
Then a boy named Caleb froze during a drill.
His partner had accidentally increased pressure around his neck.
Caleb panicked.
He pushed wildly.
Claire stopped immediately.
"You're okay."
Caleb apologized.
"Don't apologize," Claire said. "You got scared. That's information."
Maya looked at Warren.
He smiled.
"Sounds familiar?"
"Good coaching isn't original."
After class, Zoe was smiling.
"I like Claire."
"Good."
"Can I come Saturday?"
Maya tried not to look too happy.
"If you want."
Then Adrian appeared.
He looked at Zoe.
"This your daughter?"
"Niece."
Zoe stared at him.
Adrian smiled.
"Your aunt's famous."
Zoe said, "She hates that."
"I've noticed."
Maya stepped closer.
"Need something?"
Adrian looked at Zoe again.
"Just being friendly."
Zoe crossed her arms.
"I saw the video."
Maya closed her eyes.
Adrian laughed.
"Did you?"
"Yeah."
"Your aunt's fast."
Zoe answered, "You weren't."
Claire choked on her water.
Maya covered her face.
Adrian's smile disappeared.
Zoe looked at Maya.
"What?"
"Changing schools hasn't damaged your confidence."
"Wasn't trying to."
Adrian walked away.
Warren leaned toward Maya.
"I like her."
"Don't encourage her."
But Maya smiled.
For the first time since moving, Zoe wanted to return somewhere.
That should have been enough.
It wasn't.
Because Adrian had begun watching Maya differently.
Not as a stranger anymore.
As competition.
Saturday open mat usually drew twenty people.
That weekend, forty-seven arrived.
Most came because of the video.
Maya noticed phones immediately.
"This is exactly why I stopped going anywhere."
Warren shrugged.
"You could wear a disguise."
"I hate you."
"Good to have you back."
Maya planned only to watch Zoe.
Then people started asking questions.
A woman named Janet approached.
"Can I ask how you did that throw?"
Maya pointed toward Claire.
"She can teach it."
Janet hesitated.
"I mean the timing."
Maya looked toward the mat.
"Timing isn't a technique."
"Then what is it?"
Maya thought.
"Permission."
Janet looked confused.
"You wait for someone to give you enough information to move."
Within fifteen minutes, six people were listening.
Then twelve.
Soon Maya was teaching without realizing it.
She showed them how pushing often created the reaction needed for pulling.
How balance changed when someone's eyes changed direction.
How panic made people rush movements.
Adrian watched from across the room.
One of his competition students said, "She's good."
Adrian replied, "At talking."
The student didn't answer.
An hour later, Adrian challenged another black belt to spar hard.
He dominated him.
People cheered.
Adrian glanced toward Maya.
She was helping Zoe tie her belt.
He increased the pace.
The round became rougher.
His partner, Daniel Morris, tapped to a shoulder lock.
Adrian released.
Immediately.
But his frustration remained.
After the round, he walked toward Maya.
"Want a real match?"
Warren heard him.
"No."
Adrian ignored him.
"Competition rules. Full round. Six minutes."
Maya stood.
"No."
"Because?"
"Because I don't want to."
"You're happy teaching after one lucky moment, but you don't want to test yourself?"
Maya studied him.
"Who exactly do you think I need to prove something to?"
Adrian opened his mouth.
Maya continued.
"You?"
Silence.
"The internet?"
She shook her head.