Both returned to standing.
Forty seconds.
Derek smiled.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?” Maya asked.
“You’re real.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you, I think.”
He shot again.
This time Maya let him get closer.
Too close.
Derek realized it a fraction of a second too late.
Maya pivoted.
His momentum carried him forward.
She redirected him and took his back.
Her arm slid beneath his chin.
She stopped before applying pressure.
Derek froze.
Maya released him.
They separated.
Derek stared at her.
“You had that.”
“Yes.”
“Why let go?”
“It’s a technical round.”
Derek laughed.
“Fair.”
The final thirty seconds became different.
Neither was trying to humiliate the other.
Derek pushed.
Maya responded.
She attempted a trip.
He escaped.
He grabbed for control.
She countered.
The round ended with both standing.
The gym applauded.
Derek stepped back and bowed.
Then he turned toward Ryan.
“You should apologize.”
Ryan stared at him.
“Shut up.”
Derek laughed.
“I’m serious.”
Caleb stood.
“My turn.”
The Patient Man
Caleb was different.
Maya recognized it immediately.
He did not bounce.
He did not posture.
He did not look toward the crowd.
He simply stood across from her.
“You knew my father?” she asked.
Caleb shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why do you look nervous?”
“I’m not nervous.”
Maya smiled.
“You’re careful.”
“That too.”
The timer started.
Neither moved.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Ryan groaned from the side of the mat.
“Somebody do something.”
Caleb ignored him.
Maya stepped forward.
Caleb shifted.
She threw a jab.
He parried.
She tried again.
He countered.
For the first time that evening, Maya’s expression changed.
She looked interested.
Caleb noticed.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
“Thanks.”
“You listen.”
“So do you.”
The exchange became faster.
Caleb attacked only when he saw an opening.
Maya created openings that were not really openings.
Twice, Caleb refused to take the bait.
The third time, he nearly caught her.
A clean body shot landed against her ribs.
The crowd reacted.
Ryan shouted, “There!”
Caleb immediately stepped back.
Maya smiled.
“That was good.”
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
Then she attacked.
The next fifteen seconds happened too quickly for most of the students to understand.
Maya stepped in.
Caleb countered.
She changed angles.
He blocked.
She trapped his wrist.
He tried to pivot.
Maya swept his leg.
Caleb fell backward but rolled immediately.
When he stood, Maya was already there.
Not striking.
Waiting.
The buzzer sounded.
Caleb looked at her.
Then laughed quietly.
“You set that up.”
“Yes.”
“The body shot?”
“Yes.”
“You let me land it.”
“No.”
Caleb blinked.
Maya smiled.
“I just knew you would.”
For the first time that evening, Ryan said nothing.
Anthony Bennett’s Daughter
The three rounds were over.
Nobody moved.
Maya walked toward the bench and picked up the cardboard box.
Ryan finally spoke.
“Who are you?”
Maya looked at him.
“You already know my name.”
“No.”
Ryan shook his head.
“I mean… who are you?”
Thomas answered before Maya could.
“She was one of the best fighters I ever trained with.”
Maya sighed.
“That’s not helping.”
Thomas ignored her.
“Anthony started teaching her when she was six.”
Ryan stared.
“She was competing before she was twelve.”
Derek looked toward Maya.
“What kind of competitions?”
“Whatever her father signed her up for,” Thomas said.
Maya closed her eyes.
“That makes him sound terrible.”
“He was terrible,” Thomas replied.
She laughed.
Thomas continued.
“Karate tournaments. Judo competitions. Amateur boxing.”
Ryan frowned.
“She competed in boxing?”
“A little.”
Maya lifted a finger.
“Very little.”
Thomas looked at her.
“You won.”
“Sometimes.”
“You won nationals.”
“Once.”
The room erupted.
Ryan stared at her.
Maya shrugged.
“It was a long time ago.”
Thomas pointed at her.
“She was nineteen.”
“And retired immediately afterward.”
“Because of college.”
“Because I had bills.”
That changed the room.
Maya placed the box on the bench.
“My father wanted me to go professional.”
Thomas nodded.
“She could have.”
Maya smiled sadly.
“Maybe.”