“He was my father.”
“No, I mean here.”
Maya looked at him.
“Yes.”
Thomas shook his head in disbelief.
“You disappeared.”
“I had a life.”
“You were nineteen when you beat three state champions at that seminar.”
Maya closed her eyes.
“Thomas.”
“What?”
“Stop talking.”
“You did.”
“I know what I did.”
Ryan slowly turned toward her.
“You beat three champions?”
Maya sighed.
“It was a long time ago.”
Thomas smiled.
“She was better than all of us.”
Maya looked at him.
“That is definitely not helping.”
But Ryan was no longer laughing.
For the first time that evening, he looked at Maya Bennett and wondered whether he had made a very serious mistake.
The First Round
Thomas raised his hands.
“Technical sparring only.”
Ryan immediately stepped forward.
“Fine by me.”
Thomas pointed at him.
“You are not trying to knock her out.”
“I know.”
“You are not trying to prove anything.”
Ryan glanced toward Maya.
That instruction was already too late.
Thomas continued.
“Ninety seconds.”
“Controlled contact.”
“Stop when I say stop.”
Ryan rolled his shoulders.
Maya stepped onto the mat barefoot.
She did not stretch.
She did not pose.
She simply stood across from Ryan.
The gray T-shirt hung loosely around her shoulders.
Ryan bounced lightly on his feet.
“You ready?”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
The timer beeped.
Ryan moved first.
A quick jab.
Maya shifted half a step.
Nothing landed.
Ryan threw another jab.
Then a low kick.
Maya checked it.
He followed with a combination.
Jab.
Cross.
Hook.
Low kick.
Maya moved through the attack with almost no wasted motion.
The gym grew quiet.
Ryan attacked again.
Faster this time.
He threw combinations that had overwhelmed dozens of training partners.
Maya did not retreat.
She watched.
Thirty seconds passed.
Ryan stepped forward aggressively.
Maya slipped outside his jab.
Her fingers touched his shoulder.
Her foot hooked behind his ankle.
Ryan suddenly lost his balance.
He hit the mat.
Not hard.
Not dramatically.
But perfectly.
The room exploded.
Ryan stood immediately.
“That was lucky.”
Maya said nothing.
The timer continued.
Ryan attacked again.
This time, frustration entered his movements.
Maya saw it.
And waited.
Ryan threw a high kick.
Maya stepped inside.
One hand touched his chest.
The other controlled his arm.
Ryan stumbled backward.
Maya stopped before completing the throw.
He caught himself.
The buzzer sounded.
Ninety seconds.
Ryan stood breathing harder than he wanted anyone to notice.
Maya barely looked winded.
Thomas raised a hand.
“Next.”
Ryan stared at him.
“Again.”
“No.”
“I wasn’t ready.”
Thomas smiled.
“You had ninety seconds.”
Ryan looked toward Maya.
She simply stepped aside.
Derek Mills walked onto the mat.
Unlike Ryan, he did not smile.
The Wrestler
Derek bowed his head slightly.
“I apologize for him.”
Maya smiled.
“You don’t need to.”
“I know.”
Derek rolled his shoulders.
“But I wanted to.”
That made Maya laugh.
The timer started.
Derek did not attack immediately.
He circled.
Maya circled with him.
Derek understood something Ryan had not.
Speed would not surprise her.
So he waited.
Then he changed levels.
His first takedown attempt was fast.
Maya sprawled.
Derek drove forward.
She angled away.
For several seconds, they fought for position.
Derek changed direction and caught one of her legs.
A few students gasped.
Maya hopped backward.
Derek pushed.
Maya dropped her weight.
Turned.
And suddenly Derek was no longer attacking.
He was defending.
Maya had redirected his momentum and taken control of his upper body.
Derek twisted free.
They separated.
Forty seconds remained.
Derek smiled.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“You’re real.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you, I think.”
Derek attacked again.
This time Maya allowed him closer.
Too close.
Derek realized the problem a fraction of a second too late.
Maya pivoted.
His own momentum carried him forward.
She redirected him and moved behind him.
Before Derek could turn, her arm was positioned beneath his chin.
She stopped.
Derek froze.
Maya released him immediately.