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Odessa pushed her feelings about her dad to the side and focused on the task at hand, which was impressing the Sekai Taikai board members. She stood with Hailey and the two of them practiced their punches with the gloves as the three Sensei's walked around with the board members. "Your punches are short. You're distract." Hailey pointed out and lowered the gloves.
Odessa sighed and dropped her hands to her hips. "I know I am. I'm sorry."
Looking across the yard, she saw Christian walking with Johnny and Daniel and the board members. "I can't imagine how you're feeling." She spoke.
"I'm trying not to feel anything."
Hailey frowned and lifted the gloves again. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you tried keeping everything bottled in?"
Odessa started punching again, her words heavy on her heart. "Yeah, I do." She replied and grunted when she punched. "I just wish he wasn't here."
"I'm sorry."
With another punch, Odessa looked at her and sighed. "There's nothing I can do it about. I just have to suck it up."
The Senseis and board members walked by them. "And here we have our first ever All Valley champion, Odessa Beaumont. And Hailey, who's a tough badass." Johnny introduced them.
"We teach our students different techniques when it comes to punches and kicks," Daniel took over. He looked at the girls. "Dess, show me wax on, wax off." He instructed.
Hailey put the gloves down and Odessa raised her fists. Hailey went in for a lunch and she did the wax on motion, immediately blocking it. Then, she did it with the other hand. They did it three times after.
The board members hummed at the presentation.
"Good job, girls. Keep practicing." Daniel praised and they walked off.
Christian lingered back and smiled at his daughter. "Good job, Dess."
"Thanks, dad." She muttered awkwardly and looked away from him.
Hailey frowned at the interaction. Christian walked off and she opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again.
The presentation went on for a while longer, everybody going great with their skills. They all followed their Sensei's to the pond and Oliver and Grayson stood together on the sparring deck. They walked slowly in a circle. "Nice concentration, boys." Daniel told them.
"I pray they don't do something stupid." Odessa muttered, standing close to Eli.
"Five bucks Oliver kicks him into the water." He whispered back.
She looked at him with narrow eyes. "You're on."
Grayson threw a punch and Oliver ducked down, careful not to fall. When he came back up, he leaned on his back leg and kicked at him, Grayson dodging it by jumping back, completely forgetting that he was on a moving wheel, and he went backwards into the water, yelling.
