"I'm not the only one" (Chapter Three)

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(WARNING: This chapter will have a bit of romance.)

Late nights always get the best of me. The nights when memories of my mother creep in my head. Which is why I make sure I don't spend those late nights alone. I'm rarely home anymore...always in the base training, thinking, binge-watching, doing anything that keeps my mind off of her. I don't need a mom to do what I do. I don't need a mom to help with homework or give me insight into girls or teach me how to be a gentleman. I don't need it.

I deliver a punch harder than the last and the bag bursts open. The sound of spilling sand fills the room.

"I want it." I mumbled softly. Karen enters the training room rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I'm sorry...did I wake you?" I ask. I glance at the digital clock on the wall. 1 am.

"No,  just couldn't sleep. Can I join you?" I reach for my shirt and wipe my sweat off my face.

"You sure?"

"Of course. You shouldn't have all the fun." She giggled. She approached me and held her hands out. I unwrap my hands and start to wrap hers.

"It's good to make sure your hands are wrapped so you don't mark or hurt the knuckles...well, my knuckles don't get marked by this stuff anymore but it's still a good habit," I explained.  I feel Karen's stare so I decided to look up at her. "Is something wrong?"

"No...nothing, nothing at all." Karen smiled brightly.

"Uh...okay," I replied shyly, I walked away to grab another bag. She examines her wrapped hands and takes off her slippers. She feels chills run down her back once her feet touched the cold metal floor. I come back with a new sandbag and unhook the busted one and replace it. I then get behind the bag.

"Why are you behind it?"

"To hold it. When you punch, the bag won't go anywhere. Give me your best shot." I snickered. She gives it a couple of light jabs and laughs. "That's your best shot?" I scoffed.

"Well...I can't hit hard. How do you channel your anger?" She chuckled.

"Think of what makes you angry. And then give the bag a good punch."

"Hmm...." She closed her eyes and then gently jabbed the bag.

"You play too much." I shake my head.

"Well come over here and guide me then Pulse." She joked. I stand next to her and raise my guard.

"Now raise yours." She raises her guard and it was awful. I stand in front of her and adjust her arms. I then move to the side. "Now, strike with your dominant arm." She then strikes with her left. Her jab was straight but slow. "Try to move faster and then follow up with the next arm," I say. She jabs with her left a bit faster than before and follows up with her right. "Good. Give me a four-piece." I say.

"4 piece?" She asks.

"Do 4 jabs in a row. I call it a 4 piece." I shrugged,

"You're such an adorable baby." She says as she hits the bag four times.

"Well, this adorable baby can fight," I respond. She starts to fight the bag and I go behind it to hold it. She starts to give decent punches to the bag. She punches for at least 5 minutes now and she starts some small talk.

"Jarahn...what happened to us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I feel like you were feeling me...and I was feeling you...and then you suddenly became distant..."

"Oh...sorry. I just wasn't in a good mental space to be in a relationship."

"I mean, I could've helped you out of it." Her punches grew faster.

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