Remember This✔

Chapter Forty-Six

Molly takes a deep breath as she thinks about it.

"Think a little faster, Moll," Charlie says. "Do you think your attacker is going to let you google it?"

"The stomach," Molly says. "It's exposed."

"Or the balls!" Perry shouts.

Charlie glares at him. "The stomach will do just fine."

He walks back towards her and she stares at his stomach uneasily, she clenches her hand into a fist and jabs it into his gut. He's still standing, it barely winded him, so she tries it again, harder, more direct. Charlie falls to his knees as he struggles to breathe and Molly punches the side of his face. She hisses as she shakes her hand, jumping as she holds it tightly.

"Yes!" Perry roars.

He cups a hand to the side of his jaw, checking she hasn't broken it. He underestimated her; she has power behind her punches. He stands up slowly as she cradles her fist against her body.

"You alright?" he asks her. "Let me check."

"I'm fine," she says, lifting her fists back to her face.

"You're getting cocky now," Charlie says.

They circle each other and she watches his footsteps, a technique that Charlie hasn't taught her. He charges at her and she takes too long to think of a way to hurt him, he sweeps her legs and catches her halfway down to the floor. He holds her back as he places her on the ground and he pins hers arms behind her head and locks her legs with his knee.

"I thought we were boxing," she says breathlessly. "You just wanted an opportunity to get me into this position didn't you?"

"Maybe," he says. "Can you think of a way out of it?"

"No," she says angrily as she tries to squirm her way from under his weight. "God, you're heavy."

"Think," he says. "There's always a way."

"Sing them to sleep?" she offers. "You have literally got all of my limbs pinned, how the hell am I supposed to fight you?"

"You feel for the shift," he says.

"What?"

Charlie shifts his weight slightly off his leg as he adjusts his position. He releases the weight from her legs for one second and she waits for it. She swings her legs sideways and then pulls her knee to her chest and kicks him in the face. He falls backwards and lands on his bum. Molly jumps up and smiles.

"Woah," she mumbles.

"That was instinct," Charlie says. "You can't teach instinct. You used your body in a way you've never used it before and you escaped because you were patient. No matter what position someone has you in there is always a way out of it because they can't hold you in that position forever. The moment they move, the moment they even twitch, gives you an opportunity."

"Okay," Molly says. "I get it."

"Now try the bag again," Charlie says as he walks over to it. "Remember to breathe and focus your centre."

Molly closes her eyes and takes deep, slow breaths. Her hands clench into the fist position and she directs several jabs at the bag.

"Better," Charlie says. "The power comes from the shoulder; you need it back as far as you can." He takes her arm and moves it backward. "There."

She releases her fists back to the bag, taking breaths in between. He's amazed by how quickly she's picked it up and she's finally taking it seriously. After watching her for several minutes he wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her away.