All is Fair in Love and War

2

Gabriella rushed around to get ready and pack a bag for Mateo. "Mommy, why can't I go to work with you?" He asked. She zipped up his bag and grabbed her gym bag. "It's just not a place for little kids, maybe when you're a little older." She said. "When I turn 8?" He innocently asked. She softly laughed and made her way downstairs with him. "More like 20." She replied. "If I add a zero to my age that makes me 70. Can I go?" He asked. "That's not how it works, Mateo." She said putting his backpack on. "Aww." He frowned. "Come on." She said taking him by the hand and walking him next door to Ms. Rivera's home.

She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Ms. Rivera opened the door surprised to see Gabriella. "I'm so sorry to bother you Ms. Rivera, but do you mind watching Mateo today? I'll pay you, I'll do anything. It's too late to find a sitter and I have a very important match today." She asked. Ms. Rivera looked down at Mateo who innocently smiled up at her. "Don't worry about it. Go do what you need to and I'll watch him." She nodded. "Thank you so much." She said putting money in her hands. "This is just in case he gets hungry and you need to order him something and just something as a thank you." She said. Gabriella knelt down and held Mateo by the arms. "Now are you going to be a good boy?" She asked. He smiled and nodded. "I always am."

She wrapped him in a hug and kissed his head before standing up and walking off. "Mommy!" He shouted. She stopped and turned to look at him. "Good luck. I love you" He smiled and made a heart with his hands. She smiled and blew him a kiss, made her way back home, grabbed her gym bag, and rushed off.

----

She did last-minute stretches and shook the nerves out of her arms. Her team rallied around her as she took deep breaths and tried to calm herself down. She's fought plenty of fights before but she still got nervous before each one. It was a risk fighting in such a contact-heavy sport and having a kid to worry about. She just never knew if she would make it back home and safe. "You got this alright? Remember who you are." Marcos said. She nodded and listened to his words. He held her face in hands understanding she was nervous but wanting to ease her worries, "You'll go out there and kick ass like you always do. This match is a piece of cake, none of them fight like you do." He said.

"Remember. Control, Breathe, Strike." He reminded. She nodded. They made their way to the doors. The crowd was loud before the door even opened. "Give it up for Undefeated featherweight champ...Gabriella Marquez!" The announcer called. The doors opened and she made her way out hearing the crowd of screaming fans cheering her as she made her way through. She kept a serious face as her team led her through. She looked around and saw a tall blonde woman with her arms crossed in the front row.

She looked familiar but Gabriella couldn't see her clear enough to make out who it was. She took a deep breath and stayed focused as they made their way to the ring. Marcos put in her mouthguard as she looked out at her opponent from the other side of the cage. "You got this. Stay focused." She nodded and stared straight ahead and saw the woman from before whispering to a man near her. "What did I just say?" Marcos glared noticing her attention diverted.

She looked back at him. "I'm listening." She replied. "What are you looking at?" He asked. "That woman over there." She said nodding her head toward the woman. He looked back but couldn't fully make out who she was. "What about her? This isn't the time for flirting." He replied. She rolled her eyes, "She just looks familiar but I can't tell who she is." Gabriella replied. "Focus. Make googly eyes and get her number later." He said opening the cage door. She rolled her eyes and entered into the ring focused back on her opponent. "You got this!" He shouted in support as her team backed her up.

---

They were on a break, her opponent was getting weak and injured. She had cuts near her eye and lip. Gabriella was lucky enough to only have a cut on her lip. Her medic cleaned her cut and quickly applied petroleum jelly to her face. "You have her weak. This is it. you just need to knock her out." He said as she nodded and took a brief sip of water. "Get back in there!" He shouted. She got back in the center staring down her opponent. She was trying to stay strong and hide the fact she was already badly injured and couldn't tolerate more.

Gabriella was exhausted but staying strong. If there was one thing women in a sport like this had to know was to keep your emotions in control. Discipline. You can't let your emotions get the best of you. Men get mocked but people eventually rally to defend them. But if one woman lets her weakness show no one ever lets her live it down. All women get dragged down. The entire women's league becomes a mockery. No one rallies around to defend them the way they do men. It's just endless misogyny.

Gabriella got into position and remembered her mantra. Control. The loud noise in the room was suddenly muted and all she could hear was the sound of her heart beating in nervous anticipation. Breathe. She kept her breathing steady."Fight!" The referee shouted and stepped away. Strike. She made an immediate strike before her opponent had the chance to make a move and struck her in the face. Her punch was strong and her opponent was already weak. Her opponent fell to the ground with ease and couldn't get back up again. She tapped out and tried to get up. Gabriella tuned back in and the loud cheering of the crowd filled her ears. The referee called the match and Gabriella looked back at her team who were cheering and hugging.

"And the win goes to the undefeated Gabriella Marquez!"The announcer shouted. The crowd went wild and her team and the press quickly filled the ring and hugged her. "Gabriella, how does it feel to be one of the rising undefeated champs in your league right now?" One journalist asked. "It feels great." She laughed. "You're already being considered one of the greatest in the league, maybe even the top. How do you feel about getting the title?" Another asked. "I don't know if I'm quite there yet but I'm honored." She smiled.

----

Gabriella was showered and dressed in sweats and a oversized jacket. Her team was celebrating and talking backstage. She stepped out and was greeted with tight hugs all around. "Congrats champ!" Victor, her sparring partner and Marcos' assistant said. "Have any of you seen Marcos anywhere?" She asked. They all looked at one another and shook their heads. Marcos entered the room moment after she asked.

"Where have you been?" Victor asked. Marcos had a card in hand and his eyes were wide. "What's wrong with you?" Gabriella asked. "Danny and I just met, Taylor and her manager." He said. "Who?" She asked. "The woman you were talking about earlier. That's who it was. Taylor Swift, the top undefeated UFC fighter in your division." He explained. Everyone grew shocked. "What the hell was she doing here?" Gabriella asked. "Didn't she retire and run away or something?" Victor asked. "No." Marcos replied. "She was only on break, but her manager approached us and gave us his card. He says they want to meet with us."

"Why do they want to meet?" Gabriella asked. "They want a fight." Danny said. He had been her manager since the start of her fighting days. He approached the group. "A fight?" Victor asked. "Two undefeated champs in the ring? pretty good publicity and a lot of money." Danny said. "I heard she beat a girl so bad she couldn't walk for like 5 months." Victor said. Gabriella grew nervous. "I swear one girl got brain damage or something." Another person said. "No. I swear she like broke that girl's ribcage." Another said. They could've been exaggerating but it still made her concerned. Fighting someone that dangerous was too risky. "What do you think?" Danny asked. Gabriella looked around at her team who waited for her response. "Let's make a meeting." She faintly smiled. They all cheered and shook her around. "Let's go! she doesn't have anything on our champ!" Victor shouted.