Fix Me Alpha

Chapter 15

We walk in and I'm impressed by all the machinery and training equipment. He walks over to the treadmill turning and watching me eye everything.

"The others will be done in about five minutes. I'll be going back and forth between you and them. Listen closely; I'm not going to repeat. Your real training starts right now. I won't always be in here to watch you, so you're going to have to be honest and do the things I tell you to. For today I want you to jog five minutes on the treadmill at your own pace, it's only for a warm-up."

I go to interrupt him to tell him that he's crazy to think five minutes is a warm-up but he gives me a deadly look, letting me know I'd better shut up. I listen.

"After that you'll come over here." He walks toward a row of punching bags. "Wrap your hands, like this." Winding the tape around his hands he teaches me the ways of hand wrapping. "Start the timer on the wall for 10 minutes. Do not stop this pattern."

I watch as he puts himself into a solid stance and then begins punching and kicking the bag in grouped patterns.

Right punch, right punch, left jab, left jab, right knee kick, left leg round kick, right elbow, left-hook.

He repeats slower this time, making sure that I'm watching him. Noah steps back when I nod my head, finally confident that I can remember the sequence.

"Like I said. Don't stop until the timer is done. Then go back and run, not jog..run for five minutes. Then join us outside."

I nod quickly and watch as he leaves me alone to my thoughts. I want this, I realise. Working with Riley was a bad idea from the start; this is what I need to be able to get better. Someone to take me seriously and train me properly. That is how I will be successful. My legs move at a steady pace as I begin my warm up jog.

The treadmill slows down gradually until it comes to a stop. Sweat pours from my face and my legs feel like jello from the three step workout that I finally finished. Although I heave for breath, I feel good. Like I actually accomplished something today, I beat the hell out of that bag that's for sure. My knuckles are tender and soar, imagine my surprise when I unwound the tape on my hands to see the blood. The most shocking thing though, was that I was proud of the blood. It was evidence that I actually tried and tried hard I did. Noah notices me as soon as I walk out, and motions me over. Hands on my hips, I walk proudly toward him, still slightly panting.

"Let's see your hands." His face is blank.

I show him my bloody knuckles and his eyebrows rise.

"You wrapped them right?" He clarifies.

"Yup."

"Good job. That's how I expect them to look every time though. The worse the better. That clear?"

I can tell that he is in training mode, but I can also see the satisfaction in his eyes which is enough for me to feel even more proud.

Together we walk over to the rest of the group, each of them slightly red from being worked hard. Smiles cover all of their faces and I know that this is what they love. Noah begins to split people up into two big groups on either side of a long thick rope. I realise with amusement that it's a tug-of-war rope and in the middle is a patch of wet mud. Laughing out loud, I eye the unfortunate teams, one of them are getting a face full of mud. Noah glances at me out of the corner of his eye and smirks.

"I'll join team A..." He announces and his team cheers while the other team groans and slaps their foreheads. "Luna Emily... you can join team B."

Silence. Oh great, they're really going to dread their lives now. They get the weakling. I'm surprised when a huge man groans from Noah's team.