The Cinderella Punk

The people who care about you (Edited)

My heart skipped a beat as I gathered her into a protective hug, trying to reassure her without words. Sister Suzanne was always worried about me but no matter how many times I came back with an injury, she would never stop me from going back to the Ring. She understood the reason why I had to go back and I was grateful to have her with me.

......

The night was young yet the Ring was unusually quiet. Only the sound of the murmuring of the regular patrons with the occasional clinking of glasses against each other could be heard. That night, no fights were scheduled and so there I was, in the locker room, working out some stress. Gary had put me up on another gruelling training regime but as usual, I had no complains what so ever.

I was tasked to clock as much kicks and punches as I could in five minutes. Already sweat was running down the sides of my face and my chest was heaving with exertion as I pushed my limbs to move faster and harder.

Gary knew that no one in the Ring could match up to my strength except myself. Which was why my training was usually done in the solitude of the locker/training room. I had a self-imposed drive to best myself that allowed me to push beyond the boundaries of what I thought were my limits.

"Stop!"

My fists instantly froze before they could make the final impact on the punching bag. I watched in slow motion as the bag swung back towards me, nudging a teasing touch to my taped knuckles. My lungs burned as I gulped in breaths of air, beads of sweat trickling down my forehead and into my eyes. I swiped a hand over my forehead as I forced myself not to bend over as my heart pumped vigorously in my chest.

"Four hundred and five kicks and punches," Gary said. "Not bad but you could do better."

I nodded and took in a deep breath, trying to get my breathing under control. The scent of the purified air in the room chilled the heat in my lungs slightly, a soothing balm against its blistering rasp.

I grabbed the water bottle from the bench and lifted my mask to take a swing from it. The cool feeling of water down my parched throat had me sighing in pleasure at the soothing feeling.

"Alright,take ten. We'll continue after that," Gary said, petting my head."Good work."

I smiled up at him.

"Thanks."

I took the towel beside me and wiped the sweat off my face. My heart was still pounding as I sat with my face in my hands. I felt calm, my mind still with only the ripples of the remaining adrenaline coursing through my veins. It was such a wonderful feeling. I had learnt earlier on when I joined the Ring that emotion was not necessarily the weakness I thought it to be.

Living in a world where each and every weakness could be exploited against me, I had learnt to seal my emotions behind a wall of ice, determined that no one would ever get past my defences again. But Gary had thawed a fraction of the ice, unleashing the rage that was sealed within me.

The turbulent emotions when uncontrolled could destroy me and everyone else around me. I was afraid what would happen but he had thought me to bend the rage, make it a weapon that would be my second defence. To make what I thought was a weakness into my strength.

I took in the feel of the cold mask against my hands. I always insisted that I should train with my mask on. It gave me a sense of security,of confidence and power but most of all, it gave me the courage to be who I wanted to be, to do what I wanted to do. A false sense of freedom, but I was desperate enough to cling to it.

I stretched my arms above my head and groaned as my muscles protested at the movement. I did not have enough power now but one day, I vowed, I would fight to gain and keep my freedom. It was a dream that I was determined not to relinquish for it was the only source of hope and purpose I had for myself.