Average Joe (2018)

26

"Okay," I sighed. I did what he said and turned sideways slightly, putting my hip towards her. Cora did the same, though more skillfully.

"Good, this makes you into a faster target and gives you more power in your punches. Keep a steady center of gravity to stay smooth and flexible. Keep your weight on your back leg! You don't want to be knocked over. If you stand facing your opponent square..." Bryan adjusted me again. "You can be knocked over easily. Keep your weight back by spreading your legs perpendicular to Cora and stay in the fight." I did as he said and kept my weight on my back leg. I also kept a center of gravity as best I could. "Tuck in your elbows, like Cora. Bring your hands up to your head, your non-dominant hand up near your eye, and your dominant striking hand near your chin. Keep your hands in loose fists so that you can quickly strike or play defense."

For the next hour, I threw punches at Cora, who deflected and countered them easily. Cora barely broke a sweat, while I, on the other hand, was battered and beaten and drenched in sweat. I was kicked, punched, thrown, knocked down, and slapped. Near the end of our workout, I was knocked to the dirt floor. Cora hovered over me with a smirk.

"Bryan, are you sure, this is the son of New York's two most feared and respected citizens?"

"Eat me," I groaned. Bryan helped me up. Bryan scratched his chin for a second as if he pondered a thought.

"Cora, you and I are going to switch places."

"Fine by me." Cora walked over to where Bryan was and Bryan put on some boxing bandages and stepped in front of me.

"We're going to spar?" I asked.

"Something like that." Before I could answer, Bryan elbowed me in the nose, causing sharp pain and making me stumble back.

"Bryan, what the..."

Bryan gripped my shoulder and flipped me over, then kicked me in the back, pushing me against the stone wall. Without thinking I jumped to the left, dodging Bryan's fist. I tried to hit him back but was quickly swiped across the ankles by Bryan, knocking me to the floor. Bryan jumped on me, his meaty hands gripping my airway, choking me.

"Bryan...," I coughed.

"Bryan," Cora warned. My vision started to blur.

"How does it feel?" Bryan whispered to me. "To know that the whole time you wished you were with Tori, kissing her and touching her, she was with me? That all the time you were her friend she never once looked at you the way she looked at me." My stomach became sick. "All this time you've been thinking maybe if you were a little stronger, a little taller, she would be with you. But in reality she only ever loved me." My chest was burning. My entire body was filled with a type of rage and energy I could never replicate. I strained against his grip.

"Bryan, stop!" Cora yelled. "You're killing him!"

I grabbed a fistful of Bryan's orange hair and rolled with all of my strength. Unbelievably, the mount of tan skin and ab rolled as well, landing under me. Bryan was quick though. He kicked me in the stomach, sending me backward. I slammed into a mound of crates, immediately bruising my back. Bryan rushed at me.

I put myself into the fighting stance, toward Bryan. I put my weight on my back leg and leveled my fists. Bryan put his arms down, lowering his guard - just for a second. I threw my fist forward. There was a sickening smack and Bryan fell back, sliding against the dirt. The crates behind me shifted forward a little, as Bryan got back up and rushed at me.

"Whatever happened to a fair fight?" I grunted as I slid to the left, letting the crates fall on him.

Bryan knocked most of the crates out of the way, but a big one slammed into his chest. Bryan fell against the wall, quickly picking it up and throwing it at me.

I yelled as a blast of lightning lit up the room, burning the wooden crate into millions of bits of burning wood. Bryan ran at me, his giant arm thrust up. I was tackled against a table of gadgets, my lower back screaming in pain.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Bryan grinned.

"Fine," I grunted.

I kneed him in between his legs, quickly hitting him in the face with a pottery statue. Bryan fell back. I tried to punch him but he did the same thing Cora did and threw me behind him. I fell to my knees.

Bryan was spectacular in a fight. I needed to end this now. I stood and Bryan raised his arms.

"Don't you learn anything new?"

"How about this?"

I went to the side, Bryan putting up his guard. I rolled to the right, Bryan falling for the trick. I punched him in the face. I grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him forward, my knee flying into his gut. I pressed my hand against his chest, zapping him and making him fly back, slamming against the stone wall.

Bryan slumped forward, half-conscious. I raised my fists, throat, face, ribs, and back aching. Bryan started chuckling.

"What? What the hell is so funny?"

"What's funny," Bryan chuckled. "Is that you won."