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He tugs on the back of my hoodie and says, “Before we start, I think it would be better if you take the hoodie off.”
I freeze for a split second and I shake my head. I can’t take my hoodie off, not because I don’t have a T-shirt that covers what I don’t want others to see, but it would expose the two letters I don’t want him to know are imprinted on my skin between the daisy tattoos. I don’t have a Band-Aid to cover it up today. Tyler never mentioned I would participate in gym.
“It is okay, I’m good.”
He leans close, his breath ghosting my ear. “What’s wrong, Rubi? Are you afraid to show me what I want to see.” I stay motionless. Frozen in place because his words are hitting close to the truth.
He laughs through his nose. “I’m messing with you. Come on.” He stands behind me and my body relaxes. I look down and see his hands pop up around me with his palms facing up. “Don’t freak out. I’m going to place my hands on your hips and guide you into the correct fighting position to land a proper punch, alright?” I nod and he lowers his voice and says, “The next time a man corners you and you feel threatened, Rubi. You don’t slap him in the face. You need to know how to land a proper punch without hurting yourself, because an attacker can be stronger than you, but knowing the proper way to defend yourself can save your life.”
“Okay,” I respond.
I pinch my brows when he places his hands on my waist, and I’m aware of his fingers over the fabric of my sweater that are firm, causing tingles to snake over my skin.
“Make sure you maintain your balance,” he says softly, moving me in the proper fighting stance.
For the next hour Ky shows me how to throw a perfect punch on the punching bag. When I get the hang of it, he praises me. He gives me a slight grin when I hit the bag over and over, letting out all the frustration and anger I have inside. It feels satisfying imagining that I’m defending myself against my stepfather, and the night that asshole tried to rape me. I hit the bag over and over, zeroing in on the place wear my fist connects with the bag. I blank out, and I can’t hear when I get tunnel vision and my name is being called out.
“Rubiana!” I hear Ky raise his voice, my name echoing around me.
I close my eyes and blink, dropping my arms that I have now realized are burning from the effort. My chest is rising and falling with each breath I take trying to fill my lungs with air. I look up when I feel strong arms wrapping around me, and turn my head to see who is holding me. Ky.
“It’s okay,” he says softly. “It’s okay,” he repeats, and I notice the intimate way his mouth is near where my neck meets my shoulder.
Tyler and Chris are walking over. Tyler’s eyes flick between me and Ky almost as if he is trying to figure out if there is more going on between us than we let on.
I’m relieved when Chris breaks the tension when he raises his eyebrows and says, “Damn, Rubiana. I would hate to be on your bad side. You wouldn’t stop hitting the bag.”
“If Ky is showing her how to land a punch, I wouldn’t get in her way. That was insane. You wouldn’t stop,” Abby chimes in with a grin.
“I’m sorry,” I say out of breath. “I got carried away and it felt good.”
Ky chuckles near my ear and I feel it vibrate over my skin with his chin still resting on my shoulder. “You did great, and you are a fast learner. I will show you some more next time,” he says, pulling away, but not without his nose rubbing on the fabric of my hoodie like he was inhaling my scent.
I’m hot, and the skin underneath my hoodie and shirt has a sheen of sweat, but I shiver from feeling him so close, and from the fact that he said he would show me more in the future. And I liked it.
After Tyler, Chris, and Ky are ready to leave from the locker room, I’m back in Tyler’s truck.
“I still can’t believe you three are into kickboxing.”
“Yeah. Ky got us into it. He is really good. He could actually go pro if he wanted.”
I believe him because I saw him firsthand. I really loved the way he taught those kids. He is a great teacher. Caring. Patient.
“So how come he treats people at school differently?”
Tyler sighs. “He learned kickboxing when he went to Thailand with his father on business when he was like twelve. He learned and loved it so much, his dad convinced his instructor to come to the states and open the gym with him. Basically, the gym belongs to Ky now that he is eighteen. He will also own part of the company when his father steps down from the architecture firm. Dad, Ky’s dad, and Chris’s dad own the architecture firm together. Ky will learn the business side of things hands on. I’m not sure if he is deciding to go to college. He doesn’t talk about it. Ky is…complicated but Chris and I will go to college to study architecture.”
“Is that what you want?”
I ask because I’m not sure if he likes drawing buildings, but then again, I don’t know Tyler that well.
“Yeah, I want to work alongside my best friends. I trust them and they trust me. Ky has had it rough out of the three of us.” He clears his throat. “I’m not saying you haven’t. I’m not comparing––” he trails off.
I slide my hands inside the pocket of my hoodie and look out the window to watch the shadows cast by the sun. The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees as they prepare for fall since it is already October.
“It’s cool, Tyler. It’s not your fault I was dealt a shitty hand at life. I’m used to it.”
He glances at me briefly as he stops at a red light. “Used to what?”
