4- Ariyah “Nova” Stevens
Out of all the gyms in the world, he had to train at this one.
Landon aka Breaker, or as I liked to call him, Trouble.
On the outside, I tried to pretend he didn’t affect me, but my insides were screaming.
Every nerve in my body was reacting. I was already wildly swinging at the bag because I was in my feelings.
Now, I had to hide my obvious desires. Landon wasn’t like anyone else I’ve ever encountered.
Confident, sexy, aggressive, yet laid back at the same time.
His deep brown skin had scars from previous fights that gave his look definition.
It solidified his hood demeanor. Landon’s low, slanted eyes had eyelashes that bitches would pay for.
Including me. His body, my God his body was a muscular masterpiece that was covered in tattoos.
I stole glances every chance I got hoping like hell he didn’t catch me.
Stone would never allow it to happen, so it made no sense to start something I couldn’t finish.
I already didn’t know what I was doing, but being flustered didn’t help.
Instead of keeping him at bay, me hitting the bag is what finally brought him over to me.
The closer he got, the sloppier my form became.
I tried to pretend I was focused, but the determination in his strides let me know I wasn’t fooling nobody but myself.
“You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep swinging like that.”
“I got it, thank you though.” I tried to keep my words short and uninterested hoping he would leave, but he leaned against the wall not catching the hint.
“Damn, you’re a tough ass jit to crack.”
“And you’re a child beater from what I heard.” Instead of being offended, Landon smirked as he continued to look me over. I went back to swinging, but it was hard knowing his eyes were boring into me.
“That’s cute. If you put that much attitude into your swing, you might be able to hit the bag right. Your power should come from your leg, not your wrist. Your career is going to end sooner than you think if you keep hitting like that. Turn your hip and use that to throw your punch.”
“Did I ask you for help?” I asked while rolling my eyes. I acted annoyed but did as he said causing him to smile harder. For some reason, his presence was making this harder than it should be, so I still did it wrong.
“You’re still not turning into the hit. Do it like this.
” Before I could protest, Landon walked behind me and placed one hand on my wrist and the other on my hip.
My skin was burning from his touch, but I played it cool.
His dick pressed against me as he physically showed me how to do what he was instructing. Jesus be a panty liner.
“I think I got it now,” I said after clearing my throat.
“Yeah, you learn well when you shut the fuck up.” That caused me to laugh out loud. After showing me a few more other things, I guess Landon felt it was enough for today. Probably thought he was pushing his luck. He was about to walk off when I thought of something.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.” When he smirked, I shook my head and slightly laughed. He was giving me the same attitude I had been giving him.
“Why don’t you use any of this stuff when you’re fighting?” he had a confused look on his face causing me to laugh.
“What you mean? You forgot who hold the belts?”
“No, I haven’t, but before you pull it off, you be getting your ass tore up. It’s like you’re just out there lost until you realize you’re out of time.” He shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing.
“Maybe it’s my Rope-a-dope.”
“Maybe that shit not gone work for you all the time. Especially against Danger.” His jaw tightened, so I knew I hit a nerve. That wasn’t my intention, but that showed me he wasn’t as confident as I thought. “I’m not trying to pry; I was just wondering because of how perfect you train.”
“You think I’m perfect?” When he smirked this time, I shook my head and went back to hitting the bag like the taught me.
“You’re so damn full of yourself.” I was back in full training mode when he decided to answer my question.
“I was never trying to be a boxer. It was just an outlet at first and I turned out to be good at it. My pops pushed me to pursue it.” Hearing him say that shocked me. Our stories sounded a little too familiar. I looked up at him feeling seen.
“So, your dad used you too?” When he looked at me confused, I cursed myself for speaking too soon.
“Naw, he just believed I could be more than my past. Your dad used you?” Not wanting to answer that, I tried to deflect the conversation back to him.
“Why was boxing your outlet? What demons were you trying to fight?”
“When I was younger-…”
“Hope I’m not interrupting. Glad to see you’re settling in here and you like the new gym.” Stone had come out of nowhere, and I felt embarrassed getting caught with Landon.
“He was showing me a few things. That’s all.” Stone reached out his hand, but Landon looked at it like it stank.
“I’m Stone, Ariyah’s father. We caught your last fight, and I knew you was gone take that boy out before the fifth.
He couldn’t match your power.” Stone was one second away from asking for an autograph, but Landon looked annoyed.
His eyes never left me, and I didn’t want to give Stone a reason to pull me from this gym, so went back to hitting the bag.
“Thanks.” Landon walked off, and I made a mental note to pick up our conversation the next time I saw him.
“What did you do?” I almost told Stone, nigga it was your ass acting like the creepy uncle that ran him off, but I decided against it.
“Nothing. We were training when you came over.” Stone smiled before motioning for me to follow him. We walked outside of the gym and over to his car when he started pacing. You could see the wheels turning in his head.
“This is good. If Breaker is helping you, that’s not just a trainer. That is the Heavy Weight champ teaching you what he knows and gaining his connects. If he is putting in work, you know he’s going to push for a professional fight.”
“He’s training for his own shit. Do you think he really has time to help me full time?” Once Stone saw dollar signs, all logic went out of the window.
“All I’m saying is, it won’t hurt to ask. At least have him on your side. Don’t run him off with that smart ass mouth of yours.” I was about to protest it, but I couldn’t. It was the truth, and I hated when the wrong person was right.
“Okay. I’ll feel him out first. If he tries to help me again, I’ll bring it up, but I won’t go to him, Stone.” He nodded fast.
“Alright. Call me if you need me.” Stone got in his car, and I walked back inside. I looked around hoping he wasn’t sitting across the gym watching me search for him. I scanned the gym once, and then again, but Landon was gone. Going back over to my bag, I got in my stance and shook him off.
I began hitting the bag the way he taught me.
I tried to push him out of my head and focus, but I kept hearing his words.
I was never trying to be a boxer. It was the exact thing I stopped myself from saying out loud many of times.
In most sports, people felt they were born for it.
With boxers, most of us turned to the sport out of survival.
Without fighting as an outlet, there would be no way to compartmentalize our emotions.
A walking time bomb. Hitting the bag harder, I pushed back tears as I thought about how I began fighting. My dad. He was my everything.
He loved the sport, but it didn’t love him.
When I was six, my father died sparring in the ring.
He was an amateur boxer, but he was trained enough where he shouldn’t have died.
However, he made an amateur mistake. He forgot to move the stool out of the ring, and when he went down, his head hit the edge.
Everything for me changed in that moment.
I became angry, hurt, and confused. Fighting not only became a defense mechanism for me, but that’s when it became an outlet for me.
A way for me to release my emotions. I didn’t go starting shit, but it was always how I finished it.
Right. Right. Left.
Everyone labeled me as angry. No matter what my heart screamed, or what my tears yelled, they brushed it off.
Nobody cared why the child was angry, only the aftermath of what that anger caused.
To be honest, nobody cared what I did until I fought.
Not because they were concerned, but because of who I did it to.
That was the hard lesson I had to learn as a kid.
Feeling myself about to lose it, I grabbed my bag and left the gym.
I was not trying to fall apart in a room full of strangers.
Sitting in the car, I allowed myself to break down.
After about five minutes, I gathered myself and wiped my tears.
Feeling someone watching me, I looked over, and there was Landon.
Staring at me as if he knew my secrets. As if he understood my pain. Starting the car, I drove off.