"Since you are a beginner, we should start with the basics. Let's do some basic punch combinations first. Red or blue?" Chloe said, holding the different pairs of boxing gloves in either hand.
"Blue." Max said instantaneously, embarrassed by her fast response.
"Good taste, and not just because they're velcro." Chloe winked, pointing at her blue hair; earning a laugh from Max.
The girl was surprised by how calm she was, normally she'd be nervous of fucking up and making a fool of herself, but she felt oddly at ease with Chloe.
Max grabbed her preferred boxing gloves, putting them on bashfully. After they were all set, she admittedly felt badass.
"You look hella cool, Max. Who knew I'd have a thing for boxing gloves?" Chloe said with a smile, digging her look.
Max laughed, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Hey, can I ask you for a favor?" she asked awkwardly, the punk's compliment had inadvertently reminded her of something she has been meaning to ask.
"Of course."
"I'm kind of doing this photo series about my life in Arcadia Bay. Can you take a picture of me with my camera? It's in my bag." Max said, gesturing at it.
Chloe kneeled down, chuckling at what the pin outside of her bag said—Cool Story Bro. She went through the girl's bag, and gasped as she saw the vintage beauty.
"Wow, do they even make these dinosaurs anymore?" she said as she grabbed the polaroid camera and stood up.
"Yeah, they're kind of hard to find. I had to do some digging to find it online."
"Nice. What website did you use?"
"Uh, Camera Porn."
Chloe broke out in laughter.
"Don't laugh at me! Just take the damn picture." Max said, the statement loosing its spunk when she started laughing midway.
"I'm sorry, but Camera Porn? What kind of name is that?"
"It was the only decent one I could find." Max said as she rubbed the back of her neck in her embarrassment.
Chloe looked at the girl's flexed arm, her lip clenched between her teeth. She knew she shouldn't get involved with a client, but she couldn't help it.
"Okay, so strike a pose Super Max." she said wiggling her eyebrows.
Max chuckled and did as she was told. She posed by putting both of her gloved fists upfront, with a stern face.
After hearing the shutter of the camera, she went back to normal, heading over to Chloe to see how it turned out.
The punk shaked the polaroid picture and held it in her hands.
Max got closer to her in order to see it better. Despite her cautiousness, the punk still responded sympathetically to her proximity, shuddering once feeling the girl's breath in her ear.
"I like it, thanks so much, Chloe." Max said, unaware of Chloe's reaction.
"No problem." she responded as nonchalantly as possible, whilst putting the picture on the table, along with the camera.
"So, let's get on to the nitty gritty."
Max snorted at the girl's southern drawl.
"My mom's southern, can't help it. Okay, let's start with this punch sequence."
"Left Jab. Right cross." Chloe said, demonstrating each of them separately first, and then all together.
Max nodded, almost drooling over how great Chloe looked doing them; she was definitely in her element.
"Now do them with me. Left jab—"
"Wait—you should, give me a second." Chloe added as she made her way behind Max, noticing how her stance was lacking.
"Place your left foot in front of your right, the right angled out toward your opponent slightly." Chloe said, whilst pushing the girl's foot with her own towards the correct position.
"Okay." Max said, tensing up a bit over how close she was.
"Good, then protect your chin by tucking in your elbows and putting your arms like this—" She added, adjusting Max's hands upwards.
"And there's that. Now try it, you'll feel the difference. Remember to throw your weight onto your left."
Chloe said, moving in order to look at Max better upfront.
Max threw her left jab a couple times, immediately feeling the difference in power.
"Nice work, Max! The right cross is the same thing, but mirrored. I think you're ready to do it in the soft pads. Follow me."
Chloe made her way to the mats, and Max followed suit; once grabbing them from the floor, she put them on her hands expertly.
"Okay, now do it again. Left jab." she ordered sternly.
Max nodded, hitting the pad hesitantly.
"Harder. Don't worry I won't feel a thing." Chloe chuckled.
Max put more force into the next ones, transferring her weight forward just like Chloe said.
She started the sequence, initially with some difficulty, but as soon as she got it a small smirk was visible on her face.
The satisfying sound of her gloves hitting the pad rhythmitically echoed across the room, making both of them smile.
"Told you you'd get sweaty." Chloe said as she passed Max a towel and a water bottle, sitting down next to her on the floor.
"Yeah, yeah." Max said rolling her eyes, sticking her tongue out at her. She wiped her face with the towel, placing it around her neck afterwards, the punk ogling her practically glowing body.
"So, how'd I do?" she added, once opening the bottle and taking a few sips; the drink immediately refreshing her.
"You did great, I like your determination. It's sexy." Chloe said wiggling her eyebrows whilst leaning on her side.
"Are you hitting on me?" Max blurted out, wiping her face with her towel to cover the blush that crept on her cheeks.
"Only if that's okay with you." Chloe answered cautiously, not wanting to accidentally scare the only client she's had a connection with.
Max studied the girl's face, trying to figure out if her gaydar wasn't failing her.
"Do you mind if I…stay a little longer?" she said suggestively, raising her eyebrow at the thought.
"No problem." Chloe said, nervously biting her lip.
The pair talked and talked, what felt like minutes, was actually two hours. They exchanged numbers, and learned so much about each other in little time, yet they still craved each other's company.
"I should probably get going, it's getting late." Max said putting on her jacket and sidebag, even though she wanted to do the exact opposite.
Noticing Chloe's lingering look, she smiled at her.
"Let me at least walk you out, Caulfield. Because I'm chivalrous as fuck."
Max chuckled, letting Chloe do just that, stopping once reaching her car.
"See ya next week?" Max said as she got in the driver's seat, already looking forward to their next session.
Chloe rested her arms in the car's open window.
"Wait, do you want to go out sometime?" the punk said, looking at the girl's face intently.
"Is that even a question? Duh." Max snorted, smiling at Chloe, which in return made her laugh in relief.
"Wait, hold that pose." Max said, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful the lighting made Chloe's obscenely blue eyes appear.
She took out her camera and skillfully took a picture of the punk, showing it to her after shaking it.
"To remember this moment." Max added, unable to hold in her grin.
In that moment, they both felt this was the start of something great.