Chapter 6
Stella's P.O.V.
"Nice Stella !" Thoren exclaimed , me smiling as I took another strong jab at the mitt. I was finally perfecting my punches after one week of hard training and constant practice, but I also think I was just in a better place these days compared to when I first started here.
"Does you hand hurt yet ?" I asked, making him playfully scoff before he shook his head. And with that, I delivered my strongest punch, making him wince.
"Damn, Stell !" He said, the both of us laughing as the drill came to an end and he slid the mitt off his hands. He looked at it,constantly flexing his wrist at the pain and I was so damn proud of myself. "I can't believe how hard you can strike now " I chuckled, rubbing my sore knuckles down. That last punch actually took a little bit of a toll on me itself.
"Guess you're training me well then, huh ?" He chuckled, nodding his head.
"Honestly, because you dance you're flexible as hell, you're a bit of a natural. The hardest part of self-defense is learning the different maneuvers and submissions, which you've grasped already. You're jabs were the problem." I nodded my head, knowing he was right ans soon we're both walking to our water bottles at the corner of the mat before we started talking about rubbish like we always do. I was in such a good mood today ! I actually have been for the last few days. Surprisingly, I've become a little bit more social not only at the gym, but at school and I hate to say it, but it all had a lot to do with me being a member of the dance team.
Aside of how good it feels to dance again, the popularity that came with being on the dance team was ridiculous, guys other than Sky's crew approached me now. Granted, I don't give them the time of the day, nor am I really up for dating anyone right now, but it's still nice to have the option of being a part of the in-crowd and I'm really happy that Layla and Bloom talked me into trying out.
"Where is Layla and..." Thoren asked, obviously forgotten Bloom's name.
"...Bloom " I said, sipping my water."Bloom yeah !" Thoren said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Layla went out with her boyfriend somewhere and Bloom had to meet someone, so I took the bus here." He looked to me with furrowed brows, making me laugh. "Yeah, I could have got out of this easy tonight, huh ?" He chuckled.
"Yet, you're here !" I smiled, nodding my head. "I'm sensing, you're enjoying these sessions now then ?" I again nodded my head, making him laugh. Thoren and I really were cool as hell and something about his presence relaxed me. "Well, I'm not complaining." He chuckled, "You wanna work on more submission moves before you change your mind." Thoren asked as I pulled the bottom of my tank top down. I smiled, loving how sensitive he always is and honestly, I really trusted him right now.
"Yeah we can I trust you !" He smiled, nodding his head but there was no need to keep talking. He then led me back to the center of the mat and when we were facing each other, a devious smile stretched across his face.
"Let's make this interesting." I looked to him with furrowed brows, smiling myself. "Let's go one on one. Show me what I've taught you." I scoffed.
"You're sure you wanna do this ?" He smiled, nodding his head. I easily accepted the challenge and I was excited. I was really good with submissions and maneuvers and he's even said, I was creating my own ones now n days without even realizing it.
"Alright love" He started, walking behind me. "Show me what you've got !" I smiled and soon, I felt his strong arms around my neck before I brought my hands to his forearm, and flipping him over my shoulder; his back hitting the ground hard.
"Damn !" Thoren started as I straightened his arms, twisting it and forcing him to roll on his stomach. I laughed, seeing Thoren smile at the pain he was clearly feeling.
"Okay, good one." He started. "You're pretty quick ! But can you handle someone when they're stronger than you ?" My brows furrowed, and soon he effortlessly twisted his arm out of my lock, turning around and somehow, pulling me to the ground. I really couldn't tell you what exactly he did cause the next thing I know, I'm laying on my stomach and he was literally sitting on my bum; my arm behind me as he this time held it in a bloody arm lock.
"Damn !" I breath, making him chuckle as well as the other people around us. I then realized we're gaining an audience and among them was Dylan, one of the fighters of the gym, and Brandon, who actually is the one boy in Sky's spuad that makes me feel indifferent.
Ever since the dancing tryout, I've noticed that he stares at me all the damn time and what's weird is that' in a way, I don't mind. For starters, he is the only boy that never really bothered me in the first place because he's said maybe one full paragraph to me all together since I got here. Second, there's also no denying how good-looking he is. But while sometimes I want him to say something to me, most of the time he always reminds me of Jaden, so I also just wish he would go away and with him, the attraction for him I can't seem to shake off despite how much he scares me.
"what are you gonna do in this situation ?" Thoren asked, pulling my attention away from Brandon and back to this embarrassing moment. I was fighting it a bit, squirming beneath him but soon, I just took a deep breath focusing on my body, seeing how far I could take it and how to move it to win this thing. "Watcha gonna do Stella ?" He chimed, chuckling.
"She don't got this !" Dylan said. I then felt Thoren's weight lessen as he laughed with the sexist males and with that, a smirk formed on my face before I used all my strength to roll us over, surprising Thoren. Luckily, he lost his hold of my arm and when my back rested against his entire abdomen, I quickly kicked my legs over my head, making myself roll over his and as soon as he shot up, sitting on his bum, I wrapped my arm around his neck, holding him in a tight choke hold.
"Weren't ready for that one, were you?" I asked. And seeing as he taught me the perfect choke hold NO PERSON could get out of this despite their size, it wasn't long before my trainer was tapping out; pleading for me to open his air hole again.
"NO !" All the boys yelled as I let go on Thoren, smiling like a complete idiot. I then stood up as all the guys were yelling at him, but he was smiling too before I put out my hand for him to take.
"Bro, you can't take that, T !" Dylan said. Thoren scoffed, rising from the ground.
"She's a natural !" Thoren started, patting down his pants. "You want a round with her, cause I bet you'll lose" Dylan scoffed, shaking his head.
"I'm not fighting a girl. It wouldn't be fair." I looked to him with furrowed brows as all the boys chuckled with him.
"Or maybe you're just to scared she'll teach you a thing or two, yeah ?" Thoren replied, teasing the fighter while the people around us 'ohed' the boy. I was actually laughing at this point and this was one of the reasons I liked coming here. Showing up men is one thing I truly love because I can, I've earned more respect from the guys here versus the bimobo girls that come here for other reasons than to train.
"I'm not scared of shit, Thoren. I'm just not fighting a girl." Dylan scoffed. "I mean, would any of you guys ?" He asked, looking around to the men and after a few seconds of silence and the men looking away from me, his familiar voice stepped in.
"I'll do it !" Brandon said, grabbing my attention as he stepped forward. "I'll take you one on one." I froze as some 'ohes' and laughter came about around us.
"Submissions are what you specializes in,B " Thoren said as Brandon stepped right before us, smiling a sly one as our eyes stayed locked. "How's that fair ?" Brandon chuckled.
"Fine" He started, looking to Thoren. "I'll take her with one hand behind my back."I scoffed, rolling my eyes at his cockiness as all the boys laughed with him in the background.
"I'm a bit better than that Brandon !" I said. He chuckled, nodding his head.
"I'm aware of what you can do " He scoffed. I fought to hide a smile that nearly effortlessly snuck up my face while the boys chuckled and continued cising their friend. "So what ? We gonna do this ?"I scoffed.
"Why should I agree to this when you just admitted to being that creep I always found you to be ?" He laughed, the audience laughing as well while I looked at him.
"Because, if you win" He paused, stepping closer to me; all his boys wolf whistled at him. "I'll never bother you again, and I'll keep my eyes focused on something else." I sighed, really not knowing if this was a good idea.
"And what do you get out of this ?" Thoren asked, grabbing my attention. "Surely it's not just a brief fight on this mat with her, right ?" I really didn't think about that and soon, Brandon's soft laughter pulled my attention back his way.
"Of course not." I folded my arms beneath my chest, looking to him with furrowed brows while he bit his bottom lip through a smile. "I win, we chill right afterwards for the old times sake !"
"Get her B !" Crogan, one of the trainers here, exclaimed. I just rolled my eyes as all his boys cheered him on and stared at the two of us.
"You don't have to do this !" Thoren said, earning 'boos' and groans from every other male. But they didn't understand why this would be difficult for me.
"I thought you're confident in her, mate." Brandon said, the boys applauding his argument. "If she's as good as you said, she would win this easily, right ?" I just glared at him, truly seeing Jaden in him right now as he attempted to manipulate my friend and me.
"Brandon" Thoren started, his protective side coming out. But honestly, Brandon was pissing me off and frankly, I wanted to take all the anger I had for Jaden out on him. "You-"
"Let's do it." I said, cutting Thoren off and causing all types of different reactions to start. Brandon was just smiling, really thinking this would be easy. "But you have to stick to you half, when I embarrass you in front of your boys. " He scoffed, stepping closer to me and leaning down, his face not even an inch away from mine.
"You have my word." Clapping and cheering instantly started and I rolled my eyes before I turned around and walked to the center of the mat. Our audience was watching as I waited, that boy actually pulled the long sleeve tee he was wearing off and he was just in a tight fitted white tank and his baggy gray sweatpants. I was so irritated how nice his body was and his broad shoulders in that tank top were just ridiculously sexy.
"She's already distracted !" Dylan said, making me glare at him while he continued to laugh with the men.
"Ignore him!" Thoren said, grabbing my attention and soon he just showed me a reassuring smile before I realized Brandon was standing right in front of me. "Alright,B you need to pin her. No submission win for you, okay ?" Brandon smirked, nodding his head as our eyes stayed locked.
"Ready ?" He asked, moving his right hand behind his back.
"You're lefty ?" I asked. He smiled, shaking his head and that just caused more laughter from the men. I scoffed at his cockiness and soon I was in my stance, ready to get this over with.
"Go ahead, you can swing if you want. I saw your jabs today." He chuckled. "They were..um alright " I smiled, and randomly, did just that; trying to take hi m by surprise. But he quickly slapped my wrist away so fast but with enough force to make my arm completely fall in front of me. "Gotta be quicker than that babe." He said, smiling while the men laughed and cheered.
"Oh, you'd love that wouldn't you?" He just shrugged his shoulders, that annoying smile still plastered on his face. Irritated, I then tried the combo Thoren just taught me today, but Brandon was just so fast and he dodged all three jabs that came his way with such an ease.
"Damn" He said, biting his bottom lip while the boys around us encouraged his taunting. "Well, c'mon Stell ! I know you can do better." I groaned, jabbing an even wilder combo his was and when I threw the last punch that when he moved out of the way, I stumbled forward a bit.
"AYE !" Dylan said, as I turned to face Brandon who was chuckling.
"ARRGGHH" A massive groan escaped my mouth as I snapped, throwing a hard swing his way. But this time, he got a firm grip of my wrist and pulled my right in front of him, smiling. I scoffed, fully done with this bullshit and soon, I just stomped on his toes, making him finally show an ounce of pain on his face before he let my wrist go. I then delivered a hard jab to his gut and when he bent over from pain, I grabbed his arm, briefly turned my body and flipped him over my shoulder, just like I did with Thore.
"Oi! Brandon!" Cogan said. All types of groans and complains came from the men as I walked around Brandon and soon, I took a seat on his lap, my knees bend on both sides of his hips as he looked up to me with an evil smile. I instantly swung at his face, but again I was too slow for him and he grabbed my wrist, laughing before he rolled us over; him now on top of me.
"You mad ?" He asked, smiling. I snapped my wrist from his hold and instantly wrapped my legs around his waist before I wrapped my arms around his neck, forcing his face damn near smothered in my armpit. I was holding him in a choke hold as tight as I could, but he just started laughing. "Hold on babe" Brandon said, rising to his knees, and I did as he said before he literately did some weird front roll with me still attached to him.
We honestly went on for minutes while people watched us rolling all over the mat, either me winning or the other way around. But one thing was certain, we're both too stubborn and neither of us wanted to lose.
"Just give up already, Brandon !" I said, me being in the upper hand as I sat on his bum, his back arched while I pulled both of his arms behind him as best as I could. But it was crazy how much he didn't seem affected by it and I was honestly so damn exhausted.
"You know I was specialized in submission Stell ?" I said nothing, using all my strength hurting him. "I'm flexible and double jointed." My hold instantly loosened now seeing why nothing I did was hurting him and soon, he turned the tables due to me stupidly letting my guard down. Again, it all happened so fast and the next thing I know,I was on my back before Brandon slyly glided his body on top of mine before his weight completely pinned me down to the ground.
"1! 2!" The men chanted, me fighting to break free but there was no use. I was tired and he was just too heavy for me. "3!" I sighed, feeling so defeated while Brandon just looked down to me, smiling a cheeky one as the men surrounded us cheering for him.
"So tonight should be fun, yeah ?"