In the weeks to come came the change of many things. Working from dawn to well after nightfall presses the two women. Mara goes from a leisurely jog to an actual challenge of keeping up with her partner as they travel from hanging onto the end, to the middle, and as of lately, to the front.
(Both girls had later stifled giggles late at night once as they recalled how earlier that day, Johnson had stopped and turned back to wait for the others, and his expression had shifted into a comical shock to see the both of them.)
Though Paige is still behind the mechanics on weight lifting, she is up to par and quickly grabbing onto the tail end of the stronger group.
And it wasn't like people hadn't noticed. All wide gazes turned to her when Johnson began paying compliments instead of critiques. And each time, Mara watched with a smug grin as her friend blew their doubts out of the water.
"I think we should go work on combat!" Mara says after flinging the door open with her bag over her shoulder.
She's here then. Paige notes as she looks up from her book. Usually she's there with Zed and they joke around on her side of the room while Paige sits off, but more often that she's not present...especially on the weekend like this.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I mean you're basically up to par on everything else, so why not? Besides, you will need it."
She knows that. She knows she needs to work on it….
"Okay." She says finally, slowly rising off her cot, "Let's go then."
The door opens and the smack, smack echoes throughout the gym. Paige glances down to her clock before glancing to Mara. Her friend seems just as confused as she is and whispers: "Who's here this late at night?"
They both know for a fact everyone tends to stay a good distance away from the gym when training is done for the day. They have stayed past midnight multiple times and never came across anyone…
The person causing the noise doesn't seem to have heard them, as the smacking continues on without a pause. The two girls exchange one more glance and Mara lets the door shut before the two sneak around the corner to figure out just who was in the gym at this time. At the sight, Mara relaxes, a small smile starting before making herself quite obvious.
"Trouble sleeping?"
The noise stops, and Paige slowly follows Mara out to see Johnson drop the stance he had been in next to the punching bag.
"What are you doing here?"
"Paige and I always train until late."
"Really now?" He approaches, pulling the tape off his knuckles. "No wonder the two of you are improving so quickly." He catches Paige's gaze for a moment as he glances up, and she instantly looks away to fidget with the strap of her bag. He says nothing about it. "So what are you two working on tonight?"
Mara drapes an arm over Paige's shoulder, and the latter starts. "I was going to help Paige improve on her combat. But...since you're here, Beck, maybe you could help."
Paige throws a worried glance that Mara that she ignores, so she instead steals a glance to Johnson, expecting sternness and a report to the Renegade that could earn her who-knows-what….
What she doesn't expect, however, is when he smiles softly at Mara, and nods, "Sure. Let me gather my things real quick."
"Great!" Mara seems to hold a mega-watt grin, and leads Paige away as she calls back. "See you in a minute!"
Once they are out of earshot, Paige turns to Mara with a hiss. "What are you doing?"
"Getting help. What does it look like?"
"Are you sure asking Johnson is a good idea….?"
"Paige, for god's sake, just call him Beck. He's not going to care. Also, I'm sure he won't report you or anything. You're in the clear."
You don't know that.
Mara lets go of her to throw her bag off to the side, before returning to where Paige drops her bag. Paige glances up to see Johnson drop his bag next to hers, and she straightens to stand.
"Okay, go ahead and get on the mat, you two. Show me beginning stances."
Both girls nod and hurry to the mat. Mara sets up first, and Paige is quick to follow. Beck crosses between, first examining Mara deeply and in a long silence. Finally, he nods and she relaxes. He turns on his heel, and Paige tenses, which he picks out immediately.
"Don't tense up, first of all. That'll only slow you down or hurt you. Relax your shoulders."
She nods, but she's not extremely successful. He sighs, saying nothing more about that, and turns to the next problem.
"Is that your dominant foot?" He points to the foot closest to him, and she nods. "You're backwards, then. Your dominant foot should be towards the back, so it holds the majority of your balance."
She nods, and drops the stance to switch. He nods, and stands in front of her to reach down to the floor between her feet. "Now your feet need to be shoulder-width apart. Right now, your stance is too small."
She moves out slightly until he stops her.
"There. Feel it?"
She nods, but he isn't looking up to her, so she speaks. "Yes."
"Okay, make sure you go for this feeling everytime you get into the stance. Now, stay on the balls of your feet."
He stands, and views the rest of her. "Make sure you position your shoulders towards your opponent. So, for now, pretend I'm your opponent."
She immediately turns her shoulders to him.
"Good, but it's not going to work until_" she starts slightly when he pushes down on her shoulders. "_you relax your shoulders. You're going to put yourself in a lot of pain if you hunch your shoulders."
She feels her shoulders straighten out and though his push is firm, his voice is gentle. She steals a glance, but can't look away as she realizes he's watching her.
"I do have one question for you."
She tenses. "Yes?"
"Your hair…" His brow furrows. "Why do you have it covering half your face? You can't see out of that side and that's a serious disadvantage."
"I…" You can't tell. They'll kick you out, and you know it. They'll find you imperfect….
He waits for her to speak, but she shakes her head. "Please don't ask."
"It would better to move it_"
"I know." He breaks off. "Please...I'll just to learn how to work around it."
He says nothing, and yet she finds the courage to still look and examine his face.
He does seem tired...the underneath of his eyes are so dark.
What keeps him up like this?
Then, he looks over her shoulder to Mara and call: "What do you think?"
"Looks good!" He lets go of her shoulders at Mara's response.
"Johnson." He doesn't respond. "Johnson!"
He stops and turns back, and she looks away.
"I...thank you. For helping me."
"You're welcome." His response is warm, touching with a smile. "And call me Beck. Everyone else does."
"Okay...Beck."
He nods, and turns to Mara. "I should probably get back. Mr. Newhall is probably looking for me by now."
Mr. Newhall?
Oh...that must be the guy with the clipboard.
"Alright." Mara shrugs. "I'm okay with you joining us whenever, by the way...that is if you and Paige are okay with that."
"I am." Both turn to Paige. "Are you?"
"...Sure?"
"Yes!" Mara runs to join them. "Then I'll let you know later."
"Alright." He crosses to his bag and slings it over his shoulder. "I'll see you two tomorrow."
"Okay!" Mara calls and when the doors close behind him, she turns to Paige. "See? That wasn't so bad."
No...I guess that wasn't.
Mara throws an arm around her shoulder. "Come on. Let's get back to work, now that you've got the stance." Paige's eyes stray on the door for a moment longer after Mara starts off, before turning around to follow.
In the days to follow, she waits to be summoned, to be told by the Renegade to pack her bags and leave, that she didn't make the cut. But the call never comes. By day three, she realizes that perhaps...perhaps Beck wasn't all who she originally thought.