Chapter 25


    25. A Good Future.


    I stand frozen at the door, staring at him. He’s attacking his opponent with all his might, not even noticing


    me. His opponent tries to match his strikes, but Aiden is faster and more powerful. He dodges the other


    man’s punches masterfully and strikes like a cobra, targeting his most critical ces. His expression is


    single-focused and dangerous, and his unyielding. He looks like he means business, and failure is not a


    word in his vocabry.


    Suddenly, how this man managed to overpower Coraline makes much more sense.


    What rotten luck do I have to wind up in the same boxing club as freaking Aiden was? Seriously, what


    the hell?


    I want to turn and run. Choose another club, reviews, and five stars be damned. But what reason can I


    give Brennan for turning tail? That I’m intimidated by one of the members of the club? How absurd and


    humiliating will that be?


    No that won’t do. I am going to have to see this through until the end. And I’m going to face whatever


    happens like a man, dammit. I’m too tired of being scared of the world. Even looking at him makes me


    angry, and its high time I used that anger, not letting it turn into fear.


    “You okay, Mr. Greyson?” Brannan asks, noticing my inner turmoil.


    “Perfectly fine, Brennan,” I look at him and give him a smile, “I was just taking everything in. Also, please


    call me Jace. Mr. Greyson is my father.”


    Brannan smiles back, “Oh, I understand the sentiment. The club is a real beauty if I say so myself. I’d go


    as far as to say that our facilities are state-of-art, even.”


    The club really does look good. It got a worn-out, brick-walled, grunge feel to it. The ceilings are lined


    with bar lights that illuminate what looks like a giant warehouse that got converted to a boxing


    gymnasium. There is an open area where a few guys and girls are stretching and exercising, while a


    separate area, is upied by the members punching away at the sandbags hanging. In the middle of the


    layout were two full-sized rings, both of them upied, one by Aiden and his opponent, who was now


    down on the ground, and the other by two women. Dotted around the club were instructors in ck


    clothing.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Had it not been for Aiden’s presence, it would’ve been such a nice atmosphere for my first day at the


    club.


    “Well, first, let’s get you tested so I can make a program for your training. Do you know how to throw a


    punch? You said you’ve gotten into fights before.” Brannan asks, and I break myself from my


    observational stupor.


    I can’t help but blush, “They were not all that sessful.”


    Brannan nods, “I see. Well, in that case, we should start from the very beginning then. Why don’t you


    stow that bag away in the lockers and follow me.”


    I follow his instructions and meet him on a mat in the open area. Brannan circles me as I stand, his gaze


    contemtive, I wonder what he says. The skinny man who looks like he would blow away like a leaf in


    the wind? Or someone with the potential to be more? Did he see me as a good future boxer, or was he


    mentally scratching my name off the list?


    “Alright,” Brennan puts me out of my misery, and stands in front of me, “punch me.”


    “Huh?”


    “Punch me, Jace. Give me your best shot.”


    “Um, alright, sure,” I clench my fingers into a fist and swing at Brennan, aiming for his midsection.


    Of course, he swiftly catches my fist.


    “Hmmm. Again.” He releases my fist and orders again. I try to punch him once more, but he catches my


    fist again.


    “I’m lousy at this, aren’t I?” I murmur, feeling embarrassed but Brennan shakes his head.


    “Not lousy, merely inexperienced. Ow, let me show you how to punch someone.”


    And from then on, Brennan gives me pointers to hold my posture and clench my fingers in such a way


    that would prevent me from breaking my fingers, especially my thumb when I hit. He teaches me how to


    hold myself so I won’t stumble with the force between my own swings, andmends me when I get it


    right after the second try.


    “You’re a fast learner,” he grins, “you’ll catch up to the proper level soon, just watch.”


    very


    By now, I’d realized that Aiden had noticed me. I did not miss the way his eyestched on me the first


    time and the sheer anger that enveloped them I wondered if he would march up to me then and there,


    but he did not. Instead, he ignored me and went back to his opponent. But I felt his eyes on me a few


    times as I maneuvered around the mat with Brannan Perhaps he was keeping his distance because


    Brennan was there. Or perhaps he didn’t want to fight me anymore. I sincerely wish it is thetter.


    Brannan moves me to the sandbags next and gives me a pair of gloves. He teaches me how to bind my


    hands with practice tapes before putting the gloves on, and holds the bag for me to punch. After two


    hours, I am exhausted and dripping sweat, my whole-body aching. There’s nothing I want more than to


    go home and get on my bed. I’ve never been the most active person, but my stay at the hospital followed


    by my healing period had weakened my body greatly.


    But Brennan still had ns for me.


    “We need to do a final assessment,” he says, and calls over a junior instructor, “I want you to fight him.”


    My eyes widen, “wait for real?”


    “Of course, for real. It doesn’t have to be impressive; I just need to see how you do in an actual fight.”


    The fight does not go well. In the end, I’m wheezing on the ground, nearly dead, my newly mended finger


    hurting. But Brennan has a strange light in his eyes, and he smiles at me.


    “You’re not as bad as you seem to think you are,” he tells me as he gives me a hand to get up from the


    floor, “in fact, your reflexes are excellent. You’re very nimble, and your coordination I s not too bad.”


    “Huh? That’s strange,” my brows furrow, “I am actually very clumsy.”


    “I have a hard time believing that. Truth is, you’ve got a lot of potential, Jace. I know just the program to


    train you in, and within no time, I’m sure you will be up in the ring, holding a good fight with some of my


    finest.”


    I perk up at that, pleased, “you really think so?”


    “Of course,” he nods, e on the next day as well, and I’ll finish putting the program together for you. I


    look forward to teaching you, Jace. I have a feeling you got a good future in boxing.”