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I shake my head, smiling as I throw a high kick toward his shoulder. “I’m kidding.”

Relief watches over his face as he raises his guard again. “Okay, good.”

“You know,” he says while blocking another punch, “your guard keeps dropping on your left. You’re leaving yourself vulnerable⁠—”

“Fuck!”

The word bursts out of me as he takes the opening without meaning to, sweeping my legs out from under me.

I hit the mat with a groan and his eyes went wide. “Oh fuck, I’m sorry.”

I stare up at the ceiling. “Will…”

“TIME!” Mr Jensen yells loudly, and Will offers out his hand. I grab a hold of it, glaring at him through the pain.

“I’m really sorry about that, Vitelli,” he mumbles again.

I shrug my shoulders as I heave myself up. “Stop apologizing, it's okay. I’ve been hit harder than that before.”

I walk away to grab my water bottle and feel Mr Jensen’s hand on my shoulder. “You did well in the ring, Miss Vitelli. Keep up the good work and listen to the advice I gave you.”

“Yes sir, thank you,” I grumble.

I need to get my fucking shit together. I can’t be letting down my walls so easily and getting distracted.

My hand wraps around my aching forearm as I push open the door to the girls' changing room. I peel my jumper over my head with a wince. A dark bruise is already beginning to bloom along the side of it.

“Shit..” I let my head fall back against the locker before opening it one-handed.

My fingers find the gauze and bandage without much thought and begin to gently wrap the wound. Around me the changing room slowly becomes louder, lockers opening, girls laughing.

I pull my sleeve back down, hiding the bandage, and swing my bag over my shoulder as I gather the rest of my things.

“Nice work today, Vitelli,” the assistant coach tells me as I pass by.

“Thank you,” I replied loudly before slipping out of the door.

I make my way towards the courtyard. It shouldn’t be busy at this time of day, but I find myself ducking and diving out of the way of other students as they make their way past me towards their classes or wherever they’re going.

Annoyance bubbles up inside me as someone bumps into me for the fifth time today, this makes me alter my route and I make my way towards the elevator.

I lean against the metallic wall of the lift, shutting out any noise or distractions for a brief moment before opening them as the bell rings, signaling my arrival on my floor.

“Fuck…” I mutter under my breath, shuffling out of the small space. When I open it, Blue comes over and gives me a bit of a sniff as I crouch down to give him some soft strokes.

“Missed your mom?” I ask him and he replies by purring louder than usual. I shake my head, watching him strut off to sit on the edge of the windowsill.

I toss my bag on the bed before pulling my phone from my pocket. My thumb finds the speed dial and the call connects as I place it on my dresser.

“Hello...?” Hayzel’s voice fills the room as I start taking off my clothes.

“Hey, do you mind coming over in the next five to ten minutes? I’m getting ready to head out, and I need you to watch Blue for me. I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”

“Yeah, sure, but you could have just knocked on my door.”

I bite down on my bottom lip before continuing, “Hayz, just hurry up, woman.”

She laughs and I end the call quickly before she can say anything else.