Look to the Skies

“You ready to go, girl?”

I turned to Tate and Jess and hoisted my gym bag higher up onto my shoulder.

“Bet your ass, I am,” I laughed.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Tate grinned. She raised a fist towards mine and we pounded our knuckles together.

The three of us turned away from my front door and started walking the short, ten minute walk to a nearby gym studio for our weekly self-defense class. As usual, Tate’s hair was pulled back into a long, black braid and even though we were going to exercise, her lips were painted a bright red. For once Jess wasn’t in her usual business suit and heels, but yoga pants, an old band t-shirt and tennis shoes. Tate and I were similarly dressed, but Tate’s shirt was shredded to reveal the tight, bandeau sports bra underneath.

“You really have no shame, Tate,” I muttered, shaking my head.

“Hey, girl, don’t judge. It’s hot as hell out here.”

And she was right for the humidity level was ridiculous high and the sun was beating down on the streets.

“So, Jess, how’s work these days?” I finally asked.

“Ugh, a pain in the ass,” Jess groaned. “I hate being an intern. The senior partners are always making me run about and get files for them or head down to the copy room. And I swear, Mr. Lincoln needs me to refill his coffee cup every two seconds. But once I finish law school, pass the bar and start my own practice, it’ll all be worth it.”

I looped an arm around her waist and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“I got another mural commission,” Tate announced, grinning madly.

“Oh, that’s great!” Jess exclaimed, forgetting her own troubles. “Who for?”

“Eh, some rich couple in Beverly Hills wants me to paint a jungle scene on the walls of their kid’s room. Apparently he’s really into monkeys right now,” she shrugged.

We finally reached the gym and opened the glass door to enter. Instantly a blast of cool air hit us, ridding our bodies of the sticky humidity. Different people were working out, some on treadmills and others lifting weights. It was a relatively small gym, but the owner was a friend of Tate’s and gave us deals on our lessons. We headed over to the far side of the room where the wrestling mats were laid out, punching bags hanging from the ceiling.

I dropped my bag onto a bench, refastened the ponytail high up on my head and started to stretch to get ready for the upcoming workout. After a few minutes the instructor came out, greeting the whole group of about fifteen girls that gathered every week for the lessons.

“Ay carumba. That is one sexy Brazillian,” Tate whispered.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” Carlos said in lightly accented English. “Today we will be focusing on defending yourself if an attack happened from the front. Now, the most important part to remember is the sensitive parts on a person.”

He went on to explain things like how to thrust upwards with the heel of your hand to smash someone’s nose, and the easiest way to incapacitate a man was by a swift knee to the groin. Carlos demonstrated a few different more maneuvers before we split off into pairs to practice. Tate grinned wickedly, before immediately attaching herself to Carlos, saying that she needed ‘extra instruction.’ I shook my head at her antics before pairing off with Jess.

I settled into a ready position, feet braced apart, hands splayed out in front of me. Jess came at me with one arm outstretched, and I grabbed it, bent it backwards and twisted out of her way. I moved towards her, but she easily blocked me, grabbed my arm, and next thing I knew I was flat on the ground, the wind knocked out of me. She bent over me, a small smile tilting up the corners of her lips.

“So, now that I just beat your ass, are you going to tell me whatever it is that you’re hiding?”

For the most part, people tended to overlook Jess. It was on purpose or even meant to be offensive, it just sort of happened. Tate demanded the most attention, what with her long, shiny black hair and normally red-painted lips. She was overtly sexy and wicked and people just gravitated towards her. Jess was quiet, and unassuming. I looked up at her, at the pale blonde locks, and even paler blue-gray eyes.

But she noticed things, more than people gave her credit for.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mumbled.

She stuck her hand out and helped me up from the ground.

“Don’t try to lie to me, Marin. You know as well as I do that it’s not going to work.”

I went over and sat on a bench, pulling a roll of hand-wrap tape onto my lap. As I talked, I started to wrap my hands and knuckles with the tape.

“I sort of met someone,” I finally spit out.

It had been almost two weeks since I had met Nathan and I hadn’t told either Tate or Jess about it. For some reason, I wanted to keep him to myself. But I knew I couldn’t hide it any longer.

“His name is Nathan. All we really do is text occasionally. I haven’t even seen him in about a week.”

I didn’t mention the fact that I was supposed to see him that night, not wanting to get her or my hopes up.

“Still, this is so exciting!” Jess exclaimed. “If this works out, it’ll be the first relationship since… ya, know.”

The memories almost came flooding back, but I shut them up into the dark corner of my mind where I didn’t think about it. I pulled the boxing gloves onto my hands, adjusting the Velcro straps so they fit snugly. Without another word, I got up from the bench and moved over to a punching bag hanging from the ceiling. After rotating my arms and neck a couple times, I took a few hesitant punches at the bag. I felt Jess behind me, and even though I knew it was her, it still felt uncomfortable to have someone stand there.

“I’m sorry, Marin. I didn’t mean to bring it up.”

She patted my lightly on the shoulder, causing me to flinch, before moving to her own punching bag. I started to furiously work at the bag, the pent up tension and anger that was always there in my shoulders easing its way out. I threw jabs, uppercuts and the occasional high kick, settling into a routine.

Around the edge of the bag I saw Tate and Jess looking over at me worriedly, but I ignored it. Never again would I be a victim. Never again would I feel helpless.