MUD IN THE FACE
The gym was alive with noise again. Fighters hit the bags, ropes slapped the floor, and sweat shone on every face. Jaden was in the ring, moving with smooth, sharp precision as he sparred with one of the MMA fighters.
His fists cut through the air with power and control. Each punch landed clean, his footwork light and fast. The sound of gloves hitting pads echoed across the hall. Every time he dodged or countered, people around stopped to watch.
Harris stood by the corner of the ring, his camera hanging forgotten by his side. The confidence he had earlier had disappeared. He could see clearly now that this wasn’t the same Jaden he used to know. The kid he once bullied had turned into something else — strong, calm, and dangerous.
Sheila, who had been talking to some of
