The Rivals
1274 Words
CHAPTER TWO
“Williams! Bennett! Over here!” Coach Michael called.
Sandra walked toward him, with Best beside her.
“What did you do this time?” she whispered.
Best raised an eyebrow. “Why do you always assume I'm guilty?”
“Because you look like trouble.”
He laughed. “And you look like someone who needs to work on her attitude.”
Before Sandra could respond, Coach Michael interrupted them.
“The regional championship qualifiers begin in two weeks. Sandra, you'll be facing Kiara Bennett.”
Across the gym, Kiara smiled.
“Again? I thought you'd be tired of losing to me by now.”
Sandra clenched her fists. “Enjoy your jokes while you can.”
“I'll believe you can beat me when I see it,” Kiara replied.
Coach Michael stepped between them.
“Save it for the ring. Sandra, your speed is good, but you lose control when you're frustrated. You need to work on your patience and defence.”
He turned toward Best.
“I want you to help her with her footwork after training.”
Sandra frowned. “Coach, I can train alone.”
“You can, but you're repeating the same mistakes. Let Best help you.”
She reluctantly agreed.
Best grinned. “Looks like you're stuck with me.”
“Don't push your luck.”
“Wouldn't dream of it.”
After training, Sandra discovered that Best was a good teacher, even if he was annoying.
“Again,” he instructed.
She repeated the footwork exercise.
“Keep your balance. You're leaning too far to the right.”
She corrected herself.
“Better.”
Sandra stopped. “Do you know any other words?”
Best pretended to think. “Excellent?”
She shook her head, and he laughed.
After another round, they sat beside the ring.
“You're improving,” Best told her.
“Thanks.”
He looked at her in surprise. “Was that a thank-you?”
“Don't make me regret it.”
He grinned.
Sandra laughed, but then she noticed Kiara watching them from across the gym.
Her smile disappeared.
“Don't let her distract you,” Best advised.
“I'm not distracted.”
“Then why did you stop smiling?”
Sandra picked up her bag.
“I'm going home.”
Best sighed. “Sandra, you can't let Kiara control your emotions before the match even begins.”
She didn't answer. She simply walked away.
Outside the gym, Sandra met Maya, her best friend.
“You left without me!” Maya complained.
“You were talking to Daniel.”
“Important basketball business,” Maya replied.
They started walking toward the bus stop.
After a few minutes, Maya smiled mischievously.
“So, Best?”
Sandra groaned. “Please don't start.”
“Do you like him?”
“What? No! I've known him for two days.”
Maya laughed. “I didn't say you were in love. I asked if you liked him.”
“I'm not interested in him!”
“Of course not. That's why you keep smiling whenever you mention him.”
Sandra shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
“And yet, you love me.”
They laughed together.
Then Maya became serious.
“Is Best helping you with boxing?”
Sandra nodded. “He's good at it.”
“Then let him help. You don't have to do everything alone.”
Sandra thought about her friend's words.
Perhaps she needed to learn how to accept help instead of always trying to prove she could manage everything herself.
The following morning, Sandra overheard two boys discussing her upcoming match.
“Kiara will win again,” one said.
“Exactly. She's already beaten Sandra twice.”
Sandra entered the classroom.
“If you have something to say about my match, say it to my face.”
The boys fell silent.
“It's just our opinion,” one explained.
“Then keep it.”
She sat down, but their words stayed with her throughout the morning.
Kiara will win again.
At lunchtime, Maya noticed her friend's mood.
“What's wrong?”
“Everyone thinks I'm going to lose.”
“I don't.”
Sandra looked at her.
“What if I lose again?”
Maya reached across the table and held her hand.
“Then you'll learn from it and try again. But don't defeat yourself before you even enter the ring.”
Sandra smiled faintly.
For the first time that day, she felt a little better.
She couldn't control other people's opinions. She could only control how she prepared.
And she intended to prepare properly.
That evening, Sandra returned to the gym.
Best noticed her expression immediately.
“Bad day?”
“No.”
“You look like you've declared war on the world.”
“Maybe I have.”
He laughed.
After she wrapped her hands, Best explained what Coach Michael had told him about her previous match against Kiara.
“You were doing well until you got frustrated. Then you abandoned your strategy.”
Sandra sighed. “I know I made mistakes.”
“Everyone does. What matters is learning from them.”
She looked at him.
“Do you really think I can beat Kiara?”
Best became serious.
“Yes. But I can't promise you'll win. What I can promise is that I'll help you prepare as well as possible.”
Sandra nodded.
“Okay. Let's work.”
They spent the next hour practising footwork and defence. Whenever she made a mistake, Best encouraged her to try again.
This time, she refused to let frustration control her.
By the end of training, she was exhausted but satisfied.
As they packed their bags, Best gave her one final piece of advice.
“When Kiara tries to provoke you, don't respond.”
“What if she insults me?”
“Especially then.”
Sandra laughed. “You're asking me to do the impossible.”
“I'm asking you to win the argument that matters.”
“Which argument?”
Best glanced toward the ring.
“The one that happens when the bell rings.”
Before Sandra could reply, Kiara approached them.
“So it's true. Best is training you now.”
Sandra met her gaze. “He's helping me improve. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I just hope you know that a few new techniques won't change everything.”
Sandra felt anger rising, but she remembered Best's advice.
“See you in two weeks, Kiara.”
Kiara's smile faded before she walked away.
Best turned to Sandra.
“You didn't take the bait.”
“Don't sound so surprised.”
“I'm proud of you.”
Sandra looked away, hiding her smile.
“It's just training.”
“Of course,” Best replied.
They walked toward the exit together.
Sandra still had doubts. Kiara had defeated her twice, and many people expected her to lose again.
But she was beginning to understand something important: she couldn't change the past, and she couldn't control what people thought about her.
She could only decide what she did next.
As she glanced at Best walking beside her, she realised that the next two weeks might change more than her boxing career.
She wasn't ready to admit that she enjoyed his company, but she was beginning to trust him.
And for Sandra Williams, that was already a big step.
Two weeks remained until the championship. Kiara was determined to win again, but Sandra was finally learning how to fight with her head, not just her heart.
To be continued in Chapter Three: The Deal.
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