Damaged

Chapter 5

Charli

Today is going to be a busy day. I have a self-defense class this morning, a kids boxing class, a domestic violence class and a private boxing session. Not to mention I have to get ready for the photoshoot for the center. I am going to keep my workout small for today. I just ran three miles this morning since I was working out all day. Miley, my golden retriever and I ran together every morning. Miley is my best friend and my only companion. I only tried the dating scene once.  I dated a guy just out of high school for about a year. I thought things were going well until I walked in on him in with another woman. When he realized I caught him he started yelling at me and slapped me. Told me it was my fault because I never would sleep with him. It was true, I never slept with him, I was scared to be honest. Every time I tried to be intimate with him, the flashbacks came back. The self-defense classes helped but I was still too scared to trust being with a man alone. Just the thought of it brought back terrible nightmares. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t get the nightmares to stop. It has been ten years and they still make it feel like it was yesterday. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was taking Miley to the gym with me today. Miley was good with the kids’ classes. Most of the kids that we have coming to the gym are victims of some form of abuse. Our boxing class works on helping them building physical and mental strength while surrounding them with others their age who have gone through the same kinds of trauma they have, letting them know they are not alone.  When we get to the gym it is quiet as normal. Of course, it is quiet, it is only 6am. I set up the mats for the judo class and then set up the classroom for the domestic violence class. Mary is going to be here today. She always makes the classes go easier.  Just when I have everything set up, the first class arrives.  The day has gone by faster than I expected. I haven’t taken a break all morning and I can tell. My feet are killing me, and I am draining fast. I need something to get me through. Reading my mind, Mary walks up with a large mocha coffee. I smile at my best friend. She could always read me so well. We sit down in my office for a few minutes to enjoy out coffees. It is already 1pm. Where did the time go? All my classes I have scheduled for today and done and I only have the photoshoot to do. I look out my window and see a group of gentlemen walk in. They must be here for the shoot. I go to get up and Mary tells me to sit down and enjoy my coffee, that she can show them to the locker room. I sit back down and finish my coffee. Enjoying resting my legs for a few minutes. Eventually I leave my office and head to the section of the gym that I set up for the photoshoot. Once I do my final lighting check. I call for the first fighter.  He has oiled himself up like he is posing for playgirl. It is extremely hard for me to keep a straight face while instructing the young fighter how to pose. It doesn’t help that Mary is standing next to me and doing a very poor job of holding in her laughter.  After the first fighter is done the second fighter steps up and he is no better. The second one took it a step further and even slicked his hair back. I refuse to let this calendar be seen as a joke. So, I stop the photoshoot and tell the fighters to head back into the locker room and wash all that s**t off of their bodies.  I am beyond angry, and I let them know it. I watch a local agent known as Mikey walk in with two fighters. I don’t watch MMA so I don’t know any of the fighters. Mary offers to show them to the locker room so I could cool my temper off before I had to deal with the fighters again.  When Mary comes back, she is flushed and has a bigger smile than usual on her face. I knew exactly what that means. Mary doesn’t get flushed unless one of two things has happened. I put her through a hell with a workout, which I do from time to time. Or she is attracted to one of the fighters. This should be interesting because Mary refuses to date fighters.  I don’t say anything, I know Mary is fighting with herself internally already, I’m not going to make it worse for my best friend.  The ten fighters come back out of the locker room as the last two fighters Mary just met are heading in. They look better this time, and the shoot finally starts. I finish up with fighter number 9 as the last two fighters come out of the locker room.  I pay them no attention and call for October’s fighter. I pose him as I want and move the camera round to get the right angles. The pictures are looking pretty good so far. This should be a good calendar. I thank the first 10 fighters for their time and tell them I am done with them before I go to change out the battery and card on my camera. Just as I am putting the new battery in the camera, I hear footsteps come up behind me. I turn around and Mary introduces me to the last two fighters of the shoot.

Luke

            I watch as John switches his feet and steps back. John is a good fighter, but his game is groundwork. He knows he is no match for my striking power. I step closer to him, he steps back. I throw a jab and land square on his jaw. John shakes his head and heads to my left, my weak side. I have had too many broken ribs for them not to be sore all the time.  He throws a roundhouse kick at me, catching me off guard and hitting my shoulder. I go down and he takes advantage of my situation. He climbs on top and put me in a choke hold. He thinks he has won because my ground game sucks. He is in for a shock. I have been training with Bo for three weeks now. My next fight is against a guy with good ground game, and I need to be prepared. I drop to one knee and act like I am blacking out. I let my body go limp. Just when he thinks he has won and starts to shift, I grab him by the should and throw him in front of me. I put him in an arm bar and make him tap before I release him. He is shocked. He stands up with his jaw open 6 inches just looking at me like I grew another head or something. I just smile my evil grin. They don’t call me The Hammer for nothing. I am going to nail my opponent to the mat each time.

            When John finally gets over his shock, I tell him about my extra training with Bo. We laugh about it as we make our way to the locker room to shower. We have a photoshoot this afternoon for the “Knock out abuse” campaign. John and I agreed to do a charity match and calendar to help a charity center called “Center of Peace”.  John and I hop in my car and head to the east side of town. He tells me the name of the gym where we are doing this photoshoot is called “Perfect Fit” gym. It is supposed to be one of those places where everyone feels welcome, you don’t have to work out hard or be fit to come to this gym. They accept you just the say you are. I personally don’t think I could handle a personal trainer who was that soft on their clients. Discipline is the only way and If I slack off then I pay for it. I don’t get a pat on the back saying it’s okay just try harder next time when I only run ½ a mile.  If I run ½ a mile Bo my trainer would have my ass and I would be running 10 miles or until I puke, whichever came first. But to each their own. This is for a good cause. I know that sounds strange coming from me, but I actually hate violence. Fighting in the ring is different, that is my job. What I can’t stand are people who pick on people smaller than them because they can’t defend themselves. That is why John and I were so willing to do this fight and calendar. The Center of Peace does a lot of good for the community. I have been volunteering there as a big brother for a year now. It feels good to give back.

                The drive to the gym doesn’t take long. Traffic isn’t too bad, so we make it there in roughly 25 minutes. We meet our agent Mikey outside and he gives us the run down. He informs us that the photoshoot for the calendar will happen first. We are the last two to be photographed. That way after the calendar shoot, we can just go right into the photos for the fight.  When we walk in I see Mary Knight walking up to us with that big sweet smile of hers. She always could light up a room when she smiled. Which was good because the people that come into the center need to see a friendly face like hers. I look over at John after Mary walks up and he looks shocked by her. I introduce them together and neither one says a word. I can’t help but look back and forth at the two of them. It was like they are in a trance. After a few seconds Mary looks down and blushes from the intense look john was giving her. I have never seen Mary blush before; it was kind of cute. In a little sister kind of way. I elbow John and start to snicker under my breathe when he realizes what had just happened. He put him hand out to say hello and Mary gently took it. Again, they are in a trance, and I have to break it by coughing.  When the two break away Mary shows us to the locker room where we can change for the shoot.  The other fighters for the shoot and matches are already dressed and are coming out of the locker room as we enter. Some of them smile to see we are there as well. Some seem shocked and some seem pissed.  Shawn Dose is not happy to be in the same room as John and myself. He had lost his last two title matches to us. But he is civil which surprises me. He is known for being a hothead. John and I get changed and head out to the ring.  John is rambling about something; I don’t remember what when I notice this beautiful woman standing next to Mary. She is a knockout. She has long wavy dark brown hair that hangs to the middle of her back. She is dressed is a sports bra and tight shorts that show off her slim abs. She isn’t skinny at all, but she is fit. You could tell she works out. As we get closer, I notice she has a camera in her hand. She must be the photographer. Someone else who the center got to donate their services, I guess. We are almost to the area of the other fighters when Mary sees us and motions for us to come over.

                “ I want to introduce you guys to someone” Mary says. She then points to each of us as she introduces us. “Luke Blankston, John Hampston, this is Charli Angleburg. Charli these are your Champion fighters for the final match”. John shakes her hand but I just stand there. I can't believe it. After starring her down for what seems like forever, all I could say was. “It’s you!”