Page 21 of Sucker Punch Drunk Love

Cutting weight was one of the hardest things to partake in getting ready for in a fight. I told myself that with anyone I ever mentored, I’dneverlet them go through that shit alone. Only issue was that she was so new to it, and she started with half the clothes a seasoned fighter would have worn. It was hard not to admire her mix of soft and hard curves as she laid down on her stomach, bare legs and barely covered ass cheeks peeking out from her shorts.

“How you doing over there, Medina? ¿‘Ta bien?*? She sighed dramatically, her next words filled with pain and exhaustion.

“I am inmisery. It feels like I've been doing this for weeks now. How long do I have to keep sweating out my locs for? I've been wearing headbands now for a week to cover up that I need a re-twist.

“Just until I get you under one thirty-five. We do that, and you meet your weigh in and after that, Ipromiseyou can eat whatever you want.” She laughed, more in a sarcastic way that had no life or energy to lighten the mood.

“When that happens, I don't know what I'll eat. I could go for a nice loaded lamb burger, a basket full of fries, and top it off with some well-seasoned mozz sticks.Mmm…that sounds so fucking good right now,” she trailed it off, as I turned to her to make sure she wasn't dying of exhaustion.

“Yeah, well, I could make you a healthier version. Use veal instead of lamb. Switch out the white potatoes for sweet. Throw it in the air fryer. ¡Te lo juro!?* You won't even miss it the old way.” She grumbled, lifting her feet up by the tips of her toes, stretching out the soles of her feet.

“You don't know how hard it is to be at work smelling all that fried food. You know in those cartoons where the character is being lifted in the air by the smell of food. It be like that sometimes,” she joked, as I clasped my palm along the stretch of her ankle.

“If you listen to me and prepare for this fight the right way, you won't even need that dead-end waitress job. While you're not paying rent, what do you need it for? It takes up too much of your time, and in the hours you spend there, you should be resting more.”

“Coach, I know I need to train, but just because you're not charging me to stay at your place doesn't mean I don't need money.”

“Well, what if I can get you what you make in two months waitressing with your first fight?” She flipped around, resting her upper body on the weight of her forearms, her eyes meeting mine with skepticism.

“Why would you go through all that trouble for me?” she asked, activating my annoyance.

“First off, you got to win first. And second, it's because I don't want you to feel tempted to skip out on training. The body needs rest in between, and if you're working your body to the bone, it's going to affect how you sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, it's going to affect how your body builds muscle. Plus, there's something else I'd rather you be spending your time on instead.”

***

When we got back home, I led her to my study, taking a wrapped gift from my desk and handing it to her.

“Wait, you wrapped it?” she questioned, her eyes big and bright. I’ve never been one to focus on the beauty of a woman's eyes, but for some fucked up reason, the way she was looking at me right now drove mecrazy. I could have done anything for her with the way she was looking at me right now.

“Any idiot could use wrapping paper. Stop making it a big deal that I know how to wrap a box,” I scolded, as she turned it upside down in her hands, her brows furrowing at the rattling from inside.

“What is it?”

“¡Mira?*! You're not gonna know if you don't open it,” I scoffed, leading her to tear away the gifts wrapping as it fell to the floor. Her face soured, thoroughly reading the story on the box.

“You bought me a Lego set? What exactly do you want me to do with this?” I swear, the questions this one asked grew a permanent vein at the side of my neck.

“It's Legos. What do you mean what do you do with it? It's fun. I want you to put it together. In fact, when you quit that job, I want you to spend at least an hour a day on it,” I instructed, and as predicted, she was a treasure trove full of questions.

“But why?”

“I'll tell you when you put it together. Look a little livelier. I asked the lady at the store which one to get you and she told me girls love everything Beauty and the Beast. Plus, that shit cost me a grand. Twelve-year old me would have loved a set like this. Hell, you walk into any board game cafe and you get like five people lining up to suck you off just at a chance to try it first. For once, let the creative side of your mind go elsewhere,” I said, leaving her sitting there, as I excused myself into the hallway.

“Wait,” she called after me, the box of Legos still in her hand.

“You still haven't told me who I'll be fighting.” Approaching her, I flicked at her hoodie before throwing her a few shadow punches.

“Show me you're ready, and I'll give you her name,” I faked a smile, her eyes rolling as she headed towards her bedroom.

“Dealing with you and your ways is so frustrating.” She stormed off and she slammed the door behind her.

“Yeah, and you hanging your damp fuckin’ bras and panties all around the house is frustrating too, but you ain’t hear me complaining?” She opened the door to peek her head out, determined to get the last word.

“For your information, drying them in the dryer messes up the underwire and heat tears away at the lace.Hmph!” She said slamming the door again.

“Yeah, okay. If I wanted to be staring at bras and panties all day, I’d apply at Victoria’s Secret.” I argued behind her closed door. “And don’t stay up all night, try to get some sleep.”

The next session I let her off easy. An hour on a bag. Work on some floor combos and her choice of whatever she wanted with conditioning. I had to give her props. Her speed, stamina, and strength were improving, so this time I left her unsupervised while I actually got some work done in the office. In just a few weeks, she’d come far. The girl might actually be ready for herupcoming fight. I had to brace myself for what that would feel like, cheering her on but praying that my fighter didn't get hurt.