As I entered the gym, I quickly realized I was in serious trouble.
"15 minutes late, Jason!!"
As soon as I walked through the door, I heard Instructor Sean's shouts echoing from afar. He was extremely strict about class start times. Whenever someone was even a minute late, he made that person do at least 200 push-ups in front of everyone.
Ignoring his yelling, I quickly tied my gloves, which were in my backpack, and headed toward the central ring, where Instructor Sean and some of the other students were.
Standing a bit apart from the others was a guy with curly blond hair and brown eyes. He had a similar build to mine. It was none other than Lincoln, one of the few friends I still kept in touch with.
"This time you really managed to piss the old man off," Lincoln said as he walked toward me.
"I-I got caught in some really heavy traffic this time..." I replied, not wanting to mention the real reason for being late.
"Dude, you live just a few blocks from here..."
"...But alright. Now you'll have to deal with the beast up there. Good luck!" Lincoln finished, giving me a few light pats on the back.
'Good luck... Yeah, I was really going to need it.'
__
As I approached where everyone was gathered, Instructor Sean's expression already said it all.
"Don't make me waste more breath," he said, not even giving me a chance to explain why I was late.
He stared at me as if he were about to explode at any moment, his face turning red as he spoke.
Unable to say anything, I simply gave up and started doing the dreaded 200 push-ups, ignoring the stares directed at me.
"1, 2, 3, 4..."
"Uuhgr..."
"...55, 56, 57..."
"...98, 99... 100..."
"...177... 189... 200..."
After finishing, I just collapsed onto the floor. My body felt so exhausted that, by the time I was nearing the 100th repetition, my arms were already trembling to the point that I almost fell flat on my face.
Not that I wasn't used to it, but my body simply wasn't responding. Today really wasn't one of my best days...
"Congratulations. Now, as a reward, you'll be the first guinea pig of today's class," Instructor Sean said mockingly as he called me for the demonstration.
"I really hate this guy," I muttered, hoping he wouldn't hear me.
Basically, at the beginning of each class, Instructor Sean would explain the concept and logic behind the techniques he taught. After that, he would pick a student to take out his own frustrations on.
Over time, I learned that boxing wasn't just about throwing punches with maximum force. It was closer to a mental game, where the goal was to understand your opponent's rhythm and how to adapt to it.
Just like animals themselves, before going on the offensive when they spot their prey, they always wait for the right moment to strike.
__
This time, Instructor Sean wanted us to focus on our footwork while defending against his punches.
Since I was the only one who arrived late, I became the first test subject.
"Jason, the only thing I want you to do is dodge my punches while controlling your footwork."
Preparing for the sparring, I took a more defensive stance, with my arms protecting my torso while I controlled my breathing.
'Sigh.'
Meanwhile, Instructor Sean remained light and relaxed, leaving his guard completely open.
All I had to do was dodge his attacks. It shouldn't be that hard, right?
Suddenly, his expression changed into that of a predator who knew exactly how to tame his prey.
At a speed I could barely follow, he unleashed a devastating sequence of strikes.
Left jab, right cross, lead hook, finishing with another right cross.
It was a fast and precise combination, but I didn't let him dictate the pace. When it came to boxing, this was one of the few moments when I could truly let myself go.
I felt... free when I was in the ring. The feeling of dominating your opponent completely took over me, like a wild animal freed from the chains that held it.
Yeah... I really liked this.
I couldn't hold back the smile on my face as I prepared to dodge the attacks that were coming.
With a quick hip turn, I managed to break the sequence of punches he was using to pressure me.
"Looks like you're tired of getting hit, kid."
Without falling for his provocation, I kept paying attention to the sequences he was throwing.
He always started with a quick strike from the right side and finished with a more explosive one from the left.
It wasn't that hard to predict his movements.
Right, left, right, forward, left. It was always the same sequence...
I kept dodging with relative ease while trying to stay in the center of the ring. If he pushed me into the corners, it would be difficult to find any opening to escape.
"Instructor Sean really is a monster in that ring, but Jason... even with little training time, he's managing to dodge his punches," one of the students watching the spar said.
"Pay attention to how Jason is breaking all his sequences. At no point is he letting himself get cornered," Lincoln added, observing the fight closely.
"Aargh."
"Damn it!"
I managed to dodge most of his combinations, but it seemed like he was finally getting serious.
He immediately realized I wanted to stay in the center of the ring and started attacking in a way that made his movements unpredictable.
"Come on, Jason. Don't tell me you're already tired of running?!" Instructor Sean mocked, a smirk on his face.
This bastard had known from the start. I needed to figure out how to keep breaking his rhythm.
For a moment, I tried to control my breathing again.
'Sigh.'
'What if I...'
"Control your footwork." That was what he emphasized during the explanation, and that was what I was going to try.
I didn't need to predict his movements, but rather adapt to them. I began moving in the opposite direction of Instructor Sean.
I started shifting in different directions. That way, I could keep dodging his attacks.
"W-what's happening??" Lincoln said, completely surprised.
"Hey, look! Instructor Sean is managing to impose his rhythm again!" the students said.
"No..."
"Hahahaha!"
"This guy is really crazy," Lincoln laughed after finally understanding Jason's strategy.
__
Straight, right cross, left cross, right uppercut.
Jab, right cross, left uppercut, left cross.
"Uuhr..."
Even with different combinations, I managed to dodge all of his punches.
I felt in complete control of the fight at that moment. Even though I was only dodging, it didn't feel like I was losing. The look of frustration on Instructor Sean's face after failing to hit me even once was priceless.
"Enough!" Instructor Sean interrupted.
"You really surprised me, kid. The way you executed feints and broke the rhythm of the fight was very well done."
I listened to the rest of his comments after he pointed out a few corrections in how I executed certain movements.
But overall, I was satisfied... Managing to go a few minutes without getting hit even once by Instructor Sean was already something to be proud of.
In his prime, Instructor Sean had been one of the most feared boxers in the United States. However, after some serious injuries, he had to retire early and ended up coming to England, where he founded his own gym here in Manchester.
After finishing the remaining instructions, we were dismissed.
As I was nearing the gym exit, I felt someone tap my shoulder.
"Hey man, can you give me a ride this time?" It was Lincoln, with his usual shameless tone.
After training, I always gave him a ride. We lived just a few streets apart. What started as a favor eventually became a habit.
Knowing there was no way to refuse, I simply nodded in resignation.
"Even if I say no, you're just going to keep insisting. There's not much I can do," I said, already accepting that burden.
"Hahahahah!"
"That's why you're the best, man!!" Lincoln said, bursting into laughter.
The drive to Lincoln's house was quick. Since it was already late, we didn't run into traffic.
Suddenly, I noticed him looking at me.
"You've been really quiet, man. You didn't say a word the whole way."
"Did something happen and you don't want to tell me?"
I simply gestured in denial while keeping my eyes on the road.
"I'm just a bit tired. Today ended up draining me more than usual."
Not that it wasn't true. I was mentally exhausted. But I was never the type to open up to others, even to those closest to me.
After that, Lincoln stayed quiet for the rest of the ride.
When we arrived at his house, a massive, eye-catching mansion, it was impossible not to notice the contrast. Lincoln's grandparents were partners in some factories spread across the countryside of Manchester. They left a considerable inheritance to Lincoln's parents and, eventually, to him.
I won't lie and say I never dreamed of a life filled with luxury and wealth. But thinking about the recent events in my life, I don't think money would solve anything.
"Thanks, man! I owe you one," Lincoln said as he got out of the car.
I lived just a few minutes from his house.
When I got home, I prepared a simple plate of pasta. It was the easiest thing to make. And the last thing I wanted at that moment was more work.
I started work at 8:00 AM. It was a small engineering office, but it was where I earned the little income I had.
I ended up pursuing a career in finance, following the traditional path of my family and also hoping to please my father.
I wouldn't say I hated it, but I didn't feel any enthusiasm for it either. It had been years since I truly thought about what I really wanted.
After the pasta was ready, I took a quick shower and went to bed.
"Tomorrow is going to be a long day..."