Knockout (Gaslight spin-off)

26| Out of control

The gym falls silent as we stand and wrap our knuckles. I give Nico this look as if to say, Ha, I'm sparring when you said I couldn't, which earns me a side-eye, but I can't help it; I'm excited. Not just because I get to spar, but because I get to spar with Maddie, who's practically royalty around here.

I focus on the fluttering tape as I wrap it back and forth. It always feels strange to be in here after hours. The heavy bags hang motionless, the ring untouched, but I can almost feel the ghosts of past matches lingering in the air. With a subtle pleading glance at Ali, I slip on my gloves.

I'm practically humming with excitement. While I'm learning a lot from my sessions with Nico, it's clear he goes easy on me, so until I fight someone of the same size and weight category, I'll never improve, and who better to fight than the girl who trained with Hayden?

As soon as I'm ready, I follow Maddie to the ring, heart pounding in excitement. The bright lights above me illuminate the space, casting long shadows across the canvas floor. I get into position, ignoring the tight little knot in my stomach, and pretend it's just another spar session with Nico or Auden.

Maddie slips into the space opposite. She's pulled off her sweatshirt, so she's wearing a similar outfit to me – sports bra and yoga pants – but while I look like an amateur pretending to be a boxer, she's the real thing. Her arms are strong from all her training, and her abs are tight and defined. I hold my hands higher, wondering if I'm getting ahead of myself, but it's too late to back down now.

"Don't go easy on me," I warn because if we're going to do this, I want it to be real; I want to see what I'm capable of.

She laughs as she circles me. Her hazel eyes are determined and focused, scanning my body for weaknesses. "I don't plan to."

Nervous, I glance behind her to where Nico leans on the ropes, watching us. I've sparred with him a million times but having him watch me feels inherently more nerve-wracking. I push the thought away and focus on Maddie, swiftly taking note of her stance and the ease with which she moves on her feet.

I mirror her stance, but while she seems to glide across the canvas with ease, my footwork feels clunky. I take a deep breath and try to think fast. Unlike Maddie, I don't have the skill to remain on the defense, so I focus on offense.

I lunge forward with a quick left jab. Maddie tries to block it, but I'm fast on my feet, and the punch lands cleanly on her jaw. I follow up with a cross combo, putting weight behind the punch.

Maddie staggers back, surprised by the sudden attack, and I smile a little, surprised at how good it feels to fight someone who doesn't hold back. I know, deep down, she'd expected me to fight like Hayden, but I don't. When I fight, I fight like Nico.

She adapts quickly, swooping to the side with a mean right hook. I stumble back, able to feel the sting of the hit as it spreads through my jaw. Nico's always gentle when we spar, so the blow, for once, leaves me stunned.

I stumble further back, hands up high as I keep a safe distance, waiting for the right moment to strike. She fights just like Hayden, sharp but tight and controlled, hands high and autonomous. If I fight the same way, she'll beat me hands down, so I think of the time I'd watched Nico fight and channel him.

I feint a right hook like he did fighting Hayden and switch to a cross, catching Maddie's cheek. I follow through with a right hook to her jaw, scraping her jawline as she swivels her head. She surges forward, her fist a blur as it impacts my cheek, and I feel my skull rattle.

We continue to trade blows, each of us determined to come out on top. Sweat beads on my forehead, my arms beginning to tire from the constant movement, but I refuse to let it show. I push through the fatigue, determined to keep up the pace.