Post by Kenzie Rydell on Jul 31, 2016 4:42:43 GMT -5
IT FACTOR
(dedicated to Ashleigh Powell)
A young Ashleigh Powell took a swing, fists clenched and arm surging with willpower towards her latest sparring partner. Sweat dripping down her back, the tank top clung to her skin, and just when she thought her fist would meet flesh, it hit nothing. Kenzie ducked out of the way, using her quickness and limber body to the best of her advantage, knocking Ashleigh with an elbow of her own. She followed it up with a couple more shots of her own, a hook and kick that missed their mark entirely. In an instant, Kenzie was tackled to the mat and locked in a submission. Trying her best to make her way to the rope, she tugged her best friend towards the edge of the ring with all her might until her willpower finally depleted to nothing.
"C'mon, Kenz! You can do better than that," she playfully commented, a smile a smile long adorn her features. "It's like White Phoenix's been saying this whole time. You've just gotta find that It Factor, y'know? That one thing that sets you apart from everyone else, something you can capitalize on."
Maybe she was right, Kenzie thought. Struggling to get back to her feet, she used the ropes as leverage, pulling herself upwards with a disappointed sigh. It's only been a couple months since Kenzie signed up for White Phoenix's wrestling school, and already she felt like she was slipping behind. People like Ashleigh were excelling with the material they've been learning at what felt like lightning speed, and while Kenzie understood the basics, she still couldn't climb that hump.
With her small frame, when everyone practiced suplexes, she always faltered. Struggling to get her opponent over her head safely, she was given the option to stop the lesson. Still, she pressed on. She trained harder and harder until finally, she was able to lift Ashleigh over her head and slam her back first on the other side. Still, the effort it took to accomplish such a herculean task seemed like a lot of effort for just one move. The pressure it put on her body at the peak of the lift was tremendous, and even though Ashleigh assisted as much as she could, it wasn't something possible when it came to larger opponents that would inevitably pop up eventually.
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so," she mumbled, leaning against the turnbuckle so her wobbly legs wouldn't knock her down. "I don't know, Ash. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a wrestler."
"What? No! Don't say that!" She kept that forced smile going, trying to help out the friend she made just a few short weeks ago. "You just need to find your style, okay? You're gonna be great one day, I promise."
Kenzie tried to shoot her a smile, a small response that would tell her she'd be alright until it didn't happen. With a huff, she climbed over the second ring rope and plopped down to the ground floor. Hazel eyes darting across the room, she took in her surroundings for what felt like the first time. Some people aligned themselves with punching bags, tendering the equipment with their fists like it was a piece of meat. Some others exercised themselves to nauseum on big blue mats on the floor. There were even a couple guys lifting weights that seemed like ten tons based on looks alone.
It was all so new to her, so fresh that it was almost intimidating that this was her life now. It seemed like just days ago she was sitting in class reading her science textbook with Spencer, and now she was here. She was actually here. It felt unreal. It felt like any minute now, she'd roll off her bed after hearing the alarm clock sputter out of control like she usually did after dreams like this. While she was here, she might as well go down the rabbit hole, she thought jokingly, making her way to the blue mats.
"Pssst," she heard a hushed sound that caught her attention. Her eyes flickered towards a man leaning on a pillar, his gloved hand clasping the bar with a confident stance. "Come here."
"Me?" She pointed to herself, just as hushed as he was. With a nod as her answer, she reluctantly scurried his way, her feet doing the thinking for her. He was older, a goatee wrapped around his mouth with medium length dark hair behind his chiseled face. He looked like a college senior, someone maybe two or three years older than her with sharp cheekbones and a captivating stare. He radiated the essence of cool without even trying, an aura about him that immediately drew her to follow his instructions.
"I've been watching you," he smirked, the fellow student casting his snapshots of blue eyes directly at the young woman. "You're a pretty good striker, but you could use some improvements."
"You have?" Her voice was a higher octave than usual. With a cough, she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, of course you have. Hah."
"Kenzie Rydell, right?" She could feel her cheeks flush, looking down shyly like she was attending the school dance. Looking back at him with a nervous laugh, she nodded. "Noah. Noah Auburn."
"Noah. That's a good name," she said out loud without thinking, shaking the man's hand. "Noah. Noah, Noah, are You drive here on an ark too, or what?"
"Haven't heard that one before," he rolled his eyes with that sarcastic remark, a scoff leaving his lips as he released the handshake. Immediately feeling like a fool, Kenzie's eyes darted towards her feet again, standing in the shadow of everything she wasn't. "Listen, I may not be an official trainer here, but I think you and I could help each other out."
"Help each other out?" Her cheeks blushed again, looking down with another nervous chuckle. "How?"
"Have you ever heard of Muay Thai?"
"Muay Thai? Martial arts?"
"Like I said, I've seen you fight," he explained, folding his arms over his broad chest. "You might not realize it, but those elbow strikes? Those kicks you've been trying? That's Muay Thai."
"Oh, those? I've just been trying to compensate for my size," she admitted, gaining some more confidence after his compliments.
"Kenzie, you might think that's a small thing, but all the best fighters out there have to compensate for something. The big guys need to compensate for their lack of speed with power, and the smaller guys have to use quickness and agility to gain the advantage," the follow student let her know, scratching the back of his neck. "You have the potential, more potential than half these posers who think they're already hot shit just because they know how to perform a bump. So the way I see it, Muay Thai is your ticket. It's your way to stand out from the crowd and make your mark."
"Hang on," she stopped him. "What even is Muay Thai? I mean, I know it's a fighting style, but—"
"Muay Thai kickboxing. It's the sweet science of eight limbs, the use of the whole body to strike your opponent," he began, more enthusiastic about the topic than anything else they discussed so far, and it showed in his voice. "Punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. It's all about the way you move, the way you use your speed and precision to its fullest potential. It's about using each and every limb you have to release every shred of energy within you to tear a hole through anyone who wants to stand in your path. It's art. It's beauty. It's conditioning. It's the first tool you need alongside everything White Phoenix's been teaching you to really hit your stride."
The first tool?
Kenzie couldn't help but think he made it sound like a sales pitch, a late night special on the Home Shopping Network. Still, the eagerness he had about the subject was a nice change of pace. She's been here for two straight months so far, and not once had anyone aside from Ashleigh really showing excitement over what they were learning, no genuine, unfiltered emotion like Noah showcased without a second thought. It made Kenzie feel full of energy like she could take on absolutely anything if given the chance. Confidence overflowing her, she grinned, hazel eyes cast over the fellow student who eyed her from the corner earlier.
"You'd really teach me?"
"White Phoenix told us to help each other out, didn't he?" Noah smirked, full of unbridled confidence of his own.
"He did," she nodded with an almost giddy laugh. Then suspicion hit her. "Wait. Didn't you say you wanted something in return?"
"That I did, young padawan. You catch on fast," he teased, an obvious Star Wars reference meaning she wasn't yet a Jedi. "All that I ask is you promise me something. I want you to promise that you won't join the side of the Sith, that you'll only use The Force for good instead of evil."
Kenzie shot him a look.
"Just say you won't use Muay Thai to be a dick about it, okay?"
"Sure," she laughed at his directness. "I can promise you that."
"I'm going to need you to prove you're serious, Ms. Rydell," he commented, not genuine whatsoever. He reached behind him and plopped his bag to the floor, crouching in front of it to search for something.
"What are you looking for?"
"My folks made me bring a pocket bible before I left the house. Real old fashion," he laughed at his own expense, his eyes glued to the contents of his bag. "They were scared shitless I was gonna join a cult or something, I guess. That, or get possessed by a demon. So they wanted me to bring protection."
"I don't mean to get too personal, but do you believe in that stuff?"
"I believe in the message," he replied, finally plucking out that pocket-sized black book with the words 'Holy Bible' emblazoned in gold on the front cover. "I believe that my parents believe that everything in this book literallyhappened. Adam and Eve, the burning bush—"
"Noah and the ark," she pointed out, giggling.
"Right," he jabbed her shoulder, smirking. "It's like Star Wars. I understand that none of that stuff really happened, it's just the awesome imagination of George Lucas, right? But in the end, it's about the meaning more than what actually happened. It's about good and evil. It's about how to be a hero, what friendship's all about, all that. That's the whole point."
The way he spoke, the way he explained the similarities behind Star Wars and the Bible might have been unorganized, but Kenzie could tell he believed in it full-heartedly. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that.
"Besides," he finally stood up, laughing. "I'd rather not live in a reality where Jar Jar Binks actually exists. That just ruins it for everyone."
"You're such a dork," Kenzie laughed, realizing there was more to him than just a confident demeanor and a handsome face. He had different layers to him, like an onion ala Shrek. That made her even more drawn to him.
"Shut up and put your hand on the Bible," he grinned, holding the small book to her level. Hesitantly, she places her left hand over the bible he's holding in his palm and puts her right hand up like she's saying an oath in court, trying to take this as seriously as possible.
"Repeat after me after this sentence. I solemnly swear..."
"I solemnly swear..." She couldn't help but laugh, thinking about Harry Potter. So much for taking this seriously.
"That I will..."
"That I will..."
"Not use Muay Thai..."
"Not use Muay Thai..."
"To be a fucking asshole."
She burst out laughing, almost taking her hand off the Bible.
"To be a fucking asshole."
"Amen."
"Amen."
"Okay, we're done," he laughed, letting her put her hands back down. He knelt back on the floor and shoved his Bible back in his bag with his extra clothes and stood back up.
"It looks like I'm legally bound to teach you the basics of Muay Thai, young lady," the man a couple years older than her proudly stated. "Come in an hour early tomorrow and we'll start our first lesson. Be there or be square!"
With that, he headed towards the door that leads to the parking lot.
"Aw, 'be there or be square?' You just lost all your cool points with that one!" Kenzie called out, jokingly mocking him on his way out.
"You don't have the authority to take away all my cool points, Rydell!"
"Who was that?" Ashleigh Powell approached Kenzie some time after he left. Kenzie just grinned from ear to ear.
"The dork who's going to give me my It Factor."
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