B: Short Story Collection

Chapter 9

"Tank Top"

I sigh and sit down inside the boxing ring. The sound of people breathing and punching the bags fills my ears. Stephanie decided to take me to a boxing gym to get ready for my fight. She seems very happy about it.

I look at her and see her wrapping hands with arm wraps and getting ready for our fight. She's wearing a black tank top and gray sweatpants with black and white sneakers and her hair tied into a neat bun. Watching her like this, her body seems pretty athletic. Reminds me of Tim.

"You ready?" she said after finishing wrapping her hands.

I stand up. "Nah."

She throws me a pair of boxing gloves and puts on her own.

I put on the gloves. "You know getting me into a gym is one thing, but a boxing gym, that's crazy."

Stephanie just stands on her toes and lightens her feet then puts her arms up.

I try to copy her.

This should be easy.

She's a girl after all.

The coach starts the fight and we both head to the center of the ring and before I can fight, I am out.

I wake up in the middle of the ring from Stephanie splashing water on me.

"Again," she said then walked to the corner of the ring.

I stand up and crack my neck.

Crap.

This is going to be harder than I thought.

I head back to my corner and try to mimic her stance again.

The coach starts the match again and we head to the center.

I manage to exchange blows but everything goes black.

I wake up again this time to the smell of alcohol.

Stephanie couches over me. "You're not doing this right. You're supposed to be taking hits, not falling."

I sit up and rub my head. "Maybe don't go for the chin."

Stephanie gives me her hand and pulls me up. "You're falling too easy."

"You're going to have to become a mountain. An immovable object if you want to stop an unstoppable force," the coach said.

"Like I said she's going to kill you," Stephanie added.

"Do I really gotta do a week of this?" I said.

Stephanie jabs me in the stomach. "Stop crying."

I bend over and grab my stomach.

"Man, man up," Coach said. "Beside aren't you fighting for pussy."

"He's fighting for Tiny," Stephanie said. "And you're not going to fail her," she added.

She walks into the corner. "Get ready."

I stand up and look at her. Am I doing this for Tim? Nah, got to be doing this for my reputation. So why I'm putting my reputation on the line? Makes no sense.

I groan and walk over to my corner.

"Let's put an end to this," I said striking a fighting stance.

Stephanie gets into her boxing stance.

Coach starts the match and we rush to the center trading blows.

We exchange punches glaring each other in the eyes. I start to feel this rush and become more tactical with my punches. Stephanie continues to become more savage causing me more pain.

3 minutes go by of us boxing and Coach stops the round.

"See you made it to the end," he said.

I bend over taking deep breaths. "Athletism is not my thing."

Coach laugh. "We can tell."

"Don't worry you'll be in shape before the fight," Stephanie said taking off her gloves.

"Wait, we're done?" I said.

"One full fight is enough after two knockouts," she said.

"Maybe you're right."

We both sit down out of the ring beside each other.

"So, think I'm gonna win?" I said.

"First you gotta learn how to die," Stephanie said.

I look at her.

She wipes her sweat with a towel.
"Dying is a crucial part of winning. If you're not willing to die you won't win."

Am I willing to die for the sake of my reputation? I mean death is already my reputation since everyone thinks I'm dying from cancer. But dying to win a fight for Tim to be ungrounded and for our deal to be sealed, is that worth it?

"Dying to win is one thing, but risking death to win is another," Stephanie added.

"You don't say."

I ponder for a second.

Stephanie slaps my shoulder. "Trust me, son, you got nothing to lose."

I slightly laugh. "You're right."

Having nothing to lose may be a benefit. If I lose the fight I get exposed for lying and if don't fight I get the same thing with the shame of running away.

So I must fight to win!

I stand up. "Let's get back in the ring."

Stephanie giggles. "Motivated for your damsel in distress."

"Don't call him that. He's just grounded."

"You can't live without her."

I'm getting sick of these pronouns.

I roll my eyes. "Let's settle this in a fight, if I win he's a boy, if you win he's a girl."

"Gender doesn't work like that," she said then stood up. "But I'll win so you can accept her."

We both grin and head to the ring.

Is this how gender reveals are made?