The Ghostlight Girls | Part Four | Hana

Chapter Seventeen

 "Listen up, everyone!" Coach Shepherd's booming voice echoes across the room, and all the boys shut up at once. They know better than to mess around when Coach means business. "You've probably already heard, but we've got a girl on our team this year. First time in Southside history. Now, let me make this crystal clear: if I catch any of you giving her a hard time simply because she's a girl, you hit the showers. Show that kind of disrespect twice, and you can say goodbye to the team. Understand?"

All eyes turn towards me. I can see a range of emotions, but mostly it's disbelief and disgust. Keeping my face straight, I say, "Thank you, Coach. But I don't want any special treatment. I'm here to learn and prove myself, just like everyone else." A couple of guys nod thoughtfully, but I can still see irritation on a few faces. Darian, in particular, seems less than thrilled. Looks like I'll have to earn their respect through hard work and dedication.

Coach smiles approvingly. "Great attitude, Hana. Alright, once you guys are warmed up, we'll move on to double leg takedown drills."

"You heard Coach," says Ms. Collier, clapping her hands. "Let's move it!"

The rest of the guys file out and head to the track for their warm-up laps. I hesitate for a bit, then approach the two adults. "I hope this doesn't come across as rude, Ms. Collier, but I didn't realize you were a wrestling coach."

She gives me a wry smile. "Oh, I'm not a coach. I'm here to support you and make sure there's no harassment."

Coach Shepherd chuckles. "Or Title IX violations."

"Oh, thanks," I say, not sure how to feel about that. I'm not even sure why this is such a big deal. It's just something I want to do, right?

Even though the rest of the guys have a good head start, I pour on the speed until I catch up with the pack. Ryone notices, looks over and laughs. "It's supposed to be a jog, Hana, not a sprint."

I grin mischievously. "Maybe this is just my version of a jog."

He takes the bait, pushing ahead of the grumbling group, and soon we're far enough ahead to be out of earshot. "You know, I don't have a problem with you being on the team," he says. "Some of the other guys might be complaining, but they'll come around."

"I hope so," I reply, mulling over his words. Then I remember something. "Hey, aren't you on the football team?"

Ryone nods proudly. "Yep."

I let out a low whistle. "Dang, you're ambitious. Juggling two sports at once? I wish I could do that, but Umma insists I take violin lessons. Well, and keep my grades up but I'm not too worried about that. But I don't think I'd be able to manage it."

"Oh, I can manage," Ryone says with a grin. I notice he's not even really breathing hard. Neither am I, but I may have an advantage over normal humans.

You see, my Umma, that's what I call my Korean mom, is a kumiho—a fox spirit, you could say. And having this mystical heritage gives me an edge over my classmates in almost every way, especially when it comes to sports and athleticism. Sometimes, it's a challenge to find worthy opponents. Maybe that's why I decided to join the wrestling team.

"Well, I guess I envy you," I tell Ryone.

He gives me a peculiar look before bursting into laughter, though I don't get why. "I suppose many people do," he says, flashing his picture-perfect, pearly white teeth at me.

We finish our laps and make our way back to the wrestling room. It's this massive space, about half the size of the gym, with mats covering nearly the entire floor. Ryone and I dive into our bodyweight exercises—squats, lunges, and all that. I notice Ms. Collier following us in, practically on our heels, while Coach stays by the door, keeping an eye on the other guys as they trickle in. They were serious about keeping an eye on me.