THE GUARDIAN

Chapter 3: Fortunate Son

          MMA stood for Mixed Martial Arts. I chose to learn about boxing because it makes me ambidextrous (meaning skilled with both hands). I wouldn't want to just be skilled with one hand. Using both hands is a very important thing in life. You could lose a hand someday, right? 

I rolled near my studio, which is near a county library, and stepped on my skateboard to pop it up into my hand. I jogged a little to the entrance of the door.

I walked in to start my training, but only to be startled by my hardcore and badass coach Harold. "WHERE WERE YOU SOLDIER BOY?!?! YOUR LATE!" 

          I took a small step because of his voice. It wasn't my first time hearing him yell and scream. And besides, I'm used to the screaming ever since I trained in the Marine Corps in the 1st Division here in California. "I'm only one minute late coach." I argued effortlessly with my chilled voice. 

"WELL ONE MINUTE IS STILL LATE!!! COME ON SOLDIER BOY! IT'S TIME TO TRAIN!" 

          So I did as he asked, no questions asked... So I stretched and I went to the weight corner and did some bench press here and there and some pull ups. Doing push ups was my next, and sit ups, and jump rope (which I horribly fail at), and... well.. you know the drill. I walked over to a speed bag to start my boxing. I punched the heavy bag in a fast rhythmic sequence. It is very, very difficult to do that with most other people, but all it takes is practice, practice, practice. If you practice enough, you can pull it off like Rocky Balboa fighting Apollo Creed. After several minutes of that, I got to the 115lbs. bag and started punching it like a boss. I circled left and right of the bag, punching it with all my might. Sweat poured from my body as I did it. Very excruciating work would put everyone out of commission, but not me. I love the feeling, because it gives me the adrenalin. Feeling that pure energy makes me stronger and faster. And finally, I picked up a pair of 15lbs. dumbbells and went out for a run. 

          I usually run around the neighborhood jogging and such to make myself extra strong in cardiac and legs. Sometimes when I run with a pair of dumbbells, some high school kids around the streets greeted hello to me or whistle or cheer for no apparent reason at all. I guess they never seen a boxer or a soldier doing this before. I ran around the block and here and there and around the library, then I ran around the Vons market and my Tae Kwan Do studio where I am going to train next. 

          There is alot of things about my Tae Kwan Do. Let me tell you about it. My teacher, Grandmaster Jung, is really scary... He looks nice at first, but once you get to know him, he is one frightening dude. Once he threw me into a practice dummy by spin-throwing me, bash me into the floor with his palm, kicked me on my ass and sent me flying, twisted my arm slowly and painfully as I grunted in pain trying to resist it, used a foam practice sword and hit me with it time and time again burning my skin with the fabric wrapped around the foam and knocking me around all dizzy, grabbed my leg and flipped me, and alot of other things just for an example to the lower belt students. I'm a black belt, but it doesn't mean I will ever best my Grandmaster... ever, haha. Plus when ever he screams and yells, you will fear him. But! I still love Tae Kwan Do, haha. I am a teacher there as well. Or in other words, an Instructor. I teach little kids the basic stuff and just let them have fun, but not too much fun. Because listening and learning is serious. 

          Next I ran to the CVS pharmacy and that Pizza Hut place and other places where I would like to run around at. I then met Jake Salazar. Not Jake Zerby though. Jake S. is Vietnamese. He break dances like a master! He's my homie. I kept running and went to the St. Marks, Elementary and Middle Christian school. I never went to be schooled there before, but I had alot of times and memories there. With my friend black Adrian and mexican Alexandria (she likes to be called Alex though), we trio always had good times hanging out there. Playing basketball, football, baseball, soccer, riding bikes, talking, joking, and alot of other things. That place is almost like a haven to us when ever our parents were being jerks. 

          I kept running. Then something caught my eye. I saw her. The Senior, Eliza Everheart just sitting on the miniature tramp vehicle staring at the grass below her and the tramp, The tramps, like the ones from San Fransisco (another city in California) that moves on metal lines from above and makes bell noises for kids to play on or stuff. I knew her name, because once, she dropped some papers of homework as she walked through the hallway of school. I picked them up for her and caught a look-see at her handwritten name. All she said was a thanks and walked away. She was all alone while the whole school was all but empty except for a few teachers and janitors. I wondered why she always sat alone. She seems so sad and lonely.

          I always wanted to talk to her ever since I laid eyes upon her, but never worked up the courage to talk. So, I decided to suck up my stupid fears and talk to her. But my mind resisted. It told me that I would say something stupid that no one would ever forgive. And saying that I don't deserve to talk to a beautiful girl like her. My worst enemy, ever since from the start, was myself. I always had to fight against myself just to do something that most people wouldn't just do. I tried to ignore my mind, but it was too strong. In my heart, it is the opposite of my mind. It told me to talk to her and just have a simple conversation. Just a simple hello would suffice. Like angel, like demon. Like good conscience and bad conscience. I fought on myself. I knew my heart is trust worthy. A simple talk wouldn't hurt, right? Then my mind said that, if anything bad happens between us I might as well go to hell. Then it told me that I should look at myself. I am drenched in my own sweat. And it was true. I blushed at the thought of a sweaty stranger walking up to a pretty girl, saying hello. Seems too comical. But I thought for a while. I finally chose an answer... to talk to the girl. 

          So I jogged to her. When she noticed me, she did alot of gestures: She back off away from me by at least a few inches and lowered her head down while her eyes remained glued at me while I approach her. She picked up her legs, wrapped her arms and hands around them, lowered her face so her chin would rest on her upper chest, and she curled up in a tight ball in fright. As I saw her reaction to me, I slowed down and walked instead of jogging. I'm trying to be smooth, and it's hard... haha. As I neared her, I dropped the dumbbells from my sides and walked a little more closer to her. She still kept her stare at me as she was covering her face (her lips and nose) with her knees. I felt really sorry for her because she must have had a really bad past to act like this. With my deep and chilled voice I said, "Hey, my name's Timothy, but you can just call me Tim. Nice to meet ya." I put my hand out to shake hands with her as I greeted to her. My heart was pounding like crazy just trying to meet and greet her. She just sat there in a frightened position staring into my eyes. "Umm, hello?" I said. She simply stared at me. Nothing... 

"Hey, are you ok?" 

She stared back. 

"Uhh.. are you alright?" 

She snapped out of her trance and rapidly blinked. "Oh.. yeah.. I'm alright." she said quietly. 

"My name's Tim, what's yours?" I asked with my calm voice. Even though I already know her name, I don't want to look like a stalker.

"My name is Eliza." she said gently. She then relaxed her body a little and lowered her legs showing her face. Her saphire blue eyes bored upon my face. She never lifted up her head to make herself more comfortable to look at me.

"It's nice to meet ya, Eliza." I said with my half smile. 

"Thank you." 

"Why are you sitting out here alone Eliza? Don't ya go home at this time?"

She hesitated for a while and said, "I don't know."

I called myself 'Stupid' in my head. Why would I say that? It sounds rude of me. "Well, do ya want to hang out for a while? I gota go back to my trainin' studio anyways ya know, and I would like to have audiences that I DO know, haha." 

"No, thank you." she said. Eliza wrapped her hands together and tapped her tumbs on each other.

I didn't push it anymore and I started walking away. "Ok Eliza, I'll see ya tomorrow at school! Have a g'day. Be a good gal, alright? Haha" I joked alittle.

          And I saw her smile a little. Her smile made my heart beat heavily and I smiled my usual half smile. So I grabbed my dumbbells and sprinted back to the Studio and continued my day as she watched me go away.