GONE DARK ✰ S. ROGERS

➜ [6] It's Time

ONE YEAR LATER

I dove under the punch coming straight towards my nose as the fist went right over me. I staggered a little, almost tripping up over my feet.

I've been fighting for the past ten minutes and God I was about to collapse. But at least I wasn't alone. My opponent was starting to get tired too, they were just good at hiding it.

Her breathing was getting a lot quicker and her punches were getting less sharp, but just barely.

"Mo jubundesu ka?" Miranda asked me jokingly in Japanese. Have you had enough yet?

"Noch nie!" I jokingly responded back tired in German. Never!

I ran toward her and jumped up feigning a punch to her face, but just before I connected, I bent down to swipe her legs from under her. However she predicted that and jumped over my legs.

"Pass auf das Gesicht auf (Watch the face)!" Miranda complained. "Das ist nur sparsum, beruhige dich!" Watch the face! This is only sparring, calm yourself!

She went back into a readying position, putting her fist back up ready to defend for any upcoming attack.

"Moshiwakearimasenga, anata ga saisho ni kogeki shimashita!" I defended. Sorry, but you attacked first!

I got back into a ready position as well, similar to hers as we both stared at each other seeing who would attack first.

An idea must've come to her head because she ran forward charging me, but I couldn't predict her movement until she started doing it. She jumped up into the air and spun letting her foot move on its own towards me. Miraculously, my instincts acted upon the action and grabbed her foot twisting her out of the air onto the hard floor.

Her body made an audible thump as she hit the ground.

"Oh God!" I exclaimed surprised leaning over her body. "Are you okay?"

She didn't respond to leading me to think that she was unconscious. I went to reach out my hand to check her pulse, but then she opened her eyes.

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but all of a sudden a sly smirk made its way onto her lips as her legs worked her way up and grabbed me by wrapping around my body. She flipped me onto the ground and quickly sneaked up on top of me.

"Ty sdayesh'ya?" she smirked in Russian. Do you give up?

"Bez raznitsy," I said in the same tongue, shrugging her hand away. Whatever.

I got up and went to sit down on a bench grabbing my water bottle.

"Oh, come on Sammi!" Miranda whined finally going back into English. She walked over to the bench and sat right next to me, drinking down her water as well. "Don't be a sore loser!"

"I am not a sore anything!" I defended. "Cause I totally let you win that!"

"Did you now?" Miranda chided. "Well you lasted longer then every other time and your Japanese is coming along so nicely!"

"I have Nikki to thank for that," I responded taking another sip of water. "Before she left for her assignment she made absolute sure that she gave me everything I needed."