Disclosure [h.s]

16

Evelyn

If the gym had an abandoned look on the outside, inside it was even worse. It was extremely dark, and it smelled a lot of alcohol. The floor is sticky, feeling like glue against my white sneakers, as we walk across the main division, where the fights take place. There is a boxing ring in the middle of the room, and there are no seats around it, so I'm guessing people just stand. There is also a bar in the corner and some people are already there asking for drinks.

What am I doing here? I should have just gone home.

Harry keeps holding my hand as he guides me further into the gym. We leave the main room and we enter a corridor with a few doors, one of which has his name written on a white paper. Right on the opposite door, there is the name Lincon written, so I'm guessing these are the changing rooms for the fighters.

Remind me why I thought it was a good idea to come here? Because I regret it so much now. How did I think it was better to stay here and watch an illegal fight, than to walk home alone? As if it was much safer to stay here. 

Sometimes I wonder if my brain actually works or if it is dead, because right now it feels like it.

Maybe I can sneak out of here in the middle of the fight, but that would mean that I would have to leave this shady place alone in the middle of the night. Maybe I really have to wait until Harry finishes the fight.

"Welcome to my humble changing room."

Strangely it didn't smell bad in here, I was expecting it to be welcomed by smelly feet and sweat but it was the opposite. The room was actually big, as it should have been a previous changing room for the previous clients of the gym. Some modifications had been made, because I doubt it had a punching bag in the corner of the room before. And by the looks of it, Harry must have been practicing before I arrived.

"Uh... When are you going to fight?" I ask a little awkwardly. I never expected this day to end like this.

"In a while. Half an hour maybe." I nod.

"If you want you can continue training." I say pointing to the punching bag on the corner. It was already bad enough that I came here uninvited, I couldn't be the reason why he lost. So, I wanted him to do everything as if I wasn't here.

"Do wanna learn?" He asks surprising me. "I'm a very decent teacher." Harry shows me a smirk and I simply nod accepting his invitation.

What harm could it do? It is not like I'm going to become a professional fighter.

I put down my purse and I take out my coat, placing it next to Harry's belongings. I was wearing my favourite mom jeans and a fitted black blouse, not the most appropriate clothes for a place like this, but it will have to do.

We walk to the punching bag and I tie my hair on a messy ponytail just to keep it out of my face. "You don't wear gloves?" I ask him when I don't see any gloves around us.

"No, this is street fighting, the rules are a little different. But you shouldn't need it against the punching bag anyway, unless you are too angry and need to take it out on someone." Harry raises an eyebrow in my direction as if he was testing me.

"I could use a punch or two." I show him a smile.

"Good. First, you need to keep your feet apart for better balance." He commands and I quickly spread my feet apart. "Then you need to bend your knees just a little, to give you more amplitude on your movements." I bend my knees slightly as he said.