Tangling Hearts - Faleena Hopkins Page 0,37
advanced students to demonstrate on. “Okay, so when you’re being choked, you do NOT want to pull away. You want to use their power against them, so instead you go toward them. If they’re pulling, they’re expecting you to pull back. But if you go toward them like this, it throws them off balance.”
After he goes over the chokeholds from the front, sides and back, we spend the rest of class partnered up, practicing. One of us has our eyes closed. The other walks around us, goes to choke us. We get out of it. Repeat.
The time flies by so fast, it’s a bummer. I never want this class to end.
“Alright guys, good job! Everyone in a line.” We all run over to stand in front of the mirror again. This time we’re all wet and panting. Everyone’s skin is flushed. Everyone’s eyes are bright. We bow to our trainer and he congratulates us on a good class. As people head back to get their personal belongings, I hang back and follow A.J. to the stereo, where he turns off the music.
“Hi. Something happened that I want to tell you about.”
“Yeah, what?” He turns, his face expectant. I go over the details of the robbery, his face changing with every new bit of information. I keep it short, because the gratitude I feel toward him is making me emotional. “I used what you taught me. I just wanted to thank you.”
He reaches out and applies supportive pressure on my arm. “Wow. That’s incredible. You okay?”
I nod, smiling away the discomfort of being emotional in front of someone who’s so strong, and who possesses a Zen-like quality. “Yeah. I’m good. It’s funny. You’d think this class would teach me to walk around all butch or something, when really, it softens me.”
He nods, knowing the phenomena well. “You don’t walk around like most people do, defensive, because you know you can defend yourself, if something were to happen. It takes away the tension.”
“Yes!”
Level Two’s student’s drift in behind me, about to begin their class. I glance to them. “I just wanted to thank you, A.J. I’d hug you, but…”
He laughs. “I’ll pretend like you did.”
I grin. “You don’t want some of this?”
He shakes his head, smiling. “Alright Level 2. Get in one line.”
I turn and walk through the new group of people stretching out their limbs, a bounce in my step that takes me all the way to the parking lot; a parking lot I’m not afraid to walk in alone, because I don’t have to be afraid anymore - not with this training at my back.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brendan
Sunday Night, Le Barré: packed. Everywhere: my co-workers, friends, even people from the neighborhood. Patio: under construction and lookin’ pretty cool.
“Here we are again,” I say, as Mark and I walk in together and look around.
“Look at this place! This is a lot more than eighteen people.” He sends an approving sideways glance my way. “You’re fucking good at what you do. I gotta hand it to you.”
“Let’s get a drink.”
We make our way through the crowd, which takes longer than it normally would since we know so many people, and we have to stop and say hello. Mark sent out an email at his software company and he’s shaking hands and hugging people left and right. People from my agency are here, too. Mark jerks his head to the bar. I look over and see Annie throw me a smile as she, Laura, and Taryn rush around to get everyone served. Her eyes stay on me an extra second before she leans in to hear a customer’s order. I can see her lips moving with the words, Sorry. What did you want? The crowd waiting for drinks is four deep, easy.
Manny hurries by us, a bounce in his step as he carries a box of Bass Ale to the girls.
“Hey Brendan!”
“Hey Manny!”
Mark squeezes between people to get to the bar, but I stay back, not wanting to bump my ribcage. Taryn smiles and Laura waves at us when she sees us, neither coming to serve us because they know Annie would smack the back of their heads. I laugh to myself at the thought, glancing around to see who else I know. Bobby’s head bobs through the crowd.
“Mark, look who’s here!”
Mark turns and sees. “Well, well. Who’s working at Knockout?”
“Good question. Hey Bobby!” He goes to hug me but I hold up my hands. “Still healing. Great excuse not to touch you.”
He laughs. “Shut