Stand Of Honor

by Williams, Cathryn

  She thought about Zane telling her to focus on her goals. She couldn’t make it about anyone else. The knowledge that she was one step closer to achieving her goals helped keep her from going into her father’s office and giving him hell. She wondered what he would do if she dared to actually show him the disrespect he was constantly throwing her way.

  “I don’t understand why he’s so hard on you, Melanie. I’m sorry he won’t come around, but I’m proud of you.” Nick lifted her chin. “Okay?”

  Melanie just nodded. She couldn’t lie to her brother that their father’s words hadn’t stung.

  “I’ll be there for your fight and you better kick her ass.” Nick sounded confident in her abilities.

  Melanie gave him a hug and left before she started tearing up. She didn’t want anyone to see her cry. Not her brother and certainly not her dad.

  * * *

  As she walked home, her thoughts drifted back to her mother, who had been a school teacher at the inner city high school. It was so long ago, the memories had started to fade, however she still recalled the nights her mother would come home upset.

  It was a rough school. Most of the kids were street tough from homes with little to no parental supervision. Her mom had been one of the teachers that wanted to make a difference in those children’s lives. She had always been reaching out to her students, letting them know they had the potential and opportunity to follow their dreams if they just put in the effort.

  She still remembered the light in her mother’s eyes when she knew she had gotten through to a student. Melanie remembered the occasional phone calls her mother would receive from previous students, telling her thank you for the difference she’d made in their lives.

  Melanie also remembered the not so good nights when she would sneak out of her bedroom after bedtime to hear her mother crying to her father. So many students would get into terrible fights and it broke her mother’s heart when a student was severely beaten or bullied. Melanie was picturing her beautiful mother sitting on the couch with her father. Her mother would lean against him as she cried and he would stroke her hair as he listened to her.

  Her father had hated the school and wanted her mother to leave, but she’d refused. She had believed that, the longer she stayed, the more kids she could help lead to a better future. She had been working with the school superintendent to assist in making the school safer, and they had been looking for ways to prevent students from bringing weapons into the school. Her mother had helped write a grant request for a metal detector and a police officer to patrol the school for at least a couple hours a day.

  Melanie had come home from school one day to the smell of chocolate chip cookies. Her mother had returned home early and was preparing a big meal to celebrate. They had received the money to make the school safer through a federal grant. She had scooped Melanie up and given her a big hug. Melanie had adored seeing her mother happy; it had been infectious and everyone felt happy when they were around her. She’d had a warm spirit and her father, Nick, and Melanie knew they were lucky she was in their lives.

  That night had been full of laughter and love. They’d played family games and their parents let Nick and Melanie stay up far past their bedtime. That evening was Melanie’s fondest memory of her childhood. Before they had gone to bed, her mother had told Nick to pick Melanie up from school the next day and then to pick her up because she wanted to take them shopping for their upcoming spring break trip. They were planning to go hiking and needed some camping gear. Her mother then gave Nick and her big hugs before sending them to bed.

  Melanie had been looking forward to the next afternoon and had run to Nick’s car when he’d picked her up after school that day. When they arrived at their mother’s school, they went inside to get her. After they had checked in at the office, they heard students yelling in the lunchroom. They were curious, so they entered to find a large group of students standing in a big circle.

  Melanie had been too little to see over their heads, but Nick hadn’t. He ran to the group of students and shoved them out of his way in order to reach the center. Melanie had been able to see two boys fighting one another through the gap Nick had created.

  She had watched as one pulled a knife out and started to swing his arm around with the intention of stabbing the other one in the side. As his arm came around, Melanie’s mother had run between the two, screaming at them to stop. Nick had just reached the boys and lunged to knock the knife wielding boy down, but the boy’s arm had already been swinging and Melanie watched the knife go into the side of her mother’s chest.

  The whole room had gone silent when her mother dropped to the ground. They had all turned when they heard Melanie screaming as she ran to her mother’s side. Nick and Melanie held their mother as she had lay there bleeding. She vaguely remembered someone saying they were going to call 911.

  As they lay there, looking down at their mother, she had looked up at them both and smiled. She told them she loved them and that she would always be with them. They each held one of her hands and cried, telling her to hold on and to not leave them. While they were trying to talk to her and keep her with them, they had felt another presence. She remembered seeing Zane drop to his knees with tears in his eyes. She found out later that he had still been in class and had run out when he heard what had happened. Her mother had also treated Zane like a son.

  By the time the paramedics arrived, her mother was gone. As they carried her body away, Nick turned to the boy who had just killed his mother. The officers had not taken him away yet. Nick had lost control, punching him in the face. The impact knocked the boy down to the ground. Nick went to kick him, but Zane had stopped him, pulling him away. She remembered seeing Zane speak softly to Nick, and whatever he had said made Nick stop. She’d always wondered what Zane had said to calm him down.

  The funeral had been a few days later. Several students were there, proving that they had known the goodness in her mother and how much she had truly cared for them. Many of them cried as well and told her father how much their mother had done for them.

  The metal detectors had been installed just a few days later and the school patrol started the following day. Melanie had heard that the violence in the school dropped drastically after that day and she liked to think her mother would be smiling down, knowing that things had changed for the better.

  It had been a long time before any of them could go a day without crying over her. There had been so many hard days. Over a year passed before their father finally started clearing out some of her clothes and going through her things.

  While they had been looking at some pictures and pulling out old boxes, they found three letters, each one had a name on it. Their mother had always left little notes for them throughout the house, sometimes she would find one under her pillow. One time, her mother had even left her a funny note in the shower about not using all the hot water.

  This note had been more serious, though. It had been a letter addressed to each of them in the even that anything were to ever happen to her. They all had sat on the floor, each of them reading their personal letter.

  Melanie’s letter was about telling her how much she loved her and how proud she was of her accomplishments. She told Melanie to work hard and to always follow her dreams. She also told Melanie that just because she may not be around anymore didn’t mean that she was gone; she was just watching from a distance and would forever be in her heart.

  The letters ended up slightly lifting their spirits. That past year had been so difficult, however these last bits of communication from her helped them all start to keep their heads up and live their lives to their fullest potential. Their mother wouldn’t want to see them sad; she had always wanted their happiness.

  As Melanie walked aimlessly, lost in her thoughts, she heard a vehicle approach and looked over to see Zane pull up next to her. She brushed her tears aside and looked at him. What was he doing here?

  He read the question in her eyes. “Nick c
alled me. Get in,” he said softly. She assumed Nick told him what had happened earlier with her father.

  She nodded, sliding into his vehicle. He then held her hand as he drove her to his place in silence.

  They walked in, and without a word, went to his bedroom. She still felt lost in her memories, her heart aching. She missed her mother so much.

  He pulled her shoes off and told her to lay down. Then, he pulled off his shoes and shirt, lying down on the bed beside her. He pulled her close, stroking her hair.

  “I miss her, too,” he whispered in her ear, pulling her tighter against his body.

  Her last thought was of her father stroking her mother’s hair as she cried herself to sleep.

  Chapter 14

  “Ladies and gentlemen, at two minutes forty-five seconds in round two, your winner by knock out, Macey Richards!”

  Melanie could hear the crowd cheering as she warmed up for her own fight, which would be starting in less than thirty minutes. She didn’t let the fact that Macey had just won another fight distract her. It had finally arrived, the night of her first competition.

  Macey’s fight had been the last official fight of the night. The rest of the night was for the amateurs.

  The last few weeks had been tough. She was finally done with school; she had finished finals and had been able to dedicate all her time to training. She had watched tapes of Maria’s last few fights and knew her strengths and weaknesses. Melanie was as ready as she could possibly be.

  She was throwing some soft jabs and kicks at Zane to keep her body warmed up while Nick stood to the side, giving her more tips about Maria. He had watched her fights and was reminding Melanie of what to expect in the cage. Melanie knew she had the best of both worlds with Zane and Nick on her side.

  “How are you feeling?” Zane asked.

  “I’m ready,” Melanie replied, smothering down the nervousness in her stomach.

  Melanie was aware that it was time to see what she was truly made of. It was easy watching from the sidelines and training with partners that weren’t actually trying to hurt her. This was different. Maria wanted to hurt her—she was a friend of Macey’s—and craved the opportunity to show Melanie she didn’t belong in the cage.

  Melanie, on the other hand, didn’t want to hurt Maria, yet she was determined to do what it took to win her match. She would love to get the KO. For now, though, she knew she just needed to get through all three rounds.

  “Next fighters come to the cage.” Melanie heard one of the workers call for her and Maria. She looked up at Zane.

  “You know what to do. I know you’re ready.” Zane leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. “Now go kick her ass,” he encouraged with a wink.

  Melanie laughed then turned to Nick.

  “I’m proud of you already, but I agree with Zane. Go kick her ass.” Nick gave her a brief hug.

  “Thanks guys.” Melanie turned to enter the main arena.

  As she stepped through the curtains, she saw some of the spectators leaving. Most of them were more interested in the professional and well-known fighters, especially Macey. She drew the biggest crowd with her current popularity. Melanie couldn’t wait for the chance to knock Macey off her throne. For now, she was still an amateur. She would simply have to win a few fights to prove herself first.

  She walked to her side of the cage. She had chosen green and black for her colors because her mom had always commented on her green eyes and wearing green made it feel like her mother was with her.

  She watched Maria enter the cage in red and black. There was a toughness in Maria; Melanie could see it in her face. Yes, this was going to be a good first fight for her.

  Melanie barely heard the announcer introduce her; she let herself get slightly distracted by the half-naked bimbo walking around the cage, holding up the round one sign. Melanie glanced at Zane as the little blond passed by him and noticed that he didn’t even look at the girl. He was focused on Melanie. Melanie thought to herself that she was going to have to reward him later for being a good boy. She smiled at him and he smiled back encouragingly, not knowing what was going through her mind.

  She snapped back to attention when she heard the announcer say green. That was her sign to step forward and raise her hand in the air. As she did, she heard some applause. She was still an unknown, but she was related to the current light heavyweight champion, so she assumed some of the crowd was curious to see how Nick’s sister compared to him.

  It was time. Melanie shook hands with Maria, and with the ring of the bell, she had a total of nine minutes to see what she could do.

  As she expected, Maria moved in swiftly and went for a quick jab. They were well matched because they were both strong in their boxing skills, however Melanie had vastly improved her kicks and takedowns over the past few months. She was able to dodge to the left to avoid the jab and used her right leg to kick Maria’s leg. Melanie wanted to punish Maria with every advance, not simply dodge her punches. She was then able to get Maria slightly off balance, coming back with a left uppercut to Maria’s jaw.

  Maria moved back to give herself a moment to recoup, but Melanie knew she couldn’t allow her any recovery time. As Melanie moved towards Maria, Maria looked like she was going to throw a punch, yet ended up high-kicking the side of Melanie’s head. It rattled her, however Melanie was able to keep her footing. Maria had a fighter’s instincts. Although Melanie’s uppercut was faster than Maria expected, Melanie knew Maria wouldn’t let it happen again. The kick to the side of Melanie’s head proved that.

  For the rest of the round, they kept one another at arm’s length, alternating between throwing punches and kicks at one another. Some landed and others didn’t, but neither fighter attempted a takedown. They were on their feet for the entire first round. When the ref called time, she didn’t know who’d won the first round. She knew she’d gotten a few punches and kicks in early, but Maria had thrown just as many back.

  She sat down on the stool in her corner, and tried to catch her breath while Zane started coaching her, “You’re doing good dodging her punches, but you two are just going back and forth now. It will come down to who landed the most punches, and she’s landing just as many as you are. You’re going to have to get in a position of control and keep it for as long as you can. The longer you can hold her, the more points you’re going to get.”

  Melanie nodded. She was going to have to take her down this round.

  As the ref signaled the beginning of round two, they both started with walking in a circle facing each other, looking for an opportunity to move in for a takedown. Melanie wanted to attack first, but was certain that, this time, she had to wait for Maria to make the first move. She knew Maria would get impatient and would move in soon, and when she did, Melanie would be ready.

  After what seemed like almost an eternity, Maria moved in with another jab. This time, Melanie ducked under the punch and threw her weight at Maria, just like she’d done in practice with Zane. She put her shoulder right into Maria’s sternum, wrapped up her legs, and drove her down into the mat. Maria fell onto her back with Melanie controlling from the top.

  She could feel Maria trying wildly to force her off by thrusting with her hips. Maria was starting to panic, and did everything she could to get on her side. This was exactly what Melanie wanted. She quickly slid her body onto her side and behind Maria, wrapping her arms around Maria’s upper body and looping one of her legs around Maria’s. Melanie kept the hold as tight as possible, preventing Maria from breaking free.

  As Maria started to break loose, Melanie was able to force her onto her stomach, trapping Maria’s arms underneath her, which allowed Melanie to punch Maria in the side of the head. She continued to get in as many blows as she could until time was called, then she let the ref pull her up.

  She walked to her corner and dropped on the stool, exhausted. Maria was strong and keeping her in a hold for so long had sapped a lot of her strength. She looked at Zane while drinking her wat
er.

  Zane crouched down next to her. “I know you’re tired, but you’ve had control for over half the round, that’s good. She’s tired, too. She’s going to try and keep you both on your feet this last round and attempt to get enough punches and kicks in to make up for the last round. Don’t let her take you down and make sure you connect on your punches, don’t swing like you’re drunk.”

  Melanie took one last drink and stood up for the final round. The bell rang and the fighters did a quick glove tap. Maria was much faster this time; she was able to hit Melanie in the jaw. As Melanie stepped back, Maria threw her weight against her. Melanie stayed on her feet, yet Maria shoved her up against the cage and was able to get another punch to Melanie’s face and then one to her stomach, causing her to double over.

  Before Maria could get another punch to Melanie’s face, she regained her focus and was able to dodge just in time. As Maria’s fist hit the cage, she quickly brought her arm back, and Melanie used their close proximity to wrap her arms around Maria. She knew she was a little stronger and if she could just keep Maria in that hold, she could take this round. It wasn’t quite going like Zane said it should, she thought to herself.

  All of sudden, Maria was able to pull back and take them both to the ground. While falling, Maria spun them around so that Melanie fell on her back and Maria was on top. Melanie could hear the crowd roaring in the background for Maria. She knew she had to find a way to submit Maria, otherwise, she was going to lose.

  The thought of being stuck as an amateur and not being able to face Macey gave her the push she needed. She was able to slowly slide out of her grasp and shrimp away from Maria. This created enough space to free her legs, giving Melanie a chance to gain some leverage and use her arms to shove Maria’s shoulders slightly upwards. This was all the space she needed to spring her legs upwards towards Maria’s head. She had them locked around her neck like a vice in an instant. Melanie squeezed as tightly as she could while Maria tried to pull out. She could see Maria’s face turning red and locked her legs even tighter around her neck.