Evaline:
My muscles burned in that familiar, satisfying way as I pivoted on my heel and ducked under my opponent's arm.
The training hall echoed with the dull thuds of bodies hitting mats, sharp exhales of breath, and Oscar's occasional commands cutting through the chaos like a blade.
Sweat trickled down my spine, my tank clinging uncomfortably to my skin, but I barely noticed. My focus was locked entirely on the girl in front of me.
She lunged.
I sidestepped, caught her wrist, twisted just enough to throw her balance off, and used her own momentum against her. With a sharp pull and a sweep of my leg, I sent her crashing onto the mat on her back.
The bell rang at the exact same moment.
A loud, metallic sound that signaled the end of the class... and the end of our duel.
For a second, we both just lay there, breathing hard, staring up at the ceiling.
Then I laughed.
She did too.
I pushed myself up and immediately offered her my hand. "That was impressive," I said honestly.
