Noelani sighed as Jalen punched the strike pads attached to the palms of her hands.

The upstairs floor of the gym was empty, the only sounds echoing off the walls being Jalen hitting the center of Noelani's hands.

She was in a t-shirt that read 'Kailua High School' and running shorts.

"I don't want to hurt you." Jalen threw a few soft jabs at the pads.

"Kid, I will eat that shit up." Noelani laughed.

"Kid?," Jalen stopped with a scoff.

"If I can beat you up then I can call you a kid." Noelani twirled a piece of loose hair from her ponytail.

Her response made Jalen scoff again, "Oh, please."

Noelani raised an eyebrow, starting to take off the strike pads, "You wanna see? I've been needing a sparring partner."

Jalen grinned, "If I win what do I get?"

Noelani snickered as she put on a pair of red boxing gloves, "Uh, nothing. Pride maybe?"

"Mmm. Not good enough. How about..." Jalen forced the next set of words out, "You come to my game and after... You and I do something?"

Taking this girl out was the last thing Jalen wanted in the world.

Granted, she was pretty but she was impulsive, blunt, too daring, too outspoken.

Jalen was being forced to go after someone he would've considered as one of the guys, if they were actually friends.

A thousand dollars was on the line and Jalen would be damned before he lost anything to Jack Wetzel.

Noelani immediately turned her head towards him, "Uh, no thanks. How about I just beat your ass today and then teach you how to punch harder next Saturday?"

Jalen steps a little closer to her, "How about we do all three?"

Noelani sighed, "Fine. You're not gonna win anyways."

Noelani stood in a locked fighting stance, "You ready, kid?"

Jalen positioned himself in the same stance, "Two outta three? Yeah."

In a flash, Noelani's leg extended in a high kick, her heel landing expertly on Jalen's chin.

Jalen stepped back in shock, his gloved right hand nudging his jaw, "Fuck."

Noelani raised an eyebrow, silently daring him to strike back.

Jalen landed a solid blow on Noelani's collarbone.

Noelani kicked Jalen in his abdomen then stumbled from the tremor of her foot pulsing against his toned torso.

"Yeah! That's some man shit." Jalen took off one of his gloves just as Noelani gave him a roundhouse kick to the side of his stomach.

Jalen dropped to his knees from the impact, the air in his lungs disappearing and making his eyes water slightly.

"Oh," Jalen gasped.

Just as Noelani started to walk away, seemingly convinced that she had won the first round, Jalen stuck his ankle out and tripped her.

Jalen scrambled up from the mat covered floor as Noelani laid there, a stunned look on her face.

Noelani stood and delivered a heavy hit to his chest, making all of his oxygen leave once again.

Jalen breathed deeply, still trying to regain his air.

Noelani glanced at him, rolled her eyes then reached a hand down, "Get up. I didn't even hit you that hard."

Jalen accepted her hand, "You hit like a man, Lani."

Noelani snickered as she pulled him up, "Lani?"

"Yeah. Lani is part of your name right?"

"No one calls me that." Noelani adjusted her boxing gloves.

Jalen smirked, "I know. That's why I'm calling you that, I'm different. Ask about me."

Noelani let out a deep eye roll before returning to a fighting stance, "Ready for round two, kid?"

Jalen nodded, "What does Noelani mean anyway?"

"Heavenly mist," She dodged Jalen's right hook before sending one back.

"That's pretty." Jalen ducked then tripped Noelani again.

"Ow! You cheated." Noelani groaned, sitting up on the mat.

"I didn't cheat, I won." Jalen grinned before dusting his shoulders off and doing a little dance.

"Haha. Okay, yeah. Whatever." Noelani gathered herself and rose from the ground.

"You gonna wear my jersey?" Jalen asked.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stop while you're ahead. I'll come to your game. I don't know about doing anything after with you though." Noelani took her white cloth scrunchie out of her hair, letting her brown curls loose.

The mixed scent of passion fruit and vanilla wafted from her hair causing Jalen to stop for a moment as he rolled his eyes at her statement.

"If I win, you have to."

Noelani began to stuff her boxing gloves in her gym bag, "Why are you trying so hard to get with me? Isn't there like a thousand girls waiting to take pictures with you and more?"

Jalen had to hold back another eye roll, "Is me liking you such a big thing to believe?"

Noelani didn't answer right away, instead putting her gym duffle bag handle over her shoulder.

"Is me genuinely liking you such a bad thing?"

Noelani finally looked up at Jalen, gazing straight into his eyes, "Yes."

Then Noelani turned and walked back downstairs to the first level of the gym without another word.

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