feeling brave { rose / evie }

My cheek ached and I tasted blood. Panting I reach out to the guy flat on his ass, my lips pulled back into a shit eating grin. He was two years older than me, top of his class, and I had finally thrown his ass to the mat. I had been working with him for months now, each even sparring until the bruises on my knuckles ripped open. I had copped a fist to the face earlier, so focused on his footing that I had forgotten to protect myself. He had not hesitated in taking full advantage, wearing his own shot eating grin that had had sent a flush of adrenaline to crash into me like a tidal wave into the shore on a stormy night.

But then I had finically swept him off his feet, a surprised grunt escaping his lips moment before the air is knocked from his lungs.

He takes my hand, allowing me to pull him to his feet. "You finally did it Evie! I'm gonna be honest, I didn't think you had it in you," he teases, wrapping an arm around my throat and roughly running his knuckles across the crown of my head. I struggle in his arms, demanding he let me go as he chuckles, freeing me with a gentle shove. "Go clean up, I'll walk you home."

Grinning I love into the change rooms, the adrenaline that coursed through me didn't have me shying away from his request. I felt good. In fact I felt amazing. Weeks and weeks of hard work finally paid off had my head floating in the clouds. I didn't need Darla by my side, I didn't need to shy away from her light, because tonight I was my own light, my fire burning so bright that it would need more than a gentle cooling freeze to snuff it out.

Showering I pull my legs into some fresh jean short before slipping on a pale pink singlet. I adjusting my hair to try and hide the bruise that was forming on my jaw, but it was a fruitless attempt. Shrugging I give up, tossing my gym back over my shoulder. Logan waits for me by the door, straightening as I come to his side. "Ready?"

"Yep," I say with a bright smile, enjoying the feeling of the cooling night air against exposed skin.

"You know, you always seem different when you are in the ring compared to when I see you in the mornings. More confident." His words seem genuine, but they still spark insecurity within me, causing my smile to drop slightly. It was true, outside of the ring, when my blood wasn't intoxicated with adrenaline I would have struggled to even get a whole sentence out, my timidness evident with fumbled words and averted eyes. I would have passed the attention onto Darla, desperate to escape the light, even though I craved to be part of it.

"I guess when I am in the ring, when I am sparring, with the adrenaline and the crowd... I think the energy fills me, gives me confidence I can't achieve in my day to day life." I pause, my smile growing, "and I am damn good at it."

My gaze passes over Logan, to the beach and I stop, my blonde hair glowing orange in the setting sun. "It's so beautiful. You go on, I think I might just hang out a little longer." Logan gives me a wave, taking off towards his place. I watch him for a moment longer, remembering the time when just speaking to him had my stomach flipping widely in my stomach. Slowly, so very slowly, I was becoming more and more comfortable to be myself around him.

Sighing I slip off my shoes, barefoot slipping between grains of cold sand as I made my way deeper onto the shore. People littered the sandy coast line, in pairs, with family, even a few on their own. Had it of been another day I might have just taken a seat on the sand, alone, watching the sun sink below the ocean painting the sky with vibrant colours. But tonight I was feeling brave, and I could hear Darla whispering in my ear to 'get it girl'.

Taking a deep breath I push my shoulders back, my lips a welcoming smile as I take a seat next to a beautiful blonde, slipping off my gym bag I give her my biggest, warmest smile, "Hey- hi! I'm Evie, and - well, isn't it just such a beautiful night! Like, just breathtaking, right?" Well, sure it wasn't perfect, but it was baby steps right? Chuckling slightly I reset, "Evie. My names Evie and I am terrible at introductions. A name- do you? Do you have a name,? sorry!"