rise above and beat it [open]

[manuela charlie rodriguez]

The gymnasium was open to all Barkley students and connected to the main gym was a weight room that included a punching bag which was now getting pounded on by Charlie Rodriguez. Her fists hit into it as hard as they could, her sweat dripping off of her flawless skin as she backed up and kicked the punching bag, first with her left leg and than her right. She was preparing herself for fight that was set to happen in two days. Charlie was slightly nervous because it was a bigger and better opponent and Charlie needed to practice for longer than she ever had to prepare for this fight. Charlie knew she had the heart to beat her but the strength and the technique was lacking. Charlie let out a grunt as she threw a right hook, feeling her arms growing weaker as she continued to go at it, not stopping. Finally, Charlie gave herself a break as she backed away from the worn punching bag and taking a long gulp from her cold water. She poured some into her hand and splashed some against her hot face, trying to catch her breath as she screwed the cap back on and began to pound the defenseless punching bag once more.

Charlie hadn't always been into fighting. She had only been doing it for the last few years. She used to put all of her energy into dancing, mainly ballet. But, that had all changed one night before a recital when a dancer had gotten hurt and the blame was pointed to Charlie. Of course, she announced her innocence, not understanding why she had been targeted but she had been kicked from the recital and out of her ballet group. It had devastated Charlie but she tried her best not to show it but instead changed her outlet for her energy. She moved away from Los Angeles, away from her mother and brother and went to live with her absent father. Charlie didn't want to leave her brother but she had to get away from Los Angeles and her criticizing mother. Now, Charlie lived with her father, choosing to not live in the Barkley dorms and fought for money at an underground fight club that was located under the local bar. Charlie was young but had grown up fast ever since leaving her ballet dream and her family back in Los Angeles. Her father barely provided for her, making her do things on her own, another reason Charlie resorted to fighting. It paid well and she was able to get the things she needed like school supplies, food and clothes. Now, she was working on getting a car to travel on vacation periods throughout school.

Charlie finally stopped punching the bag, letting it swing to a stop before she rested her sweaty forehead against it, breathing heavily. Her chest rose up and down dramatically as she looked around, surprised to see nobody in the weight room. Most people didn't talk to Charlie when she was here, too scared of her fighting them or something. It bothered Charlie that she scared most of her classmates away but she had to train and it was their loss if they chose to avoid her. She threw back her fist and punched the bag with all her might, letting out a sad cry as she found herself growing frustrated at her life in Barkley. Why couldn't things just change for the better? Charlie moved away from the bag, grabbing her drink and sitting down on a bench, resting now.

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