A year later

  “Seventy-one, seventy-two, seventy-three…”

  “You're gonna pull a hammie.” Vey smirked. I ignored her and continued my set.

  “And… Time!!” I heard a whistle and stopped.

  “How'd I do?” I collapsed on the floor.

  “Eighty reps, one minute forty-one seconds," Alya said. I huffed, “Not good enough.”

  “Sure…”

  “Hey guys,” Keisha barged into the training room. I watched her huge afro pop up and down as she ran towards us. “How's it going?”

  “Jett got eighty in two.” Vey said.

  Keisha furrowed her brows. “Let me guess, ‘Not good enough'?"

  The girls laughed, and I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, funny.”

  “He's been at it the entire day.” Alya chuckled.

  "How are things at your end?” Vey asked Keisha. She raised her arms and placed them behind her head.

  “Oh, you know, the usual…learning to fly isn't so hot.”

  “You'll pull through,” Vey smiled.

  “Yeah, you always do.” Alya winked. Keisha grinned. “Thanks. Liv said we could take five, so you guys got anything in mind?”

  “How about a sparring match?” Alya grinned. “What do you say?”

  Sparring? I looked at Vey. She was smiling. “Yeah, Mr. ‘Not good enough’ could use a beating.”

  Everyone laughed, and I held back a smirk.

  “So…what do you say?” Vey looked at me.

  “Sure.” Keisha grinned. I cracked my neck. “Let's go.”

  Vey and Alya gave us some room.

  “You ready?” I asked. “Bring it.” Keisha grinned. We stared each other down, then I lunged at her.

  Keisha was expecting me. She met my punch with a block and swung her arm. I backpedaled and launched back at her, taking out my blade. She grinned as I swung it. Keisha ducked out of the way and hit my outstretched arm. The force made me drop the blade.

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  “No weapons.” Keisha smiled. She folded her fist and threw a punch at me. I feinted left and went for a quick jab. I got her in the gut, but she didn't flinch. She reached for my hand, but I zipped out of the way.

  “You scared?” I heard Vey taunt.

  “Not really.” I grinned. Keisha took a fighting stance. Then she moved, throwing a straight punch at my head. I swayed left and countered with a jab to her midsection. Landed. She grunted—but didn’t even flinch.

  Okay then.

  I moved in fast, fists up, breathing tight. I peppered her with shots to the ribs and shoulder and a quick jab at her collarbone. Every strike hit something solid, but she just soaked it up, tightening her stance. I ducked and came up with an uppercut. Got her chin clean.

  Still no reaction. Not even a wobble. All she did was grin mischievously at me.

  I circled left and tried again. A sharp one-two, a low shot to her thigh, then back to the ribs. She let me work, let me think I was doing damage.

  And then she moved.

  I was mid-step when she exploded forward, slamming her shoulder into my chest. The impact knocked me back, and before I could stabilize, she caught my wrist, yanked me off-balance, and drove her knee straight into my side.

  Thwack.

  Pain shot up through my ribs. I staggered sideways, but Keisha didn't wait for me to reset.

  She threw a hook—I blocked.

  Then another—I barely deflected.

  Then a palm strike straight to my sternum.

  Thump.

  I flew back and hit a wall.

  “Ouch…” Vey and Alya winced. I lifted myself up…

  Just in time to see her swing. I blitzed under her swing and struck my elbow.

  Keisha merely absorbed it. Then she turned around and held it.

  Shit.

  She dropped down fast, her legs snaking around mine as she grabbed my right arm and twisted it behind me. I growled and twisted, trying to roll, but it was too late.

  She flowed with the momentum, slipping behind me and tightening her grip across my chest. One arm under my neck. The other cinched in.

  A rear naked choke.

  I tried to fight it, but it was pointless. Her hold was perfect.

  Not crushing, not painful. Just final.

  “I give, I give.”

  Keisha let go instantly and sat back. “I win.”

  "Damn, you're good," I acknowledged. She grinned. Vey and Alya came up to us.

  “Can't believe you pulled out your knife.” Vey eyed me.

  “It's a blade. Besides, she's hella durable… It'll probably just leave a scratch.” I stood up.

  "Why, thank you.” Keisha mock bowed. Her watch beeped. She looked at us. “Well, guess my free time's over.”

  “Catch you later.” Vey waved her bye.

  We watched as Keisha’s Afro hair bobbed up and down as she ran out of the training room.

  “She hasn't cut her hair…”

  “Yeah, it's been what? Three years? She's still hanging on to hope.” Alya said.

  Mason… “He's still out there; it's just a matter of time.” I recalled Keisha’s oath way back…

  “Hey, Jett,” Keisha said quietly one afternoon, just as we finished lunch.

  I glanced at her. “What’s up?”

  She was fidgeting with her short hair, eyes a little distant.

  “How long do you think Mason’s gonna be… gone?”

  I sighed, staring up at the cloudy sky above us.

  The truth was, I had no idea.

  She must’ve caught the silence in my hesitation.

  “You too, huh?” she said, frowning. Her voice was small.

  “I know he’s coming back,” I said finally. “I just... don’t know when.”

  She nodded slowly, then looked down at her hands.

  “I’ve decided I’m gonna grow my hair out,” she said.

  I blinked. “Wait, what?”

  Keisha gave a soft, almost shy smile and ran her fingers through her hair again. “I’m not gonna cut it. Not until I see Mason again.”

  There was something so simple, so raw in the way she said it. Like she needed something to hold onto.

  Some way to measure the waiting. The missing…

  “I'm heading out.” I turned around.

  “Where to?” Vey asked.

  “Gee Vey, overprotective much?” Alya chuckled.

  “Oh, shut up.”

  I ignored them and walked out. I stepped onto the corridor and sat down on the floor.

  “Having trouble?”

  I looked up. “Levi…”

  He was holding two bottles. He sat down next to me. “Don't mind me…”

  “Help yourself," I sighed.

  “Here.” He handed me a bottle.

  “Thanks.” I took it and opened it.

  “So, still thinking about Mason…”

  "Can't help it… Keisha’s still wounded.” I sipped the drink.

  “And so are you.” Levi scratched his head.

  I nodded. “By the way, why are you talking to me?”

  Levi scoffed.

  “So…”

  “I've got news for you. That's why I sat with you.”

  “Figures…”

  “We've got a mission; I don't know the exact details yet, but it's a familiar planet.” Levi emptied his bottle and stood up.

  “Familiar?”

  “Universe twenty, Solenthra.” Levi said and left without waiting for a reaction.