Tessa tapped.
Immediate release.
They reset.
Tessa swept.
Hannah recovered.
No drama.
After the timer, Hannah smiled.
“Your wrestling is annoying.”
“Thank you.”
“Not compliment.”
“Better.”
Second round, Tessa worked with Luis.
Harder.
Technical.
Luis had heavy judo grips even in no-gi.
Good balance.
He caught her in one clean transition.
Tessa escaped another.
Timer ended with neither dominating.
Luis nodded.
“You’re legit.”
Tessa smiled.
“Apparently.”
Third round, Devin.
Fast.
Loose.
More modern game.
He found Tessa’s legs.
She disliked it.
That meant useful.
He almost caught a submission.
She defended.
Later she passed.
Good round.
Devin smiled afterward.
“Better than you look.”
Tessa stared.
He immediately realized.
“That came out wrong.”
“Yes.”
“I meant—”
“I know.”
She laughed.
He relaxed.
Then Chase approached.
“Want one?”
Tessa looked at the clock.
“One.”
They rolled.
Chase was the strongest.
No surprise.
He had wrestling.
Size.
Pressure.
Current competition conditioning.
He controlled most of the first two minutes.
Tessa stayed patient.
Recovered.
He passed.
She escaped.
He tried forcing pace.
Tessa slowed it.
Halfway through, Chase made one mistake.
Nothing huge.
He expected her to turn away.
Tessa turned in.
Scramble.
She came on top.
Chase smiled.
“There you are.”
Then intensity increased.
Not dangerous.
Competition instinct.
Tessa felt it.
She could match him.
Part of her wanted to.
Another part did not.
She controlled for ten seconds.
Then Chase recovered.
Timer.
They bumped fists.
Good.
Tessa sat against the wall.
Heart rate elevated.
Sweat.
Muscles awake.
And for the first time in months, she noticed something.
She had enjoyed the round.
Not winning.
Not proving.
Moving.
That mattered.
Then Friday challenge night began.
Forge held one challenge night each month.
Not fighting.
Games.
Positional scenarios.
Wrestling king-of-the-mat.
Escape drills.
Team rounds.
Parents loved it.
Students liked the competition.
Marcus used it to keep training playful.
Usually.
That evening’s final event was called the Boundary Game.
One person in a central square.
Multiple opponents try to contain them.
No submissions.
No striking.
Win by reaching the outer edge.
Usually:
one-on-one.
Advanced version:
two-on-one.
Marcus announced:
“Need one volunteer.”
Chase pointed at Tessa immediately.
“New brown belt.”
Tessa shook her head.
“No.”
Crowd laughed.
Marcus looked at her.
“You don’t have to.”
“Good.”
Then Devin said:
“She’s been hiding that wrestling all night.”
Tessa ignored him.
Luis smiled.
“Two-on-one?”
“No.”
Chase laughed.
“What do you want, one white belt?”
Tessa looked over.
He was teasing.
Still.