Page 60 of Light in Your Eyes

“How did you learn martial arts?” she asks.

“Jaxon taught me,” I answer shortly.

“You’re really good at that,” she says.

Something about the way she said that makes my pridesoar. I always know that I’m good enough to be a trainer, but those words coming from Layla really boost my ego.

“It’s like, you were born to do it,” Layla continues. “When I watched you just now, it looked like it was so easy for you to do all of those movements, like you were just breathing.”

I sigh. “It wasn’t always easy for me.”

Silence falls between us for a moment.

“I’m listening,” Layla says.

I realize that she wants to be here for me, to listen to me, and to help me get through difficult times. She knows that I’m still deep in thought about Jaxon.

Even though I hate it, her softness is my weakness.

It makes me want to share things with her.

And so I tell her about my memories with Jaxon.

***

Age 10

“You want to fight? You have to.” Jaxon’s voice echoed through the wall of the basement. “You’re a fighter.”

We were in the boxing ring, standing across each other.

“Yeah, and I’m blind,” I reminded him. “It would be so easy to knock me out. Why are you doing this?”

I didn’t understand why Jaxon had brought me to this ring. If he wanted me to fight, it would be useless.

“Why did you say it like that?” Jaxon’s voice was laced with anger. “I don’t like it. Don’t you ever say that kind of sentence again. You understand me?”

“But it’s the truth,” I snapped, balling my fists at mysides. “How can I defeat my opponent if I’m blind?”

Suddenly, I felt him storming in my direction. He was about to land a kick on my chest, but I slid down and blocked his leg with my upper arm.

I panted, realizing what I’d done.

“Did you see that?” Jaxon asked, helping me stand up. “You’re not hopeless. You have a defense mechanism. Everyone does. It’s an instinct to survive.”

I pushed his chest as soon as we stood. “You were about to punch me.”

“I did, and you blocked it because your reflexes were so good,” Jaxon said proudly.

“It’s because I can’t see a damn thing and I’m very sensitive to any movement,” I said.

“That’s it.” Jaxon snapped his fingers. “That’s your strength, Kellan.”

“My strength?” I echoed.

“Yes,” Jaxon said. “You can feel and hear more than any other people. And that’s what will make you win.”

His words made me taken aback. But slight hope started to fill me. “Will that really make me win?”