Out There2

"Umph"

Ugh! Not again. Can't someone last more than a few seconds.

The air whoshed out of the boy opposite her, leaving him gasping. She had held back too, tried not to defeat him so quickly. 

Not my fault if he left his stomach open, come on, who fights with their hands by their sides!

"Winner, Ms. Amelia!" Her coach shouted to the rest of the class. Though those that were actually paying any attention probably could guess it, what with the boy still laying on the ground.

"Good job, that was very efficient!" Her coach said grinning. Walter Green was one of the better coaches, happy to explain concepts and moves until a student really understood. He was around thirty with blonde hair down to his shoulders. Always kept loose, he often looked a bit wild, but was a genuinely nice guy and a good teacher. He had been her instructor for almost ten years.

"Thanks." She said with a small smile, " I was trying to take it easy on him but..." She trailed off shrugging.

Green laughed, "No need! I've told you before that you only lessen their training as well as yours by going easy. They will learn. You just happen to excel at Kung Fu."

She shrugged again, they had had this conversation before. Her coach was one of the few people she had talked to about how she felt like an outsider amongher classmates. Amelia related more to those a few years older and many of her grandmother's friends. Not even one of her classmates could be considered her friend and her group included ages 18-19 for the whole station. Of those ages, students were rotated into different groups each week. This was in hopes that each student would meet and connect with as many other students as possible. It made joining more successful.

Amelia took her seat on the end of the bench that sat along the wall opposite the door. 

Two other students met in the middle of the rectangular room and began to spar.

Green mostly taught them Kung Fu, an ancient martial art, that he had learned from his father and grandfather. Kung Fu was her favorite but she couldn't stand to watch her classmates butcher it. 

Ten more minutes. Then it will be just me, no holding back.

One of the students was down, tripped over his own feet. Sighing, she wished there was someone who could match her skill. Sparring would be a lot more fun if she had a real opponent and she'd actually improve instead of standing still.

Smiling,

I never would have thought I'd be complaining about this. When I first sat in these classes I thought I be stuck in back, head down. Just suffer through it. Now I can't imagine my day without this. 

Every morning she woke up before breakfast to run the perimeter of the station that was her home. Twelve miles in all. After breakfast she practiced any combinations or moves she had been learning that week in the martial arts classes. At any time there was three or four classes, called physicals, in martial arts and self defense. Her favorite was Kung Fu but she also practiced Karate, which involves precision striking with hands and feet, Judo, which involves wrestling and trying to take down an opponent, and weapons. Weapons class was another surprise to her, not expecting to like it. The class was held twice a week, once for kung fu weapons then for karate weapons. They were instructed on how to adapt weapons into what they learned in the other classes and how to adapt in situations when they may not have a weapon.

The soft ring of the bell above the door had her looking up. The clock showed 11am signaling the end of class and her free hour. Each student had a free hour at some point during the day, where they were encouraged to finish assignments for lecture classes or practice physicals.

Students streamed out the door, pushing in their haste. Many thought physicals to be tedious and pointless. The leaders reasons seemed logical to Amelia but everyone was entitled to opinion. At ten years old, students, having spent six years in lectures, were then thrust into physicals. They reason for this, they were told, was to prepare each member of society for all possibilities. If we were to land on a planet that contained hostile life, we must be able to protect and defend ourselves and those around us. 

Makes sense to me

Shaking her head at her fellow students, she moved to pick up the mats that covered the floor. 

"Thank you, Ms Amelia," Mr. Green said as he grabbed the other of of the five by five foot mat, "You did good today."

"Thanks, Mr. Green. Wasn't much of a match though." She said a little pointedly.

He laughed, "I know, I know. But you know that Robert is second in that class. Your first place is just mountains above him," laughing again.

Smiling at the compliment, she asked, "Do you have time today to..." She trailed off in response to his face. He knew she was asking to spar with him, though he was years ahead of her and always beat her, it was way better than her classmates, "Nevermind," she said quickly knowing his response, "I've got assignments to do anyways. See you Friday!" She called as she headed for the door, trying to escape her embarrassment.

I know better than to ask. Ugh, why do I forget? Even if he didn't have another class, it's against the rules to give private lessons.  Completely understandable but still I wish...