Chapter 17: Flashback: Back to the future!
When Lara woke up, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils. Her father sat beside her, his face dark with anger. She realized she was in their family clinic, her body aching from head to toe.
"You're wasting money, Lara," he said sharply. "You can't train for two weeks now, but I still have to pay Rocky his fee." Her father snorted.
Lara swallowed the lump rising in her throat. The sting of his words cut deeper than her bruises. "I'm sorry, Dad," she whispered, forcing herself not to cry. "I'll be more careful and work harder next time."
"You'd better be," he snapped. "Rocky is only with us for three months. You need to learn everything he teaches you by then."
"But, Dad," she protested, her voice trembling, "he's not teaching me anything. He is not a coach. He's just...beating me."
Her father's gaze turned icy, and her stomach knotted under the weight of his disappointment.
"Listen closely, Lara. This is crucial: you can't rely on him to guide you through every step or to gently nurture your progress. You need to develop your skills by observing your surroundings and anticipating what comes next. Approach the fight with intelligence and strategy. What good is all that brain of yours if you don't put it to use?" His father's voice was harsh.
Lara lowered her swollen eyes, her emotions threatening to break through her fragile composure. She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her palms, the pain grounding her.
"I'll try harder, Dad," she replied, her voice flat and distant.