Open Who Knew Punching Stuff, Like, Was So Satisfying??

Left jab, right jab, kick. Left jab, right jab, kick.

Jessica was in the zone. Who knew kicking and punching could be so satisfying? Well, not her, because she was busy learning pretty much every dance style known to man. Thanks, dad. And speaking of her dad…

Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you!!

When she imagined the punching bag as her dad, it made her punches and kicks all the stronger. She kept going, it was too satisfying not to, until she high kicked it so hard that she accidentally knocked it over. Jessica cringed with embarrassment.

“Um, Jessica?”

Jessica whirled around, only to realize the instructor was the only one around. Everyone else was either leaving, or in the changing room getting ready to leave.

“Class is over, but you were really into it and I didn’t want to startle you…” Storm said.

“Oh, geez, sorry Ms. Haywood,” Jessica replied. If she didn’t have boxing gloves on, she would have been twirling a lock of her hair. God, Ms. Haywood was so buff and hot. Jessica was painfully Hot For Teacher.

Storm wiped some of the sweat from her face with the towel wrapped around her neck. Storm’s muscular arms were glistening and Jessica struggled to not constantly stare at them.

“You can stay a bit longer if you want,” Storm said as she went over and pushed the punching bag to stand back up. “But I need you out by 5:00 for my next class, okay?”

“Okay! Thank you!” Jessica replied, bouncing right back into position with her fists raised and ready toward the punching bag. “But, like, what if I just stayed for your next class too? Hmmm?” Jessica knew better than to be too flirty with a teacher, but geez sometimes it just came right out. What’s a girl to do?!

Storm had a half smile on her face as she replied: “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but the next class is full. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

“Okaaaay…” Jessica pouted. But at least she could punch out her frustration for another hour or so.

Storm headed into her office, which was right next door. She closed the door behind her, and then plopped down in her desk chair with a deep exhale. Her chair swiveled a little as she pulled out her phone. One text.

Adelyn had sent a selfie with herself and Alain, somewhere around the Strega farm. Storm smiled. They were cute, and it was hard to believe they were both 18 years old now. And Lyn would be turning 19 in April! It felt like her three years on Manta Carlos had zipped right by, and suddenly Lyn and Alain were nearly adults. Lyn was still so small and babyfaced, but Storm could see the differences in her personality and how she carried herself. More mature, more confident.

Her daughter was almost 19, and Storm felt so old in that moment. "Maybe when she's 20, I'll tell her…" Storm mumbled to herself.

She put her phone away with a sigh, and tried her best to turn her attention to some paperwork she had to deal with.

Storm looked up when she hears someone at her door. An unfamiliar face. Why was someone who wasn't even her student stopping by, she wondered. She pushed her papers aside.

"I do. Please, come in."

Her ears twitched slightly as she heard music from the other room. Jessica must have turned her own music on. California Girls / We're unforgettable / Daisy Dukes / Bikinis on top. Yup, that sounded like her.

She focused her attention back to Shiro, gesturing to the chair across from her desk. "Have a seat. What can I help you with, Shiro?"

Storm grinned a bit when Shiro pointed out the music next door.

"She's a bubbly California girl and she has to have her bubbly California music."

Oh, Jessica. Nice girl, but she really needed to stop with the flirty eye fluttering. She was nearly the same age as Adelyn. Yikes.

Storm listened to Shiro, nodding slightly as she took in the student's concerns. While Shiro didn't mention it, Storm felt it was safe to assume that puberty was part of the problem too--after all, the drastic change in hormones was difficult enough to deal with without being a supernatural being trying to figure all that out on top of it.

"I see," Storm said, leaning back in her chair a bit as she considered her words.

"So, I lived among humans and had to pass for human for many years. I had to learn quickly, but I was also lucky enough to have a patient human to help me. She is the one who taught me things like yoga and meditation--the ability to be mindful and understand what you are experiencing internally."

Storm leaned forward a bit, resting her arms on her desk.

"So it sounds like you were born a bakeneko, and only gained this half-vampire side recently, is that right? When did that happen? If you don't mind me asking."

"Her name is Jessica," Storm replied, glancing over in the direction of the gym. "She hasn't been here long, so I'm sure she'd appreciate someone to chat with. Though I'll warn you that she likes to chat, a lot." She grins.

"So, raised by humans, bakeneko instincts, and new vampire instincts. It's only natural to feel pulled in all sorts of directions. This is my suggestion to you: try meditating for five minutes every day for a week. Nothing fancy--you can lay in bed, or sit in a chair, or whatever is comfortable for you."

Storm bent over for a moment to retrieve something from her desk drawer.

"No need to chant 'om' or anything like that either," she continued as she handed Shiro a pamphlet on meditation with all the basic info. "Just set a timer for five minutes, close your eyes, and try to just let your mind go quiet."

Storm raised her hands to either side of her head to demonstrate: "The first few times, your mind will be all over the place and it will seem impossible to quiet your thoughts. But the more you do it, you'll find you will be able to just let the thoughts drift away. It's like hitting the 'restart' button of your mind, and over time you should feel like you are becoming more centered rather than being pulled in so many different directions by the very nature of your being."

She lowered her hands back down to the desk. "Try that for a week, and then come back during office hours so we can talk about it and go from there. How's that sound?"