Boxed In: Kings, Queens, Jacks & Me

An imaginary target painted on my favorite shirt. It was yellow, not red. To avoid the fight was cowardly. I sparred poorly the other day. My partner was Arn, a magician wannabe and lost cause to girls. He begged Dad to train him. After Michelle Bur asked to copy his homework, Arn thought he stood his first chance at love.

"Every knight and shinin' armor has to know how to fight like a knight," he said.

Dad agreed. We needed the money. Arn thanked him with a card trick. I looked at the deck and wondered if one made him disappear. I was embarrassed to know him. Dad chose the Queen of Hearts. Mom's spirit was with us. The reason for Arn's membership, however, was unclear. He told Dad to check the chest pocket on his polo. The red hearts were visible through the cotton.

"Son, meet your new partner."

"Great," I said reluctantly.

Arn wrapped his arm around me.

"We're gonna' be best friends," he said.

I wanted to vomit, but I wanted to be champion more. We followed Dad to his office.

"Wow!" Arn exaggerated.

"That's right." Dad said. "See all these trophies? I tell my son all the time that he too can have something like this to show my grandson someday. At sixteen years old, the time is now to start earning your keep."

I stared at his championship belt. I saw my reflection in the gold. My destiny waits. However, I was partners with a magician. Jackie Jakes won three belts in the junior division last year. Dad trained him. Strangely, he won't let me near him. I'm not ready he says. When I mention training with Jacks, he splashes water in my face and demands I do push-ups. I forfeited my first match because I was afraid he was right. Today, even the chorus members laughed at me. Every guy avoided me. Arn the magician told the whole school.

"Gillie, what's wrong?" asked Brit, as we walked home after the final bell.

The last thing I wanted to do is tell my girlfriend I ran from a fight.

"I'm being framed by a magician."

"It's not true, so why are you letting it bother you?"

"Because it is true, Brittany."

A lie, to me, was like destiny's poison. To stand by it would mean early retirement.

"Why don't you just tell your dad that you're ready now?"

"He's the one who claimed I wasn't."

"But what do you think, Gil?" She asked.

I trained everyday. I practiced my jabs in the mirror and mocked Sugar Ray on YouTube. The thread from my jump rope was unraveling. I've done at least a million push-ups within the past month. My chest was rock solid.

"But he's the former champ, remember? He's king!"

"But you're the son of a former champ. That means that you're a prince, Gillie," she told me, "and you'll be king one day too!"

"You know what you're right. C'mon..."

"Where are we going?"

"To the gym to tell Dad I'm ready!"

We ran the whole way. I pushed through the double doors. Dad held the bag as Jacks threw combinations.

"Dad!" I yelled.

He didn't hear me.

"Dad!" I yelled louder.

He walked Jacks to his office. With his arm around him, they laughed. We ran after them as they went inside. Dad closed the door behind him.

"We'll wait," I told Brit.

We stood at the door.

"He may be my son, but he ain't half as good as I was when I was that age." Dad said.

A tear fell from one eye.

"Well, coach, I think he has potential." Jacks commented.

"That boy has just as much chance of being champion as I do of coming out of retirement."

I was angry, not sad.

"I'm sorry, Gillie." said Brit.

"Don't be," I whispered. "My mom knew this would happen."

"What do you mean?"

"The Queen of Hearts."

"Huh?"

"I know his heart," I said. "She's showing me."

"Who, you're mom?"

"Yea, she's my guardian angel."

I hated to have to prove him wrong because, still, he was my dad. I wanted to be like him my whole life. I blamed all this on Mom's passing, not Dad's jealousy. His heart wasn't evil, it was broken.

"I'll spar with him a few rounds. If he drops," said Jacks, "I'll quit fighting today. If he hangs tough, he's my new partner." My ear pressed harder against the door. "What do you say?"

I barged in and looked Dad in the eyes.

"I heard everything. Don't apologize, Dad," I said, "just accept Jacks' challenge instead. That's order by the prince."

"I like it," said Jacks, "Gillie 'the prince' Potts. Has a nice ring to it."

Dad slammed his fists on the desk and stood.

"Now that's the fire I'm looking for!"

"You knew I was listening, huh? It sounded like a broken heart."

"You're mother was a good woman," he said, toying with the woven glove. "When she died, I thought you'd loose your drive." Dad confessed, "She never wanted you to fight. I knew she meant the world to you."

"You wanted me to choose."

"No one can force you to be great, son."

"I love you, Dad," I paused, "in a manly way of course."

He laughed, "You're going to be a great champion one day, Gil."

"Better than you?"

"Not that good," he smiled.

"Yea, we'll see."

THE END