Chapter 156
Aria’s POV
I woke up before the sun
That never happened before
Normally I had to drag myself out of bed blinking through sleep and soreness but today felt different My body still ached but it was lighter the pain dull and fading more like a memory than a burden
I sat up slowly my muscles stretching but not screaming My arms were stronger my legs steadier I could feel the difference and that gave me a strange kind of energy
I got dressed in the workout clothes Enzo had left for me last night A black tank top soft and fitted with matching leggings I tied my hair back in a messy bun and looked at myself in the mirror for a moment
I looked… ready
I didn’t wait for anyone I made my way to the home gym down the hall by myself The house was quiet no footsteps no voices Just the sound of my bare feet brushing the cool floor
When I opened the gym door the lights were already on The room smelled faintly of mint and sweat and metal weights The mats were clean the punching bags lined up neatly the weights stacked on racks in perfect rows Everything was waiting
So was I
I walked in and started stretching It was simple slow movements but they felt powerful every muscle warming under my control Not under pain Not under fear Just me choosing to move
I was finishing my lunges when the door opened behind me
I turned
It was Enzo first his brows lifting when he saw me on the mat already
“Well look at that” he said “Our little fighter couldn’t wait for us”
I shrugged but I smiled “Thought I’d get a head start”
Dante and Matteo came in behind him both holding bottles and towels Their eyes found me and there was something different in the way they looked this time
Not like I was fragile
But like I was fire
“You really are serious about this huh” Matteo said walking closer “Didn’t even wait for your fan club”
“I didn’t come here to be babied” I said softly
Enzo grinned and threw me a water bottle/ “Good Because today we’re taking it up a notch”
They didn’t go easy on me
The warmup was already harder than anything I’d done before Jumping jacks Burpees Mountain climbers Squats My body was burning within
1/4
Chapter 156
minutes but I kept going Every time I felt like stopping I heard Dante’s voice in my head from the last session This pain means your body is getting stronger
So I pushed through
We moved to strength training Enzo stood beside me showing me how to hold small weights in each hand and squat without hurting my back He watched me like a hawk correcting me when I leaned too far or bent my knees wrong
“You’re doing good” he said quietly “Don’t stop breathing Keep your core tight That’s it Like that”
I didn’t realize how many muscles I had until they were all on fire
Then Matteo took over He made it a game We did reaction drills he’d tap one shoulder and I had to move the other way ducking dodging He’d fake left and spin right and I had to keep up or fall on my butt
I laughed once when I tripped and he caught me by the wrist
“You’re faster than yesterday” he said helping me up “Your feet are starting to listen to you”
“That’s a first” I panted smiling
Then came Dante
He didn’t smile He didn’t joke
He held out padded gloves for me to wear and adjusted them tightly around my wrists
“Ready to try again” he asked
I nodded
બીપ
We went slow at first He showed me how to block how to raise my arms to shield my face how to duck and counter The first few times I missed Every time I reacted too late or not at all my frustration built
I wanted to get it right
I wanted to prove I wasn’t just someone they had to protect
After the fifth time he landed a soft tap to my shoulder I snapped
“I don’t want to be the weak one anymore” I shouted
The gym went quiet.
$225
My hands were shaking not from fear but from something deeper Something that had been trapped inside for so long it felt like it was tearing through my chest
“I’m tired of always being behind Of always being the one people feel sorry for I just… I want to be better I want to be strong”
Dante didn’t say anything at first
He just looked at me with those steady dark eyes then stepped back and raised his hands again
“Then prove it”
My breath caught in my throat
214
Chapter 156
But I lifted my fists
We started again Slower this time Each movement clear He struck I blocked I struck He blocked But I didn’t stop thinking I didn’t let frustration take me
I breathed
1 moved
1 focused
Then finally I blocked his hit clean and countered with a sharp jab to his side The sound of the soft thud echoed in the room
Silence
I pulled back stunned breathing hard
Dante stared at me His mouth curved just slightly
“You did it” he said simply
Something swelled in my chest
Pride
Not the kind that someone else gives you
The kind you earn
I collapsed onto the mat legs shaking arms numb My chest was heaving but I was laughing too
Matteo dropped beside me grinning like a proud idiot “That was badass”
Enzo handed me a cold towel and kneeled to loosen the gloves from my hands “You’re making us look soft”
Dante sat behind me and pressed an ice pack gently to my shoulder “You’ve come a long way Aria”
I leaned against him without even thinking about it My back resting on his chest his arm loosely around me Matteo was on my left twirling a strand of my hair Enzo sat on my right rubbing circles into my hand
For a moment I just let myself feel it
The strength
The safety
The belonging
“I didn’t give up” I whispered more to myself than to them
“You didn’t” Enzo said “You showed up And you fought”
“That’s all we ever wanted” Dante added
“And now we’re all scared of you” Matteo joked kissing my knuckle
3/4
Chapter 156
I laughed again even though tears pricked at my eyes
I wasn’t just training anymore
I was changing
And they saw it
They didn’t love me because I was broken They stayed because I was rebuilding And they were proud
Of me
Of who I was becoming
I closed my eyes and rested there in the warmth of their closeness letting it sink in like sunlight through skin
I had a long way to go
But I wasn’t scared
Not anymore
Chapter Comments
