บท 22: The Art of Staying Cool

Nero stood in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully combing his hair, his muscles still aching from the previous day's MMA training. He winced as he leaned over the sink, his ribs protesting the movement. Day three of school, and already he felt like a different person. He wasn't the awkward kid from the first day anymore, but he also knew he wasn't invincible yet.

As he pulled on his backpack, the familiar sound of Berta's grumbling voice drifted through the kitchen. "Kid, you look like you've been run over by a bus. That MMA gym working you over already?"

Nero grinned as he walked into the kitchen, where Berta was frying bacon with a look of casual indifference. Charlie, as usual, was lounging on the couch, wearing pajama pants and flipping through the morning newspaper.

"It's supposed to hurt, right?" Nero asked, leaning against the counter.

Berta shrugged, flipping the bacon. "If it doesn't, you're not doing it right. Just remember—you keep going back, and eventually, you'll stop feeling like a punching bag."

Nero laughed, wincing as the soreness shot through him again. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Charlie, finally looking up from the newspaper, gave Nero an appraising look. "So, how's it going at school? Scared off any bullies yet? Flirted with the girls using my amazing advice?"

Nero shook his head, grabbing a piece of toast from the counter. "I think your 'amazing advice' almost got me beat up again."

Berta snorted, clearly amused. "No surprises there."

Alan entered the room, fussing as usual, already holding a neatly packed lunch for Nero. "Now remember, Nero—stay focused today. If you get into trouble, tell a teacher, don't just try to handle it on your own."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Alan, let the kid live a little. He's not going to run to the teacher every time some kid gives him a dirty look."

Nero waved goodbye to the chaotic trio, feeling a little more ready for whatever the day might throw at him.

The walk to middle school was filled with the usual noise of kids rushing to class, but Nero felt different. The soreness from MMA training had given him a strange sense of confidence. He wasn't walking into school scared anymore—he was prepared, mentally if not physically.

In the hallways, he caught sight of the brunette girl from yesterday. Her name was Olivia, though he hadn't officially introduced himself yet. She was laughing with her friends as they walked toward class, and for a split second, Nero thought he caught her looking in his direction.

Maybe Charlie's advice about confidence wasn't entirely wrong.

Nero slid into his seat in homeroom, keeping his cool. Confidence. Stay calm.

At lunch, Nero's new confidence was tested once more. As he walked into the cafeteria, tray in hand, he spotted the bully sitting with his usual group of loud, obnoxious friends. The moment their eyes met, Nero could see the bully's smirk widen.

"Here we go," Nero muttered to himself, gripping his tray tighter as he made his way to an empty table.

But just as he sat down, the bully swaggered over, his friends trailing behind him. "Well, look who it is. Romeo from yesterday. You survive that little stunt, huh?"

Nero could feel the tension in his body, but this time, he didn't feel the panic he'd had on the first day. Instead, Coach Tanner's words from MMA rang in his ears: "Control your emotions. Stay calm. Don't let them bait you."

Nero looked up, meeting the bully's stare. "What do you want?"

The bully chuckled, leaning over the table. "Just wondering when you're going to make your next move on the girls. Gonna write some more love notes, Harper?"

Nero stayed calm, his fists clenched under the table, but he didn't rise to the bait. "If you've got nothing better to do than follow me around, maybe you're the one who needs some new hobbies."

The group of guys surrounding the bully snickered, and Nero could see a flicker of annoyance in the bully's eyes. Olivia, sitting a few tables away, glanced over, clearly noticing the scene but not wanting to get involved.

The bully straightened up, his smirk fading slightly. "Careful, Harper. Keep talking, and you might regret it."

But before anything else could happen, one of the cafeteria staff called out to them, telling them to sit down and eat. The bully, annoyed but not willing to push further, gave Nero one last glare before walking off.

Nero let out a slow breath, his hands unclenching. He had won this round, but he knew the tension wasn't over yet.

Later that afternoon, Nero arrived at the MMA gym for his second session. His body was still sore, but he was eager to improve.

Coach Tanner greeted him with a nod, leading him through some warm-ups before pairing him with a new sparring partner—a kid around his age named Eli.

Nero's movements were still clumsy, but today's session was all about blocking and defense. He wasn't there to throw punches, but to learn how to avoid them, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to react to an opponent's attack.

Eli, clearly more experienced, landed a few quick jabs that left Nero stumbling, but Coach Tanner's calm instructions kept him focused. Each time Nero blocked a punch or dodged a kick, he felt his confidence growing.

"You're getting there," Coach Tanner said, watching them spar. "Remember, it's not just about strength. It's about knowing when to move, when to strike, and when to stay still."

By the end of the session, Nero was exhausted, but he felt a surge of pride. He wasn't perfect, but he was improving. He could feel the difference in how he handled himself, both at school and here in the gym.

When Nero returned home, still sweaty and sore from his training, he wasn't expecting to see Rose lounging on the couch, chatting animatedly with Charlie.

"Hey, kid!" Rose called out, waving. "You look like you've been through the wringer. That MMA stuff must be working!"

Charlie, smirking, chimed in, "He's practically a ninja now. Watch out, Rose, or he might throw some crazy moves on you."

Rose grinned, clearly delighted. "Oh, I'd love to see that! You know what, Nero? I think you've got the right idea. But you know what would really throw that bully off?"

Nero raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure where this was going. "What?"

Rose leaned in conspiratorially. "Surprise him. Next time he gets in your face, throw something completely random at him. Like… I don't know, a pudding balloon."

Nero blinked, unsure whether to laugh or take her seriously. "A pudding balloon?"

Rose nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! He wouldn't know what hit him. Total chaos."

Charlie chuckled. "As much as I hate to admit it, that's actually not the worst idea she's had."

Nero laughed, shaking his head. "I think I'll stick to MMA for now, but thanks."