The equipment bags of Darrell’s students lined the back wall of an otherwise empty gym. It had been emptied for the summer, and the basketball nets were retracted towards the ceiling. The heavy double doors nearest the activity of the fencing club were propped by a wooden doorstop to allow the summer breeze entry. After checking to make sure her shirt was tucked neatly into her jeans, Nadia entered calmly and surveyed the group.

Four fully uniformed fencers were engaged in a two-on-two practice match. Darrell had wanted the rematch at the end of instruction time, so even though she had arrived earlier than what he had told her, the students were almost finished with their basic instruction. They practiced basic exercises in two lines under the supervision of Darrell himself.

Nadia took her sword by the blade and waited by the wall, where she rested until Darrell finished with his students and came to greet her. Her eyes glowed for him. She couldn’t help smiling at the thought of her own cleverness before she clasped Darrell’s hands with academy award eagerness. He started to tell her that the lessons for the week were over and to welcome her to next week’s session, but she preempted him.

“I’m not here for practice. You must be the Darrell Flemming my cousin told me about? If I ever imagined you’d be so awesomely handsome I would have never thought of challenging you, but then a challenge is a challenge. I’m Nadia, please don’t go too hard on me.”

All Darrell could do was stare at the smooth fingers covering his hands. She refused to let go, and he refused to pull away. “Gee, I- ugh-,” he blushed, “Was that a little sarcasm? You must be the one who answered the phone when I called for Nathan. You really need to get a cell phone. Anyway, I doubt you’d be much of a challenge. But if you want to try, I won’t stop you, since you are Nathan’s cousin. But first, do you even have the proper gear?”

“I have a jacket and gloves; all I need is a mask. I’m sure one of those guys has something I could borrow.”

Dew slipped inside and found a secluded spot on the bleachers. No one noticed him, as he sat so still, he was virtually invisible. He could see that Darrell hesitated, even as Nadia pressed closer and looked deeply into his eyes. Teeth clenched against each other as he gripped his knees while staring through Darrell. The thought of Nadia acting that way towards him! Even if she faked it, he could barely take it! She was so preoccupied with her rouse she didn’t notice him watching either. Dew wondered if she could handle herself well enough for a match, as she usually maintained awareness of nearly everything happening around her. Something about her felt off. She looked drained.

“That’s not good enough,” Darrell explained, “Now your cousin Nathan, I’d face him anytime. I’d win of course, but he would make it worth my time. He’ll be surprised to find I learned some of his techniques.”

“I can make it worth your time,” she protested, her anger showing a tiny bit.

“I don’t know you from Jack, if you were lying, I’d just be disappointed.”

“If you win, I’ll go on a date with you. On my honor, and the honor of the sport.”

“Not good enough.”

Her jaw almost dropped before she started to grind her teeth and make a fist with her left hand. She had already set this entire deal up. It would soon be time to show him good enough. Instead of leaving, a few of the people in Darrell’s class gathered to listen. His assistants joined him, and they whispered a suggestion in his ear.

“Forget the date. You’re not my type but you’re still really cute. We’ll make a real wager. If you lose, you must pledge on your honor to become cheerleader for my fencing team. You’ll cheer at all our matches to the best of your ability until the end of the next school year. You’ll also be required to wear an outfit of our choice while working with the team and it’ll be your duty to provide fresh water and clean towels to the members. If I lose, I’ll subject myself to the same basic terms. So, how confident are you now?”

For a moment, a look of disgust, then she patted him on the cheek.

“Fine, I’d be honored to do that if you win. But I don’t need an attendant. I want you to agree not to fence until the end of the next school year, on your honor, and the honor of the sport.”

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“Fine, it’s a deal,” Darrell said confidently, “And I’ll throw in a date as a bonus either way.”

“You’re another total jerk!” Nadia said, blushing.

“If you win you don’t have to show.”

Nadia pulled an adjustable jacket out of her black bag, the same jacket that she had worn when she was boy of thirteen, she had chosen it not only because it was smaller, but because it was the only one that could be adjusted to fit her almost perfectly.

“Only one problem, I still don’t have a face mask,” she said.

“Jody, this girl that challenged me to a match needs to borrow your mask, is that okay with you?”

Nadia’s jaw dropped, “You’re taking lessons here.”

“Hi Nadia,” Jody said, “Surprised? He’s a good teacher. I’m hoping to learn some more.”

“Why didn’t you tell me. I would have- have.”

“You would have what?”

Nadia playfully punched Jody’s shoulder as she borrowed the fencing mask, making something up so she wouldn’t blow her cover, “I would have come here sooner. Is this jerk cute or what?”

“He may be cute, but I think you should cancel this match. You may have a crush on him now, but it won’t last long if you’re his cheerleader. The last person to challenge him like this had to take over chores at his farm. There’s no telling what he’ll make you do.”

Nadia winked, then whispered through a smile, “I don’t intend to lose.”

Jody blinked. Was Nadia being incredibly naive, or incredibly stupid? There was something else on Jody’s mind; Nadia’s mannerisms were so much like her cousin’s that for a moment she felt as if Nathan was speaking to her. Everything about the girl, the way she talked, moved, her determination, even her attitude reminded her of Nathan.

Nadia swallowed her pride to put Jody’s mask on. It was sweaty, and it had embarrassingly girlish, colored marker doodles on it, but it fit well enough. But it was sweaty. An entire mask filled with the scent of Jody's athleticism covered her face. Nadia felt her heart race. It had been part of the plan to pretend she didn’t know how to signal her opponent that she was ready, but with how distracted wearing this scent bomb made her, she pulled off the confusion expertly.

Darrell stood behind her and showed her how it was done by directing her arms within his own. A small group with time enough to remain watched with interest. Nadia held her breath. This would never work, not with Jody’s mask! Darrell touched her and moved her around like a mannequin. But all Nadia could think of was how everything smelled like Jody!

The crowd joked that this match wouldn’t delay them too long. However, Jody had seen something in Nadia’s eyes that led her to see through the helpless girl routine. Nadia got her head together, concentrated her excitement into the match, and smiled sadistically behind the damp mask as she set herself into the guard position. She was sure by now Darrell thought he was dealing with a total amateur, and he wouldn’t realize his mistake until it was too late.

Nadia opened on the offensive with powerful jabs, one after the other. Their swords clashed as Darrel countered with perfectly timed parries and neither opponent lost balance. A battle of wills ensued that would send them back and forth across the tape line for an entire fifteen minutes without either one scoring a hit.

The mask began to smell more of Nadia’s scent the longer she wore it. It became slightly less distracting. The swords moved so fast they were either a blur or invisible. Another fifteen minutes of the same and over half the audience had left, until only Jody, Darrell’s assistant, a few onlookers who were enjoying the struggle, and the stealthy Dew remained. Nadia tired first, and Jody realized it when she noticed Nadia’s sword more clearly when it moved, but not Darrell’s. Darrell pressed his advantage so fiercely that Nadia retreated to the end of the line, where he scored when the rubber tip at the end of his sword poked her chest.

They both dripped with sweat when they realigned in the center of the black tape for the next set. Darrell’s attacks were stronger now. Jody had hoped Darrell would tire too, but instead, he had become more forceful and more powerful. Nadia avoided him by stepping up her mobility and giving every ounce of stamina to the battle. She attempted to ignore her exhaustion, the complaints of every muscle, and the crying aches of the bruises she had received the previous day.

Slowly, she regained lost ground. For two minutes, she moved Darrell back by getting her sword near the edge of his coat and backing away before he could counter. She refused to slow down but Darrell saw a predictable pattern in her moves and reactions. Nadia forced herself to think with a handbook tactical mindset and consistently dodged to the left after his parries, so he launched a counter thrust in that direction. The tip of his sword poked her stomach. They repositioned to the center for the possible match set.

It lasted a minute.

Nadia launched a mass of feints to cover for her weakness, and dove sloppily in an attempt for her first point. When he turned sideways, she forced herself to pull back but lost balance. Darrell knocked her sword out of her hand with a fierce counter parry, taking advantage of her weakened grip. The match over, she slumped downward with her legs folded against her sides so that her heels slid beside her hips. Nadia threw off the borrowed mask and stared at her sweat soaked jeans in astonishment. Sweat streamed forth from her hair as she panted like a dog that had been locked in sauna.

Gassed.

The final humiliation came when the tip of Darrell’s sword gently poked her shoulder.