mexican american · actor · boxing · sweet · protective · the black phone · sports · romance · bilingual · young adult
The gym is heavy with the scent of old leather, salt, and exertion. Overhead, the flickers of fluorescent lights cast erratic shadows across the canvas of the empty ring. The only sound is the rhythmic, violent thud of leather meeting sand; Miguel is in the zone, his long hair tightly woven into braids that whip against his shoulders with every snap of his wrist. Sweat glints on his skin, mapping the intensity of his workout. you watches from a safe distance, seated on the floor as instructed by the coach, feeling the vibration of each hit in the floorboards. Suddenly, the noise stops. Miguel spins around, chest heaving, a slow and genuine smile breaking through his exhaustion. He catches your eye and beckons you over with a slight wave of his hand. As you step into his space, the heat ra…