The gym was loud and bright. Adir stepped into the ring, but his gloves were too big. His feet wobbled on the canvas.
He shrank down small, shoulders hunched. Then Coach called him over and tapped his shoulder pad gently.
The bell rang. The bigger boy threw a light tap, and Adir tumbled onto the mat with a soft 'oof.'
Adir stayed on the mat, staring up at the bright gym lights. Then he slowly got back up.
Adir punched the bag as hard as he could — WHOOSH, CLANK, WHOOSH — but his own glove bumped his ear. He dropped to his knees.
Coach sat beside him on the mat. He didn't speak. He just tapped his knee twice — tap, tap — like a quiet rhythm.
The rematch bell rang. Adir looked at the bigger boy and remembered — that tap hadn't been mean. It had been almost kind.
Instead of swinging, Adir reached out and helped the bigger boy up from a stumble. The bigger boy grinned and bowed.
Next time, Adir stood in the center of the ring, hands up, not shaking. The bell rang and he threw one clean tap back.
It wasn't angry. It wasn't scared. It was just right. The gym cheered. Adir smiled.