I clamped it tightly with my right arm and turned into him as hard as I could. A barrel roll. It was a chump move, strictly for suckers, and yet I could feel the momentum shift. I couldn’t believe he had become that careless. He went all the way over and landed flat on his back. I followed through and trapped him there. The ref yelled, “Two points, reversal.” Then I heard him counting back points. The whole gym erupted. My opponent tried bridging off his back but I squeezed him as tightly as I could, lifting his head and going for the pin. I couldn’t remember the score, didn’t know if I’d win once back points were added. But I knew damn well I wasn’t letting him up. Then the buzzer sounded. I rolled off and stared up at the ref. He held up three fingers to the scorekeeper. I looked at the scoreboard as the points were added. The final score was six to five, me. I pumped my fist as I stood and looked over at my mom. She was jumping up and down and yelling, her arms raised in celebration. Relief flooded through me. I had won. My very first match, and I had won it in dramatic fashion.
I shook my opponent’s hand. The ref raised my arm. I walked off the mat as Jason’s name was announced. I slapped his hand. He looked terrified.
“Now it’s your turn to whip some ass,” I said.
I was shaking from the adrenaline, sweating, completely out of breath. But I had never felt so good in my entire life. I looked at my parents, and both were looking at me. My mom winked, Dad gave another thumbs-up and nodded approvingly. I dressed and scanned the crowd, seeing my classmates I had yearned desperately to impress. I couldn’t wait for school the next day. I looked across the mat to the person I had beaten. He was slouched in his seat, catching his breath. Then I looked at the mat. I yelled for Jason but my yells were in vain. He was pinned before the first minute expired.
nineteen