Camilo rushes in and tries to stop the bout as I leap into Ponce's stomach doing a one, two, three to raise the dead, wake up the owls, and keep myself alive. The gorila falls windless. I am exhausted. My face hurts. I'm grinning and clenching my teeth.
Ponce says nothing and takes the count.
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro. Lieutenant Pedroza has dozed off leaning against the truck's flat tire where he had a balcony view of our growing pains. I fall to the ground on my knees and grab Ponce's hand in a solid two-handed shake. My heart is yours. Just because I'm the smallest and on scholarship, all these spoiled pretty-boys want my blood.