Read Punch Like a Girl for Free Online Page B

sketches the outline of some sort of robot.
    Casey draws another careful purple line. Her hair falls over her face and onto the paper, but I can see her tongue at the corner of her mouth, tracing the line in the air.
    Why won’t she talk? Did something terrible happen to her? Instantly, I’m angry, wishing I could do something to help.
    I chat with the kids, helping little Manny spell his words and admiring Jonah’s alien robot creature and Rachel’s story about her imaginary pet dog.
    Then Peggy comes to the door to chat with Jia. With one foot in the hall and one in the room, Jia tells me the kids can have free time if they’re finished with their journals.
    Everyone is done except Casey, who’s still drawing heavy purple lines at odd angles.
    I’m not sure what to do with the kids, but they don’t seem to need my direction. Rachel gets out a well-worn puzzle, and Jonah starts demonstrating to Manny and me how his alien robot creature, named Zambot, knows all the martial arts.
    â€œHe’s more powerful than Superman and Maximus Prime put together,” he says. He raises his fists into protective position and then punches the air in front of him.
    It reminds me of self-defense class with Alena.
    â€œHold your fists a little farther apart.” I adjust the position of his hands. “You need to be able to shield your face and stomach.”
    Manny and Rachel glance at me with curious expressions. Even Casey looks up from her paper.
    â€œHow do you know that?” Jonah says, as if my cool factor just increased by fifty points.
    â€œI took a class.” I smile.
    â€œCan you teach us?” Manny’s on his tiptoes, pulling at my oversized T-shirt. Baggy clothes have become my favorite style.
    â€œI don’t know.” I glance at Jia, who’s deep in a hushed conversation with Peggy. Both of them are standing in the doorway, looking toward the preschool room.
    â€œPlease, please, pretty please?” Jonah whines. “Just a little bit?”
    â€œWell, I guess it can’t hurt.”
    I start by explaining that they need to practice on an imaginary person in front of them—they can pretend it’s anyone they want as long as they don’t practice on each other. Then I teach them the hammerfist, demonstrating how to bring down the side of the fist on a target from above. “Be careful with this one. You can break a nose with it,” I say, thinking of Neanderthal.
    Casey abandons her purple marker and drops her ruler so it lands half off the table. When she joins us, I smile, watching her bring her tiny fist down hard on whatever imaginary assailant stands before her.
    â€œNice one,” I tell her.
    â€œLook at me,” Manny says, before launching his fist in a wild arc that lands on Casey’s ruler. It flies over his head toward Casey’s horrified face.
    â€œCareful!” I snatch the ruler out of the air, leaving Casey wide-eyed and blinking.
    â€œWhoa!” Jonah gapes.
    â€œAre you a ninja?” Manny asks.
    â€œDon’t be dumb.” Rachel snorts. “Ninjas aren’t real.”
    â€œYes, they are.” Manny pouts. “And I’m going to be one when I grow up.”
    â€œAre you okay?” I kneel down in front of Casey.
    She stares at me for a moment, her eyes like swirling whirlpools, before she gives a slight nod.
    â€œGood.” I gingerly pat her shoulder, not sure if she’ll shrink away but wanting to reassure her somehow.
    â€œSorry, Casey,” Manny says without prompting.
    Jonah executes a perfect hammerfist. “What else can you teach us?”
    I’m teaching them the knifehand when I hear Peggy’s voice.
    â€œWhat do you think you’re doing?” Her eyes are laser beams.
    I step back. “I’m showing them how to defend themselves.”
    â€œThis is a nonviolent facility. No fighting is tolerated.”
    â€œWe’re not fighting.