Meet with her coach

A short time later Katie was in the back office at the gym. She wore sunglasses to hide her black eye, though her coach had her take them off to check her injuries.

"It doesn't look so bad." He said. "Though, you should have let me check them out before you left."

Katie said nothing, putting back on her sunglasses. They were a helpful shield to hide from her shame as well.

Her coach began pacing before her, obviously agitated.

"So, I talked to the ref, I talked to the tournament runners. Unfortunately, no one is willing to cancel out the loss for you." He said. "But, I scheduled a rematch at the next tournament in a month."

"Another fight?!" Katie asked, shocked. "Oh, I don't know..."

Her humiliation and loss was too fresh, she couldn't think about fighting anyone right now.

"I understand your hesitation." He said. "But, there's something you should see."

He grabbed a remote and turned on the monitor in his office. He pressed another couple buttons and a video of the previous day's fight came up. Katie's jaw dropped as the worst moment of her life was reacted. She saw Sydney lock her up, spin her against the cage, then pull down her top. She saw her breasts bounce free, that same stupid look on her face as she grabbed her exposed bust. Then, the humiliating quick defeating, ending in her knocked out topless on the ground.

Katie's jaw was agape. She could feel the hot flush on her cheeks.

"Why did you play that?" She asked in a small voice. Her coach kneeled before her, speaking seriously.

"I understand your embarrassed and upset." He said. "I played that for two reasons. One, you're going to see it again and again, either played on video or in your mind. You'd better accept that now, so you can move on. This kind of accidents happen." He said. "It feels like the biggest thing in the world, but it only has a hold over you if you let it."

"The second, and more important reason I played that was because of how clearly deliberate it was. That Sydney girl turned you from from the rest, obscuring his vision with her body. Then she pulled down your top, in a clearly deliberate motion. Practiced even."

He grabbed Katie's chin and moved her into eye contact with him. Katie was near tears.

"She cheated Katie. Deliberately. Because she was scared of you. Because you're better then her." He explained. "In fact, you could easily dominate this weight class, and maybe one day soon go pro. But, first you have to move past this."

"All fighters experience bad calls. Cheating. Low blows. It can rattle you, and if you don't face it head on, it can ruin your confidence. So, as your coach, and someone who cares about you, I think you should fight this girl again, and kick her ass, just like you were going to this time!"

Katie gulped. What he said felt true. But, could she really get in the ring again? She'd trained her whole life. She couldn't give that up, despite her reservations.

"Okay." She said. "I'll fight her again."