TC

Chapter 1:

Alfred dropped out of school along with his friend James. James and Alfred have been friends for a long time. Alfred got a job after dropping out. James started hanging out with Major and Hollis. Major and Hollis are always getting in trouble by breaking the law. Major was pressuring Alfred to help him steal from the store that e works in. Alfred refuses and everybody left and they was mad at him. Alfred then left the club basement where they hang out and saw two cop cars turn their lights on and speed towards the store. Alfred forgot to warn them about the alarm the owners installed. The cops caught James while Major and Hollis escaped. Alfred didn't know the cops caught James, he went looking for him in the cave where James always hides. He wasn't there. Alfred then heads home and sees Major on his way home. Major and his crew jumped Alfred for not telling him about the alarm system. Alfred passes out in the alley. 

Chapter 2:

Alfred woke up in his Aunt's bedroom with a swollen eye and jaw. Henry had found him and took him home. Alfred kept waking up and going to sleep until at night time he went outside. He was walking through an alley that he knew Major wouldn't go through. Alfred was walking and looking out for major because he knew he was looking for him. Alfred then found the gym where Henry is always talking about. Alfred remembers the fighters that his dad told him that trained in the gym. Alfred was scared to go in the gym but when he did enter, he told the man that was in there that he wanted to be a fighter.

Chapter 3:

Donatelli the owner of the gym begins to inspect Alfred. He checks his weight, his height, and asks him why he wants to be a fighter. Alfred just wants to be somebody, that's what he said to him. Donatelli tells him what he needs to do everyday. He tells him to workout everyday. Donatell tries to make him understand that life ain't easy and that you have to work hard for the things you want. He says many kids want to get in the ring and just fight but in reality you have to earn you way in the ring. Donatelli wants Alfred to understand that. Alfred said he'll try.

Chapter 4:

It's Sunday and Alfred and his auntie are headed to church. Alfred just sat in the church and it felt longer to him. To many things were going through his head. Major showed up to the church looking for him. After church they go to Aunt Pearl's sisters house. Her sister married a man that made good money. Their neighborhood and streets are a lot cleaner and safer than where Alfred lives. Alfred had a talk with his uncle about opportunities that are opening for colored people. How his son Jeff is traveling the world studying and that opportunities are opening up. Alfred and his aunt headed back home and he sets the alarm for 5:30 like Donatelli told him to, so he can do his morning run.

Chapter 5:

Alfred returns to the store and there's a lot of tension in the store. The owners of the store can't even look at him. They've lost trust in Alfred because his friend James tried to rob the store. Alfred's boss talked to him if he knew anything about the robbery. Alfred said no even though he did. Usually the boss youngest brother asks  him how his weekend was but he didn't say anything that day. Alfred felt bad because he lost their trust but also because James was in jail.

Chapter 6:

Alfred returns to the gym to train for the first day. He's looking Mr. Donatelli but he's not there. The gym is full of guys working. Alfred doesn't know what to do, there's no one to instruct him. He wants to leave but he stays. Someone there working out tells him to do push ups and sit ups. Henry tells Alfred he's going to the fight in Madison Square Garden to see what he's really going aganist.

Chapter 7:

Alfred went to the fight with Henry. Mr. Donatelli fighter Willie was fighting that night. They went and Alfred was amazed how much praise Willie got. Alfred hoped to someday have that much praise. The fight began and Willie was winning most of the fight until he got hit in his left eye. He began to bleed, Willie continued to get hit after that. Mr. Donatelli called off the fight. Willie was mad but the whole staff knew it was the right call. Alfred then met one of Mr. Donatelli old fighters. He was #7 ranked . He was explaining that it's a tough journey to become a fighter. He wanted Alfred to understand that. Alfred then went home and on his foot steps was Major and Hollis.

Chapter 8:

Alfred gets confronted by major. He plans to rob from the store again on Friday, but this time he wants Alfred to help. He insists that he doesn't want to. He stands up to major and tells him he doesn't want to . Major said all he has to do is cut the wires of the alarm system and Alfred continues to say no. Major pulls his knife out but Alfred still says he doesn't want any part of what he's gonna do. Major says he got until Thursday to tell him his decision.

Chapter 9:

Alfred does his morning run and this time runs longer. He heads back home and his Aunt asks him where he's been. Alfred finally tells his Aunt what has been happening. He tells her he wants to be a boxer. She doesn't like the idea of him boxing. Alfred tells her all the money a boxer gets and what he'll buy for her. His aunt understood but she wished he was doing something else and not boxing.

Chapter 10:

Alfred begins to train hard. Three weeks straight of shadow boxing, push-ups, sit-ups, and running. Alfred said the first week he couldn't even sleep because his arms were so sore. He couldn't even reach up to get the stuff out the locker. By the third week the pain started fading away. But Alfred began to get frustrated. He was getting angry that he never has put a pair of boxing gloves on yet. He's not even considered an Amateur yet he said. He wasn't concentrating, Henry and Donatelli asked him what's wrong. Major stopped by the gym to invite him to the club, he said James is gonna be there. Henry tells him not to go because he's in training.

Chapter 11:

Alfred goes to the club basement where Major tells him to go. There's a party there. Alfred only went there because he wanted to see James. He kept asking where James was, he got the same response "he'll show up." Major kept asking him did he want wine. Alfred insisted that he did not want wine. He ended up taking some vodka that made him all dizzy. Then he smoked some marijuana. Alfred couldn't even stand up straight. James ended up showing up, Alfred wanted him to know that he didn't mean for him to go to jail. Alfred said he forgot all about the burglar alarm. James was being sarcastic about it and went to the back with Major to sniff white stuff.

Chapter 12:

It's the next day and Alfred can't even stay up. He's in a horrible hangover. He kept waking up then going back to sleep. He then wakes up to a phone call, it's Major saying he'll pick him up in five minutes. Alfred didn't wanna go but he ends up going. While their parked two policemen are walking around and asked him for their license and registration. Major had stole the car so he jumped out the car and ran. Alfred did the same but twisted his ankle in the process. Days pass and Alfred stops working out and going to the gym. He stop by one day to empty out his locker. Alfred wants Mr. Donatelli to stop Alfred from leaving but he doesn't say none. Alfred turns around and asks him "You think I could've been a great fighter?"

Chapter 13:

Alfred begins to spar in the gym. At first he doesn't do to good. At first he's just throwing wild punches. He then begins to start throwing jabs and hooks like he learned when he was shadow boxing. Bud starts to see the progress he's making and is very impressed. He then spars one of the Puerto-Rican brothers Jose. He's not as quick as the other brother nut his hits are harder. Alfred hits him with a combination and knocks Jose down.

Chapter 14:

Alfred is about to become an Amateur. He's gonna have his first amateur fight. He kept the secret from his aunt. He just told her he had a secret, that's why he was acting weird in the morning. Alfred is very nervous but they head out to spoon's place. They feed him some steak and gets some rest so he'll be ready for the fight. Alfred is really nervous, especially when entering the building. Alfred doesn't know who he's fighting because at amateur fights, its picked at random at the last minute. Alfred gonna fight Rivera. Rivera is shorter but wider and stronger than Alfred. First round didn't go well for Alfred because he kept listening to the crowd and not his trainer. The other two rounds, he does good and wins the fight. Alfred won his first fight.

Chapter 15: 

Alfred returns home and his face is bruised up. Alfred is surprised because his Aunt wasn't asking a thousand questions. She already knew, he had a boxing fight. She told him a story of how her too had an opportunity like him. She could've been a singer, a man came around with a contract. She said her mom didn't let her because the stage is a sin and it will change her. She began to cry because she wish she could've tried and maybe become a star.

Chapter 16:

Alfred is his second fight a boxer named Griffin. Griffin was fast and was beating Alfred. The first two rounds Alfred was getting hit after hit from Griffin. It wasn't going well, the only way Alfred could win if he knocked out him out. Griffin was tired when the round 3 started, Alfred noticed that and charged him. Alfred was hitting him and gave him one good hook in the jaw and knocked him out. Alfred couldn't concentrate the rest of the night or the next day. The image of him knocking out kept going through his head.

Chapter 17: 

It's thanksgiving day and Alfred and his family went to there aunt Dorothy house to eat. They were talking to Alfred about him and boxing. Then it turned into an argument between Jeff and his dad about where he's gonna study. Jeff really talked to Alfred about on what he plans to do for his future. Alfred then goes home and James under the stairs begging Alfred for money to get heroin. Alfred gave 6 dollars and James ran off.

Chapter 18:

Alfred is having his third fight but Alfred isn't really striking him. Every time he has the chance, Griffin getting knocked out is going through his head. After the fight Mr. Donatelli told him its time for him to retire because it seems he doesn't like to fight but Alfred insists that he wants to keep going.