The Jiu Jitsu Instructor

Chapter 22 – Revelations in the Gracie Family

Ricardo sat in his living room in Indian Creek, cell phone in hand and an expectant smile on his face. He had promised his "almost brothers and sisters" in the Gracie family that he would call them to talk about something important. After so many years of living together, they were his second family, and he knew he couldn't hide the big news for long.

On the other end of the line, the group was gathered at Renzo's academy in New York. Renzo, Kyra, Roger and a few other members of the Gracie family were already used to Ricardo's calls, but there was something about the way he had summoned them that aroused their curiosity.

"Ricardo, tell us what you have to tell us? We're dying of curiosity!" Kyra said with a smile.

"That's it, man, spill it," Renzo joked. "Don't tell me you won another championship and forgot to tell us!"

Ricardo laughed, sitting up straight in his chair. "No, it's not that. Well, it's something personal, actually."

Everyone on the call was silent, waiting. Renzo crossed his arms, interested.

"I'm dating someone," Ricardo said finally, with a smile he couldn't hide.

"Eeeeh! Finally!" Kyra shouted, clapping excitedly.

Roger, always calmer, asked with a smile on the corner of his mouth: "Who's the lucky lady?"

Ricardo took a deep breath, knowing he was about to drop a bombshell. "Do you know Gisele Bündchen?"

The reaction was immediate and explosive. Renzo burst out laughing, while Kyra practically jumped for joy on the screen.

"YOU'RE KIDDING US!" Renzo exclaimed, pointing at the camera as if he could accuse Ricardo of lying.

Kyra put her hands on her head, laughing. "Ricardo, are you serious? Gisele Bündchen? The supermodel?!"

Roger shook his head in disbelief. "You've always been an impressive guy, but this… This is too much even for you."

Ricardo laughed, enjoying their shock. "Yes, seriously. We're dating. I wanted to tell you because you're like family to me."

Renzo was still laughing, but then he became more serious, looking directly at Ricardo. "That's amazing, brother. I'm so happy for you. She seems like an amazing person."

The conversation quickly turned into a sea of ​​questions and jokes.

"And how did it start?" Kyra asked.

"She brought her kids to train jiu-jitsu with me. We started getting to know each other, and things just started happening."

"So what they say is true, huh?" Renzo joked. "Jiu-jitsu really brings people together!"

"And does she know that you're basically one of us?" Roger asked, laughing. "Because now that you're dating such a famous woman, maybe it's time for you to learn how to give interviews!"

Ricardo laughed, but shook his head. "She knows you're an important part of my life. And by the way, she's already training. She's in my adult class."

"She's training with you?" Kyra was surprised. "That's amazing! It's about time we invited her to train with us too."

After the jokes died down, Renzo looked at Ricardo with a proud smile. "Ricardo, you know we've always rooted for you. You're more than a friend; you're a brother to us. Knowing that you found someone like Gisele and that you're happy means a lot to us."

Kyra agreed. "Yes, and she's welcome to our family too. Anyone who makes you happy is automatically one of ours."

Ricardo was touched by the words. "Thank you, guys. This means a lot to me. And I promise that as soon as we can, we'll pay you all a visit."

Before ending the call, Renzo had an idea.

"Ricardo, you have to bring Gisele to one of our barbecue parties. We'll throw her a reception like only the Gracies know how to do. Imagine what it'll be like when she meets everyone at once!"

"That's an interesting idea," Ricardo said, laughing. "But maybe we need to prepare her for the chaos that is a Gracie party first."

"Organized chaos," Renzo corrected, winking.

Kyra laughed. "Oh, she'll love it. And I bet she'll take you into her world too, so get ready for the glamour!"

When the call ended, Ricardo felt relieved. He knew the Gracie family would support him, but hearing it directly from them meant a lot.

As he hung up, Gisele entered the room, curious. "How was the conversation with your friends?"

Ricardo smiled, pulling her close. "They're excited to meet you. They already want to organize a barbecue to welcome you."

Gisele laughed. "That sounds like fun. But do you think they'll like me?"

"They already do," Ricardo assured her. "Because you make me happy."

With that, he kissed her, knowing he had the support of two families Gracie's and now, Gisele's family for the new chapter of his life.

Chapter 23 – The Spotlight

The morning was sunny in Indian Creek, but the quiet atmosphere of the neighborhood contrasted with the growing buzz on social media and tabloids. Ricardo and Gisele had been discreet in public, but their frequent outings and occasional appearances together began to attract the attention of paparazzi and journalists.

That day, as Ricardo and Gisele enjoyed coffee together at a charming beachfront café, Ricardo looked at his phone and frowned. He was receiving a flood of messages from friends and students.

"Is everything okay?" Gisele asked, with a worried look.

Ricardo held up his phone, showing a photo that had just been published on a gossip website. It was of them leaving the same café two days earlier, smiling and looking comfortable with each other.

"It seems we're making headlines," he said with a small smile.

Gisele sighed, already accustomed to the media's hounding. "I figured this would happen at some point. It's not easy to go unnoticed when you're… you."

Ricardo laughed. "I'm just a jiu-jitsu teacher."

"You're the best jiu-jitsu teacher, and people love to make up stories," Gisele replied. "But that doesn't change anything between us."

The same day, headlines began to appear.

"Gisele Bündchen often seen with her jiu-jitsu teacher"

"Who is Ricardo Rocha, the man behind the supermodel's smile?"

"Romance on the horizon? Gisele and Ricardo are the new hot couple"

The Brazilian and American media soon began to investigate Ricardo's life, highlighting his career as a former soldier in the Amphibious Commandos, his achievements in jiu-jitsu, and his closeness to celebrities.

On the internet, Gisele's fans were divided. Some were happy to see her moving on and looking so radiant, while others speculated about the relationship.

"They make an amazing couple!" commented one Instagram user.

"I hope it's serious and he treats her well," wrote another.

At the Indian Creek gym, students had already noticed the increased attention on Ricardo. As he adjusted some students' straps before class, one of the students joked:

"Professor, there's going to be a line at the gym. Everyone wants to meet Gisele's boyfriend!"

Ricardo laughed, but before he could answer, he heard another student say: "The media won't stop talking about you. How are you dealing with that?"

He took a deep breath. "I try not to care too much. My focus is here, with you guys. But I confess I didn't expect so much attention."

Gisele arrived for her class a little later, and the curious looks from the other students didn't go unnoticed. She smiled and greeted everyone with the same warmth as always, but when she approached Ricardo, she could feel the tension in the air.

"Is everything okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, but I think we need to talk about how to deal with this," he replied.

That evening, Gisele and Ricardo sat in the living room of her house. He had prepared a simple but delicious dinner, and the two discussed how to deal with the situation.

"You've been through this before," Ricardo said. "What do you think we should do?"

"I've always tried to be as transparent as possible. When you hide something, people start to make up even more stories," she replied.

"So do you think we should come clean?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, but in our own time. We don't need to make a big announcement. If they ask, we'll answer naturally," Gisele explained.

Ricardo nodded. "That makes sense. I want to protect your privacy and that of your children."

"And I want to protect you," she said, touching his hand. "I know how invasive the media can be, and you're not used to it."

The next day, Gisele decided to talk to Benjamin and Vivian about the increased attention surrounding her and Ricardo.

"Kids, you've noticed that photographers are following us more, right?" she began.

Benjamin nodded. "Yes, I saw some pictures of you and Ricardo on the internet."

"Are you comfortable with that? If you're not, we can try to be more discreet," Gisele said.

"I think it's cool," Vivian replied. "People are seeing how cool he is. He's the best teacher!"

Benjamin agreed. "Yes, I like him. I think people are just curious because you're happy."

Gisele smiled, touched by her children's support. "You're amazing. Thank you for understanding."

The next few days were busy, but Ricardo remained focused on his work. Despite the cameras and the attention, he remained professional and present for his students.

During a class, Gisele noticed how well Ricardo was handling the situation. He joked with the students, helped patiently, and showed his passion for jiu-jitsu.

After training, as the two walked together to the parking lot, she commented: "You're handling all of this much better than I expected."

Ricardo smiled. "It's because I have you by my side. And honestly, it doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks. What matters is what we have."

She paused for a moment, holding his hand. "You're amazing, you know that?"

He leaned in and kissed her lightly. "Not more than you."

Although the media continued to speculate, Ricardo and Gisele followed their routine as much as possible. They knew they couldn't control what was said, but they decided to focus on what was most important: their connection and the well-being of their children.

As they walked side by side to face the challenges, they both knew they were ready to face the world together, one day at a time.

Chapter 24 – Henry Cavill's Visit

The morning at the gym in Indian Creek was busy, as usual. Ricardo was organizing the mats, adjusting the last details before the special class. As he prepared the space, his phone vibrated with a message.

It was from Renzo Gracie:

"Ricardo, a friend of mine is coming to visit your gym. I think you guys will get along great. Henry Cavill. He's been training with me for a while, but he wanted to train a little with the GOAT of jiu-jitsu in the gi. I hope you take good care of him!"

Ricardo smiled, surprised. He knew who Henry Cavill was, of course. The star of films like Superman and The Witcher was a well-known jiu-jitsu enthusiast. The day promised to be interesting.

A few hours later, the large glass door of the gym opened, and Henry Cavill walked in, carrying a training bag. He was dressed casually, in a simple shirt and jeans, but his presence was impossible to ignore. The younger students stopped what they were doing to stare, impressed.

Ricardo walked up to him with a warm smile and extended his hand. "Henry, welcome! I'm Ricardo. It's an honor to have you here."

Henry shook Ricardo's hand firmly. "It's my pleasure. Renzo speaks highly of you, and I wanted to see this jiu-jitsu legend up close."

Ricardo laughed. "Renzo exaggerates, but I'll accept the compliment. Are you ready to train?"

"Sure thing," Henry replied excitedly.

Henry changed into a blue kimono with his purple belt, indicating his experience in the sport. Ricardo greeted him again on the mat, this time more formally.

"Let's start with some basics and then we can roll if you want," Ricardo said.

"I'm here to learn. Push me as hard as you can," Henry replied with a defiant smile.

The training began with Ricardo demonstrating some guard passing variations, advanced techniques he had developed over the years. Henry paid attention to every detail, absorbing the instructions with dedication.

"You have a solid foundation, Henry. I can tell you train hard," Ricardo commented as he corrected the actor's posture during an exercise.

"Thank you. This is something I really love. It's challenging, but at the same time, very rewarding," Henry replied.

After an hour of drills, Ricardo suggested they do a light roll. "Let's put into practice what we learned today."

The two greeted each other with the traditional handshake and fist bump before starting to roll. Ricardo, with his skill and experience, mastered the positions with ease, but always gave Henry room to try to escape and apply what he knew.

After a few minutes, Ricardo had Henry in a classic cross choke. Henry tapped out three times quickly, laughing as he stood up.

"There's no way to compete with you. It's like trying to fight a breathing wall!" he joked.

Ricardo laughed. "You're doing great. And anyway, that's how we all learn."

As the training continued, other students began to gather discreetly to watch. Some of the braver ones approached Henry during breaks.

"Are you really Superman?" asked a young student with bright eyes.

Henry smiled, amused. "I've played Superman before. But here, on the mat, I'm just a student, like you."

"This is so cool!" the boy replied, before returning to training.

After training, Ricardo and Henry sat on one of the gym benches, both sweaty and satisfied with the session. Ricardo offered Henry a bottle of water, which he gratefully accepted.

"So, what did you think of the training?" Ricardo asked.

"It was amazing. You're so technical that it feels like you're dancing on the mat. I need to learn that," Henry replied, still panting.

"It's practice and patience. You're already on the right track," Ricardo said, encouraging him.

As they talked, Henry began to ask about Ricardo's life.

"Renzo mentioned that you were in the military before you took up jiu-jitsu. It must have been an interesting transition," the actor commented.

"It was. Military training taught me discipline and resilience, which helps a lot on the mat. But at the same time, jiu-jitsu gave me something that the military didn't: the philosophy of controlling the mind and body in a balanced way," Ricardo replied.

Henry nodded, clearly impressed. "That makes a lot of sense. It's one of the reasons why I love training."

Before leaving, Henry approached Ricardo. "Ricardo, do you have any plans to visit other gyms or even do seminars outside of here?"

"Actually, I have some seminars planned for Brazil and Los Angeles. Why?" Ricardo asked.

"Because I think it would be amazing if you came to my gym in London. I'm sure my training partners would love to learn from you," Henry said excitedly.

Ricardo smiled. "It will be a pleasure. We can arrange that. And maybe while you're in London, you can give me some acting tips?"

Henry laughed. "Deal. It's always good to exchange knowledge."

As Henry left the academy, he took a few photos with the students who were there and thanked everyone for their hospitality.

"Ricardo, it was an incredible experience. Thank you for having me," Henry said before leaving.

"Come back whenever you want. The doors are always open to you," Ricardo replied.

As he watched the actor get into his car and drive away, Ricardo felt a sense of accomplishment. Moments like that showed the impact of jiu-jitsu and how it connected people from different worlds.

And now, he had a new friend a superhero in the movies, but a humble practitioner on the mat.

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