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"Okay everyone, fall in." Sensei said the next day as he walked into the dojo, "Where is everyone?"
"They quit, Sensei." Miguel said with a clear of his throat. After a long day of trying to convince Demetri to come back, he left Eli and Alaska alone to come on their own, "Grader face? Nose ring? Slingshot? Antarctica?"
"I'm here, sorry." Alaska said as she struggled to untie her knee high boots before hurrying to stand next to Eli with a strong back and high head. Eli tried to mimic her stance but only looked like he was trying to suck in for a good beach picture.
"They quit, Sensei." Miguel repeated himself in a lower tone.
"Are you serious?" the man asked in disbelief before clearing his throat, "I mean good. That was a test. I wanted to see who the quitters are. Not you guys. You're in it to win it, right? You could be at home playing your Icomputers, playing your video games, eating candy. Instead, you're here, doing push-ups, learning how to fight. Lip! Look! Even Lips tougher then those guys."
Alaska sighed loudly as she rolled her eyes.
"Could you please not call me that?" Eli asked in a low voice. Alaska nodded her head, proud of him after what they talked about last night. Alaska had encouraged Eli to stand up for himself in a more clam way then Demetri had to express it truly bothered him.
"Excuse me, what?" Sensei asked as he blinked Eli's way.
"Could you please not call me that." Eli repeated himself a little louder, his eyes flickering everywhere but the mans face.
"Um, i'll warm 'em up, Sensei." Miguel tried to jump in quickly to avoid another yesterday from happening.
"No, Lip has something he wants to say." He stated while walking closer, Alaska took a deep breath as she eyed him, "Sorry, speak up, Lip. Or is your tongue messed up too? Are you one of those challenges kids?"
"Um, the doctor said I could be on the spectrum." Eli answered him honestly. Alaska looked to Miguel for help as he gave her a stay down hand motion.
"I don't know what that is, but get off it pronto. All right?" he demanded Eli in questioning, "If you don't want me to call you Lip, don't have a weird lip. Cant you get surgery?"
"I was born with a cleft lip. This is the scar from the surgery." Eli said again. Alaska liked his ability to stay so calm, so gentle yet hadn't backed down yet.
"You mean it was worse before that? Or did the doctor just screw up?" Sensei asked with a slightly amusing yet curious look, "Because if this is the after photo, that sucks, man. You should sue."
"It's really not that bad." Alaska spoke up, not being able to help herself from doing so.
"Can we just please change the topic?" Eli asked hopefully as he avoided eye contact with the blonde before him.
