you're the best around - (daniel larusso x oc)

ch.11

--playing Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper--

[Daniel sighs and continues to look out of his window. Scarlette leans on the railing of the balcony and looks out at the shitty apartment complex she's lived in her entire life. The view of the drained pool wasn't appealing, but the sky wasn't bad. Scarlette wasn't one for scenery, but she felt it now. She looks behind her and around- Daniel ducks and isn't seen- she makes sure nobody is watching as she does the meditation exercise she'd done after her argument with Daniel-she didn't know why she felt that she needed it now. Daniel raises his head back up and watches her once again, his confusion grows-]

"It doesn't seem like her karate style to do all those balancing and meditation exercises-" [Daniel thinks to himself as he continues to look out of the window. Daniel rests his head in his hand, dreading that he must avoid Scarlette for him to not get his ass beat by Johnny again] "Things have to change at some point, Ali says to face things." [Daniel continues to think about 'facing things head on' but cannot bring himself to do so yet]

-- the day before halloween (next week)--

[For the past few days, Scarlette had been spending more time with the Cobra Kais- Johnny would pick her up to school and take her home since they were going to the dance together. Johnny and Scarlette were technically dating now. Daniel would ride the bus and await his mother to complete work before going home so she could drive him. Halloween being in a couple days, the High School must prepare for the halloween party. Ali and her friends blow balloons, Johnny and his friends-including Scarlette- ready the punch table, Daniel looks over at Ali from afar- he wishes to speak to her but he cannot, he doesn't want to get beat up again]

"So Scarlette, who's your date to the dance?" [Tommy inquires as he sets out the plastic cutlery. Johnny laughs and points at himself and Dutch gives him a high-five. Scarlette laughs and shakes her head smiling. She looks back at Daniel, they stare at each other as the friend groups chatter. She already missed hanging out with him, she started feeling a little out of place with Cobra Kai, it didn't feel right but she won't think much about it. She didn't know why she was leaning towards her past karate "habits" so much lately, she didn't know why she was feeling out of place, but she's going to try and 'fake it 'until she makes it', she believes this will make things feel normal in the end. Scarlette turns back around- rejoining her conversation with her friends. Daniel continues to look at her, even when her back was to him, he groans as Johnny's arm goes over Scarlette's shoulder]

"She can't just ditch me like that whenever she wants- we were friends, I thought." [Daniel thinks to himself, he grips his fists tight as he tries to not look over at the Cobra Kais again] "Whatever, I don't need her. She's better off without me, I'm better off without her." [Daniel looks over to Ali and watches her instead- someone he can't have either because of Johnny. Scarlette looks back once again, this time not making any eye-contact with Daniel, although he knew she was looking at him, he just looks at Ali. Scarlette frowns once more and finally turns back ovee to her friends for good]

--after school--

[Scarlette catches up to Ali as students exit the school. Ali walks beside her popular girl friend group, while the Cobra Kais were not far behind them. Scarlette eagerly taps Ali on the shoulder] "Hey Ali, I'm sorry about last time we spoke I was kind of-"

"It's ok, Scarlette. We all have our days." [Ali smiles alongside her friends. The popular girls, except Ali, silently judge Scarlette, but she doesn't care at all- she just didn't fit in with them. Ali was her friend no matter what, though]

"I'm glad you understand-" [Scarlette laughs- The Cobra Kais chat behind them but Johnny listens in a bit]

"I'm sure Daniel was having 'a day' too."

"Yeah, I never figured out why he was being weird- he was being kind of weird yesterday too. I think he's still afraid of Johnny." [She rolls her eyes, shaking her head slightly too. Johnny chuckles quietly behind them, for his scheme was working and amused him]

"Maybe you need to punch him again." [Ali laughs- the other girls follow the laughter. Behind them Johnny's smile fades, he crosses his arms childishly.]

"We're even now." [Scarlette shrugs- she didn't feel like saying the entire truth. Ali stops- all other friend groups continue to walk away]

"Wait-" [Ali looks over at Johnny to make sure he's not still watching. Lucky for Johnny, he had looked away fast enough for Ali not to notice him listening/watching them] "You're not still friends with Johnny Lawrence, are you?"

"I thought you would've already noticed- we started being friends again last Friday." [Ali shakes her head as the two still stand still]

"Are you guys dating?"

"I don't know- we're gonna go to the Halloween dance together as a date so I guess-"

"Scarlette this is such a bad idea-"

"Why? He's my friend- it's none of your business, Ali!" [she begins to raise her voice, giving in to her anger issues- Ali shakes her head and facepalms, her experience dating Johnny was filled with bad memories and she didn't want her friend to experience the same thing. But Scarlette doesn't understand, and thinks that Ali doesn't understand]

"He's bad news!" [She raises her voice back- Daniel draws attention to the two, he watches from afar once again]

"If he's bad news then so am I, so maybe you should fuck off!" [She yells much louder- causing a shiver to Ali and drawing attention to the argument from others nearby. Barbara walks over to Ali, pulling her away. Ali stays stiff- the yell was so loud it put tears in her eyes as well. Ali shakes her head. Suddenly, Ali smacks Scarlette in the face. Students were certainly watching now. Barbara backs away from Ali and Daniel steps closer]

"You don't know what you're talking about, Scarlette! You used to be-

"You just smacked me in the face!" [Scarlette cuts Ali off with her initial thought. She didn't even get to strike first]

"I think you can handle it, Cobra Kai."

"What's that supposed to mean?" [She raises her finger and continues to yell]

"'No mercy- Strike first' That ruined you!"

"You don't know me. Everybody thinks they do. But they fucking don't." [Scarlette ready's her fighting position] "No mercy-" [her thoughts and actions are interrupted]

"Scarlette I don't want to fight you, I just want to help-" [Ali pleads] "I just want to help you, Scarlette!" [Ali had always been friends with Scarlette, still they weren't very close. Yet, Ali- as a good 'people reader' -knew Scarlette better than almost anybody]

"Thanks a lot for the help, Ali! Thank you so much!" [Scarlette yells her sarcastic as Ali shakes her head and walks off with Barbara and catches up to the rest of her friends, very upset. Scarlette still stands angrily- she spots Daniel just watching once again. She steps closer to him wanting to speak but before she knows it, he just starts his way to the bus home. Scarlette shakes her head. Johnny jogs over to her for emotional support- he feels a bit guilty for causing her pain, he knows she really likes Daniel and wishes that he wasn't afraid of Johnny- but Johnny selfishly won't tell her the truth. He just walks off with her and his own friends. Daniel rides the bus home and thinks]

"Face things head-on." [Daniel thinks to himself as he rides the bus alone looking outside. The bus stops at a red light beside the Cobra Kais walking, Daniel's wish to become more brave becomes stronger as he sees his emotionally hurt friend]