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

ch.14

--playing Rebel Rebel by David Bowie--

[It's been weeks since Daniel and Scarlette's final argument. Daniel was even dating Ali, but he would still often notice Scarlette with the Cobra Kais. Scarlette and Daniel often make eye contact when they see each other at school or in Reseda, but would never speak to each other. Daniel practices his balance at the beach alongside his sensei, Mr. Miyagi. After hours of balancing on one foot in the California waves, Daniel watches as his sensei does a familiar kick- the one he had seen Scarlette do just months ago- He watches with his hands on his hips in some aura of confusion. Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel that this move is called 'the crane kick' as they walk to the truck. On the car ride back to Reseda, Daniel felt he must ask about the kick and why he'd seen Scarlette do it]

"That crane technique thing you were doing, I saw my neighbor- Scarlette -she was doing it about a month ago. And whenever I would talk about you to her, she would get all weird all the sudden. And-" [Daniel scratches his head and wet hair. He has so many questions and thoughts in his head he must express to his friend]

"Too many question, Daniel-san. You saying Scarlette-San did crane technique?"

"Yeah."

"Scarlette Sevem?"

"Yeah, her." [Daniel nods] "I-I would try and get an answer about it out of her but she wouldn't budge, she's stubborn." [Daniel looks back out of the window- the old man's eye brows raise as he turns to his student]

"I don't know why she do that. I thought she not do that in years." [Mr. Miyagi is a bit surprised, he had thought Scarlette would've left Miyagi-Do behind her forever due to the 'bad experience' she had on the last day of being a student of his]

"What does that mean?" [Daniel looks back over to his sensei]

"Scarlette-san first student when I move to California. Quit Miyagi-Do for Cobra Kai three years ago."

"So she used to be your student?"

"Ai." [The old man nods]

"Well, why'd she leave?"

"Too impatient, too stubborn, too angry."

"Sounds like her.." [Daniel sighs looking back on his last argument with Scarlette. It had been so long since they were friends. He looks back out of the window]

"You two friends?" [The old man smiles and jokingly winks at his student. The old man had noticed Daniel and Scarlette flirting often. Daniel laughs but it fades with a frown]

"We stopped being friends a while ago, a couple weeks back we had an argument."

"Why?"

"Exactly why she's not your student anymore." [Daniel puts his head in his left hand and leans it on the car door. He missed Scarlette and would be upset seeing her with Johnny everyday, but he was dating Ali after all] "It's better off this way, I got a girlfriend anyways." [Daniel shrugs]

"You like your girlfriend?"

"Of course-"

"You like girlfriend as much as Scarlette-san?" [The old man looks over to his student with a tilt of his head]

"Well-" [Daniel really liked Scarlette more than Ali before, but he didn't know now. It makes more sense for him to like the person he's dating more, it makes more sense for him to like the person that he's on good terms with] "-Yeah." [Mr.Miyagi nods but he doesn't believe his student, he pulls his truck into Reseda. Daniel steps out of the truck and waves goodbye to his sensei] "Bye, Mr. Miyagi!"

"Goodbye, Daniel-san!" [The old man waves as he drives off. Daniel rushes up the stairs and encounters Scarlette. She was listening to loud rock music on her walkman, her back against the wall. She had her eyes closed, and not paying much attention to her surroundings- therefore she didn't know Daniel was nearby. As Daniel reaches for the door to his apartment he cannot help but watch his old friend, he was just as curious as he always was. The tall and tan girl was listening to Van Halen of course, Daniel remembers that she liked that band- it was one of the first conversations they had with each other. As Scarlette enjoys Atomic Punk by Van Halen, she was slightly bobbing her head and tapping her foot- which made Daniel smile and chuckle a little]

"I forgot how cute she was." [Scarlette Sevem also wears a jean jacket, for it was now winter] "-And hot." [He thought as he hides his smile. Daniel feels an urge to sit next to her but it wouldn't be appropriate, they weren't on good terms. Then, Scarlette opens her eyes and Daniel backs away- he's been caught. She stands up- startled -removing the headset from her ears and now letting them hang from her neck] "Fuck," [he thought] "What am I supposed to do now? What am I supposed to say?" [Daniel is at a loss for answers, asking himself questions but not saying a word aloud. Scarlett's eyebrows raise, they are both just staring at each other in fear of talking to another. Daniel suddenly breaks eye-contact and opens the door to his apartment, he looks back at Scarlette and sighs as he closes the door. Scarlette didn't know what just happened, but it made her mad for some reason. She kind of wished that Daniel were to say something]

"What a damn waste-" [Scarlette guessed this interaction made her think about what could've been. It brought back her disappointment she guessed] "I hate this! I hate it!" [She leans her back to the wall in anger, hitting it with her arm twice. She slides her back down the wall and takes a seat- sitting in the same spot as before] "Meaningless..this is meaningless" [She thinks to herself as she puts her headset back over her ears and turns up the volume, closing her eyes again. Daniel had heard her shouts and hits from his apartment, his disappointment was brought back as well- but he didn't think he should care. He has a girlfriend and is a fast learner in karate, things are going great for him- and yet he longs for Scarlette deep down. He can't understand why,]

"Theres just something about her-" [he assumes] "that makes me crazy.." [He sighs as he looks out his window at Scarlette sitting upset- listening to her music again. Daniel turns his back to the window and draw the shades, he holds his head in his hands and walks off to the bathroom to shower then go to sleep]

--The next day at school --

[Daniel kicks the soccer ball with his girlfriend, Ali. Ali smiles and laughs as she kicks the ball into the net- running past the group of Cobra Kais. Johnny with his arm over Scarlette laughs with his friends as well. Daniel recovers the ball, walking with his girlfriend- he cannot help but look over at Scarlette after what had happened yesterday. This only made him angry to see Johnny so close to her] "Whatever." [He thought as he continued to talk with Ali]

"Is everything ok?" [Ali notices Daniel's upset expression]

"Yeah, of course." [He fakes a smile. Ali also notices his glances over to Scarlette but will not question them- it didn't feel right to do so]

"I'm up for the slide at Golf 'N Stuff tonight."

"I'm having dinner with my parents at the country club at 7- but I should be done by 9:30."

"Good, so I'll pick you up at the country club at 9:30."

"Sounds good." [Ali nods and smiles. Daniel smiles back at his girlfriend and refrains from looking over at the Cobra Kais again]

"Scar do you want to hang out later tonight? I gotta go to the country club with my mom and step-dad, and you can meet me there after dinner." [Johnny inquires of his girlfriend, with his arm still over her shoulder. Unlike Ali, Johnny doesn't notice his date glancing at somebody else]

"Sure." [Scarlette fakes a smile as well and glances over at Daniel again. She also feels angry seeing him with somebody else. Scarlette puts her hands on her hips] "Damn." [She whispers to herself, a little disappointed in herself to still be looking over at Daniel after all that had happened between them]

"Be there at 9:30." [Scarlette switches back into reality and nods to Johnny. He continues his conversation with Bobby, Tommy, and Dutch. Scarlette and Daniel may eye-contact again from afar but both turn their backs to each other. Ali notices this and becomes more suspicious- She always has a good read on people. Ali didn't exactly feel jealous or angry, she was just curious and cared for her boyfriend Daniel and friend Scarlette]