Severity, Miguel Diaz¹

― chapter 29.

"It'd be ideal."

She almost laughed. "I'm sure it would," Ayane replied, turning and walking out.

Ayane sat in the car while she waited for Amanda. Her mother had not even given her a belated 'happy birthday'.

As they were driving back to the LaRusso's, Ayane blurted, "Can I go see my dad?"

Amanda looked over at her. "Oh- um, if you really want to. Then yeah, I'll-I'll take you."

Ayane nodded curtly. "Thank you. Can we go this afternoon?"

"Sure."

Sam helped the other two take Ayane's stuff up to her room, her new one. She was beginning to like it more than the other one already.

"Hey," Sam said when Amanda left the room, "what you did last night... I don't think you did anything wrong."

Ayane snorted. "Yeah, well. I shouldn't have done it, though, really. It's just- there's something I really hate about Cobra Kai."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What about Miguel?"

"No, not him," Ayane explained, crossing her arms. "Not when he's not with Cobra Kai, anyway. When it's just the two of us, we're fine."

She shrugged, looking up at Sam. "I just wish there wasn't this stupid rivalry."

Sam nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me too. I mean, Aisha was my best friend but now... I just don't know."

Ayane breathed out a sigh, shaking her head.

"I don't know. I just hope that it ends eventually."

. . . .

AMANDA AND AYANE PULLED INTO the parking lot of Van Nuys Corrections Department.

"I called ahead," Amanda explained as she shut off the engine, "so they're expecting us."

She turned to Ayane, her expression soft.

"Ayane, you absolutely don't have to go if you're not sure. We can go get ice cream instead."

Ayane laughed, smiling. "No, I'm fine. I'll be fine."

They got out, walking inside. A police officer escorted Ayane to the phone booths, though Amanda could not go any further with her.

Ayane was shown to a partition, and she sat down to wait for Ennis.

A few moments later, the door on the other side of the glass opened, and he walked out. Ayane shifted in her seat, taking a deep breath.

Ennis sat down in the chair across from her. He was wearing the orange jumpsuit, which Ayane just found somewhat bizarre.

She picked up the phone on her side, Ennis picking up the phone on his side.

Neither of them said anything for a long time.

"Cool outfit," Ayane finally said without thinking.