✓ VIRTUAL AEROBICS; eli moskowitz

02. {mini-mart brawl}

kyler smirked at her, "i thought i told you not to get involved."

"i do not take orders from you." she shook her head.

"so cute, you're trying to be brave for your boyfriend - i can see your hands shaking." kyler pointed to her fingers, but before she could look down at them, the boy had already forced her to the ground. it wasn't his push that made her fall onto her bottom, her shoes had skidded on the ground - making her lose her balance and slip over.

"yeah!"

"bitch." he insulted before stepping away.

miguel walked over to assist her to her feet, "asshole." he muttered to himself.

"oh!" kyler turned back to them, "what'd you say, rhea?"

"i-i didn't say anything." miguel lied as he retreated away in panic.

kyler stepped to him and struck him straight in his stomach. the collision was so forceful, miguel was winded and slumped to the ground.

"oh." brucks chortled, "that's brute, ky."

"oh, what?"

"you crying?" kyler questioned as miguel got to his feet, "hey, where you going, pussy?"

brucks caught on and as miguel stumbled up, he pushed him onto johnny's firebird. the man noticed and stood from his seat on the concrete.

"hey!" johnny yelled, "watch the car, man."

"i am so sorry." gioia took his hand and drew miguel up, with a great amount of effort, "are you okay?"

"who's this dude?"

"it's fine and i'm alright." miguel groaned out as the two made their way behind johnny, "thanks."

"just leave the dork and his friend alone." johnny ordered.

"you see this guy?" kyler's blond friend, rory, shuffled forward, "eating his dinner at the mini-mart like a bum."

him and his friends laughed.

"wait, i-i think i know this guy." kyler smirked, "he's the jerk-off that cleaned my dad's septic tank."

"oh, that explains why he smells like shit." brucks added on through laughs.

"all right, trust me, you guys are pissing off the wrong guy on the wrong day, all right?" johnny warned them.

"really?"

"yeah, really." johnny nodded.

"get the hell out of here, loser." kyler chuckled before shoving the man back.

johnny paused for a second before springing up and kicking the boy round in the face. he tumbled to the ground, leaving his friends astounded.

"ah." the man groaned in pain, obviously not in the right shape to have made that move.

"let's get him." aj suggested before going to attack the man.

gioia and miguel shared a look before turning back to see johnny blocking every hit the boys made on him and striking them back. he even went as far as throwing brucks onto his precious car. once they were all down, johnny began panting and turned to the two teens who were staring in shock.

"holy shit, how did you-" miguel spoke.

"watch out!" gioia called out, trying to warn him.

kyler had sprinted over with a roar and tackled the man to the floor. he then punched him in the rib and pulled him into a chokehold.

"what's the matter?" kyler taunted, "having trouble breathing?"

johnny hit his arm away and flipped the boy over his shoulder with ease, "is that all you got, ladies?"

"come on, ky." brucks yanked him off the ground, wanting to flee the scene, "let's go."

kyler refused and pulled out of his hold, "get off me!" he ran ahead and swung for johnny, who dodged just in time.

the four began brawling again, johnny clearly being more enhanced than them. he had knocked them all to the ground, but kyler wasn't accepting defeat. he ran at the middle-aged man but johnny was quicker. kyler was shifted into a chokehold, just like the one he previously had johnny in.

sirens were heard, red and blue lights flashing as cop cars neared the group of seven, excluding the lady who had been observing from the sidelines. "what's the matter?" johnny asked him, mimicking the boy, "having trouble breathing?"

"hey, get off the kid!" a policeman ran over to johnny and diffused pepper spray into his eyes.

"hey, hey, hey!" miguel and gioia hurried forward.

"stop! wait!"

"it's not his fault!" miguel yelled out.

"just listen to us!"

another policeman came to them, ignored the duo's protests and knocked johnny to the ground, unconscious.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

the two walked home in stillness, miguel still being covered in the medicine and gioia's palms red and sensitive due to her falling to the ground. when they approached the reseda apartment complex, she finally spoke up.

"my mamma bought this amazing smelling shampoo the other day." she explained, "you could come over and-and wash your hair if you would like."

miguel frowned, not knowing if she was being genuine or not. he pushed those thoughts down and nodded, "that'd be nice - if you and your mum won't mind."

"oh, no worries." gioia smiled, "she has been waiting for me to make friends - now i have got you."

he had a small smile on his face as they walked to her front door. she pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. once it was open, she gestured for him to come inside.

"thanks." he gave her a nod while he stepped into the house. miguel glanced around, it was obviously the same shape as his home but the decorations were very... floral.

"do not mind the plants and flowers." she laughed at his expression as she led him to the bathroom, "i just really like nature and my mamma let me decorate."

"no, it's very nice."

"thank you so much, you might as well get use to it." gioia grinned, "this is my room." she pointed to the closed door with drawings on it, "if we have enough time, i will show you inside."

he agreed, "cool."

"gioia!" a voice yelled, "are you home?"

"caio mamma!" she spoke back, "i am helping my friend wash his hair."

bianca laughed, "with the new shampoo?" she hadn't bothered to question her daughter, knowing she got up to unusual things.

"si!"

"have fun."

"now." she opened the bathroom door and pushed him inside, "i hope you don't mind smelling like strawberries."

miguel stopped in his tracks, "you never mentioned strawberries?"

"i did not think i had to." gioia laughed as she turned the showerhead on for him, "who does not like strawberries?!"

"i-i mean..."

she dramatically gasped, "you do not like strawberries?"

"no, actually i love them." miguel sighed in defeat.

"perfect." gioia carefully handed him the showerhead, "here you are."

⎯ ❃ neens speaks!

miguel and gioia honestly warm my heart sm, what cuties

also gioia isn't the type of person to go up to kyler and punch him square in the face, so that's why i kept her movements to a minimum.

8/5/24- warning act one to three's writing is mediocre, it gets a lot better pls forgive