Love Thy Neighbor ~ Part 3

Remember When Jade Broke a Nail?

We started walking and talking. We decided not to go home. We had talked for a good 3 hours. We stopped for ice cream and everything. We started walking again.
Y/n: "Mazzi whatttt! So you're just now telling me this?"
Mazzi: "Yeah cause you would've laughed at me at the time. But then I found out Ms. Karen had tons of kids. Scared the love right outta me."
Y/n: "You were totally right."
He looked at me confused.
Y/n: "I would have totally laughed at you!"
He laughed with me.
??: "Hey Mazzi. Where's my switch at?"
Y/n: "Oh no. It's Terry again!"
Mazzi: "We're not far from the house. Can you run?"
Terry: "Hey! I'm talking to y'all!"
Y/n: "Just because I broke my ribs doesn't mean I lost my stamina."
Mazzi: "Just asking. Ready?"
Terry: "Yo!"
Mazzi: "Run!!"
We take off running.
Terry: "Come on! Let's go!"
He and his group started following us.
Mazzi: "We're almost there."
I turn the corner and there's I ledge. I unexpectedly flip forward and land.
Y/n: "Woah! Did I just-"
Mazzi: "Y/n let's go!"
We finally get to the houses and we see Shaka.
Mazzi: "Shaka!"
Y/n: "They're back!"
We say out of breath.
Shaka: "Who's back?"
I felt an arm go around my neck. It was one of Terry's followers. Mazzi ran behind Shaka and Terry was in front of me.
Y/n: "Let go of me!"
Shaka: "Terry. Can I help you?"
He breaks the rake he was using. Terry hesitates.
Terry: "Nah we good."
Shaka: "That's what I thought."
Mazzi: "Yeah! That's what we thought!"
Terry looks at Mazzi before snapping at the guy to let me go. I ran over to Shaka.
Mazzi: "Hold me back."
He runs but Shaka grabs him.
Mazzi: "Yeah, that's right! Get outta here! You don't want none of this! Hey! Let me go!"
Shaka let go. Mazzi falls and gets back up.
Mazzi: "Why'd you let me go?"
Shaka laughs at him.
Shaka: "Look Mazzi"
He looks at me.
Shaka: "And Y/n. I'll always have your backs, but I'm not always gonna be around."
Mazzi shrugs.
Mazzi: "Why not? I only have to leave your side when you take bathroom breaks."
Shaka: "You better leave my side during a bathroom break!"
Shaka puts his hand behind my back and pushes me in the middle of them. Then he puts his hand on Mazzi's shoulder.
Shaka: "Listen, you need to learn how to defend yourself in case I'm not around. Well, Mazzi you do. Y/n can."
He looks at me.
Shaka: "She just needs something around her ribs at all times just in case. I know she still has the skill in here."
He sighed closing his eyes. I shake my head a little and look down.
Mazzi: "But I'm not as big or strong as you."
Shaka: "Or as good-looking......but we all have to work with what we got."
Y/n: "I'm gonna head home. You know before my mom gets back and sees where I am."
I start walking home. When I get to my porch I feel someone grab my arm.
Shaka: "What'd you mean by that?"
Y/n: "By what?"
Shaka: "Before she saw where you were."
Y/n: "Don't worry about it."
I try to walk away but he pulls me back.
Shaka: "But I AM worrying about it."
Y/n: "Okay. I can't help you with that."
I try walking away again, but he pulls me back and kisses me. I push him away.
Y/n: "Why'd you do that?"
Shaka: "Cause-"
Y/n: "You know what. Just go home before I get in trouble for having someone over here. Especially a boy."
I walked in the door and closed it before he could say anything. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm not gonna lie I miss it. I just can't.
~THE NEXT DAY~
I walked with Mazzi, Jade, and Shaka to the dojo. Mazzi and Jade talked the whole way, but Shaka and I just kept looking at each other and then looking away. When we got there, Shaka went into the boys locker room, but he never came back out. Deon put me in the front. The. Front. Then he put Jade and Mazzi behind me. Everyone else was in the back.
Deon: "Okay class. I want you all to do this."
He showed us.
Deon: "1,2,1,2,1,2"
Then he looked at me.
Deon: "Y/n is leading as I call the numbers."
He patted my shoulder.
Deon: "Ready? 1, 2, 1, 2"
I started doing it and looking in the mirror. I was doing really good, but Jade and Mazzi, not so much..Deon looked confused. He eventually stopped calling numbers.
Deon: "Okay, Mazzi and Paul one round of sparring. You guys ready?"
Mazzi nods.
Deon: "Let's go."
Mazzi goes to get his head gear. Jade walks over to this tall girl and I follow her.
Jade: "So...You and Deon..... is that a thing?"
I slap my forehead as the girl shakes her head and walks away.
Jade: "I'm gonna take that as a 'no'."
She says laughing. Shaka walks out of the locker room but he leaves the dojo.
Deon: "Fight"
Mazzi and Paul bow then get in their fight stance. Paul easily punches Mazzi in the face causing him to fall.
Mazzi: "Good one!"
He says still on the floor. He gets back up and ready to fight. Paul kicks his face and he falls again. Jade and I bend down to Mazzi.
Mazzi: "Really good one!"
Jade: "Hey Mazzi. You're here to get a black belt, not a black eye."
Y/n: "For real. You're making yourself look bad. I know you have it in you. Just protect your face and dodge."
He shakes his head.
Deon: "Time-out. You okay?"
He says helping Mazzi up.
Mazzi: "Yes."
Jade and I stand up.
Deon: "I want you to defend yourself."
Mazzi: "I know."
They both walk forward a bit.
Deon: "What's wrong? You don't like Karate?"
I know. I guess they don't do Tae Kwon Do anymore. Crazy right?
Mazzi: "I like Karate. I just don't like hitting people."
Jade taps Mazzi and I move out the way of his hit, so he hit Jade instead. The swing was fast too.
Jade: "Just pretend he's me!"
Y/n: "You got that right. That punch was awesome!"
Deon: "Your opponents are wearing safety gear."
Mazzi: "I'm only here because a bully took my stuff and Shaka's making me."
Jade: "Well, don't you want that bully to stop taking your stuff?"
Y/n: "Yeah, and chasing us down. And grabbing me. And snatching your stuff. And being rude. And-"
Jade: "Okah we get it."
She says putting a hand in front of my face.
Mazzi: "I mean, it's only stuff, and I can replace it. I can't replace my teeth. Million-dollar smile right here."
He smiles at Jade and I. I laugh at his joke.
Deon: "It's okay if you don't want to spar. You have a good heart, Mazzi. Step out.
Mazzi quickly walks away.
Jade: "God, you are so understanding. I'm sure your girlfriend loves that."
I scoff.
Deon: "I don't have a girlfriend."
Jade: "Oh."
Deon walks away.
Jade: "Yay team!"
She says jumping in the air like a kid.
Y/n: "Whatever girl."
I said laughing and walking to Mazzi.
~TIME SKIP~
I made it home before my mom again. There was a box at the door with my name on it. I looked around before picking it up and going inside. I set my stuff down at the counter and started opening the box. I picked up a note.

So you don't have to live in fear. I order this custom months ago.

I picked up the vest. It wasn't an ordinary vest, but it was hard around the rib area.

Y/n: "He was thinking of me..."