Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

76 - Could You Pass the Discomfort, Please?

"No, actually, I- I- I haven't," Miguel says, reaching to get some more salad. In doing so, he accidentally knocks over Mr LaRusso's wine glass, right into Mr LaRusso's lap. I completely freeze. I can feel my heart pounding harder in my chest. It takes everything in my power to keep my breathing steady and near silent. No... no no no...

"Oh, oh! Mr LaRusso, shit! Ah, I mean I'm sorry!" Miguel says frantically. I feel awful for him, but I stay frozen. Please, Mr LaRusso, it was an accident, please don't get mad, please don't get mad.

"No, don't worry about it. Please, just a little wine, right?" Mr LaRusso says, smiling through it. Gracias a Dios... Miguel sighs in something like disappointment or frustration, while I breathe a sigh of relief, finally moving again. Mr LaRusso sits back down, and dinner continues as- mostly- normal. I sure wouldn't want to be in Miguel's position. Spilling wine on your girlfriend's dad, after being on opposing sides for months? Not the best, but I'm not gonna let that show, especially when Miguel now seems so down.

"What about you, Parker? You've been quiet this entire time. What're your plans for after high school?" Mr LaRusso asks. Shit, now the attention is on me.

"I was kind of thinking Stanford, like Miguel, but I'm really hoping to make it into M.I.T. and maybe get a PhD," I say. Something that'll help with cancer research. I guess it's silly or childish of me to think that after all the years of research with no sure cure that I could be the one to make it change, but I don't want any other kid to end up like me and my brothers... I don't know. It's not a set in stone thing right now. I worry about the future everyday... but right now, I kind of just have to deal with the punches as they come at me.

If the room went quiet when Miguel said he wanted to go Stanford, then I'm not sure if anybody is breathing now.

"M.I.T.? Wow Parker, I never knew," Mr LaRusso says, shocked. My face is bright red.

"After my mom died, it was all I wanted... but after my brothers died it kinda got pushed to the side. I don't know. You ever feel like you're just good enough to think that you actually have a chance, but just average enough to not really actually have that chance? Kind of what it feels like.." I say, then snap out of my head, as if I'm not wildly uncomfortable by the attention on me and my own response, "ay Dios mío I'm so sorry, I sound like a human raincloud."

I like the rain, actually, but I don't like bringing people down. Now I feel bad...

"You're talented at a lot of things, Parker. You could absolutely go into science or mechanics and be the best in your field," Mrs LaRusso says. I smile.

"You're great at repairing things, mi niña, and teaching too. You would make a great teacher," Ms Diaz says. Awe...

"Yeah, you could teach karate. Any dojo in the Valley would be lucky to have you," Mr Lawrence says. I already sort of teach tae kwon do for a job. I don't get paid to teach though, just to do front desk, inventory, and janitorial stuff. But he's nice for chiming in like that, especially when he doesn't know me that well.

"You made your own security system and you fixed ours the second you heard it was messed up. You've been top of the class basically every year. M.I.T. and Stanford would be stupid not to take you," Sam says. They don't have to hype me up like this. I appreciate it though.