Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

80 - Strange Shift

Tears sting the back of my eyes and claw their way up my throat, causing me to have to put all of my focus into making sure my voice doesn't break. My vision begins to go fuzzy as I raise my arm to wave at a little girl who won't stop staring at me. My entire body goes red hot with embarrassment. All of my little drawings blur, bearing an uncanny resemblance to all of the bruises that have once been in their place. All of the times I'd get shoved into a locker and my arm would hit the combination lock... all of the times I used my arms to block when Cobra Kais would attack me... all of the times I would shield my face from my papá throwing a beer bottle at me... all of those times I've felt so unsafe, I've wondered if it was even worth it anymore... it all comes rushing back... and all I can do is keep singing.

My words become less crisp, beginning to morph into something more comfortable, more safe, more reassuring. Second nature, almost like a kata or a tae kwon do form... despite everything that my boss has said about my accent and my hair, and the fact that racists are the reason I'm here now, I revert back to Spanish, twisting the song into a slower, more mysterious bridge, pulling inspiration from the untouched depths of the sea.

One little girl in the front with skin not too dissimilar from mine and dark, curly hair in two braids fixates her eyes on mine, completely in awe. I manage to smile, relaxing into the song. My vision becomes clear once more as I swallow down tears. My heart still pounds as if I've just run a marathon, but I regain control of my emotions, and start singing in English once more.

I try not to focus on Sam or Tory as I finish the song, but find that task to be a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. This is gonna be a long shift...

—

"The prince did everything to climb the mountain, but the dragon carried me there so he could eat me alive," I hear Tory say dynamically to engage the kids, who seem quite invested, as I pass by, setting a tray of glitter nearby. I don't mind glitter much until it's in my hair. Then it's a nightmare. Hold on... why is Sam sitting over there? I know what Tory has done to her and all of us is awful, but still... she's not doing anything right now... she's just trying to make money to help her family... just like me... I wander a little closer, sitting amongst the children, urging them to focus on her story. I know the same one. It's so cheesy.

"But then the valiant prince came to my rescue," Tory continues, glancing over at me.

"Is that the prince that you stole from another princess?" Sam asks all innocently. What the hell... she must be talking about Miguel... but she had broken up with him when he and Tory were dating, and then Miguel kissed Sam at the party. If anything, it should be Tory saying this to Sam. And Sam talks like Robby was just irrelevant to her. All of it makes my stomach a little uneasy.

"The other princess wasn't dating that prince anymore," Tory says back, tone pointed before she seems to remember the kids sitting before us, "anyway, uh, the dragon breathed hot fire at the prince, melting his sword. So now I had to save the prince."

"Using what? I don't know.. a spiked bracelet or nunchucks?" Sam retorts.

"Sam..." I say quietly, putting a hand on her arm and giving her slightly pleading, slightly shocked and annoyed eyes.