𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄́ ─ 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

MARISSA MET ROBBY KEENE HER FIRST DAY IN CALIFORNIA. Coincidentally, her mother had rented their apartment in the same building as Robby's and while they were unloading things from the car, he had offered to help. From then on, Marissa and Robby found themselves talking to each other on a regular basis with her either going up to his apartment or him coming down to hers. He was her first official friend in California and she cared about him, maybe more than she cared to admit.

Since the move, she has kept to herself and tried not to make any close friends but Miguel and Robby were exceptions. Aisha and Tory were recent additions that list. One of the only things Marissa could control was who she put her trust into and she had already misplaced it within her father and she hoped she would not make the same mistake with anyone else.

When Marissa arrived at the dojo the next morning, it was to her surprise that both Sensei's were demonstrating on the mat with students observing. It also became aware that she was late. She slipped off her shoes, dropped her dance bag and slid in discreetly next to newcomer, Tory.

"What did I miss?" She whispered lowly.

"Not much. They've just been holding each other," the two-toned teenager responded.

"Ok, pay attention," Sensei Lawrence panted. His eyes found Marissa and the girl realized she hadn't been as discreet as she thought. "He's got my neck. I've got his elbow. If I try to dig out..."

Johnny attempts the move with Kresse gaining the upper hand. "I dig in and put him to sleep," Kresse explains as his chokehold on Johnny deepens.

"If I try to go for his ribs..." Johnny pills his elbow back in attempt.

"He completely exposes his chest." Kresse brings his knee up to tap his chest before they both go back to their original position.

"Two difficult choices. What do you do?"

Marissa saw an obvious answer to the question but she didn't speak, in fear of it being rhetorical or being a know-it-all. She stayed silent as she watched the men execute her minds words on the mat and they both fell to the ground, getting back up free from the other.

"You damn the consequences and power forward," Johnny speaks as he stands.

"You may get hurt but nobody wins by not doing anything," Kresse chimes in also leaving the mat behind.

"You make a choice. You make a move. You go...all in." Johnny's, somewhat dramatic, words seemed to cast a shadow over the students as they all seemed to view their skills differently. For some, Marissa included, it was something that was going to solve an ongoing problem in their personal lives. "Alright, dismissed."

Marissa stood from floor and tried to walk away before Johnny's words stopped her. "Not you, tiny dancer. In my office."

Miguel gave her a wary look indicating he'd wait for her outside the dojo. They made plans with their friends to go out after practice but they would now be held up. She waved the rest of them off, letting them know it was okay for them to go and mouthed 'Thank you' to Miguel.