Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

91 - Off Balance

Per carità, why can't you just focus on kata and sparring like your friends so we can win the tournament?!

He was practically yelling at me... he's never gotten that mad at me... ever. He brought up Robby and everything. The fact that he didn't believe me even though I had evidence and explained it in what I thought was a pretty calm way, all things considered, hurts in a way that pales to almost white in comparison to the last part of his outburst. First, he used an Italian interjection- not as bad as actually yelling at me in Italian, but still... my mom used to say that all the time.. and so did my grandparents on her side- it was one of the last things I remember my Nonno (grandpa) saying before he shut us out...

Then, to make things worse, he compared me to my friends, who are also going through a lot right now, but all of our situations are a little different. Throughout all of this, I thought I was working just as hard as them, if not harder. We all have something to prove but for me... for me it just feels... different... and I've consistently been at karate, tae kwon do, and krav maga this entire semester. I've been training in Miyagi-Do, Eagle Fang, and Cobra Kai to try and expand my knowledge. I've been beating myself up for weeks, for months, doing drills until my hands and legs were red from hitting the bag, sparring with Robby and Kenny and Devon and Miguel and all my Miyagi-Do peers whenever we had a little spare time, running through kata until I felt like my arms were gonna fall off and wished that they would just so they would stop hurting, all to try and make Mr LaRusso proud of me, all to prove to myself and the people opposing me that I can fight, that I'm skilled, that I'm more than the quiet loser who needs her brother to stand up for her and gets pushed around because she can't fathom to do anything else...

And worst of all... he confirmed exactly what Kreese said to me at the tae kwon do school...

Right now, LaRusso is using you as a pawn, when you have the capabilities of a queen...

I swore up and down that Mr LaRusso would never use me just to win... that he actually cared about me... I guess I was wrong... I've seldom felt more thrown off than I do right now. I never thought that Mr LaRusso would use me. I trusted him... I thought that sticking up for people was the right thing to do.. I didn't realize that it was apparently voided if the bully is "on your side". It shouldn't matter that Kenny is a Cobra Kai. He's getting bullied, and I thought we were supposed to be against that.

I'm not just gonna let it go. I can't... I told Kenny I would protect him, and I intend to do so. Mr LaRusso might not have listened to me... but maybe Mrs LaRusso will! I have to try. As soon I finish with these cars, I'll tell her.

——

"Mrs LaRusso?" I ask, following behind her as she walks through the dealership.

"What is it, Parker?" she responds, not really looking over at me or anything. Maybe this isn't the best time... no, I have to be assertive. Stand my ground. I can do this.

"Mr LaRusso didn't believe me, so I figured I would come to you. Anthony is bullying another kid at school and I have evidence and everything, and I thought-"

"That's great, do you think you could restock the coffee machine, then wash the outside windows? We're really busy right now," she responds. I recoil, shocked and hurt once more. She's too busy to listen... I guess it is really busy right now...