AGONY OF DESIRE ; cobra kai

49 ― i will always love you.

"Wassup!" Achara turned her head towards the door at the sound of a familiar voice, surprised to see Stingray walking through the door. "You guys remember that line from the old Bud commercials? I guess you guys are too young for...probably weren't even born yet."

Achara's eyebrows sucked together in confusion as Stingray took off his shoes and started to greet various Cobra Kai members as if they were old friends.

"Sensei!" Stingray called out to Kreese as he approached him. "Sir, I am reporting for duty, and I require no thanks."

"Thanks for what?" Achara heard Kreese ask.

"Oh, uh, you know, just defending the dojo and I-I served my time, Sensei sir," Stingray replied.

"Look, we're trying to train here for a tournament," Kreese told him before addressing the class. "Let's carry on everyone."

Achara continued to spar with Piper, tuning into the conversation. "The All Valley tourney. I'm well aware," Stingray responded. "Say, listen, I got a couple of ideas. Just basic strategy."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kreese's voice lowered at him.

Achara's head titled in their direction, seeing the scared look on Stingray's face as Kreese stepped towards him.

"You were never part of this team," Kreese told him. "You're a buffoon. A joker, an embarrassment. You have no value here."

"Wow, what?" Stingray glanced around the room, looking embarrassed. "But, Sensei, I'm, um, one of the guys, you know."

Achara's heart sank when she saw him try to play off wiping a tear from his eye.

"You will never be Cobra Kai," Kreese told him. "You get that?"

Stingray was trying his hardest not to cry. "Oh, wait, wait, w-wait, I got you. Th-this is um, this is a test, right? Yeah, this is a test."

"Get the hell out of here," Kreese snapped at him.

Stingray nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was upset as he turned around and started to walk away. "Challenge accepted."

All eyes were on him as he walked towards the door with Kreese following close behind him. Stingray walked out the door, the bell jingling above his head. Kreese turned back around.

"Show's over," Kreese said to his students.

Achara gulped as she adverted her gaze away from him and continued sparring with Piper. Every so often, she would find herself glancing in Tory and Robby's direction.

────────────

Achara stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. She quickly turned her head towards her bedroom door when she heard the doorbell ring from downstairs.

"Achara! Decha!" Jintara's voice called from downstairs. "They are here!"

Achara turned back towards the mirror, giving herself a once over before inhaling a deep breath. She counted to ten before exhaling and turning around to leave her room. Achara knocked on Decha's door. Their parents wanted them both to walk down together.

"Who is it?" Decha asked.

"It's Achara," Achara replied. "Mom said the Diazes and the Alexopouloses are here."

"Okay, I'll be down in a second," Decha responded.

"They wanted us to walk down together, remember?" Achara asked. "Mae wants to put it in the scrapbook right next to our first school dance picture."