The Karate Kid 🥋 (Daniel LaRusso)

10.

Nauseous.

I feel sick as I look at her standing there. Her hair is slicked back into a tight ponytail, her eyes are darker than usual and glazed over. If I'm seeing correctly, she even looks skinnier than usual. She doesn't move and barely blinks, it's like she's not even human anymore. I run up to her and wrap my arms around her waist, smashing my lips on hers.

The crowd murmurs but I ignore them, she kisses me back for a moment before pulling away. "Baby, are you okay?" I ask frantically. She looks at me blankly. "I'm fine LaRusso" she replies bluntly. I frown. I don't ever remember her calling me by my surname like that. "Start the match already" Terry Silver yells out. 

I look over to the announcer. "I'm not fighting her, she's my girlfriend" I call out. People glance at each other confused. The referee jogs over to me. "Sorry son but the match has to go on, get into position" he instructs. I go to refuse when I see Riley bow, that's when it hits me that I'm gonna have to fight my own girlfriend. I quickly bow too and then get into my stance.

"Ready? Fight" the referee calls out loudly. I hesitate on the mat, I just can't fight her. Not just because she's a girl but she's my girlfriend. I don't want to see her get hurt especially because of my actions. Not making the first move is a mistake because she suddenly lands a vicious kick on my chest, knocking me to the ground and earning a point.

"Jesus baby, what was that for?" I hiss to her. "I'm just doing what I'm told, don't be scared" she taunts me. I glance over to Mr Miyagi and he looks just as concerned as I am. It's fair to assume that she's being controlled by Kreese, that man is pure evil. As the match goes on, I can tell she's had some hardcore training.

She's battering me which I least expected. "Riley, you have to come home with me after," I say to her as I block her attacks. "I don't know you" she replies bluntly and I look at her deeply. She's serious. "What? I'm your boyfriend" I insist. She looks at me with no expression before sending me flying to the ground.

I groan in pain as the crowd watch on eagerly. There's one point until the winner of the round is announced, I can't lose. I take a deep breath and regain my focus even as I look at her pretty little face. God, I've missed her but I can't let my emotions get the best of me right now. "Riley baby, I'm sorry" I call out to her.

"What for-" she begins to reply when I suddenly crane kick her. She falls to the ground with a cry out, holding her face. The crowd cheers as I win the round, I stare at her with tears in my eyes. When she stands to her feet, I see her nose is bleeding. 

"I love you," I say to her.

She simply looks at me before walking away to the Cobra Kai's.

She's forgotten me.

---

Riley's pov:

My nose throbs so bad. I don't know how I lost to that LaRusso boy, I thought I was doing rather well. I reach the Cobra Kai's and Terry grabs my face, wiping my blood with his sleeve. "Hmm, you could've done better but I guess you did alright," he says to me. "Yes Sensei" I reply. I take a seat on the bench as Mike wraps his arm around my shoulders.

"I thought you did tolerably well hun" he smirks. I just sit there, I notice Daniel and the old man staring at me. Is he crying? As I get lost in my thoughts I don't even realise Mike has been called up to fight. I snap back to reality after a while and watch as Daniel performs some moves I've never seen before.

"Kata" I hear Kreese mumble, he's talking about the karate style. The match is intense, both boys are good at what they're doing though Mike is being harsher with his moves. Suddenly, Mike is flipped to the ground and struck, meaning that Larusso wins the tournament. The crowd goes wild as Terry and Kreese grumble jealously.

"Riley!" Daniel calls out.

I look over and go to respond.

"Don't even think about it," Terry warns and I sink back in my seat defeated.