In My Blood (Eli Moskowitz/Hawk FF) (Cobra Kai)

Chapter 7: Goodbye in Her Eyes

Zelena's chest puffs out then slowly clicks back as she places her hand against her chest, following with the rest of her body in sync to the slowed beat of the third verse. As the beat picks up again at the end of the verse, Zelena spins and opens her eyes. The crowd erupts into cheers, everyone joining in now that the show has concluded. Aisha watches her friend's heated face grow a deep red on the apples of her cheeks. Giggling, her hands find Zelena's, joining again to encourage her to keep dancing. Zelena spins again, pausing for a moment to gain her breath before moving her hips to the beat.

Aisha's hand shakily reaches outward for her top, focusing intently on the color to avoid falling back into her mental abyss. A shaky inhalation eases her tense muscles only slightly. She uses the peace to quickly yank the shirt over her head fearful that the black would invite thoughts back in. These lulls caused the worst bouts of sessions.

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Her eyes avert to the tiled floors, smiling softly to herself as she envisions a pair of navy blue Converse strolling alongside her white vans. In the mood lifted by Zelena's sweet, envisioned presence, Aisha lifts herself onto her tiptoes. She skips over lines and dances around the tiles that aren't blue- just as Zelena did when aware she needed a distraction from the thoughts floating around her mind.

Peers furrow their eyebrows in confusion at the bizarre actions of the girl they had seen devastated most by Zelena's absence. "Do you reckon she's lost it?" Kyler mutters to the blonde on his left, carefully eyeing the Cobra.

Yasmine moves her head to the side of the locker door blocking her view to carefully sneak a glance at her classmate. She scoffs, "As if she ever had it." Her hand shoves itself toward the metal piece when a hard shoulder knocks into it. The Queen of Bitches yelps, retracting her hand to rest against her chest in shock. "What was that for?"

A shorter brunette glowers at her old friend, wide eyed in shock at the lack of respect for their clearly grieving classmate. "This is the first time Aisha's sported something more than her frown. You shouldn't make fun of her. Especially at a time like this." Moon softly addresses the issue, choosing to be kind out of respect for Zelena's memory.

"At a time like what? Zelena got in the way. She shouldn't have. She made a choice and it had a consequence." The chatter in the hallway dies just as it had the second Zelena went into the air. A chill seemingly nips at every student in said hallway.

Metal against metal echoes down the open air. A body swings around from their locker, hands gripping their notebook so hard their knuckles turn white. "Wanna say that again, bitch?" Yasmine's challenger crosses the path quickly, stepping close enough that her books press into the Queen of Bitches' abdomen.

Yasmine winces, swallowing hard as her eyes cast downward in shame. "No-"

"No. You were so loose lipped to tell Moon. I wanna hear it too. Clearly you meant it. And if you did- we have a huge problem." Tory enunciates every syllable carefully. She tightens her jaw, spitting the words out through clenched teeth to help control her rage and hatred. Just for Zelena.

But it would only last so long.

Impatience radiates off the blonde Cobra in waves. All onlookers collectively inhale and hold their breaths for what comes next. Some wanted to see Yasmine get her ass handed to her. Others didn't want to see another fight after the conclusion of the previous one. Yet everyone still intently watched.

Tory could feel all beady eyes pricking her skin with their acute taste for drama and thirst for blood. Irritation runs from her mind to her tongue and trickles between her lip in an extra heavy huff of air. "You are threatened by Zelena. You always have been. She's not here and still you have to make a rude remark because she makes you insecure. With her thoughtless kindness and unconditional love. You'll never be as adored as her. You-None of us can even dream of being half the person she is. She made a choice that quite possibly none of us would have made- out of love. Out of being a good person. Your sucky ass personality is something you have to live with. And I feel sorry for you. Bitterness and jealousy and hatred only makes you age faster anyway. Your heart is rotten and no amount of beating the shit out of you will change it." Tory exhales in a staggered breath. Her feet pull her close to Yasmine and her face gets into Yasmine's personal space. "But next time you do say something about Zel or the accident and it's of derogatory nature, I will kick your ass for funsies."

Tory leans back on her heels coolly, retracting herself from Yasmine's space who swallows hard. When she spins on her heel to leave, her shoulder hits against someone. Her eyes immediately find Miguel's upon impact, his left hand lowering down to his side and folding into his pocket. Her feet carry her to the left side of him and continue ambling toward Aisha. She tosses her arm across her shoulder, pulling the taller girl into her side.

Aisha smiles softly at Tory, accepting the physical show of friendly affection that she lacked since class the day- Aisha shakes her head to erase the thought. "I miss her too. She is going to make it." Tory offers creating a space for wonder in Aisha's mind if Tory could read her mind.

"I know, but," Aisha trails off recollecting the moment her parents had told her their plans to move her away from this. They said the best thing for Aisha to heal is to be far away from what Cobra Kai and the dojo rivalry has become. She'd been so angry with them for even considering separation until she considered it herself more and more. The dojo thing had gotten out of control but if Zelena didn't make it out of this- it would be Aisha's death.

"Spit it out, fireball." Tory's use of the nickname Zelena had created for her causes her heart to lurch forward into her ribcage.

She ducks her head to avoid the blonde's gaze which grows concerned with each passing second. Her feet pause while Tory continues ahead two steps before noticing Aisha's body no longer attached to her side. "My parents are moving me. They are sending me to my Aunt's in Paris."

Tory's eyes widen in surprise. "No. Aisha you can't be. Why?" The look painting itself across her friend's features confirm what she is already aware of.

Aisha tucks herself back beneath Tory's arm, wrapping her right arm around Tory's waist for further comfort. "I know. I am sorry. But I am not myself. Especially since Zel. I barely can get out of bed. Every place I look is haunted by her. I go to Bio and I hear her laughter about a frog entree. I enter English and I see her grin as we get a new book she's read a thousand times. I punch the bag at the dojo and I see her in my perception patiently listening to me rant. My own bed- I can paint a picture of her cross-legged, moving a Clue piece. I don't want to, but I know I need to. I want to be here. But I can't."

Instead of trying to search for the words, Tory squeezes Aisha tighter to her by the shoulders. A smile tinged with sadness, forces itself on her lips when the latter glances at her. After all, Tory knows the difficulty of deciding such a thing.