Hawk and I were walking down the halls when we heard a commotion of people clapping and cheering. We walked to the main entrance to see what was going on. It was Miguel, shit.
"El Serpiente" Hawk said walking up to Miguel
"What's up" Miguel smiled giving Hawk a hug thing, I don't know if you can call that a hug "it's good to be back"
"Did they give you bionic legs or shit like that?" Hawk asked and Miguel laughed
"Nope, same old boring human legs
"Oh yeah, can you throw down gotta defend that title" Hawk grinned playfully punching him "Cobra Kai is crushing it right now right Aella" Hawk pulled me forward and to his side, I looked at my shoes
"Yup" I mumbled avoiding eye contact with Miguel
"I've been meaning to talk to you two about that" Miguel started to say but then the bell rang "I'll talk to you about it after lunch" we ran off, I was still a little scared of being near Hawk but I tried not to let it bother me too much I was running to class when I got a call from Sam
"Hey what's up," I asked
"Can you come to my house, I really need a friend right now" she sniffed, I think she was crying
"Oh yeah, I'll be there in fifteen ok," I told her making my way out the doors
"Ok, thanks" she cried hanging up the phone, I wondered what happened to her. I hopped in my car and started driving to the LaRussos house, I knew Sam was still really scared about what was happening and I don't blame her.
When I got to their house I rang the doorbell and Daniel answered "Hey Aella, what are you doing here? shouldn't you be at school"
"Yeah, but Sam called me and she was really upset" I explained and he nodded letting me in I guess he knew about how Sam was feeling, I ran up to her room and knocked on the door "hey sam it's me," I said softly
"Come in" she mumbled and I walked in, she was sitting in her bed crying
"What happened?" I asked
"I'm so scared Aella, I don't know how you do it, I'm so scared of getting hurt again and I'm scared of other people getting hurt as well" she sobbed
"I'm scared too but I cope in a different way I guess, it's not a great way I'm at Cobra Kai because it makes me feel strong and gives me a sense of security," I told her "there's no one else to protect me"
"I don't know what to do" she sighed
"I know, maybe you should face your fears get back into karate just so you aren't afraid anymore" I suggested
"My dad's re-opening Miyagi-Do but I just can't join, it has too many memories of good and bad things attached," she said there was another knock on the door
"Come in" Sam called and Daniel walked in
"I have an idea that both of you will like" he grinned "come on" he waved us out of the room, Sam and I looked at each other wondering what he was going to do
"I thought the three of us could use a little distraction today," Daniel said an hour later while we were sitting in a boat in the middle of the lake
"Is that why we're out here?" Sam asked
"I also thought we could catch some dinner," he told us giving us fishing poles
"I've never gone fishing," I told them
"Don't worry, it's pretty easy" Sam assured me "these poles are a little rusty"
"Yeah" Daniel laughed "so am I" I giggled a little "the trick to fishing out here is to get the line into the deep water away from the bow, it's all in the cast" I went to copy his movements
"Shoulder back, extend your elbows and let it fly," Daniel said and I launched the trying kinda far. We sat there for a moment just watching the water
"Do you remember the last time we were out here together?" Daniel asked Sam
"It was with Mr.Miyagi" she answered "I caught that fish that was so big mom was afraid to cook it for dinner" she laughed
"Pretty sure we ended up ordering a pizza" Daniel laughed "that was the day we taught you how to balance on the bow of the boat, not that we needed to teach you, we couldn't knock you off to save our lives, wanna give it a shot for old times sake" shit this was not going to end well
"I knew it" Sam scoffed
"Knew what," Daniel asked
"Is that why you brought me here?" Sam asked "to trick me into doing karate"
"What? it has nothing to do with that" Daniel assured her "I just wanted to spend the day with you two even if you don't come back to Miyagi-Do"
"I told you, dad, I quit," Sam said harshly
"Come on Sam, I think I'm ready to go back to Miyagi-Do," I said softly
"Help me to understand why," Daniel said to Sam
"It doesn't matter" she snapped "you can't help"
"I can't if you don't tell me what's going on" he groaned "be honest with me Sam"
"I froze ok, I watched my friends get hurt I watched Demetri get his arm broken and I couldn't do anything" she cried "and now I'm having all these panic attacks and I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to defend myself again"
"I'm so sorry Sam" Daniel whispered
"Just take me home," she said. Daniel got us out of the lake and loaded all the supplies into the back of his car, Sam was still really upset and wouldn't look at either of us
"Look you don't have to talk to me but I want you to know that I'm always here for you," Daniel said closing the trunk
"I told you, you can't help me" she sighed
"Why don't you walk me through what happened" Daniel offered
"When the fight started I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe it felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest I knew there was something wrong before then I just thought I could handle it"
"Does this have anything to do with the girl Tory?" Daniel asked
"It was my first time seeing her since and I felt like it would all happen again like I would get hurt and Miguel would fall, Aella would get thrown into glass and Robby would run my body just stopped, Demetri got hurt and I couldn't do anything to stop it"
"What happened to you Aella, weren't you there," Daniel asked and I gulped
"I-I was there but I was a coward, I switched sides when Cobra Kai started domination, I didn't want to get hurt Tory is insane and I had no idea what she was going to do I was scared of Hawk who hit me the other day and I just wanted to protect myself but I let Demetri get hurt I'm in Cobra Kai because I want to feel strong I don't want to feel weak and scared," I told him
"Girls, this isn't on you Cobra Kai is way out of control and you know that"
"That's the problem," Sam said "I'm scared dad, we both are we've never felt so alone"
"The two of you aren't alone," Daniel told us as tears started pouring down my face "whatever you're feeling right now it's nothing to be ashamed of are you guys up for a quick stop on the way home?"
Daniel brought us to the All Valley arena where Robby had fought all those months ago "no matter how many times I come back here I feel a rush of adrenaline"
"It's great dad but you haven't told us why we are here," Sam said
"Come here" we walked into the center of the arena "right here"
"I know, this is where you beat Johnny Lawrence" Sam told him
"No, this is where I almost lost to fear" he responded
"What do you mean, when?" I asked not knowing this story
"During my second tournament, I thought I was ready for the final match the opponent was ruthless before I knew it I was on that mat in fear, I was paralyzed, I couldn't move the thought of getting back up and facing that guy scared the living daylights out of me I just wanted to run and never look behind"
"So what did you do?" Sam asked
"I was lucky I had Mr.Miyagi to help get my focus back, I got up and I finished the fight and I won," he told us, I grinned
"I guess Mr.Miyagi always had a way of fixing things" Sam admitted
"There's no question, his advice was something I needed to hear," Daniel said "but ultimately I had to be the one to get up and do something, I still live with the fear guys we all do on some level I just tried to not let it win, Sam, Aella you're the only ones who can get up when you're down no one else, I promise I will be there, always, to help you just like Mr.Miyagi was there for me"