Everything after that was a bit of a blur. I remembered Cobra Kai saying they were going to open up new dojo’s and become some kind of a franchise, honestly you do you Silver sweetheart, I knew we wouldn’t be getting rid of you. I went and changed, Mr. Larusso left instantly to go and find Sam, after Anthony and Mrs. Larusso also congratulated me. A lot of people congratulated me but it was just a lot of blurry faces that I can barely remember. I didn’t see Robby, but I understood that he was probably avoiding us to save his own neck.
Mr and Mrs. Moskowitz had to practically drag Eli and Demetri away from me so they could take the two boys out for a celebratory dinner. They invited me to go with them but dad got all awkward and stand-offish so I denied the invitation. Besides Eli’s parents are going on a trip, he’ll be all mine for a while.
Anyway the reason why I’m telling you all this is so you aren’t like ‘what the fuck where’s Eli!?’ when I tell you that me and dad went for a nice victory drive, screaming Nirvana and ACDC at the top of our lungs, with the first place trophy securely in the back seat.
“Since when are you a good singer?” I laughed
“Since always, where do you think you got it from?” dad scoffed
I laughed more as dad stopped the car somewhere, I guess I wasn’t paying attention to where we were going because if I was I definitely wouldn’t have told dad to go to the told dojo. But nonetheless here we were. It still looks as good as the day we bought it…. Okay maybe it’s a little cleaner, but the outside still looks more or less the same. Except for, ya know, the giant for lease signs
“Dad what’re-...... what’re we doing here?” I asked
“I dunno I just-.....” dad rubbed the back of his neck “I mean, this is where it all started right?”
A soft smile fell on my face, and I nodded my head softly. We both got out of the car, dad wrapped an arm around my waist to help me walk into the dojo, luckily his key still worked. It was empty, completely, empty. Nothing was left except for a few words painted on the main wall. Words that had both motivated and haunted both my dad and I for years. But somehow, now they were nostalgic. Suddenly the door bells went off, and we both turned around, to see Robby walking through the door, back in his street clothes just like us.
“Robby?” dad and I chorused
I stayed with dad, even though my first instinct was to run to him, I wasn’t sure how much more I could do on my leg, so I continued to lean against dad. Robby looked- he looked really upset.
“What’s going on?” dad questioned, he must’ve noticed it too
“I followed you” he mumbled
“What happened here?” I asked
“Moving to a new location” Robby answered, walking a little closer, almost hesitantly “Multiple locations I think”
“You kicked ass today” Dad nodded, fighting for words “Could’ve gone either way”
“Yeah, thanks” Robby nodded “Though, not as good as Harley did” Robby chuckled breathlessly
“Yeah well, I also got my ass kicked” I snickered, before stopping myself and focusing on Robby again.
Man, he really looked bothered. Dad started to walk closer to him, I let dad go so the two of them could have a moment.
“Hey, it’s just a match. Don’t let it each you up, trust me”
“It’s not that” Robby shook his head, his eyes getting more glossy by the second “It’s this kid, Kenny….. I thought I could take him under my wing. Be the mentor I wish I had when I was younger….. Like I wanted to be for Harley, ya know?” I kinda sounded like a jab at dad, but it wasn’t, it was just the truth “But when I saw him today it uh-...... It’s like looking in a mirror” Robby’s voice was a haunted whisper, you could feel the pain in the room “And I realized I screwed everything up” Finally, a tear fell from Robby’s eyes, and his walls finally, after all these years, started to break apart “I had all this hate inside of me, for you and for Miguel- a-and eventually Harley….. And I thought I could use Cobra Kai to control that, but it just made things worse and now it’s never gonna get better”
I watched dad, I didn’t even have to see his face to know he was holding back tears. He shook his head and started walking towards Robby, I lifted a hand to my cheeks to dismiss the fucking tears running down my face. I don’t even know why I’m crying but I am.
“That’s not true” Dad shook his head repeatedly “You had a good thing going with Larusso. I got in the way of that, don’t blame yourself you blame me. Both of you, don’t you dare blame yourselves”
Robby let out a helpless breath, his hands started to shake as he shook his head more. Wow, talk about looking in a mirror.
“I’m sick of blaming you dad” Robby cracked
Robby wiped his face, staring at the floor. Then within one moment dad lunged forwards and wrapped his arm around Robby, and ya know what? Robby actually hugged back. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, which accidentally pulled their attention to me. I didn’t care about the attention, I just wanted them to make up. Robby let go of dad, running across the dojo to me and wrapping his arms around me instantly. I flung my arms around Robby as tightly as I could, Robby and I both sobbing into the other’s shoulder. To top it all off, a pair of arms wrapped around the both of us. A pair of big, strong, comforting arms, holding us close, keeping us safe. Our dad’s arms.
“It’s gonna be alright” dad’s voice was hoarse, just like ours “We’ll figure this out. Okay?”
Neither Robby or I said anything, we just nodded. I don’t remember how long the three of us stood there for, but it wasn’t until each of us was good and ready for the moment to be over. Not that it would really ever be over. We didn’t know what this next chapter in our life was going to bring, but everything was going to change. And I mean everything.
~~
I sat on the couch, my leg was elevated on three pillows. The Breakfast Club playing in the background while I yelled at my dad.
"No! Store bought bologna and Cors is not a meal!"
"I'm not just eating out of the package Harles, I cook it on a frying pan" dad reminded
"That- that really doesn't make a difference-"
I cut myself off when we heard a kick at the apartment door. I started to move, but dad quickly walked out of the kitchen, holding a hand out at me.
"Stay," he ordered. I groaned and flopped my head back "Hey guys come on in. Thank god too because she's driving me nuts"
"Thanks sensei" I heard Eli's voice
"I'm driving you nuts?" I started to get up again, but once again I was stopped by the loud and demanding voices of my family.
"Stay!"
"Fucking hell!" I shouted
The boy's laughed as they walked further into the apartment. Eli walked over to me, leaning down and pressing a kiss to my forehead. I tried to lean up and kiss Eli again but he moved away and walked into the kitchen. I groaned as Eli started digging around along with Demetri, dad had left the apartment, he wasn't telling me when he was doing, but that's fine.
"Okay- you guys are taking this too seriously" I sighed
"No we're not" Demetri stated matter-of-factly as he walked over with a bowl of fishy crackers "You're the dumbass who wanted to keeping fighting"
"Dumbass who won, thank you very much" I reminded as the two of them came back into the living room, dispersing on the couch beside me "And it doesn't even hurt anymore"
"But it needs to heal" Eli reminded, climbing onto the couch and setting me between his legs "Just cause it doesn't hurt right doesn't mean it will continue to not hurt"
"Stop being smart! You guys are starting to make me look like an idiot again"
"Shouldn't have become friends with the nerds" Demetri tsked me like a disappear grandparent
"Should've become popular" Eli did the same
I tried not to smile, but after a while I couldn't hold it and I started laughing, shaking my head at my ridiculous friends. It's been a long ride, but seems like we've made it all the way around and then some. And now, something's I know can be certain. I'll always be arguing with dad, I'll always make stupid decisions in the case of my personal health. No matter how much we argue I will always have Robby. I will always have Demetri and I will always, always, be hopelessly and sickeningly in love with Eli Moskowitz.
And I'll always be really. Really. Good at Karate.
-'|'-'|'-'|'-
And just like that season 4 has come and gone! I hope you all have loved this book just as much as I have. And I can't wait to see you all again in season 5! All my loves goes to you<3<3