"Where were you?" Mr LaRusso asks as I walk up to where he, Robby, and Sam stand.
"Same place you were," I respond. He can't get mad because he did the same thing and if he gets mad then that would make him a huge hypocrite. I don't meet his gaze as he stares at me. I've exhausted my confidence batteries for the day, and maybe even for tomorrow. I want to curl up in a ball and cry. Maybe be completely numbed. Completely numbed while curled up in a ball, crying.
"You know what? You three go home early. We'll pick back up tomorrow. It's not like we can do any training because of those bastards," Mr LaRusso says, his voice tapering off a little towards the end. Robby, Sam, and I exchange looks.
"Are you sure dad?" Sam asks. I don't want to leave if he's not sure.
"Yeah.. just- just take a day off. Get some rest, take your minds off... this," he responds. He sounds distant... like his head isn't here. I can't blame him. Mine isn't exactly here either.
"Okay... we'll see you when you get home," Sam says, and with that, the three of us walk to our respective cars. Robby rides with Sam, while I slide into my own car. I watch as the two of them drive off, but for some reason I can't make the move to put the car in 'drive' and follow them. I want to go back the house do I can so be alone or talk things through with Robby, but... I don't know... I don't feel right leaving Mr LaRusso alone... I know he told us to go home, but the dojo has been completely defaced and disgraced... I have a feeling this place has been just what it has to me for him. I know senseis are supposed to always be there for their students.. but students need to be there for their senseis too.
I get out of my car, walking back through the dojo, taking great care not to step on anything.
"Mr LaRusso?" I ask quietly, stepping through the broken door. Maybe we can fix it...
"You can go home, Parker, it's okay," he says. I can hear the tears in his voice. I feel awful.
"I'm not gonna sit around and do nothing while the dojo looks like this. I want to help,"
"You don't have to do that. I've got it covered. We'll get the big stuff tomorrow. You need some rest," he insists. I don't want to be annoying... but he can't make me leave. Miyagi-Do is like my home. I won't stand idle when it's in this state. I don't say anything. I just pick up a trash bag and get to work. The toilet paper is easy enough to get. It would've sucked if it had rained after they did all this. Mr LaRusso sighs. He can sigh all he wants. I'm staying.
"You went to the Cobra Kai dojo?" Mr LaRusso asks after a few minutes of pure silence. My heart pangs. I just nod and continue to pick up trash.
"You didn't start any fights did you?"
"You didn't teach us to start fights," I reply. He stops, turning to look at me. I don't look back, but my face is hot. When I don't look back for a few moments, he turns back to his work. Words burn on my tongue. Words I know I need to tell him. Words that he needs to know, whether he wants to believe it or not.
"Johnny Lawrence had nothing to do with the physical trashing of the Miyagi-Do dojo," I say, standing completely still. He looks up sharply.
"Don't tell me you bought that bullshit he was selling," he says, seeming genuinely exasperated. I set the bag down, turning to him. I knew he wouldn't believe me.
"I can't afford bullshit Mr LaRusso. I know that he and Miguel Diaz had nothing to do with it,"
"The same Miguel Diaz that targeted your already injured knee to win the All Valley?"
"He apologized for that,"
"When? Over an Instagram DM?"
"In person, a week after the last day of school. He messaged me saying he wanted to talk to me, in person, and I told him I wouldn't until my knee had improved so I would at least stand a chance if I got in a fight. His mom is an x-ray technician, so she was able to help me with my knee. We talked through everything that happened at the tournament and he apologized. I know Miyagi-Do as a whole isn't his biggest fan but you have to trust me," I say, finally admitting to someone that Miguel has apologized to me for his actions. I pray he doesn't share that information with anyone else.
"People change Parker..."
"Then why can't they change for the better? I'm not saying either of them are great people, but neither of them trashed this dojo. I saw the looks in their eyes, the way they held their bodies, the way they reacted to the things I said. Mr LaRusso I've relied on reading expressions to keep myself safe for years now; I know that they didn't do this. Per favore... devi fidarti di me (please... you have to trust me)... I don't want you to get hurt by causing a fight with the wrong people..." I say. I don't look away as he looks me dead in the eye, as if searching for a lie. He finally looks away, hanging his head a little.
"Va bene (alright)..." he says, "I trust you."
Wait what? I thought he was gonna tell me to agree to disagree or try to convince me that I'm wrong. This is a pleasant surprise. I smile a little and we get back to work.
"There was this guy though... he was old.. kinda scary looking... are there two senseis at Cobra Kai? I thought it was just Mr Lawrence. Do you know who he is?" I ask as I reach up for some toilet paper in a tree. Mr LaRusso looks up sharply again.
"Kreese..." he says. That's his name? Wow...
"You know who he is?" I ask, Mr LaRusso's angry look fueling my curiosity.
"Oh I know who he is all right," he responds. I cock my head a little. It must be bad if he's taking on that tone...
"He's Johnny Lawrence's 'sensei'. He made him into a bully. Almost killed Johnny after he came second place in our All Valley. Him being back at Cobra Kai is bad news," Mr LaRusso explains, "he was there when I went but he didn't say a word."
"He said stuff to me," I say. He sets down the trash bag, crossing over to me.
"What did he say to you?" He asks, intensity burning in his voice. Mr LaRusso is scary when he's angry. Then again, I think most people are scary when they're angry because I can't help but think they're mad at me, specifically.
"I got there and he started telling me about how you had already been there and spoken your mind.. I wasn't gonna yell at him, but then he called me 'princess', so I shouted at him to be quiet, but I said it in Spanish and he told me to speak in English because 'this is America'. Then when I was telling Mr Lawrence that I didn't come to fight, he interrupted me and asked why I was standing on the mat so then I was like 'I didn't come to talk to you' and he didn't say a word the rest of the time," I say. I don't like that man. He gives me very much... conservative, racist to who knows what degree kind of vibe, and I don't like it one bit.
"You yelled at him?" Mr LaRusso asks, sounding shocked. My face gets hot. I nod. Please don't be mad at me...
"He deserves it. That man is nothing but trouble," he says, then smiles over at me, "you did good by standing up to him. I'd say you're gaining more confidence. Sam tells me you were getting bullied at school. Maybe that'll change this year."
I can't help but give a small, genuine smile in return. It's nice to know that someone believes I can change for the better. I absentmindedly wander over to the pond as I pick up trash, careful not to step on any plants or broken pieces of pots. The balance board is no longer balanced. One side dips down into the water and the pots are shattered. It's almost as if it represents our current state. This incident has left us all unbalanced...
"We're gonna fix this..." Mr LaRusso says, walking up beside me, "we're gonna fix this for you and for Robby and everyone that considers this dojo to be their home... we're gonna fix this."
I nod a little as a tear rolls down my cheek. We're gonna fix this... we have to fix this... Mr LaRusso pulls me into a gentle hug.
"Thank you for being here, Parker... things are gonna be okay.. things are gonna get better..." he says, sounding gentle and genuine. I nod a little as he lets me go. It's gonna be okay... it's gonna get better...
"Go home, Parker. Go be with Sam and Robby. You need them just as much as they need you. You shouldn't be alone right now," he says. I appreciate his words.
"I'm not alone, I'm with you," I say. He laughs a little, smiling back at me. What? I'm telling the truth?
"To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune," he replies. I- he's not that old. I just blink back at him, which causes his grin to widen. Is there something I'm missing here?
"Go home Parker," he says, laughing a little. This seems different than earlier. Earlier he seemed like he was about to cry and maybe even annoyed when I insisted on staying. Here he seems more content, more hopeful.
"Okay.. we'll all come back tomorrow?"
"You can count on it,"
With one last smile, I hand him my trash bag and head for my car.
I pick up my phone as I slide in, finding a series of texts.
Pretty Boy
-Where are you?
-Where did you go?
-I thought you were right behind us
-I'm getting worried Park where are you?
-Are you okay?
-You're not answering your texts is
everything okay?
I'm okay I'm okay, don't worry-
I just didn't feel right leaving Mr-
LaRusso alone when the dojo...
I'm abt to leave to come home-
-Okay, I'm glad you're okay
-You scared me Park
-I was worried that Cobra Kai might've
done something to you
Thanks for caring :) everything is okay-
See you soon Swayze Keene-
-See you soon Princess Parker
I laugh a little to myself. Him calling me 'Princess Parker' is inside joke from when I told him that my family used to call me 'Princesa' because the way my name is. Reyes means king in Spanish, my middle name is 'Ysa', or 'is a', but said with an accent, and then my first name is just there, so when you put it all together, you get 'Parker is a king, or royalty'. I'm so tired. I didn't sleep well at last night at all and now with all... this and my confrontation with Cobra Kai... I'm just tired.
Sam
-Hey where are you? I thought you
were right behind us?
Yeah sorry, I stayed back to do a-
little cleanup, I'm on my way home :)
With that, I put my phone down, and start driving back to the LaRusso's house... back home.
• • •
A/N: always nice to see some sensei-student bonding time :) I don't have much to say today other than the regular 'thanks for reading' and- as always- stay safe and take care yourselves!