"Park! Park! Don't scream, don't scream," somebody says in a hushed voice, putting a hand on my shoulder. I jump, tensing up heavily. Holy shit what the hell?! Oh!
"Robby? Dios mío, what are you doing here?!" I exclaim in a whisper, turning into his arm to face him. Even in the low light, I can see him grin. He gently tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear.
"I wasn't just gonna let my girlfriend go all the way to Texas without saying goodbye," he says. I find myself unable to stop a grin from spreading across my face. He woke up before three a.m. to come and say goodbye? Awe... I didn't expect him to do that... I wouldn't expect anyone to ever do something like this for me...
"You didn't have to do that," I say, looking down at the ground. It's really early in the morning. All of us have been complaining about how early we had to get here for weeks... but he did it anyway...
"I wanted to. I won't see you until you get back and I wanted to wish you luck," Robby says. He gently tilts my chin up so I'm looking at him.
"You're the most talented person I know. Your voice deserves to be heard. And I'd wish you luck like I just said I was going to, but you don't need it. I've got your back no matter what... even if you're twenty-one hours away."
Tears prick at my eyes and choke up my throat. Ay de mí... all I can do is give a small nod. He grins again, then pulls me into an embrace, which I return. He rests his head against mine, exhaling deeply. I wonder if he's nervous. I am... but it'll be okay... it'll be va bene.
He finally steps out of the hug, looking me in the eye.
"I'm gonna miss you," he says quietly. Awe... I'm gonna miss him too. It'll be weird being so far away... but I'll only be gone a few days. We've been apart for far longer periods of time. I get it though. It'll be strange to be away from all of... everything. No tae kwon do, no karate, no war... just singing and dancing and having a good time. It'll be nice.
"I'm gonna miss you too, mi corazón," I say. He gives me a small smile, then presses a kiss to my lips, lingering just a moment longer than I thought he would.
"Stay safe, hermosa," Robby says, "and try not to fall in love with any choir boys while you're away, okay?"
"You know you're the only one who has my heart," I say, scrunching my nose lovingly, "make sure to read chapter four of The Great Gatsby while I'm gone, va bene?"
"Va bene," he says with a side grin, sounding a little flustered. I smile at him one last time before making to walk into the building for attendance.
"Buono," I say, turning off and walking backwards as I wave back at him, "arrivederci!"
He waves back, and with that, I bounce off, headed for the choir room so I can go on my trip.
——
Miguel POV
I sit down at the usual lunch table, confused. Where's Parker? She's always here before me. And I got here a little late. She should definitely be here by now... this is weird.
"You good, man?" Hawk asks, seeming concerned. I snap back to reality.
"Yeah, yeah. Have you seen Parker anywhere? She's usually here by now," I ask in return. His face gets a little red, but he looks confused. Damn I feel like Parker right now. Examining faces and shit. Maybe I've learned a thing or two.
"She's on her way to Texas right now, dude. She's got that choir competition," he says. Ohh, that's right! How could I forget about that? She's been excited about it for weeks.
"That's right, that's right," I say, nodding a little, "and are you good? You look a little red."
He only goes redder. I think I'm onto something here. He looks really shifty right now. Parker would definitely be onto him in an instant. Sam and Demetri join us at the table, looking a little confused.
"Hey babe, what's going on?" Sam asks. I think Eli has something going on with Parker, and I'm very intrigued.
"Nothing, nothing, just wondering why Hawk is so red," I explain briefly, not breaking eye contact with him.
"Yeah, you're looking a little florid there, Eli," Demetri agrees. So I'm not the only one who sees it.
"Shut up," Hawk says, rolling his eyes. There's definitely something going on here.
"Is it about Parker? You've been looking at her a lot again," Sam says, smiling a little mischievously. Great minds think alike. Maybe we're just that in sync with each other. We were meant to be.
"Except when she looks back at him, then he looks away," Demetri adds. I nod. So we've all noticed it.
"Fuck all of you guys," Hawk says, "are you really gonna make me tell you?"
"You can't just say that and then not expect us to ask more questions," Sam says, laughing.
"Yeah, she's not even here, she won't know you told us anything," Demetri says. He's right. I feel kinda bad about talking about her while she's not here though... it's okay. It's not like we're saying anything bad.
"Fine..." Hawk trails off, sitting back in his seat and avoiding eye contact with all of us, "I asked her out a little while ago..."
Wait. What?
"What?! No way, dude, I didn't think you were actually gonna do it!" Demetri exclaims. He knew he liked her? I mean, I probably could've guessed based on the way he talked to her when they were rivals, but I didn't realize he like, actually liked her or anything...
"Well, what did she say?!" Sam asks, shifting to the edge of her seat.
"No, obviously. Do you really think I'd ever shut up about it if she had said yes?" Hawk says. So she turned him down... damn... that's rough. I know the feeling...
"Hey, at least you gave it a shot," Demetri says. He's got a point. Who knows, she could've said yes. That would've been a little weird though. Hawk and Parker as a couple. I would've never seen it coming. I nod in agreement to show I'm still with the conversation.
"Did she say why?" Sam asks. Good question. I mean, it probably has something to do with the gross comments or the almost dislocating her knee or the attacking her and her friends or the vandalism of her dojo, but at the same time, she almost kissed me after I hurt her and her friends and fought her closest friend, so who knows?
"She said she just didn't feel the same and that she was se- actually, I don't think she would want me to say that part," he answers. That she was what? C'mon, he can't just leave us with that!
"I think it'll be okay, right? It's not like we're gonna tell anybody," I say, even more curious than before.
"Yeah, I'd probably already know about it anyway, she tells me everything- well, almost everything," Sam says, backing me up. Did she tell Sam about she and I almost kissing, or did that fall into the 'almost everything' part of 'she tells me everything'? Demetri looks intrigued too. Hawk shakes his head, looking annoyed.
"That's easy for you guys to say, you've all been friends with her for at least half a year or more. I just got her trust back like a month ago. It's none of your damn business," he says, and with that, he stands up with his tray and storms away without another word. The three of us remaining sit in shocked silence.
"Well... that just happened..." Demetri says.
"That was a little dramatic," Sam follows up.
"Yeah... he seems pretty serious about it too..." I agree. The two of them nod. What wouldn't Parker want us to know in regards to why she turned down Hawk..? Am I missing something about her? I think I am... and I'm starting to think I don't know her nearly as well as I thought... I don't think I'm anywhere near having her in checkmate... at this point, I don't even think I have her in check...
——
Daniel POV
"Hey hun, have you seen Parker anywhere? She didn't clock in, but she's usually here on Fridays," I ask Amanda. I could really use her right about now. The windows need cleaning and Louie always ends up missing spots. She looks at me like I'm stupid.
"She's on a bus to Texas? For her show choir competition? Which she's been talking about for weeks?" Amanda responds. Show choir- oh, right, Im pretty sure I remember her telling me about that. I can't believe I forgot.
"That's right, that right. How could I forget?" I say, feeling a little stupid. She chuckles.
"Maybe if you paid more attention to her life outside of karate then you would've remembered," she throws out. Oh, so this is what we're doing now? Of course I pay attention to Parker, she's one of my best students, and I care about her like she's a part of my family.
"I pay attention to her life outside of karate,"
"Okay, then when did she start going to therapy?"
"She started going to therapy?"
"Point proven," she says, turning back to her computer. She's smiling, so I get the feeling she's not being too serious, but her words still stand. I didn't know Parker started going to therapy... I knew she was talking about going, but I didn't realize she had already gone. Then again... I haven't really talked to Parker much lately... not since Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang split... I mean, I asked her to do kata at the tournament and she seemed okay then, but she hasn't said anything to me other than 'hello's and 'goodbye's since the fight...
"Alright, in my defense, she hasn't really talked to me at all since Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang split up," I say, "I think she might be mad at me..."
Amanda looks back at me from her computer, seeming suddenly interested.
"And is there any particular reason that she would be mad at you?" she asks. I sigh, nodding a little.
"She tried to convince me that Johnny and I should work together because it's the only way to beat Cobra Kai... and I might've... raised my voice at her... in Italian..." I say, mumbling a little towards the end. It sounds a lot worse when I say it out loud... Amanda gives me a look that really drives it home. Okay, I think I really screwed up.
"Really, Daniel? Didn't we talk about this over the summer?"
"I know, I know, but she wasn't all sunshine herself. Did you know she and Robby are dating?"
"What?"
"Yeah, since just before the fight at the house. Sam doesn't know, Miguel doesn't know, I don't think any of her friends know. She's been keeping it from everyone. I just can't believe they're together. I mean, if you asked me before he kicked Miguel over the railing I would've told you that they were together, but now? And she just goes to the Cobra Lai dojo like it's nothing," I say, shaking my head. I just hope that Robby doesn't rub off too much on Parker... the last thing I need is another one of my original students turning on me... I already lost Robby... I can't lose Parker too...
"I say good for them. If they're happy and they're not hurting anyone, then what about it? You and I both know they're both hurt people... if them being together is helping them, so what? Maybe Parker could help Robby. If there's anyone to do it, it's her," she shrugs, "and you shouldn't be mad that you've got an inside woman who's friendly enough with the Cobra Kais to just 'go to the Cobra Kai dojo like it's nothing'."
That is not the answer I was expecting.
"Ouch,"
"C'mon, you know it's true," she says, smiling a little as if she knows what she's doing, "anyway, you need to stop acting like the sixteen year old with a million other things going on in her life is the only one who can get stuff done around here."
"Yeah, yeah, okay, you're right. I'll talk to her when she gets back," I say. With that, I walk out of her office, feeling a lot worse than when I walked in.
———
Robby POV
I finally finish the last pages of chapter four of The Great Gatsby, then set it aside. It's a lot more boring without Park here to talk about it with. It's like I can run my thoughts about it by her out loud and I know she won't judge me. She makes me feel smart. Where would she be now? I look up at the clock. Assuming everything is going to time, then she should be about to go on stage for the first round... she's gonna do great. I just know it.
Alright, I'm bored as hell, I'm going skating. It's stuffy in here anyway.
—
I roll leisurely down the sidewalk, taking in my surroundings. This new skateboard rides really smooth. I would've expected the opposite, but I guess Park is just some sort of skateboard magician. How could I forget? She's a little handywoman. She'll do me- I mean fix the lights for free. I smile to myself.
Next thing I know, a motorcycle is coming dangerously close to where I skate across the street. I try to swerve out of the way, but it was too fast, and I go crashing to the ground. What the hell?! I had the walk light!
"What the hell man?!" I exclaim in frustration, getting up quickly and picking up my skateboard. I check to make sure it didn't break. Thank god. I don't want this one to break... I get a closer look at who it was as they backup a little, their eyes not on me, but on my skateboard. Wait... so it wasn't enough to ask out my girlfriend, he had to almost run me over with a motorcycle too?
"Where did you get that skateboard?" Hawk asks. That's his question right now? Nothing about almost running me over, or into traffic? Just about the skateboard? Fucking hell.
"Why the hell should I tell you-"
"The design. I've seen it before," he says. Park did this... and I've seen things similar to it, but none just like it... has she shown him this painting before?
"Someone painted it for me, happy? Now fuck off," I say, more annoyed than ever. I get back on my skateboard and skate off, just hoping to get out of his sight. I know things between Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang and Cobra Kai aren't good, but Silver told us not to physically hurt them. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr LaRusso isn't playing by the same rules. People like him think they can do whatever they want. I don't think Hawk meant to almost hit me... but I'm still pissed about it. And confused. I wish Park was here so I could talk to her or ask her about all of this...
If she were here, I'm sure she would talk me out of doing something impulsive, but she's not, and I have some money left over from my birthday... and I think I have an idea...
——
Cameron POV
"Abelardo?!" I call out into the basically empty dojang. Maybe he can help me.
"What is it, Mr Walker?" he responds, casually just appearing out of the supply closet. Jesus fucking Christ, how long has he been in there?
"Have you seen Kata anywhere? She's always around before a seminar and I was gonna ask her about this move in Yoo-Sin," I say. She's only been a third degree for a year and she's already got the whole thing memorized. She's at the point where every time an instructor watches her do it, they have to nitpick the littlest things, and she makes it better with each rep. It's crazy.
"I believe she is currently at a show choir competition," he says, "did she not tell you?"
"I think she did, but I guess I wasn't paying attention. Sometimes I forget she's got other stuff outside of... this," I admit. It's mostly with her and karate. She's so wrapped up in it, but I still manage to forget. Some of those people she's talked about fighting in the past... it's taken a lot to not ask more questions and track them down. One girl cut her with a spiked bracelet, some guy nearly dislocated her knee and got off without so much as a warning, she's had her ribs broken or fractured more than once, her ankle strained, and seems to come in with a new bruise every week. She didn't get into trouble like this before she got into karate. I also didn't know her very well before she got into karate... I think she gained some confidence. It's cool to see.
"It's easy to forget when you only see someone in one setting of their life," Mr Abelardo nods. That's the truth.
"Do you know how her karate is going? Do you think she's ready for the All Valley?" I ask. Judging by the fact that she's won two tae kwon do tournaments in the past year, I'd say she's pretty well off, but at the same time, there's all those stories she's told me about her opponents...
"In terms of kata, which she plans to do to represent her dojo, I have no doubt that she will exceed," he answers, "though in sparring, there will always be more for her to learn."
"I mean, you've gotta give her some credit though, right? She's beat out some of the best fighters in the Valley that I've seen. Like that guy who kicked me hard in the back of the head,"
"I never said that she was not a very formidable opponent, but there will always be more to learn. That applies to you as well," Mr Abelardo says, giving me a look, though he's smiling, so I don't think he's annoyed with me, "speaking of, what move was it that you had questions about?"
"You know what, I'll think I'll just wait until Kata gets back," I say. It's what should be a simple move, but I always forget it. It's a little embarrassing, and she doesn't make fun of me. Well, she'll pretend to make fun of me, but I know she means well. I don't think she has it in her to actually make fun of anybody. Her brother told me she used to get bullied a lot... Mr Abelardo smiles and shakes his head as I slip away to prepare for the seminar. It sucks that Kata is gone though. She would've loved this. Oh well. Guess she'll be stuck with me teaching it to her when she gets back.
——
Parker POV
Por el amor de Dios, santo cielo. Every setting I was in, I would ask 'how were things while I was gone?', and every time it would be something different. I barely remembered to tell people that my group swept and I got best female performer, and that's kind of big deal.
I got to the lunch table and asked how everything was and everybody kind of averted eye contact and just said that everything was fine. I of course knew they were lying because they literally cannot have been more shifty about it. I had to pry it out of Miguel that Eli confessed to them that he had asked me out. Eli then tracked me down to say that he didn't tell them that I was seeing anybody, which I kind of grilled him about, and he also started to say that he ran into someone over the weekend, but then didn't finish what he was gonna say, and I had to get to my next class. He hasn't answered any of my texts about it.
I asked Robby when I went to see him and he said that he ran into Eli- or rather, that Eli almost ran into him with his motorcycle while Robby was on his skateboard- and asked about the design on the bottom. I'm almost certain that that's what Eli was gonna say before he cut himself off, but you never know. Coincidentally, Robby also told me something happened but refused to elaborate on it, though he was being very careful with the left side of his torso... I'm afraid he got into a fight or something... the way he was moving and being very gentle with hugs after the initial 'attacking Park with the biggest hug she's ever had' hug makes me think he's got a bruise there, or even a damaged rib... I didn't want to grill him too hard on it, but I'm still really worried. I just hope he's okay...
I finally got to tae kwon do where Cameron briskly grabbed my arm and pulled me into the dojang and started filling me in on everything I missed at a seminar they had on Saturday, then asked me to help him with Yoo-Sin, which I did. It was a really weird- well, not weird, but unexpected- interaction. Strangely enough, it was the most normal out of all of the interactions I had with the people I'm close to today.
It was just... a really weird first day back to real life. I was expecting it to be strange, but not that strange, and I was excited to share about what happened, but that all kind of got tabled for the other things. I don't wanna say that I left and everything went to shit, because everything is... technically okay, but it's just... strange. Everybody was being strange today. Ay Dios mío... I leave for four days...
• • •
A/N- this chapter is very much filler and kind of all over the place but i needed something to tie up some ends and segway into the next chapter, which is a hangout w/ eli, demetri, and park :)
as always, stay safe and take care of yourselves