•~3rd person P.O.V~•
"Hey boys," Hawk's head drew up as he heard Ellie's voice, along with Bert and Nate, "looks like we're having a bit too much fun in here." She smirked, Hawk, freezing as he held the boy against the door of one of the toilets. Why was Ellie in the boy's bathroom, he wondered. "How about we let go of my friend." Hawk did immediately, the infliction in her voice scared him. Like she was going to pounce on him and beat the shit out of him until he blacked out.
"Ellie, I didn't-" Hawk started.
"I know you didn't, but um...just reference for next time..." Ellie slowly inched closer to her brother, suddenly seeing him as an enemy. As if her brother was Kyler and Kenny was Eli. "If you touch him again, I'll break your fingers individually. Understand?" Ellie glanced at Nate and Bert, who were practically shitting themselves in fear. "That goes for everyone," She added, "I asked a question, and I expect an answer," Ellie ordered, her teeth clenched as she spoke.
"We understand," Hawk answered for the group, a faux, sick, smile spreading across Ellie's face.
"Great, we're all on the same page." She turned and slung her arm around Kenny, walking out of the bathroom with him. She didn't plan on telling Robby about the incident, because she'd dealt with it.
"Who was that?" Kenny asked, Ellie could feel his heart beating quickly against her arm. His breathing was starting to return to a regular pace, the fear slowly draining from him.
"An insecure asshole who has to pick on middle schoolers to feel confident, someone who doesn't deserve a name." Kenny chuckled. He didn't understand why Ellie had taken a likening to him, or why she was so protective of him, but he enjoyed it. It was as if she were Shawn in a way. Next time he visited Shawn, he would make sure to tell Shawn about her, so that he knew he was okay. So if he was dog shit at karate, at least he'd have someone there for him. "I'm guessing you're touring the high school, so we should probably find your group before they leave without you."
~
Ellie went to karate practice the next day, not thinking about the incident at the high school, but Kenny was. Kenny told Robby, and Robby immediately knew who Kenny was talking about. Kenny didn't, thankfully. Robby just wanted to know why Ellie hadn't told him.
Ellie had her reasons. The biggest reason was that Hawk was her brother and she didn't want Robby to go after him but she also had other things, more important things, to think about.
Ellie had been kicked out. Her mom texted her the night before, saying she was too disrespectful, too disruptive, and she wasn't the daughter she raised. For those reasons, she couldn't have Ellie in her house. She said she didn't want Ellie to corrupt Hawk. Then, she was blocked.
Robby and Ellie would have to find a new hotel soon enough, close enough to the school so Ellie could still go. Ellie was thinking about moving into a motel since they tended to be more lenient with people living in their rooms for long periods of time. But Ellie knew they'd have to move again and again. Eventually, she'd have to go back and get her things, maybe even try to find an apartment in the process.
But she was only seventeen. No one would give an apartment to a minor. She sighed as she scrolled through motels around her, most of them had few rooms, bad ratings, or were too far away from her school. She was running out of choices. Her last choice would be to turn to the LaRussos for help but she doubted that they'd let Robby stay with her.
Ellie wasn't sure if Hawk had anything to do with her being kicked out of if he even knew but she decided not to bring it up. She hadn't seen him since the school day when he picked on Kenny and she wasn't sure if she wanted to see him. Hawk wasn't her brother anymore, Hawk was just someone she knew from her past. That was what she told herself.
"Everyone fall in. As you know, our enemies are working together. They are combining their styles to beat us. But they are destined to fail. Because there is only one way. And what is that way?" Kreese asked.
"The Way of the Fist, sir!" The Cobra's shouted.
"Exactly. However, that doesn't mean that we can't double down. Class, meet Sensei Terry Silver." Ellie felt alarms ring in her head as the man entered from the dressing rooms. Ellie had heard the stories of Terry Silver from Daniel. He had confided in her, saying he hadn't even told his wife or his kids about Terry Silver. "Co-founder of Cobra Kai and one of the most ferocious fighters in the history of the sport. Together, we built Cobra Kai from the ground up, and now he is here to help you prepare for the All Valley." Terry nodded, standing alongside of Kreese.
"Thank you, Sensei Kreese. It's an honor to be here." He announced, looking over the group. Ellie could feel Robby's eyes on her as she stood in her usual spot beside him. Something about the air between them told Ellie that they had something to talk about.
"With two senseis, you will receive twice the instruction. That means twice the work. And if you are not prepared to put in two hundred percent, then you can leave right now." Kreese ordered, but no one left. Ellie had given her mom two hundred percent of her, she could surely give it to Kreese and Terry Silver.
"But if you dig in and follow our lead, we're gonna take you to the next level." Ellie looked at Robby, who gave her a strong nod of affirmation. Ellie felt her heart break, remembering that she was practically lying to him since she hadn't told him about the incident. Or about how she'd gotten kicked out.
~
"Eloise Moskowitz?" Ellie's head snapped up, dread filling her body at hearing her first name. She told herself that whoever was saying it, didn't have ill intentions. Whoever said it wasn't her mother. "Sorry, I've been told Ellie is your preferred name." She realized it was Terry Silver, she quickly stood from her place on the bench. She looked around for Robby but realized that he told her he'd be practicing with Kenny and then they'd go back to the hotel.
"Mr. Silver." She bowed slightly, nerves filling her skin making her itch.
"Terry's just fine." He smiled, he'd heard a lot about Ellie from Kreese. Including her quick, recent, change in personality. "I've heard a lot about you." Ellie chuckled awkwardly.
"Good things, I hope." Terry nodded.
"All good things, mostly." Ellie felt her smile fall slightly. "You seemed tense during today's lesson, distracted, everything okay?" Was Ellie that obvious? Was she that easily readable? She didn't think so, maybe Terry Silver was just good at reading people, like Ellie was.
"It's hard to explain." Terry blinked at her, Ellie had been told that was a sign people gave for her to continue speaking. She let out a small sigh. "Mr. LaRusso used to be like a dad to me and he told me about you and what you did to him." She admitted, her eyes flicking to the corner of the room and then back at Terry.
"I was a different man back then," Terry started, "I was on various drugs, dealing with mental struggles, but none of that excuses my behavior." Ellie nodded slowly. "I've changed, or at least I think so, whether I've changed or not will be up for you to decide." Terry finished, placing a hand on Ellie's shoulder. She tensed for a moment, before letting herself relax.
"Ellie," Robby called Terry turning to look at him. "C'mon." Robby urged her, his eyes sticking to Terry. He didn't really trust Terry all that well, not enough to let him touch Ellie.
~
"I'm not mad at you, Robby," Ellie whispered as she sat in the back of Kyler's truck. She sat to Robby's left while Tory sat to his left. They were watching some crappy old movie Ellie had never heard of, nor was she paying attention.
"Then what's wrong, Ellie? Something's wrong and I wanna help." Robby whispered back, shifting in his seat so he could face Ellie better. Ellie sucked in a sharp breath, glancing away from Robby.
"I know that you know about the incident at the school and I feel bad for not telling you but I didn't want you to go after Hawk because I dealt with it and I didn't want him to get hurt and my mom kicked me out and we have to leave the hotel and find somewhere else to stay soon and I'm afraid I might have to stay with the LaRusso's and they won't let you stay with me." Robby listened as her confessions spewed from her mouth, her stare staying on the floor.
"You don't have to feel bad for not telling me about the incident at the school, I understood why you didn't tell me, as for everything else...we'll figure something out. Okay? You don't gotta worry about all this stuff." He chuckled slightly, his hand cupping her cheek. "Just relax." He smiled. Her shoulders fell as if Robby was her brain demanding her body to do as he said. He carefully pressed his lips against hers, his hand going from her cheek to the back of her neck, pressing her lips closer to hers.
"Can y'all stop fucking back there? We're trynna watch a movie." Ellie and Robby pulled away, a giggle falling from Ellie's plump lips.
"You'd know if we were fucking, Kyler." Robby retorted.
~
Ellie sat in the car with Robby while they waited for Kenny to return. She'd gotten into the movie, allowing herself to relax and focus on something else. Besides the movie, she'd been focused on Robby's hand on her thigh, his thumb moving up and down against her skin.
"That piece of shit," Robby muttered, quickly climbing out of the car. Ellie furrowed her eyebrows, watching Robby leave and then looking out of the car window. She sighed, seeing Hawk and his friends surround a frightened Kenny.
He'll handle it; Ellie told herself, trying to relieve herself from any responsibility she'd pressed upon herself. It only worked for about three minutes before she and the other Cobra's left from the car.
"You betrayed Miyagi-Do. Traitor." Nate's voice quivered in fear as he tried his best to sound confident and failed.
"Oh, there's a traitor here for sure. He's gonna get what he deserves." Ellie smiled, joining Robby's side. Hawk's eyes grew wide. He didn't think Ellie would be at the drive-in, but he also hadn't asked.
"I don't think so. Not if I have anything to say about it, Eloise." Ellie clenched her jaw, her eyes slowly moving to Hawk. No one called her Eloise, and Sam said it as if she knew the harm behind it. The groups stared at each other for a moment, until Demetri showed up.
"Hey, guys. Can you believe that they have Mr. Pibb and Dr. Pepper? Oh shit. Not another rumble." Demetri groaned.
"Having fun with my leftovers, again, Ellie?" Sam smirked as if she did something incredible. As if someone was going to clap for her and give her a standing ovation for what she had just said. Ellie laughed, Sam's smirk falling. She didn't receive the reaction she expected, or wanted.
"Funny you mention that because Miguel only asked you out because Hawk told him he couldn't get with me." Miguel, Sam, and Hawk all looked at each other. Miguel wondered why Hawk had told her, Sam wondered if she was telling the truth, and Hawk wondered if it was too late to leave. "So technically, my leftovers, and then right after you two broke up we almost fucked so again, my leftovers, as for Robby-"
"I dated you to get over Ellie, didn't work by the way, that's why I went to her house right after the school fight and not yours." Sam felt her face fall.
"Stop. We can't do this. We'll beat 'em on the mat." Miguel interrupted, as Sam tried to step toward Ellie.
"Oh really? You remember what happened the last time we fought, right?" Robby asked, a small smirk finding its way to his lips.
"Okay. Meet us at the baseball diamond in 30 minutes. And no weapons." Ellie scoffed.
"Yeah, we won't need 'em." She said, wondering how stupid Miguel had to be to think that Tory actually needed weapons to beat Sam in a fight. She's proven multiple times that she didn't.
~
"You guys see anything?" Kyler asked, the group walking onto the baseball diamond. The Miyagi Do's and Eagle Fang's were nowhere to be seen.
"They'll be here," Robby assured them, stopping at the center of the field.
"They'd better be," Ellie mumbled. The light around them shut down, one by one. Ellie was quick to grab Kenny's arm, to protect him from any danger that was soon to come. It was then that the sprinklers came on, soaking each and every one of them.
"We can't let them get away with this!" Kyler shouted.
"We won't," Robby mumbled. Ellie watched as the silver car in a nearby parking lot drove away, Ellie would get revenge. For everyone.
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Word Count:2,284