Summer was in full swing as the California sun shined bright in the cloudless sky. Harper sat on the chair by her bed, legs tucked under her as she stared out the window. She watched the street below as cars passed by and kids rode their bikes. Their infectious laughter reached her through the open window. It had been over a month since Harper first entered this house. Four weeks where she felt safe and well-cared for. It was surreal just thinking about it. A home like this always seemed out of reach, a dream she spent her entire life chasing but never quite reaching.
Until now.
The Hudson's hadn't changed at all since that first day. It was something that Harper had been worried about. That they would show their true colors and be like every other foster family in the past. But they treated her like they treated their son. With respect, compassion, and love. Neither of which she was accustomed to because her previous homes lacked in treating her like a human. She was slowly adjusting to feeling like she was part of the family, of living out her days like an average teenager. Most of which consisted of doing whatever she wanted, whether it was reading, listening to music, or spending time with her foster family. She had freedom like never before.
Harper abandoned her spot by the window and went downstairs to the kitchen. She pulled a water bottle from the fridge and went into the living room, where Cole was playing a martial arts game she didn't know the name of. Smiling, she stood by the couch while Cole's character beat up the villain.
Over the last few weeks, Cole had warmed up to her though he was still very much curious about her life before she came to live with them. Whenever a question or thought popped into his head, he didn't hesitate to ask. Despite some questions being overly personal, Harper liked having him around. She enjoyed having a foster sibling almost as much as he did.
A controller was shoved before her, pulling her attention away from the TV. "If you're going to stand there, you might as well play," Cole stated, moving over on the couch.
"Okay." Harper sat beside him and momentarily stared at the controller, trying to remember which buttons did what. He'd explained it to her once a little while ago, but she quickly lost that information. She frowned, hitting a random button, and was disappointed when nothing on the screen happened. "Hey, how do I-" She started, but Cole didn't give her time to finish the question. The game had already resumed, and Harper's character was quickly dying. "That's not fair, I wasn't ready!" She exclaimed, randomly pushing every button to save her onscreen self.
"You snooze, you lose," Cole said with a shrug, easily beating her.
The game restarted itself, and Harper was determined not to lose again. "You're going down," she said with a laugh.
The two played through a few more levels, none of which Harper won. Despite her losing streak, she had fun. And judging from the smile on Cole's face, he did, too.
The normalcy of spending her time doing something as mundane as playing video games didn't go unnoticed by her. She savored every minute of it, not taking an ounce of this new life for granted.
"You two seriously need to get some fresh air," Olivia commented as she and Lucas stepped into the room. She smiled at the scene before her, conversing silently with her husband.
"You know, video games will rot your brain," Lucas added, though he looked longingly at the screen.
Cole rolled his eyes and placed the controller down. "We'll be outside later when we go to Valley Fest." His comment was met with silence, and he looked up at his parents. "We're still going, right? We go every year, and I already promised my friends I'd be there."
Lucas nodded to his question and toddled his hair. "Don't worry, buddy. We're still going."
"Sweet!" Cole said with a smile.
"You, too, Harper," Lucas told her. "It'll be good for you to leave the house."
"What's Valley Fest?" Harper asked. She heard the event thrown around over the last few weeks but hadn't paid much attention to it.
"The Valley has a festival every summer. Big and small businesses set up stands to promote themselves. But there's also food, music, games, and rides," Olivia explained. "It's actually pretty fun. Kind of like a carnival."
"Sounds fun," she answered.
❀⊱┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄⊰❀
Harper stood at the entrance to Valley Fest, feeling overwhelmed. Her eyes darted across the large field that served as the home to the festival. Music played through the speakers and carried across the vast area, mixing with the sounds of games, rides, and peoples' conversations and laughter. There was so much to look at that she didn't know where to focus her attention.
"Woah." Cole's eyes lit up as he looked from one area to the next. "This is so cool."
"Sweet!" Lucas exclaimed. He was possibly even more excited than Cole, taking in everything the festival offered. "Oh, we're so going on those rides," he said, nudging Olivia.
Olivia laughed, shaking her head at her husband's excitement. She led the way further into the festival, and everyone followed behind. People walked every which way, their exhilaration palpable and contagious.
Olivia grabbed Lucas' arm, nodding towards a table up ahead. "Looks like the LaRussos are already here. Let's go say hi."
"Quite a turnout, huh?" Lucas said as they approached the table.
A man dressed in a karate uniform turned around. He appeared to be a few years older than the Hudsons, but his face was kind, a smile already directed toward them. "Lucas, Olivia. It's so good to see you."
"You too, Daniel. Where's your wife?" Lucas asked.
"She's right here." A woman stepped up beside Daniel, a smile stretching across her face. "Did you guys just get here?"
"Yeah, a couple of minutes ago," Olivia answered. "Wow. This place looks busier than last year."
"Right?" Amanda nodded, letting her eyes drift over the festival. "They probably heard that Daniel's going to promote his karate dojo with a demonstration tonight," she said, a touch of sarcasm coating her words, but her smile remained, indicating that she was only joking.
"Amanda," Daniel said with a sigh, shaking his head.
Lucas showed a mild interest at the mention of the demonstration. "So, you finally did it, huh? Two-time karate champ opens his own dojo."
Daniel laughed, then nodded. "Yeah. I figured it was time to show these kids the right way to fight." His eyes fell upon Cole before noticing Harper, and a curious look danced in his eyes. "So you must be Harper."
Harper nodded. "Yeah, uhm, nice to meet you."
"We've heard a lot about you," Amanda told her. "How are you settling in?"
"Good. Yeah, it-it's great," she answered with a smile.
"Glad to hear it. You know, our daughter's around here somewhere. I'm think you two would get along," Daniel said, his eyes darting around the area. "She and Robby will be here soon."
"I didn't realize Sam was friends with him," Lucas said, sharing a surprised look with Olivia.
Daniel nodded with a chuckle. "He's actually staying with us for a little while. His mom left him alone, and Johnny didn't exactly step in to help." He continued quickly after seeing the look Lucas threw his way. "No offense. I know you're friends with Johnny, but he's not exactly involved in Robby's life."
"He's not wrong," Olivia said quietly, glancing at Lucas.
"He's trying," Lucas said with a sigh, not necessarily disagreeing with Daniel. "But I'm glad that Robby has a place to stay."
"Yeah, he's a good kid. A bit troubled, but can you blame him?" He sighed and looked towards Cole. "You know, Anthony is around here somewhere."
Cole sighed impatiently as he turned to his parents. "Can I please go? My friends are already here, and I'm missing all the fun," he said, arms crossed over his chest.
Olivia nodded, and he immediately ran off into the crowd.
"Just remember to keep your phone on!" Lucas called after him, but whether Cole heard him, they didn't know. "I swear, that kid runs off more than he listens."
"Hey, dad. Robby's just finishing up, but I think everything's ready for the demonstration." Sam appeared by Daniel's side, dressed in a similar karate uniform to her dad's. Her blue eyes shined as she looked at everyone. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson."
"Hi, Sam. You're taking after your dad with the karate, I see," Olivia said.
Sam laughed, glancing down at her gi. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Sam, this is Harper," Daniel said, introducing the two girls.
"Hey," Sam said happily.
Harper smiled, but before she could reply, they were interrupted.
"Anything else you need us to do, Mr. LaRusso?" Robby asked, joining them.
"No. No, I don't think so," Daniel said with a shake of his head. "Listen, there's still some time before the demonstration. Why don't you kids take Harper and have some fun? Just make sure to be back before we go on."
Sam smiled. "Yeah, of course."
Robby stood quietly, his eyes falling onto Harper as if just noticing her. A look of distrust brewed in his green eyes. A look that Harper was all too familiar with as it often rested in her own eyes.
Harper didn't move and instead looked at Olivia and Lucas, who sensed her hesitation.
"Go have fun," Olivia told her.
"Just remember to keep your phone on," Lucas added.
Harper nodded, briefly touching the phone in her back pocket. Her first phone ever. Technically, it had been Olivia's old phone, but they had given it to her for emergencies and if she ever needed to contact one of them. "I will," she told them before walking away with Sam and Robby.
"So, how long are you staying with the Hudson's?" Sam asked as she led them deeper into the festival.
It grew considerably louder and busier the further they walked. Food stalls were spread out in a haphazard, though organized, way. Game stalls were lined up on the right and left, overcrowded by kids and younger teenagers as they awaited their turn.
Harper shrugged, carefully sidestepping groups of people that walked in the opposite direction. "No idea. It's not really up to me, you know."
"Do you think you'll go to West Valley High in the fall?" Sam asked.
"Maybe, I don't know," she said again with another shrug, not having thought that far ahead. She was taking it one day at a time. "It all depends on how long they want to foster me for."
"Wait... You're a foster kid?" Robby asked, throwing a cautious look her way.
"That's usually what fostering means." Harper nodded. "But yeah, I have been since I was about eight."
"What happened that got you put in the system?" Robby asked.
"Robby," Sam hissed, shaking her head at him.
He raised an eyebrow at Sam. "What? It's just a question. She doesn't have to answer if she doesn't want to."
Sam frowned, a disappointed look on her face that was geared towards Robby.
"It's okay," Harper told them as she pulled her jacket tighter around herself.
Robby looked towards her, waiting for an answer while Sam nervously bit her lip.
"My mom died in a car accident when I was about eight. I didn't have anywhere to go so CPS took me," she answered simply.
"What about your dad?" Robby asked.
Harper sighed as it was something she often thought about. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure he's dead, too."
"Pretty sure?" Robby asked.
"Yeah. I mean, he left when I was really little, but I think I'd be living with him if he was alive."
"Not if he's anything like my dad," Robby muttered while Sam smiled sadly at her, a look of pity in her eyes.
Harper looked away from them, not caring to see their expressions. She knew how messed up her life was and didn't need people to feel sorry for her.
"So, you guys are doing some karate demonstration tonight, right?" Harper thought back to a month ago when she met Miguel, who also mentioned something about karate. Perhaps it was more popular around here than she thought.
"Yeah. My dad just opened up Miyagi-Do Karate. He teaches us how to use it for self-defense. We're actually looking for people to join. Right now, it's just Robby and me, but we're hoping more people will sign up after tonight."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure they will," Harper said, and, judging from how crowded it was, getting recruits shouldn't be too big of a problem.
"You wouldn't want to join, would you?" Sam asked, her voice hopeful.
She shook her head. "It's not really my thing, sorry." Even if she was interested, joining would be pointless if she was only here for a little while longer. How long it would be until she was moved to a new home, she didn't know. She didn't want to think about it, either. Against her better judgment, Harper had gotten comfortable at her new home. How could she not? It was paradise compared to the other homes she'd been in. Just the thought of being thrown into a new home brought her fear to the surface. She shook her head to get those thoughts out before focusing on the present. "So, is karate really that popular around here?"
Sam laughed, nodding. "Yeah, it kind of is. My dad won the karate tournament twice back when he was in high school. He beat Robby's dad the first time around."
Harper stopped for a moment, turning to Robby. "Wait, your dad does karate, too?"
Robby nodded quickly but didn't offer any information.
"Our dads really hated each other back in high school. So when my dad found out that Robby's dad opened up his dojo a few months ago... well, they kind of picked up where they left off."
Harper crossed her arms, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "Seriously? This sounds like something out of a comic."
"Tell me about it," Sam said with a laugh, seeming to find amusement in the situation.
"And your dad's okay with you not being with him?" Harper asked.
Robby clenched his jaw as if she had struck a nerve with her question. "I don't really give a shit what he thinks or how he feels."
Harper threw a questioning look toward Sam. "That bad, huh?"
"Robby and his dad don't get along. They don't have the best relationship," Sam explained gently.
"Any relationship. He's been out of my life more than he's been in it," Robby clarified. "I wanted to piss my dad off, so I joined Miyagi-Do. But compared to the bullshit he teaches at Cobra Kai, I decided to stay. I didn't want any part of that."
Harper nodded slowly, the drama of the karate world being a lot to process. "What's wrong with Cobra Kai?"
Sam and Robby exchanged a worried look, an unspoken conversation occurred between them while Harper stood by entirely in the dark.
Her knowledge of karate was nonexistent, and being new in the Valley, she was clearly out of the loop on all the drama. At first, she found this humorous with the rivalry between Sam and Robby's dad and how big of a deal it was made out to be. But somehow, things seemed to take a severe turn at the mention of the other dojo.
"Cobra Kai is pure evil," Sam sighed. "They've brainwashed their students. They teach them to be aggressive and always be on the offensive when karate is meant to be for self-defense purposes only."
"It can't really be that bad." Harper couldn't imagine how karate could change someone's behavior.
"They're nothing but bullies," Robby added, a look of disgust at the thought of this being his dad's doing.
Sam nodded in agreement. "Some kids who were bullied in school joined Cobra Kai, and now they're the bullies."
Harper let that sink in momentarily as the silence stretched from the conversation. It was a lot to take in because she knew nothing about karate. There was probably more that she didn't know or understand, but if there was one thing she knew, it was bullies. Her whole life had been filled to the brim with people who wanted nothing but to knock her down; the messed up foster system that only hurt the kids they promised to help, foster parents who were just in it for the checks as well as other foster kids who wanted to prove their toughness. If there was one thing that Harper didn't need in her life, it was more bullies.
"Cobra Kai looks cool, and that's what draws people in. It's why so many people join them," Robby added.
"Hopefully, more people will join your karate group thing instead," Harper said.
"It's called a dojo. But I hope so," Sam said. "Speaking of the demonstration, we should probably get back."
"Yeah, you're right," Robby said.
"But maybe we can hang out sometime," Sam suggested.
"Uh, yeah, that'd be fun," Harper agreed. With the promise to make plans later that week, she parted ways with them.
Night started setting in as the last sliver of sun disappeared, and the festival lights came on. They twinkled against the night sky, an almost magical look as they basked the festival in the glow. Harper smiled at the scene, at the rides that reached high into the air. But, most of all, at the people walking around without a care in the world. How carefree and normal they seemed. She longed for it, and perhaps it was something she had already achieved. At least, she hoped so. It had only been a month, but she already felt attached to this family like never before. They treated her fairly, kindly, and not at all as if she was some broken foster kid. Their kindness surpassed any expectations she had before joining their family. For the first time, Harper was happy.
The air turned chilly despite it being the middle of summer, and Harper hugged her thin jacket to herself as a light wind picked up. A live musician shared his music on stage, but she was too far to hear the words properly. The sound carried in all directions in the outdoors. Harper brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes as she scanned the crowd before her. She hadn't seen the Hudsons since she went off with Sam and Robby, and now a sense of panic took hold of her. It dug its claws into her, making her breathing difficult as her heartbeat picked up. She tried to remain calm as she forced herself to walk forward, all the while taking in every person she passed.
She felt increasingly panicked when her eyes didn't land on their target. The idea of being left behind struck her with a paralyzing fear. Harper told herself they wouldn't leave without her, but past experiences told her otherwise. She turned in a circle, but it only made her dizzy.
"Harper, over here!" Lucas called out.
She followed his voice to where he stood with Olivia, waving her to them. Relief washed over her, her heartbeat slowing down as the anxiety started to leave her. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly before she made her way over to them. She plastered a smile onto her face, not wanting them to see her nervousness. Not wanting to tell them that she thought they had abandoned her here.
Olivia put an arm around her, pulling her to her side. "Did you have fun with Sam and Robby?"
Harper nodded. "Yeah. They seem nice."
Lucas smiled. "We're glad you're making some friends."
The idea of friends was a foreign topic that brought a smile to her face. She couldn't remember the last time, if ever, she had a friend. Though she had been close with a few foster kids, it was merely a means of sticking together, of surviving. It wasn't a true friendship. Because she constantly moved from one place to the next, making friends and keeping them was difficult, if not impossible. She had no way of keeping in touch with them, and Harper didn't see the point in befriending anyone after a couple of years. No matter what, she knew she would always leave. But now, she wondered if the possibility of having real friends wasn't as out of reach as she once thought.
The live music died down, and a woman's voice spoke into the microphone. "Alright, now do I have a treat for you. Please turn your attention towards the LaRusso Auto Group. They have a presentation of Miyagi-Do Karate," she chirped.
The crowd clapped, excitement spreading across everyone as the stage lights dimmed and a melody filled the air. They watched as Daniel, Sam, and Robby appeared on stage and started a series of movements. While Sam and Robby moved as one, Daniel did something else. To Harper, it didn't look like any karate that she had ever seen, but it kept her interest piqued. The moves were methodical, incredibly synced, and quite artistic. Harper liked the simplicity of the movements.
"Now, time for the grand finale," Daniel said pleasantly. He went off to the side and rolled out a cart that contained six thick sheets of ice.
However, their performance was short-lived as the lights went out.
A 'Cobra Kai' chant broke through the crowd, followed by music blaring from the other stage. The crowds' attention was pulled from Miyagi-Do as they parted to let a group of students through. Frowning, Harper stepped back to avoid getting jostled by the other dojo. She glanced back to the stage to see that they were no longer demonstrating but staring at the other dojo. Harper followed their gaze to where Cobra Kai took their place on the opposite stage, illuminated by flashy lights as the music continued to engage the crowd.
With a sigh, she crossed her arms and watched to see what they would do. Rather than the serene movements that Miyagi-Do did, theirs were more over the top. Aggressive. Harper was slightly impressed by their skill and the sparring but understood what Sam meant about their tactics. The crowd cheered them on, feeding their egos.
"They're pretty awesome," Lucas commented, his eyes trained on the stage.
Though she couldn't deny their talent, she was less impressed with how they disrupted the other demonstration as if they couldn't wait their turn to show off. She looked towards the stage Miyagi-Do was on but frowned when she saw it was empty.
Their performance lasted for a couple more minutes. The finale consisted of someone punching through five slabs of concrete on fire. The crowd erupted into even louder cheers, some people chanting the dojo's name and feeding their egos even more. Harper rolled her eyes at the overly vivid demonstration.
"That was pretty impressive," Olivia said, clapping with the rest of the crowd.
Lucas grinned, his opinion on the performance written all over his face.
The music picked up on stage once again as a different musician started to play. Though engaged, the crowds didn't have the same zeal as they had for Cobra Kai and slowly dispersed. Presumably, to check out the rest of the festival. Or sign up for karate.
Lucas steered them through the thinning crowd towards the front of the festival where they first entered. He frowned as he scanned the several booths along the front. People milled around each stand, curious to see what they offered. "Did the LaRussos leave already?"
Olivia followed his line of sight. "I guess so. I wonder why they left so quickly. They usually stick around longer than just a couple of hours."
"Maybe they left because Cobra Kai hijacked their demonstration," Harper said with a shrug.
Realization dawned on Lucas' face at her words. His frown deepened as he nodded. "Huh, you're right. Johnny didn't let them finish, did he?" He looked towards his wife, who had her phone glued to her ear. "Who are you calling? Amanda?"
Olivia shook her head, ending a call that barely even began. "No, I was trying to see where Cole is, but -"
"Let me guess, he's not answering," Lucas mused.
"I'm sure he's fine. But I wanted to check in," Olivia said.
Lucas sighed while he took his phone out. After a few silent moments and endless ringing, all he got was voicemail. He ran his free hand through his hair. "Why does that kid even have a phone?" He muttered.
"I can go find him if you want," Harper offered.
"Thanks, but we didn't bring you here to babysit Cole," Lucas said. "You should enjoy the rest of the festival."
"Are you sure? I don't mind."
Olivia spoke this time, one of her kind smiles on her face. "Yeah, definitely. Go have fun."
"But if you do run into him, tell him to call. Or, better yet, to come find us," Lucas told her.
Harper nodded, then headed towards the middle of the festival, carefully maneuvering through all the people. It wasn't easy, as almost everyone was glued to one spot or stopped every few seconds. She didn't have a particular path in mind and allowed herself to get distracted by all that the festival had to offer. Crowds gathered around food stalls, games, and everything in between.
She looked for any signs of Cole, hoping to bump into him. But it was much too crowded and chaotic to locate just one person. Especially an eleven-year-old boy. Nonetheless, her eyes scanned the game stalls that offered prizes of giant plushies, all surrounded by screaming, laughing kids. Cole wasn't amongst them though it didn't surprise her.
The deeper into the festival she walked, the more people there were and the louder it became. Music, laughter, and conversations all mixed into one big noise that assaulted her ears. She sidestepped a group of people oblivious to her coming their way but in doing so, she got jostled by the people behind her. When she turned to walk in the opposite direction, away from the horde of people, she crashed into someone.
A string of curse words followed the sound of a drink splattering to the ground reached her ears. Harper whirled around, eyeing the empty plastic cup on the floor and the person who was now wearing the drink.
"What the hell?!" He shouted angrily, wiping at his shirt.
"I'm really sorry," Harper apologized. Wide-eyed, she grabbed a handful of napkins from a nearby stall and handed them to him.
The boy, who stood a good foot taller and broader, snatched the napkins from her hand. "Watch where you're going!"
Harper frowned as he wiped at the shirt, the napkins doing little to soak up all the soda. The Cobra Kai logo didn't go unnoticed by her. "I didn't see you."
He scowled, looking at her for the first time. "Yeah, no shit. What the hell? Are you blind or something?"
She narrowed her eyes at his words. "I said I was sorry."
He threw the used napkins on the ground and fixed her with an icy stare. "And? Sorry doesn't do shit."
Harper felt a flash of irritation and crossed her arms. "It was an accident. You don't have to act like such an ass about it."
He took a menacing step towards her, clenching his fists. "Did you just call me an ass?"
Harper rolled her eyes. "No. I said that you're acting like an ass. There's a difference."
A few seconds passed while he tried to process her words, his face scrunched up in thought. His expression hardened once again before he pushed her with all of his strength.
Pain shot up from the almost healed bruises as she stumbled back, nearly colliding with a few passersby before she regained her balance. Harper stared at him in shock, a mixture of anger and fear coursing through her. Without thinking, she retaliated by shoving him back though he barely moved an inch.
His eyes grew cold and hard as a cruel smile crossed his face. Lifting his fist, he swung at her.
Harper closed her eyes and braced for the hit but it didn't come. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see that someone had stepped between them and caught the punch before it could make contact with her face.
"What the hell? Get out of my way, Hawk." He said, wrenching his arm free.
"What are you doing, Mitch?" Unfazed, Hawk looked from him to Harper, regarding her with mild interest. He was around their age though slightly shorter than his friend. A faint scar above his lip and the blue mohawk made him look taller. Perhaps even more intimidating. Like Mitch, he wore a matching Cobra Kai shirt.
Great. Another one, Harper thought and felt her nails dig into her palms.
"What does it look like? I'm trying to hit her," he said, not taking his eyes off of Harper.
Hawk looked over at her curiously. "Why? What did she do?"
"Nothing," Harper said while Mitch answered, "She spilled a drink on me."
Harper rolled her eyes. "By accident. How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"And she called me an ass," he continued, ignoring her.
"I said that you're acting like an ass. Which you definitely still are."
An amused smile crossed Hawk's face at her words.
Mitch cracked his knuckles, his face reddening with anger. "You're dead," he said through gritted teeth. He moved towards her but Hawk pushed him back. Mitch blinked in confusion as he tried to sidestep around him to get to Harper but it proved to be futile. "What are you doing? Are you seriously defending her?"
"No. I'm stopping you from doing something stupid," Hawk said.
"Seriously? Come on. She needs to know not to mess with Cobra Kai."
"I said knock it off, Assface," Hawk told him icily. "Just go back to the others."
Mitch clenched his fists and looked from one to the other, contemplating his next move. "Whatever," he mumbled after a few seconds. With a shake of his head, he walked away from them and disappeared into the crowd.
"Ass," Harper muttered though she sighed in relief. She unclenched her fists, feeling the sting that her nails made in her skin. The tiny little crescents that brought both relief and pain to her. Though she wouldn't have backed down, she was glad to have avoided a fight. She moved a few strands of hair off her face, sending a wave of pain through her as she moved her arm. Her shoulder ached from a bruise that was most likely forming.
"Are you okay?" Hawk asked with a concerned look.
Harper locked eyes with him for a brief moment. "I'm fine. No thanks to your friend."
"What did you expect would happen after you spilled a drink on him and called him an ass?"
"No, you're right. It's my fault for accidentally bumping into him," she said, the sarcasm dripping from her words as she rolled her eyes. "And I never called him an ass, you know. All I said was that he was acting like one. He's the one who threw the first punch, not me."
"It doesn't matter. He's Cobra Kai. We strike first and hard. We don't show mercy to anyone."
Harper narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Right. I forgot you guys are just bullies who do karate." With a shake of her head, she moved to step around him but he blocked her path. Sighing, she stared up at him and matched his glare.
"You don't get it, do you? You don't get to just mess with Cobra Kai and get away with it," Hawk told her.
"Mess with? Are you serious right now? You and your idiot friend are the ones who are causing trouble!" Harper stated, her hands tightening back into fists as she tried to reign in her anger. "All I did was walk into him by accident. Yeah, I spilled a drink on him but I said sorry, which should have been enough, but you guys are just looking for a fight."
"A fight that I stopped. You do know he would've bashed your face in if I hadn't stepped in, right?" He asked, reminding her of the punch she'd evaded just moments ago.
"Yeah, well, I didn't need your help," Harper said indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.
A look of bemusement crossed his face though a flash of anger appeared in his eyes at her words. Clenching his jaw, he nodded. "Fine. Next time I won't stop him. He can throw all the punches he wants at you."
"Fine," Harper said with a shrug. "I can take care of myself."
"I never said that you couldn't," he told her with a frustrated sigh. "Are you always like this?"
"Like what?" Harper asked.
"So... defiant."
"Only when I'm dealing with bullies," she answered.
Hawk looked at her with irritation that held a slight hint of approval. "Look, all I'm saying is that you need to watch out for Cobra Kai because next time it'll be worse than just a shove."
Harper rolled her eyes at the warning. "Got it, thanks," she said dryly before knocking him with her shoulder as she walked away. Eager to get away from him and the conversation.
Hawk stared after her in surprise, seeming to be amused by her actions.
Harper went through the mazes of food stands and game stalls, hoping to find Cole so they could finally leave. Exhaustion was slowly taking a toll on her from all the new people she had met. There had been more socialization than Harper was used to. Not to mention her near fight over an accident. She tried calling Cole, but, unsurprisingly, he didn't answer. With a sigh, she shoved her phone into her pocket and continued her search. After a few more minutes of wandering around, Harper spotted him. She sighed with relief, watching him from a few feet away.
Cole stood with a group of kids his age. They looked to be amid a conversation, each one talking animatedly. Their words got lost in the noise of the festival, but their laughter reached her ears. A moment later, Cole detached himself from the group.
"You guys suck! Leave me alone," he muttered, a frown on his face as he walked away.
Harper's smile faded, and she quickly glanced at the other kids before trying to catch up with Cole. "Hey, what was that all about?"
"Nothing," he mumbled, shaking his head.
"That didn't look like nothing," she stated.
"They're just being jerks."
"Okay. But why?" She asked, trying to keep up with his quick steps. It shouldn't have been too tricky, but the number of people walking every which way proved to be an obstacle that she had to maneuver.
A deep sigh escaped his lips. "They're just talking crap," he said, throwing a look her way. "About you. You know, that my parents took you in."
Harper nodded in understanding, as it didn't come as a surprise to her. She was used to the whispers that followed her around and the judgment from others. "I don't care about that. They can say whatever they want."
"But I care! Okay? People aren't just talking about you, Harper. They're talking about my parents and me," he said before quietly adding, "and they're not being nice."
She frowned, not even thinking that her placement with them could affect the whole family. Most of the foster homes Harper had been in were in less-than-nice locations and were known to foster in the past. It was nothing new. Nothing more than a cash grab. But this was Van Nuys. The Valley. Where the entire community judged every little thing someone said or did. "Cole, I -"
"I don't want to talk about it anymore." He quickened his pace, weaving in between people and leaving her behind.
The remainder of the walk back to the Hudson's had been quiet. She felt terrible that Cole was picked on and his parents were judged for taking in a foster kid. She didn't know what it meant for her future with them but knew it couldn't lead to anything good. As comfortable as she'd gotten, she always knew that it wouldn't last. That sooner or later, CPS would come knocking and put her elsewhere.
Harper reached the front of the festival a few moments later and a couple of steps behind Cole, who walked past his parents without a word.
"Is he okay?" Olivia asked, throwing a worried look his way.
Harper shook her head, shrugging. "I don't know. He said something about his friends teasing him because of...," she trailed off.
"Because of what?" Olivia asked gently.
Harper averted her gaze and let out a quick sigh. "Me. That you guys are fostering me. Cole said that people are starting to talk," she said casually as if it didn't bother her.
Olivia nodded and threw a cautious look her way, sympathy on her face. "Harper -"
"I'm okay," she said, forcing a smile into her face. "But I'm not sure if he is. He seemed pretty upset."
It looked like she wanted to say more, but she nodded instead. "I'll go talk to him," Olivia said, walking over to where Cole was.
Harper observed the two of them, but it didn't appear Cole was giving up any answers. He was immersed in his phone, not even looking toward his mom. She was pulled from her thoughts by Lucas calling her over. As she walked towards him, she realized he wasn't alone but talking to a man slightly older than him with light hair and a Cobra Kai shirt.
You gotta be kidding me. Not another one, Harper thought to herself with a sigh. She's had her fill of karate and the dojo for the night.
Lucas nodded toward the man. "This is my friend, Johnny Lawrence. And this is Harper."
"So you're the foster kid, huh?" Johnny asked, to which she nodded. "That's pretty badass. Life's shit most of the time, but sometimes it takes shit to grow a pair." He looked at Lucas, who was shaking his head at him. "What? It's a compliment."
"Uh, thanks," Harper said slowly, not seeing where the compliment part came in but chose not to question it..
"You know what else is badass? Cobra Kai. You should join," Johnny said with a definite nod.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Olivia said slowly, appearing beside them.
But Johnny ignored her. "You could learn how to kick ass like a man... as a girl."
Harper tilted her head at his odd sales pitch, not that it mattered what he would say. She didn't have any desire to join Cobra Kai or any dojo. She wasn't interested in learning defense or offense because she was tired of fighting. Her entire life consisted of fighting and getting beaten. Really beaten. And Harper wanted all of that behind her, whether it was recreational or a means to survive.
The last thing Harper wanted was to be in the middle of some weird karate war that she didn't understand.
"Thanks, but, uhm, I don't think so. Karate isn't something I'm interested in," Harper said.
Johnny looked slightly disappointed but accepted her answer nonetheless. "Alright. But if you are interested, you can always join. Just check out our website. It's on the internet."
"Right," she said with a nod though she had no intention of doing either.
"So, how's Robby doing?" Olivia asked.
At the mention of Robby, it slowly dawned on her that Johnny was his dad. It should've been something she realized at the start but didn't. She looked over at Johnny, studying him briefly until she noticed several similarities, making the father-and-son relationship more obvious. But she was more curious to see how he would react to having his son brought up. Was he as indifferent or was there more to the story than Robby had let on?
Johnny's smile faltered some before he waved his hand. "Oh, you know. Nothing's changed. The kid still hates my guts, but I don't blame him. I haven't exactly been the father of the year to him."
Lucas frowned. "You need to try to fix that, Johnny. It won't get better on its own."
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. I've been trying, but after so many years of being a shit father, I can't blame him for hating me."
"Keep trying," Lucas told him. "We saw Robby earlier today with the LaRussos. I'm surprised he's staying with them and not you after Shannon left."
"He doesn't want anything to do with me," Johnny said with a shrug as if to show it didn't matter. But the look in his eyes betrayed him, showing that Robby did matter to him. "He's just angry at the world," he added humorlessly.
At that moment, Harper felt bad for Johnny. She understood there was a strain in their relationship, but she hoped they would eventually find a way to get along. She had no family to try to reconcile with, but Robby did, and she would hate for him to throw that away. Maybe the downside was his dad being in Cobra Kai but he didn't appear to be a bad person. Of course, she didn't know the whole story. Nothing was ever as it seemed to be, and she knew that all too well. But as far as first impressions went, she didn't believe that Johnny was as horrible as she'd been told he was.
"We should probably get going, Lucas. It's getting late, and it's been a pretty long night," Olivia interrupted gently. "I think the kids are getting tired. I know I am."
Lucas glanced at his watch and then agreed. "Right, yeah. It's been nice seeing you, Johnny. Stay out of trouble."
"You know I can't promise that," Johnny laughed.
The Hudsons and Harper said goodnight, then walked out of the festival towards the parking lot. It had been a long night. She'd had a pretty good time despite all of the karate business. She was still unsure why it was such a big deal or why the two dojos hated each other, but she was tentative if she wanted to know. To get involved. There had been enough excitement in her sixteen years of life, and inviting more chaos into it wasn't the wisest choice.
But then again, she wanted to make friends. Whether or not she could avoid all the drama was unknown. Perhaps it was completely unavoidable. All that Harper knew was that she wanted her stay with the Hudsons to be as close to normal as possible. They already treated her like part of the family, and the only thing missing from this new take on life was friends.