❝ whenever you need me, i'll be there. ❞
―
THE PRESSURE WAS ON.
With the news that the All Valley was now going to have a separate girls division, Achara felt she couldn't breathe. She could feel the eyes of Kreese and Silver staring straight into her soul as she sat in the office after practice. She felt small, like a tiny ant that was about to get squashed.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. She tried to keep her composure and not show that she was nervous as she listened to Silver talk on and on about how Cobra Kai needed her to step up to the plate more than ever before. It was all things that she had heard a dozen times before—that she was Cobra Kai's best shot of winning the tournament, that she needed to apply herself to rise up to the challenge.
"You won't let us down, will you, Achara?" Silver asked her, his hands placed flat on the desk between them.
Achara nodded her head. "I won't. I promise."
"Good," Silver lifted his palms and folded his arms against his chest, mirroring Kreese who stood beside him.
"You are what Cobra Kai is all about," Kreese added, his gaze fixated downwards at Achara. "You've proven yourself worthy, but the fight isn't over yet. It's only just begun."
Achara nodded. Part of her appreciated what they said and that they both thought so highly of her, but she didn't think it was worth it. With every word of affirmation that she received from her senseis; it seemed like the pressure of leading them to believe that she was still on their side grew even harder.
Achara was dismissed. She stood up and bowed at her two senseis before walking out of the office. She inhaled a breath through her nose, and she adjusted the strap of her backpack on her shoulder and made her way to the door to leave.
She tossed the new Cobra Kai merch that Silver had given her in the backseat of her car. He had given it out to all of the Cobra Kai students and had even sent some out to potential new students, in hopes that it would draw them towards joining Cobra Kai. If you asked her, Achara would say that she thought the new merchandise was atrocious. If it were up to her, she wouldn't be caught dead wearing it, but she had to if she wanted to keep up appearances.
With a sigh, Achara pulled out of the parking lot and began to drive home. When she arrived home, she immediately took a shower and changed her clothes before she took a seat on her bed and scrolled through her phone. As she opened Instagram, her finger hovered over the story of a familiar face. Achara clicked on the story, a smile tugging at her lips as she watched the story.
She closed the app and began to scroll through their old text messages. When she found what she was looking for, Achara stood up from her bed and got in her car. With her GPS telling her way to go, Achara drove out of the Los Angeles city limits.
Almost two hours later, Achara pulled into an unfamiliar driveway. She turned her car off and locked the doors before she took a deep breath and walked up to the front door. She rang the doorbell, smiling instantly when she saw her old friend appear through the glass door.
The front door opened. "Achara?"
Achara smiled, a sense of familiarity washing over her as she looked at Aisha. "Hey."
Aisha embraced her in a tight hug. Achara couldn't help but smile as she hugged her back. After Aisha had left the Valley, the two girls had promised to stay in touch. They texted back and forth for a while, but the messages soon became very rare until they were nonexistent. Achara couldn't remember when the last time she had talked to her was.
"How are you?" Achara asked as she pulled away from the hug.
"I'm doing okay," Aisha responded as she opened the door wider. "Come in."
Achara stepped inside, waiting for Aisha to close the door before she followed her into the living room. Aisha gestured to the couch. Achara sat down, unsure of what to do. Even though Aisha was her friend, there was still a sense of awkwardness that lingered in the air. Achara looked around the room before turning to Aisha and smiling.
"I can't believe you're here," Aisha spoke up, an excited tone to her voice.
"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch more," Achara replied, staring down at her shoes. "Things have been kind of crazy."
"It's okay," Aisha responded. "I didn't really keep in touch either. What's been going on? How are things going with Tory? I saw on your Instagram that you're dating now? How'd that happen?"
Achara shrugged. "I don't know. She kind of just told me that she likes me, and we kissed and then she asked me to be her girlfriend. I think the Honeymoon phase is starting to wear off though..."
Aisha gave her a confused look. "Oh? How come?"
Achara sighed. "It just seems like she's shutting me out. Everything was going well, but now it's like she doesn't communicate with me. I don't know what she's thinking. We hardly see each other outside of practice. I don't know. It's
"I'm sorry to hear that," Aisha said with a frown, but it didn't last for too long. "How're things with Sam? You know, she stopped by to visit me earlier. She mentioned you."
Achara let out a small chuckle and smiled slightly. "We're doing okay now. We even agreed to be friends, but I don't know how well that's going. We haven't really talked much. I don't hate her guts anymore, so I guess that's a good thing."
"Yeah, she said you two were on good terms," Aisha nodded her head followed by a smile. "I'm glad. Between our friendship being rocky and everything that happened with Tory leading up to the fight, I'm glad that you're getting along now."
Achara smiled back at her. "So, how've you been? How's Santa Barbara been treating you?"
"It was hard at first, but I've made new friends," Aisha told her proudly. " I even have a new bestie."
Achara grinned. "That's great."
"Don't worry," Aisha told her. "You'll always be my bestie. Nothing will change that."
"Yeah, I know," Achara nodded. "Don't worry. I'm happy for you."
"And I want to be happy for you too, but I don't know if I can do that," Aisha replied.
Achara's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Aisha placed her hand on top of Achara's. "You aren't happy with Tory or at Cobra Kai—it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. It's not where you're meant to be. I learned to take control over my life, and it made me a better person who wasn't afraid to voice my feelings. I might not be wrapped up in the karate drama, but I've learned lessons that have helped me."
"So, you're saying that I need to take control over my own life and figure out what makes me happy?" Achara asked.
Aisha nodded. "Exactly."
Achara stared down at her shoes, nodding her head. Aisha was right. Being with Tory wasn't making her happy and being in Cobra Kai was starting to feel more like a chore than anything else. But she had to keep up her end of the deal and that meant staying in Cobra Kai until after the tournament. That didn't mean she had to stay with Tory.
"Now, what's this I've been hearing about you being a spy for Eagle Fang?" Aisha changed the subject, bringing Achara out of her thoughts.
Achara glanced up with a confused expression. "Huh?"
"Sam told me earlier. Don't worry, she swore me to secrecy, and Decha's been keeping me updated," Aisha informed her. "He's been texting me nonstop. Half the time I don't even respond. And apparently he knows the entire periodic table? I saw that video from the party. And he's dating Demetri now? When did that happen?"
Achara chuckled as she listened to Aisha keep talking. She couldn't stop smiling. She had forgotten how nice it was to have Aisha by her side to confide in and talk to.
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Achara had no idea that Tory was coming back to school until she saw in walking into the foyer. Her eyes went wide when she saw Tory and Sam standing across from each other. Her breath hitched when she noticed the threatening look on Sam's face before she turned around and walked away. Achara jogged up to Tory and grabbed her hand.
Tory jumped, startled, before turning to face Achara. "Oh, hey..."
"Hey, why didn't you tell me you were coming back to school?" Achara asked.
A small smile appeared on Tory's face. "I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Well, I'm certainly surprised..." Achara responded, unsure of what to say.
Tory continued to look around, her eyes glancing around the room. All eyes were on her. Achara let go of her hand.
"Why don't we get to class?" Achara asked, trying to get Tory to focus on her and no one else. "What's your first period?"
"English," Tory responded dryly.
Achara nodded and grabbed Tory's hand again, pulling her in the direction of the English hallway. It seemed like everywhere they went, all eyes were glued to Tory, and she couldn't seem to ignore the stares.
Achara couldn't say she blamed her. She remembered how hard it felt to have everyone staring at her and watching her every move. She understood how hard it was to ignore the intense and judgmental stares when she walked through the halls for the first time since the fight. They eventually became less frequent. Sometimes, Achara still noticed that the other students would glance her way every once in a while, but she had learned not to care.
Tory let go of Achara's hand. "I think this is my classroom."
"Okay," Achara responded before she kissed Tory on the cheek. "Find me at lunch?"
Tory nodded. "Yeah."
She turned on her heels and entered the classroom, leaving Achara in the middle of the hallway. Aisha's words echoed in her mind, You're not happy with Tory.
Achara gripped the straps of her backpack and walked down the hallway. She couldn't stop thinking about her relationship with Tory the entire day. Aisha's voice kept replaying in her head as she waited for Tory at lunch by the door to the cafeteria.
Tory greeted her with a smile. "Hey. Were you waiting for me? I thought you wanted me to find you."
Achara shrugged. "I thought I'd make it easier on you. Ready to get lunch?"
Tory nodded and followed her towards the line. They waited in silence, neither of them saying a word to each other. Achara rocked back and forth on her heels, tightly holding the straps of her backpack. Tory just glanced around the cafeteria.
Once they both held their lunch trays in their hands, Achara led Tory to the table where the other Cobra Kais sat. They were greeted by Kyler and the newest edition to Cobra Kai, Piper.
Achara was quiet the entire lunch period. She ate her food and then picked at her fingernails for the remainder of lunch. She didn't feel like she belonged. It felt like she was just there—as if she were a placeholder for the empty seat at the table. Being in Cobra Kai was different when she had Decha, Aisha, Miguel, and Hawk but now she felt like she had no one. She didn't get along with Kyler. She couldn't stand him. She knew nothing about the other members or Piper and worst of all, Tory didn't seem to pay attention to her at all.
Tory had promised that she would always listen to her and would tell her everything. She promised that she would treat her like she was the only girl in the world, but Achara was starting to feel like it was exactly the opposite. Tory was slowly drifting away from her, and Achara felt like she was the only one that was trying to keep their relationship alive.
Maybe they were simply different people who wanted different things. Maybe they just weren't meant to be.
"Earth to Achara? Hellooooo, anybody home?"
Achara blinked a few times, snapping out of her thoughts. A hand waved in her face. Without giving it a second thought, she raised her hand and clenched her fingers around the wrist in front of her.
"Yo, what the hell?" Kyler's voice cracked.
Achara clenched her fingers tighter around his wrist, causing him to let out a yelp. Achara released her grip and stood up, pushing her chair back as she grabbed her tray and threw it on the trashcan. She glanced around the cafeteria, noticing the questioning stares from her peers. She turned on her heels and walked out of the cafeteria.
She kept walking down the hallway, not knowing where she was going. She ducked into the corner of the hallway.
She felt like she couldn't breathe. She had no idea why she was panicking. It started with thinking about her relationship with Tory and then Kyler waving his hand in her face. It was just a downward spiral from there.
Achara tried to do the breathing exercises that Olivia had taught her. They were supposed to help whenever she was panicking, but instead, it was just making her want to panic even more.
The hallway suddenly felt very small. The walls and lockers felt like they were starting to close in around her. Achara could feel her heart racing in her chest as she leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down. Achara sat on the cold tile floor, her hand clutching her chest as she breathed heavily and gasped for air.
Tears started to flow down from her eyes and down her cheeks. She just wanted someone to help her. Decha was always the one who could calm her down if she needed someone, but Achara didn't know where he was. He wasn't in the cafeteria. Where was he? Where was he?
Achara called out for him in her head, unable to form words between her staggered breaths and the aching in her chest. She hoped he could somehow hear her—that he would hear her calling out to him.
She called out for everyone she knew. Decha, Tory, Miguel, Demetri, Eli, Sam. Someone had to come. If she said their names enough times in her head, then eventually someone would come to help her.
Decha, Tory, Miguel, Demetri, Eli, Sam. Decha, Tory, Miguel, Demetri, Eli, Sam. Decha, Tory, Miguel, Demetri, Eli, Sam.
"Chara?"
Achara looked up to see Miguel standing over her. He sat down on the floor next to her and grabbed her hand.
"You're okay," Miguel told her, his voice soft and calm. "Just breathe. Close your eyes and listen to my voice."
Achara closed her eyes as Miguel gave her hand a light squeeze.
"Now, breathe in," Miguel inhaled a deep breath, waiting for Achara to do the same. "Now, exhale slowly..."
Achara exhaled, following the sound of Miguel's breathing.
"Good," Miguel spoke softly. "Keep breathing in and out. I want you to think of something that makes you happy. Something that brings a smile to your face."
Achara kept breathing, trying to think. Her mind instantly wandered to her date with Miguel at Golf 'N Stuff. Playing mini-golf, foosball hockey, skee-ball. Miguel calling her Superstar.
The softness of the stuffed rabbit that she named Chanthaburi against her skin. The look of adoration in Miguel's eyes as she explained the tale of the rabbit on the moon. Their eyes locking together as if in a trance. The touch of Miguel's hand holding hers. The warmth of his hand. The sound of his heart beating calmly. The feeling of their lips pressing together as they kissed for the very first time.
A smile spread across Achara's face. Her hand that clenched her chest fell slowly, landing in her lap. Achara leaned her head back against the wall. Her breathing started to slow, maintaining a steadier rhythm.
"There you go," Miguel said to her. "I knew you could do it, Superstar."
Achara's eyes flew open. It had been so long since she had heard him call her that. She almost thought that she had imagined it.
"Th-thank you," Achara whispered.
Miguel shrugged. "No problem. I'm always here for you. Whenever you need me, I'll be there."
Miguel gave her hand a squeeze and smiled softly at her. Achara could feel her heart racing again, but not because she was having a panic attack.
As they sat on the floor of the hallway, eyes locked on one another, Achara couldn't help but smile.
"Achara, there you are."
Achara dropped Miguel's hand and turned in the direction of the voice, seeing Tory standing in front of her. Achara stood up from the floor, dusting her pants off as Miguel stood next to her.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," Tory told her, reaching for her hand, the same hand that Miguel had been holding just moments before. "Are you okay?"
Achara nodded. "I'm okay. I just...I don't know what happened."
Achara hated lying to her, but she didn't know if she had the heart to tell her that the main reason she had a panic attack was because she was questioning their relationship.
"Are you sure?" Tory asked, squeezing her hand.
Achara gulped as she nodded. She didn't get the same feeling that she got with Miguel when Tory squeezed her hand. She didn't feel like her heart would jump out of her chest or like her stomach was tying into knots.
"Let's get back to the cafeteria," Tory said. "Lunch is almost over. I'll walk you to class."
Achara nodded, letting Tory pull her down the hall. Achara looked over her shoulder, her eyes instantly settling on Miguel. She gave him a small smile and she could have sworn her stomach had just defied physics and did a backflip when he smiled back at her.
She turned around, continuing to hold Tory's hand as they entered the cafeteria. As Tory walked her to class, Achara couldn't stop thinking about Miguel.
A guilty feeling washed over her, but despite the feeling, she couldn't help but smile. Miguel was the one who came. He was the one who heard her call. That had to count for something, right?
— EMILIA'S NOTES
this chapter is kinda short and all over the place lol but it was necessary.
panic attacks really do come out of nowhere like that... and it sucks.
i had to have achara go visit aisha!! i needed my besties back. almost included a therapy session with olivia, but we'll save that for the next chapter.
thoughts? what do you think will happen next? we're getting closer to the prom and wheeww get ready!!
alternative chapter title: stressed, depressed, but well dressed is achara's motto.