𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚆 𝚄𝙿 𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙴𝚁 ,, robby keene

four ,, less than i do

chapter four

less than i do

It was one of the hottest days of the summer, sun beating down on us all at Miyagi-do as we continued to train for the upcoming season.

Usually the dojo felt like a safe, calming place. Not today. Today it felt strained, like there was a false sense of joy in the air. Like something was wrong. I couldn't help but wonder about what Robby had said during our movie night, about how the LaRusso's might have to shut it down.

"Come on Demetri! You're curling into yourself like a scared kitten!"

"I am a scared kitten!" Demetri whined

I chuckled, raking loose strands of hair back over my forehead. "If you stay curled in like that, you're never gonna win a fight. Half the battle is not being scared of your opponent."

"You've never fought before."

"But I played rugby." I reminded the boy, reaching for the collar of my sweat-soaked shirt to try and shake it out. Half of Demitri's problem was that he was too timid and had problems getting in people's faces. When I started rugby, I was the exact same. Eventually I worked my way up to being a full back.

"I don't think I'm cut out for this." The Russian boy shook his head

"Nah, bro." I encouraged. "You've got the moves down, you just don't have the confidence. You need to extend your leg more."

Stepping back, I moved away from the wooden railing on the deck before winding up to kick. It was simple roundhouse, but still enough to make the boy take a few large steps back.

Which was why I was surprised when my Nike-clad foot came into contact with something. When I turned to look, ponytail falling over my shoulder. I almost laughed in surprise.

Demetri had blocked the kick.

"You did it 'Metri!" I laughed, lowering my leg to the ground "This is good, you're getting better!"

Demetri wrapped his arms around me in a sweaty hug, and when I peered over his shoulder I could have sworn I saw a look of jealousy in Robby Keene's eyes as he sparred with Sam LaRusso.

I felt a small pang in my stomach as I glanced at him.

That's a little strange, I thought to myself, taking a large gulp of water.

Maybe Freddie was right and I really did have a crush on Robby Keene.

"Attention, everybody!" Mr LaRusso's voice rang out, causing most of us to stop in our tracks. "Come here guys, I need to tell you all something." the older Italian man sounded pained, and I started to worry as we all moved to gather around him.

I stood next to Robby, casting him a worried glance. "You don't think this has anything to do with what you said yesterday, does it?"

"I don't know, but I have a suspicion."

"Some of you might already know, but the dealership is having some problems right now." Mr LaRusso started "And because of that, we've already had to do major cut backs to the staff and are at risk of losing our house. Which means that in order to make ends meet, especially when it comes time to finish paying off the mortgage, that even though it's not what Mr. Miyagi would have wanted, we will have to close down the dojo."

Even though I knew it was coming, it still stung like a kick to the stomach. Shocked gasps could be heard all around the zen garden.

This time next week, there might not even be a zen garden.

Back at home, I sat on my bed with my laptop perched on a nice little stand at the end of the bed, sitting cross legged in front of it with a pint sized tub of vanilla-caramel-chocolate chip ice cream. On my computer screen, an illegal streaming site was playing The Giant, starring Jack Kilmer and Madelyn Cline.

It was a way of drowning my sorrows.

I don't think I had realized how much to dojo meant to me, even if my karate was different than what the others were learning. The people I'd met there, the bonds I had made.

All of it was going to vanish

I had just shoved more ice cream into my mouth when I heard the door open, soft feet padding across my carpet. Eyes still trained on the screen, I shouted "Frederick Fallon, if you so much as breathe on my Keita Machida poster, I will kill you."

"That's a little harsh." A very different voice replied.

"Oh my god, mom, ignore that." I choked on my ice cream, putting the lid on the steadily melting dessert and hiding it under the tiny desk-like thing my laptop was resting on.

Mom laughed "I already saw the ice cream, don't bother hiding it. What are you watching?"

"The Giant. Val Kilmer's son is in it."

Mom hummed in response, sitting next to me on the bed as I paused the movie. "I heard about the dojo. I'm really sorry, Ringo."

I nodded slowly. "Thanks, but I guess there's not much was can do, is there?"

"Not really." Mom agreed. "I was cleaning the basement and found something I thought might cheer you up a bit." She put a large Banker's Box on my bed. "It's all your old girl scout stuff."

I smiled, pausing the movie and clicking out of the slowly loading but probably sketchy pop-up window. Inside the box was my old girl scout uniform, covered in badges I collected from when I was seven to when I was twelve.

"I forgot you kept all of this stuff."

Mom chuckled "You know how I am. I have to go start dinner, come down when you're ready." With a single kiss to the forehead, she left my room.

I kept sifting through the contents of the box: all my old uniforms, guidebooks and pamphlet from camps and trips. I was flipping through a thing about our cookie sales when I stopped, reaching for the crudely drawn map.

I scrambled fro my phone, quickly dialing Robby. "Oi, Keene. I need you to come over tonight. I know how to save Miyagi-do."