My brother's best friend

Cobra Kai

"Fighting Positions," Johnny Lawrance said on Wednesday afternoon 

"Jab punch," he said "wait till I say go, ya" we all punched the air and continued to do this for the next minute 

"Are you sure your right-handed?" he said to some random kid

"come on tits, you got weight use it," he said so a kid in the corner I didn't like how he was talking to people

"hey lip" he called Eli out and I glared at him 

Eli looked at johnny "yeah you" johnny said "the one with the freaky lip who do you think I'm talking to" Eli looked at the ground sadly I took his hand and gave it a small squeeze

"Excuse me, Mr.Lawrance," Demetri said 

"SENSI Lawrance" Aisha yelled 

"Ok" Demitri muttered "you really shouldn't make fun of  someone's physical appearance"

"Oh is that so," Johnny said, "so I'm not supposed to  mention his lip at all?"

"well, yeah," Demetri said 

"maybe they teach you that at school but in the real world you can't expect people to do what they are supposed to do, right you hear that lip" Eli held my hand a bit tighter "you can't handle someone making fun of you how are you gonna handle an elbow to the rib" johnny continued

"by calling the police," Demitri said 

"Dude" Miguel whispered "Knock it off" 

"what" Demiri complained "he does realize the Nazis lost the war right? why should I be scared of him? because he's got a snake on his wall, it's not like he's a teacher that can give us a bad grade, he works for us, it' not as if he can actually hurt us"

I wish I could have told Demitri not to say that but it was hopeless Johnny cleared a path and walked up to Demitri I pulled Eli back and clung to his shoulder. Miguel rolled his eyes at Demitri

"go ahead hit me," Johnny said to Demitri, Demitri swung his fist and johnny swatted it away "harder," he said Demitri swung again "is that all you got princess," johnny asked this time Demitri swung harder and Johnny flipped him over knocking the air out of him. "let that be a lesson to all of you," Johnny said pointing to all of us. 

The next day we all went back I wasn't sure how Eli was doing he said he was fine but I wasn't sure if I believed him.

"Ok everybody fall in," Johnny said he looked around "where is everyone? what happened to crater face? nose ring? slingshot?" 

"They quit Sensi," Miguel said quietly

"seriously" johnny sighed "I mean good that was a test I wanted to see who the quitters are and you guys are in it to win it" 

Demitri had quit after he told Miguel that karate was like being a stripper

"Lip, look even lip's tougher than those guys" Johnny looked at Eli "he's no quitter" 

"could you please not call me that" Eli whispered I stepped closer to him 

"excuse me what" Johnny smirked 

"I said could you please not call me that" Eli repeated 

"I can warm them up Sensi," I said trying to change the subject

"No no no, Lip has something he want's to say" 

I felt Eli tense up beside me I took his hand. He looked down at the ground

"speak up lip," johnny said "or is your tongue messed up too are you one of those challenged kids" 

"my doctor said I could be on the spectrum" Eli whispered 

"I don't know what that is but get off it pronto" Boy is Johnny daft "if you don't want me to call you lip then don't have a weird lip can't you get surgery for that"

"I was born with a cleft lip this is the scar from the surgery," Eli said I held his hand tighter wanting to punch johnny

"It was worse before," said Johnny in disbelief "cause if this is the after photo, that sucks man you should sue" 

"Can we please change the topic?" Eli asked I wrapped my arms around him tightly 

"you don't think I want to? it's tough when it's right in front of me, do you want to be something other than a kid with a weird lip? then you gotta flip the script, get a face tattoo or gauge your eye out we'll call you patch, actually no don't do that you'd still look like a freak" 

Eli ripped himself from my grasp and walked out of the door 

"oh great another quitter?" Johnny said 

I scoffed and gave Johnny the worst look I could before I ran after Eli he was crying on the bench near the dojo. I walked over and gave him the biggest hug I could. 

"Eli I'm so sorry," I said softly feeling my eyes well with tears "I never wanted this to happen" 

"I just don't understand, I wish I didn't look this way even a person who is supposed to help teach us can't help but make fun of my lip, and you Olivia I seriously don't understand you, you are beautiful and smart and funny you could just go be popular but instead you hang out with me which I still don't understand I feel like I'm dragging you down and I don't want to do that, everyone's gonna make fun of you for liking me and call you a freak."

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't care about being popular," I said a tear trickling down my cheek it hurt to see him this way "I don't care about what people say about me I just want to be with you, Eli you don't realize how amazing you are I care for you so much and if other people don't care enough to get to know you then that's on them" 

"Olivia I can't drag you down"

"but your not you've made my life so much brighter Eli" 

"no your just saying that"

"I'm really not you are so special and you don't even realize it," I said sadly "but I do, I see how amazing you are" I kissed him softly running my hands through his hair he kissed me again but harder I wrapped my arms around his neck. 

"I have to go," he said "I'm ok I just need to do something I'll text you tonight," he said running down the street. 

I was left there confused and sad for him I hoped he would be ok