𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍

twelve

this chapter is so much longer than originally intended

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『 twelve 』

NATALIE ATTENDED THE NEXT CLASS at Cobra Kai, which happened to be the next day. 

Several new recruits had joined after the All Valley. They tournament had attracted more people than the viral video of Miguel's school fight, but anyone who wanted to join had already joined. Aisha, Hawk, Bert, and Natalie were sizing up two new boys. 

"What do you think?" Hawk asked, tapping his finger on his chin. "Shithead One and Shithead Two?"

Aisha clicked her tongue. "I was thinking Mary Kate and Asshat."

The taller of the two looked at the ground, pointing helplessly at his chest. "Chris-"

"Did I say you could speak?" Hawk shouted. 

Miguel smirked and walked up to them. "Come on, guys, they're just messing with you," he assured Chris, clapping him on the back. Natalie smiled brightly and nodded to them, being as welcoming as ever. "Besides, we all know your names are Assface and Douchebag."

"Dibs on Assface," Chris' friend, Mitch, muttered. 

Miguel gave Natalie a small side hug, rubbing her arm. "Good to have you back, Nat," he told her. Natalie grinned and leaned her head on his shoulder. 

The man from the previous night, Sensei Kreese, walked in. All eyes turned to him. It was clear many of them recognized him. The last class he had supervised, two days prior, had made quite an imprint on them. He took stock of the new comers, taking the time to insult a few of them. It was clear to Natalie that the two senseis had known each other for a while. 

"Does everyone know him?" Natalie asked Miguel, watching Johnny confront him. 

"He's assisted with a couple lessons the past week," Miguel told her. "Don't let him bother you. Pretend he's not watching and judging your every move."

Johnny was a little slow with starting class. He had an argument with Sensei Kreese who, according to the shouts coming from the office, wasn't upholding their "agreement". The students got ten extra minutes to warm up. 

Naturally, this was used to spread gossip. 

"I heard about Theo," Miguel whispered as they sat down to stretch. "Are you okay?"

Natalie began stretching her calves. "Oh yeah. It was a whole thing. We had to bail Hawk out of custody last night," she said in a monotone voice. 

"Good to see you don't look upset," he said, watching her expressionless face. 

"I just figure-" but she was cut off by Hawk forcing himself into the conversation. 

"So, I was thinking about what we should do to get revenge," Hawk told her, sitting on the floor with them. "I have resources. I know people who can make his life a living hell. Or we can make it personal; I have a list of options for that. You just say the word."

"How long have you been planning for this?" Natalie demanded, shaking her head. 

"Only a month or two. He started getting a little fishy around then," he admitted. Miguel chuckled. 

"Okay, well I'll let you do that. When you get arrested for real this time... you do you, sweetheart," she told him, patting his knee. 

Hawk narrowed his eyes. "Don't you want revenge? Strike first, strike hard!"