"I can't believe you started a war with my dad. Again." I said handing him a cup of tea I had made.
"Thank you. It was his choice." My grandpa stated blowing on the top lightly before taking a sip.
"If someone hates your guts, you should normally leave them alone." I said sitting down on the chair across from him.
"I love your father, he just chose the wrong side. I hope you won't make that mistake." My grandpa stated.
I rolled my eyes at him, "I'm always on your side but why do I have to choose between you and my dad?"
Grandpa shrugged, "you don't. You can stay here, in Reno, Alone."
I sighed and leaned back in the chair, "I turn 18 in a few months. I can come down as soon as I can."
Grandpa smiled, "Good. I'm glad to have you back as a student."
I nodded slightly, "thank you, For paying my hospital bills. You don't know how much my dad would have struggled. I owe you."
He smiled at me, " You coming back and practicing with Cobra Kai is more than I could ever ask for. I get to train my granddaughter again, god I feel old. I remember when you were a little girl and you gave me a black eye for the first time." Grandpa laughed slightly, "I think you were about 4. My little Cobra."
I smiled at the man, "I'll always be a Cobra."
~
"Absolutely not." I stated as I read the paper my dad had handed me, "I told you I don't fight for dojos with stupid names."
"Come on Sage I need you. We need a girl fighter." My dad said.
I sighed and shook my head at my dad, "I'm sorry."
I felt guilty for lying to my dad, I felt guilty for lying to everyone; But I had to. Grandpa paid my medical bills even if dad didn't know who paid them or had yet to bring up that fact. Grandpa had been there for me for the last 18 years when my father wasn't even there for me. I still wasn't going to fight for my grandpa at the All Valley however, it wasn't right.
I didn't owe my dad shit.
My dad sighed and folded the paper and stuck it into his pocket, "if you're going to stay here and mope then at least clean up the house. I need to go find a fighter." I looked in the room to see beer bottles and caps everywhere. "But this is your trash." I stated. "Yeah and your living under my roof. You do what I say." I rolled my eyes but nodded, "fine. I'll see you later." Dad left the house and I started on picking up all the trash.
I didn't know when this was from, last night or last week.
My phone rang as I through the bottles into a old gas station plastic bag. "Yeah?" I said holding the phone in-between my ear and my shoulder.
"Sage are you with Eli?" Demetri asked.
"Uh no. Haven't seen him today. Why, what's up?" I asked setting the bag on the table.
"Just worried that's all. Meet you at his house in 20?" Demetri asked.
"Yeah sure. See ya." I hung up the phone and grabbed another piece of trash off the counter and shoved it in the bag.
~
"You tell your aunt you graduated early." Grandpa stated.
"She's dumb, but she's not stupid. She'll know I got expelled." I sighed rubbing my face.
"Why couldn't you have graduated early? You are a smart girl with good grades." Grandpa stated, "that's all you need to tell her."
"Yeah? What about when she asks about my graduation? What then?" I was paranoid my aunt would find out.
"Sage. Would she have gone anyways?" Grandpa asked. I rolled my eyes knowing he was right. To be honest I probably wouldn't even see my aunt for the rest of the year, let alone enough for her to realize I'm not at school.
"I guess your right." I mumbled, "and my dad?"
Grandpa sighed and leaned across the table, looking at me with an emotion I couldn't quite pin. "Your dad gave up custody, I don't know if wants to be in your life anymore."
"He lost custody." I corrected.
"No he gave it up Sage." He said sincerely.
I scoffed and shook my head at the man, "how would you even know?" Grandpa sighed, "he told me."
I leaned back in the chair. I don't know if he wants to be in your life anyone. Dad gave up custody and lied about it? I felt betrayed, like my entire world has crashed down around me. He had been so active to be a father in my life for those months and then he gave them away. My face fell as I realized he got to stop paying child support when I lived under his roof. He had somehow gotten the money to open up a dojo and keep it open. He used me.
"Are you alright sage?" Grandpa asked.
I looked up from my spot on the table, "what's the bet again?"
