Love; The Drug -Johnny Lawrence-

Part Eleven: Joy Ride

Monday arrives after a very short weekend, and I'm paranoid to say the least. "Josie, you look like you're going to faint, are you okay?" Danny asks on our way to school.

We've been getting rides with Freddie while my car is being repaired, it's a stormy day in California, and it makes me feel even more worried.

"I'm okay, just worried for things." Daniel nods, he knows what I mean. "As your big brother, don't worry about anything I'll protect you. I should be protecting you."

I roll my eyes, "Danny we're twins. You know that right?"

He laughs and reaches from the front to knuckle my head, "Yeah, but I'm the older twin." I push his hand off and scowl. "By two minutes!"

Freddie laughs from the drivers side and we pull into the parking lot.

The day goes by smoothly, because Johnny and his gang aren't here. The realization immediately lifts my mood, and by Spanish I'm practically skipping down the hall.

My last class goes by like a breeze, I finish the quiz with a light feeling in my heart knowing that I did well and go to meet Freddie who promised me a ride to Karate.

It's still pouring outside when I get out to the parking lot, but Freddie is nowhere to be found. My friend Greg sees my confusion and walks over, "Hey Jo, Freddie had to go home, he caught a bug or something. He said to tell you that he was sorry."

I nod and clap him on the back, "Thanks Greg, see you tomorrow." He blushes and waves goodbye as I set off. I turn around and call his name, "You wouldn't happen to have your license yet, would you?"

He shakes his head, "Not yet. Sorry Jo!" I shrug and wave at him, then make my way to Karate.

I take a shortcut down the rougher side of town, hoisting my backpack over my shoulders and climbing over the chainlink fence for a quicker route, this was my first mistake of the night.

"Hey there darling, why don't you hang out with us?" An older man asks from his spot on the curb, him and his friends laugh but I keep walking. It reeks of urine and cigarettes and I retch at the thought of what these people do away from the eyes of authority.

The next incident happens further up.

I notice that there are two men following me, I take three right turns but they stay with me. One is on the heavier side but he looks more like a bodybuilder than overweight whereas the other one was a stick on legs. They don't realize that I know they're following me, clearly as they keep my pace and continue to talk in hushed whispers. This is the danger of being a girl, I think exasperated- I forgot my baseball hat at home and for that reason I could end up in a ditch by the morning.

I continue to walk, I'm still about a mile from Karate, but with the pace that I'm holding I'll make it there in around ten minutes, that would be if I hadn't been touched.

One of the men must have snuck up behind me, he grabs my elbow. "Why are you walking so fast, baby?" He asks, his breath reeks of liquor even though it's only four o' clock at the latest. I back up, and snatch my elbow away.

"I have somewhere to be, Karate class actually. So I'll be on my way." I continue walking but he grabs my shoulder this time, I wind up to punch him, but as if my angels had heard me the distant sound of motorcycles fills my ears.

That's when I see them.

Coming out of the fog on their red motorcycles, freshly painted and reinstalled from Danny and I's prank are the Cobra Kai's. And at their front is Johnny.

My hopes are immediately extinguished, they all hated me. They won't help me, I'm alone.

My gaze snaps back to the man before me, and I take a look into his red rimmed eyes, and withered face, it was a truly sorry sight. "Don't touch me." I snap and turn to walk again.

I feel him make a move behind me again and he grabs my forearm this time, but then with the rumble of a motorcycle sounding Johnny pulls up right next to me. The man instantly drops my arm. "Need a ride Jojo?" Johnny says over the loudness of the motorcycle.

I look between my options, two creepy men who want to kidnap me, or five boys my age who want me dead, one of which might just want me, I think remembering Friday night, but that was just a drunk mistake, he would have done that to any female within range. I end up choosing the latter and move towards Johnny, Bobby pulls up beside us and passes me an extra helmet from the pack on his bike.

I pull it on and strap it quickly then hop on behind Johnny. "Hold on tight sweetheart." Johnny says, and with a brief moment of hesitation, I reach around his waist and lock my arms around him.

We're off in an instant, black hair flying wildly behind me. My heart is beating at a million miles an hour and I'm terrified, but in the moment it's kind of fun.

I realize stupidly that I'm on the back of a highly dangerous machine with my worst enemy, and I'm about to ask to pull over when we veer right.

I grip onto him tighter using all of my strength to keep myself pressed to him, Johnny seems to notice this and I feel him shake with laughter.

Either we both die due to his stupidity or I'm going to kill him after this.

I'm vaguely aware that I've never been to this area of the neighbourhood and I tap him lightly on the shoulder, he slightly turns his head to glimpse at me before turning his eyes back to the road.

I hear him say a low 'What' over the rumble of the motorcycle, "We're going to the Dojo, right?" I ask nervously.

He chuckles again, "It's the scenic route Babe, relax."

"I am not your Babe-" I say sharply, but I'm cut off my the lurching forward of the bike and instead I press my head to his back and close my eyes; not wanting to see how illegally fast we're going.

I realize that he's probably having the time of his life, by endangering mine. By now, if another car were to accidentally pull in front of a stop sign we would be absolutely crushed by the impact, but either he enjoys risking his life or he doesn't know.

He leans his head over his shoulder slightly again, still keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "Open your eyes, Jo."

I risk turning my head slightly to the side, still keeping my arms wrapped tightly around him and my right ear against his back. I squint open my eyes just a peak and look out onto the boulevard that we're zooming past.

I'm glad that he told me to look, because it's one of the most beautiful sunsets that I've ever seen. From our spot on the long road, I see people resting on the beach, trees flashing by and the sky fades from a violent purple to a soft pink fading at the bottom where the sun sets.

Despite the foggy haze that was there this morning, the beach looks magical, something that looks like it came straight from a fantasy novel.

 A strong urge to get Johnny to stop the bike washes over me, but I chop it up to just wanting to run on the beach.