Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

31- Can't Catch a Break

"Hey Parker!" Sam says brightly as I walk in. I smile a little and wave. Robby, who's sitting across from her at the dining table, whips around, looking relieved as he spots me. I fall into the seat next to Sam, dropping my head on the table.

"You okay?" Robby asks. I'm not and he knows that, but I'm gonna lie anyway.

"Yeah, I'm just tired of Cobra Kai wrecking our summer. And I can't stop thinking about what happened yesterday at the mall... speaking of which, I'm almost certain that that kid Hawk had something to do with it," I say. Robby looks over at me and we make eye contact for a moment. It hurts to think about what's become of Eli and I's relationship. It hurts to know that it's all my fault. It hurts to know that I ruined everything between us and there's nothing that I can do to fix it. But something that hurt just as much is the fact that... I don't think I want to fix it.. I don't want to be friends with the person he's become.. it just... hurts.

"If there's anyone who would've done it, it's him. I remember when he was just some kid at our school. He seemed nice enough. He was super quiet... I know he got bullied. I just remember when he wasn't some asshole who would beat up Demetri over a Yelp review," Sam says. My heart pangs.

"Yeah," I say, "me too."

We all sit in silence, nobody saying a word. Now that she brings up Demetri...

Demetri

Hey there's no training today-

-Is it because of what happened yesterday?

No... the dojo is a complete wreck-

-Complete wreck how?

Wdym 'how'? If something was-

standing, it's not anymore. All

the potted plants are no longer

potted. They spray painted the

fence and the bag- which they

destroyed- and Mr LaRusso's

yellow car... they stole Mr

Miyagi's Medal of Honor...

-First of all, who is 'they'?

Cobra Kai.-

-Do you think it was 'Hawk'?

Yes. We beat him yesterday at-

the mall even though we were

out manned. He wanted revenge

-I wouldn't say we

-I didn't do anything...

Don't beat yourself up abt it.-

You'll get better. I wasn't great

when I started

-Weren't you also really young?

I was eight but that's irrelevant-

I'll see you tmr? Just... prepare-

yourself, okay?

"Who were you texting?" Sam asks.

"I was just letting Demetri know we don't have training today,"

"Oh my gosh I almost forgot about Demetri,"

"I just know that I wouldn't want to be in his position and show up to a trashed dojo alone," I shrug. I have been in that position... it was awful. She smiles at me. Something is a little... off... I can't place it. I think we're all pretty rocked after what happened, but something else is off... I don't know.

"Am I the only one who's really tired?" I ask, groaning a little.

"Definitely not just you," Robby says, rubbing his eyes. Oh thank goodness.

"I'm just overwhelmed from the dojo," Sam says, "you guys wanna watch a movie? Maybe we can take our minds off things?"

"Sure,"

"I could use a distraction,"

The three of us fall on the couch. I tried to slip around Robby so I wouldn't be in between him and Sam because that's literally the most awkward thing, but he dragged me down beside him, putting me right in the middle.

———

By the end of the movie, I've somehow moved closer to Robby and Sam is leaning against me. I think they're both asleep... whelp. Guess I'm stuck here. That's okay. I need some quiet anyway.

Words replay over and over again in my mind, and I can't tell if they're like a hug... or if they're like chains.

I think you know exactly why I'm here... no revenge is more honorable than that which is not taken... I thought things were changing around here... somewhere where you feel like you don't have to be whatever you were forced to be before... answer her... go to hell Cobra Kai... life isn't black and white like that... maybe I've been wrong... we're just like you... ¡Silencio!

I wish my brain would just be quiet, for once, for five minutes, god please just let me have a break!

I clench my jaw in an attempt to fight back tears, though my attempt is futile. What the hell?! I have the right to cry. I have the right to be upset. I finally decide to try to expand my skill set by taking up karate and unknowingly get roped into some huge karate dojo rivalry where the rival dojo is just out to get us no matter what, I had to leave my house because my dad hit me which was a good thing because I'm safe now but it still hurts obviously and I feel so guilty about leaving because I'm all he had, I'm being constantly reminded of a friendship I ruined, my dojo, which I consider to be one of the only places I can feel truly safe, is a complete and utter wreck... I know there's a lot of good things in my life right now, but there's also a lot of bad...

'but when those bad feelings all weigh you down, you gotta... you gotta search inside for the good stuff, you know..'

I know Mr LaRusso... I know... I wipe as many tears as I can from my face, swallowing down a sob. I'm so tired... I shift ever so slightly, as not to wake Sam, leaning against Robby. I don't care anymore. I'm just tired.

As I close my eyes, it feels like my thoughts are beating me up until neither my mental self or my physical self can stay awake.

• • •

A/N: a short, kinda sad filler chapter. I hope you guys don't mind that I do a lot of stuff that's not with the episodes of the show. After the chapter(s) about fixing up the dojo, there will be a stretch where the plot is my own, but it'll get back on track with the show at the point where Sam and Robby kiss after the hot/cold training. hope it's not super annoying (which, I mean, it shouldn't, where's the fun in copying the show exactly??) 

Stay safe and take care of yourselves