Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

7

"Oh my god, are you okay!?" Jesse asked Demetri with wide eyes at the bandage on his nose.

"No." Demetri said shortly. Jesse's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she asked what happened. The boy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he realized he came off a little too harsh. "I-I kinda decided to try karate again, but the adult teacher whacked me in the nose!"

The two entered the store and went to the back to look at manga as usual. Jesse looked at the boy in concern. "Did you call the cops?"

"...no." Demetri grumbled, looking but not really seeing the books. "But I looked it up and that's assault."

"Yeah, for real." Jesse thought for a moment. "My mom's a lawyer, if you need help finding one just let me know."

Demetri nodded in thanks, writing her mom's occupation down in his head for future use. "Then I called Eli and you know what he said?" Jesse shrugged her shoulders and watched the boy start mocking his friend. "' 'Snitches get stitches.' " He looked at the girl in disbelief. "I've already got stitches. Many of them!"

Jesse couldn't help the snort that came out of her. Demetri had a way of talking with his body that made her laugh sometimes. But then she started to think more and she started to get concerned.

"That's a threat Demetri." She told her friend. "You might want to be careful."

Demetri scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Eli can dye his hair and take all the steroids he wants. We've been friends since diapers, he wouldn't actually hurt me."

The girl let out a noncommittal hum. She supposed she shouldn't talk bad about someone she didn't know and decided to drop it.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to write a Yelp review, obviously." Demetri informed the girl matter of factly while handing her the manga she had been looking for. "Want to help?"

"Mmm, I don't think I can help with the content, but I'll read it over for grammar and coherency?" Jade offered. "We can do it at the food court. I'll even leave one star and boost your comment."

Demetri smiled at Jesse and extended his gratitude. The two got their usual bag of comics and manga then headed to get lunch.

Jesse watched as Demetri carefully crafted his review and gave input when asked. Her phone buzzed.

[FROM UGLY 1]
im going to qdoba. Wat u want?
{1:07 pm}

[TO UGLY 1]
I already ate but thanks
{1:07 pm}

[FROM UGLY 1]
thnx 4 askin me bitch
{1:08 pm}

[TO UGLY 1]
You are fat and ugly. lose weight
{1:08}

"Who are you texting?" Demetri asked.

"My idiot brother." Jesse snorted as she finished her rice. "Did you finish it?"

"Yep." The teen popped the 'o' and held the phone up. "Want to read it?"

"Sure." There was a split moment during reading the essay that it occurred to Jesse that maybe this wasn't a good idea. She should fight against it more, but she figured the teen was smart enough to choose his battle. "Looks good, what should I write?"

Demetri shrugged. "It would hurt your integrity to pretend that you went. You don't have to write anything."

Jesse let out a hum as she thought about what she wanted to say. She decided to leave a simple comment.

'Students are kind of mean.'

From there, the two friends posted and boosted each other's comments, then they faked a toast with their sodas at their job well done.

"To journalism."

Jesse snorted at her friend, but played along.

"To journalism. Now, can you explain what you were talking about the other day with that game? I'm at a loss." Demetri's eyes lit up and his mouth opened as he started explain the physics of the carnival game. He even went and got a pen and paper to draw the images and math out.

The girl was at a loss for most of it, but she tried to keep up and ask questions as needed. Thankfully, Demetri seemed to see that the girl was loss in Kansas because he (eventually) diverted to a different topic.

"Would you like to come over Friday and play video games? My mom is cooking dinner."

Jesse took a second to think about it. "I've got speech therapy in the morning, but I should be good to come after lunch?"

Demetri nodded. "That'd work fine. You can text me when you're on the way."

"Should I bring anything?"

"Nah, just yourself and maybe a jacket. My mom keeps the house way to cold." Demetri's face grimaced as he thought about the chilly home. "I swear she thinks us to be ice giants."

Jesse snorted. "Right. Jacket. Text me your address, okay?"

[FROM UGLY 1]
literly die
{1:16 pm}

[TO UGLY 1]
no u
{1:18 pm}

And so the two nerds ended their weekly lunch with conversation and Jesse getting some ice for Demetri's nose. With promise of seeing each other in a couple of days, they both headed home. When Jesse went home she was immediately greeted by her brother setting some alcoholic drinks on the counter. "Ah yo, bug! Come help me with the keg."

"Absolutely not." Jesse stayed with a firm shake of her head. "Mom will kill us."

"Mom isn't here." Kyler quipped back. The door rang from behind Jesse who groaned. "Can you get that?"

Brucks was at the door with a smirk and right as he went to say something Jesse hollered to her brother. "Your dumb as a brick friend is here!"

"It's actually Brucks."

Jesse sent a fake smile his way. "Right." As she walked up to her room she made sure to stop her brother. "I'm turning my hearing off. Don't bother me."

Kyler rolled his eyes at his sister and greeted his friend. "Don't be a bitch."

"Don't be a whore." Jesse bit back. Kyler flipped her off and she returned it. "I'm locking my room!"

Once the music started and people arrived Jade stayed true to her word. There were very few times the girl enjoyed her silent world and this was one of them.

[FROM DEMETRI]
Do you have a preference on which game?
{8:16 pm}

[TO DEMETRI]
Nope. My introduction to games is in your hands. 
{8:17 pm}

[TO DEMETRI]
No pressure. 
{8:17 pm}

[FROM DEMETRI]

I'm fairly certain that just increased my pressure by at least 120%

{8:17 pm}

[TO DEMETRI]Sucks to suck. {8:18 pm}

With a smile planted firmly on her lips, Jesse texted her friend throughout the night and enjoyed their conversations and banter. She was really looking forward to Friday.