Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

23

For the next two weeks, Jesse and Demetri stayed as low as the nearly six foot tall teen could. They ate lunch together in the computer lab doing homework - more Demetri helping Jesse with her homework - and rushed to her car at the end of the day. It had become routine for Jesse to stay over Demetri's house after school for as long as she could before returning home.

It started with ignoring.

When she first saw Kyler at home after his threats, her breath hitched but he didn't even look at her. Instead trailing around her to get to the kitchen and Jesse waisted no time running to her room.

There was a paranoia deep inside Jesse that she couldn't explain to anyone. Every night when she removed her implant batteries to sleep she feared retaliation while she was dead to the world and nearly blind in the dark. Sleep slowly became a luxury as she started to rest with one eye opened literally.

Her days started to become sluggish and she felt like she was always looking over her shoulder, slowly opening her lock, or walking rapidly from the crowd. It was mind numbing and yet Kyler never made a move.

Today was no different for the two friends. Jesse arrived at Demetri's house before 7 am, Demetri's mother made them breakfast, they cleaned up the dishes, and Jesse drove them to school. They talked rapidly about the video game DLC they started using the night before and they pulled into the school parking lot happier than ever.

Classes were a breeze and when lunch rolled around, Jesse and Demetri entered the computer lab with their lunches arguing about the latest comic issue from that week. Demetri scoffed, but still held the swinging door open for Jesse while she entered, yet obviously in disgust.

"So you're telling me that you think Drecik should have been killed?"

"I'm telling you that Drecik was the cause of a war between multiple nations!"

"He didn't do anything!"

"He's a master manipulator! Words are just as good at starting fights as assaults are." The words dropped out of her lips and immediately Jesse regretted them. Demetri went quiet and Jesse winced, rubbing the back of her neck. "I-I should know, unfortunately."

"...Hey, that's in the past. What matters is that you're here now and even better your proof that even the worst people can change."

Jesse pursed her lips at the underhanded comment and Demetri winced realizing the sound. It was something they ignored, the fact that Jesse used to torment him and Eli on a near daily basis only a few years ago. Ever since the revelation that everyone knew who she was - or had been - it was weird. On one hand it was a relief to no longer hide, but it still didn't help satisfy the guilt that ate away at her constantly.

Demetri simultaneously made her feel safe and uncomfortable.

Jesse sighed and shifted in her seat, deciding to change the subject from that shit show. Her nose crinkled at a weird smell in the computer lab. "Do you smell that?"

"Uh, smell what?"

"Just, a weird smell... God I hate public school..."

"It's not uncommon for high school rooms to smell like sweat, pee, and hormones." Demetri supplied reasoning helpfully. Jesse nodded slowly, looking at him weirdly.

"...Right, anyways. Do we have a plan for tomorrow?"

"What do you mean? We won that fight." Demetri snorted, leaning back cockily in the rolling chair with a creek and nearly falling. He caught himself on the table and cleared his throat in embarrassment while Jesse chortled. "L-like I was saying, there's no way Eli can do anything to us now between the beating he and the others got and the new school policy on grouping together... we're in the clear!"