The Serpent Queen

Cobra Kai Never Dies | Part Three

Later that night, Phoebe lay on her bed on her phone. She scrolled through endless social media posts and sipped on her hot cup of tea. Her and Miguel took a selfie earlier when they had arrived home after school. He had posted it on his Instagram with the caption: Can't hold us down.

She double tapped it. Her fingers found who else had liked the picture and it was his mum, her, Demetri and Eli. Her thoughts now flooded of those of Eli. Her crush had agreed to not a date. Maybe it was easier this way, relationships in friend groups usually never end very well and people are forced to pick sides. She, herself wouldn't get burned by the mixed signals. What was up with him? Was he just shy, nervous, a bad kisser? She wasn't mean or scary to be around. Maybe it was his lip. He was bullied everyday because of it and words do cut deep. He was insecure about himself and believed the names that the other students called him.

Sighing, Phoebe put down her phone and was brought out of her thoughts as she heard a knock on the door. "Mum, if it's you, come in. If it's you Dad, go away."

The door opened and her father stepped into the room. "Can we talk?"

Phoebe just looked at him and said nothing, except, "Go away."

"Fine then. You don't have to talk to me, but you need to listen."

The girl rolled her eyes and picked up her phone again. The anger and hatred of her dad been calmed down as the day went on, but it didn't mean that it was still there, simmering underneath the surface. "I don't want to listen to anything you have to say. You've made your excuses and your stance every clear. You just tore me away from something I enjoyed, that I didn't have to compete in."

"I thought you liked competing for gymnastics..." he glanced over to where her three trophies sat on a shelf.

"Oh, I do. But Cobra Kai was fun with Miguel. Now you've ruined my life."

"Do you want to know why I have been so against karate?"

Phoebe stopped and glanced up from her phone. This was her chance to get some answers. Finally.

"If you're not careful, Cobra Kai will ruin your life."

"You're being so dramatic."

"I'm not joking, Phoebe. I'll tell you exactly why Cobra Kai ruins lives. My life in particular. It brought me to a place where I don't ever want to end up again." He sat down on next to her on the bed and Phoebe listened to his story.

"It was 1984, I was sixteen and it began at the Under 18s All Valley Karate Tournament..."

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Sixteen year old George Alexopoulos stood on the mat in his black gi with the large yellow cobra on the back. His opponent lay in the mat clutching his arm in his other hand The referee held up his hand. "Winner!" He looked around as the crowd clapped and cheered around him. His eyes found Johnny Lawrence clapping, but with no expression on his face. Next to the reigning Champion stood their Sensei, John Kreese. His stoic expression gave nothing away.

George ran his hands through his dirty blond hair as he stepped off the mat and went over to his Sensei and teammates on the sidelines. The other Cobras patted him on the back. "Well done, George."

Kreese scolded him, "I told you to hit the arm, George."

"I did, Sensei."

"I watched you. You didn't kick it hard enough. You hesitated."

"If I kicked any harder, I would have broke his arm."

Kreese got up into his face. "Did you forget your lessons?"