Queen of The Valley • Robby Keene

Chapter 8

Miguel was beaming to Sylvia about his date with Sam and how sensei got cobra Kai back into the tournament.

"You've trained hard. You've gotten stronger, tougher, faster. You've done your best. You're ready for this tournament, am I right?" Sensei yells from the top of a car at a junkyard. "Yes sensei!"

"Wrong! Your best ain't shit! If you wanna win the All Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament, you gotta give me better than your best. Which is why from now on, you're gonna get my worst. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sensei!"

"Are you losers?"

"No sensei!"

"Are you nerds?"

"No sensei!"

"Are you sure?"

"No sensei!"

Sensei had the kids run over an obstacle course, Aisha accidentally tripping on a tire and causing everyone to fall behind her.

He also instructed them to 'destroy their enemies' which were the cars and he gave them bats. That was fun.

After sensei gave them tiny bits of beef jerky, he blew on a very high pitched whistle, dogs, big big dogs ran from behind him.

Sylvia ran ontop of a truck and saw Hawk following. He tried to get up but a dog was right behind him.

"Come on!" She yelled at him holding her hand out. He quickly grabbed it and she started pulling him up. "Hurry!" He yelled. "Your so fucking heavy!" Sylvia grunted and stood up trying to pull him up more. The dog bit his shoe off and I guess ate it as she pulled him all the way up. "Your foot's not in there right?" Sylvia pants.

Sylvia and Miguel were at the dojo training after everyone got dismissed. "Why are we the only ones here?" Sylvia asked sensei. "Cause let's face it, you two are the only chance I got at winning this thing." Sensei said. "So what? We're your best students."

"Alright don't flatter yourself, have you seen the others?" Sensei asked as Sylvia followed Miguel to get her phone.

Miguel also grabbed his phone chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing just this funny picture my girlfriend posted." Miguel shows sensei and Sylvia a photo of Sam. "Wait a second." Sensei mutters snatching Miguel's phone. "Is that Daniel LaRusso's daughter?"

"Yeah, you know Samantha?" Miguel asks wearily. "You're dating a LaRusso?"

"Yeah why? Is something wrong?"

"We need to talk"

Sylvia stayed inside punching and kicking the punching bag. Just like Johnny told her she imagined her enemy behind the bag. She was new to the valley yet already made people hate her guts.

She stopped when her phone buzzed in her duffel bag. She stuck her hand inside and saw it was a text from Hawk. "Hey do you mind picking me up from the hospital later tonight?"

Sylvia sucked in a breath and sighed. She had work. But if she sped a little bit she could make it. "Yeah, what time?"

                                     —————

Sylvia rushed home after training. "Hey mija." Carmen called out to her as Sylvia rushed to find her keys. "Oh hi" Sylvia gives her a quick smile. "Do you have any plans for dinner?"

"Oh, I was just planning on making some Mac and cheese or something for Eliana. And then I have to go pick up a friend" Sylvia answers. "Oh, well I was going to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner."

"Sorry Mrs Diaz. Instead of me you can have my sister though." Sylvia smiles shrugging. "Sounds like a deal." Carmen laughs

                                     —————

The next day Sylvia, Miguel, Aisha and Hawk were at the movie theater. Sylvia and hawk threw popcorn into two girls popcorn buckets. "Can't believe you made me late to work yesterday." Sylvia sighs. "Hey, a man's gotta eat. Especially after being in the hospital for 4 hours" last night when Sylvia picked Hawk up from getting his shot he begged and begged to get in and out.

"Damn your aim sucks" Sylvia quietly laughs. "Shut up, watch this" he mutters holding a pop corn piece up. He tossed it and it landed on this guy. "Who the hell did that?" He yelled standing up. "Shit" they both mumbled and looked at the movie screen. Once he sat back down Sylvia started cackling. "Shut up" Hawk lightly smacked her left shoulder. Sylvia felt her phone buzz. It was Sam.

Sam: Hey Sylvia, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us tonight?

Sylvia: Sorry Sam, I have work tonight but I can stop by for a few.

Sam: It's fine, come at 7

It was 6:30 and Sylvia arrived at Sams house. She admired how it had 3 stories. Sylvia knocked on the door and her mom answered. "Hi, I'm Sylvia. Sam invited me over" she says smiling at her. "Oh come in!" She said gesturing her in. Sylvia walked in. "Sam is in the kitchen" her mom says. Sylvia followed her to the kitchen. "Hi Sam" she smiles and hugged her. "Hey! So glad you came" she said and smiled.

She looked to the right and saw Daniel walk in with the boy from the corner of the dojo. "Hey guys." She heard him say. He stared at me with his eyebrows furrowed. "Dad what's wrong?" Sam asked noticing sylvia is uncomfortable. That's when Sylvia realized he might have remembered her from when he confronted Sensei."Nothing, what's your name?" He asked her. "I'm Sylvia" she says. "This is Robby he is my student" he said pointing over to the boy. Sylvia internally let out a breath. Relieved he didn't remember her."Student as in like school?" Sylvia asked. "Oh, no karate student" he said smiling. "Would you want to come take a few lessons?" He asked. "I'll think about it" Sylvia shrugged.

Sylvia talked with Sam and Robby for the time she was still there. She couldn't help but notice how charming Robby is. Every time she was talking to Sam her eyes would always move to Robby.