Looks may be deceiving-Robby Keene

The Moment Of Truth

"You're coming with us to the beach club tomorrow" Amy had sad as they sat at the diner table. 
"Do I have to?" she asked softly.
"Yes Amelia, we need to make a spotting as a family. Besides, Aisha, Sam and Ally are going. It'll be fun" Amy said, trying to cheer her daughter up. 
"I have practice tomorrow and they won't allow we to be absent" she said, once again speaking softly. Her father had been in a rather irritable mood since being home, so she was really trying to not get on his bad side, the bruises on her ribs were still there and still hurt, but weren't as noticeable.  

"Okay, well then you can just meet up with us after." 
Mia nodded, "Okay, I'll be there" she said as she moved her food around. She didn't have an appetite, nor did she want one. 
"So Amelia, we know karate is important, but you do have to get back in touch with academics over the summer. Junior year is probably the most important years of school." her father said. 

Mia nodded. "Yeah, I'm already taking some of the classes online." 
"Good. But remember, karate is not nearly as important as school. Without good grades you won't get into a good Law school. Then do you know what that makes you?" Richard asked. 

"A failure" she said. It wasn't a question, she knew that was the answer her father wanted. 

"Richard." Amy said sternly, glaring at her husband from across the table. 
"What?" 
"How many times have I told you to stop saying that to our daughter?" 
"It doesn't matter, she needs to get it through her skull that she may never amount to anything. Not unless she does exactly what I tell her to do." 

Amelia felt a stab to her heart. She's heard this her entire life, but hearing it constantly  made her think more and more it was true. 

"Richard!" her mother shrieked. 
"Don't talk to me with such disrespect!" 
"Then stop constantly criticizing our daughter!" 
"Oh shut the hell up!" 

Mia then slouched in her chair, covering her ears, knowing it would piss her father off if she left the table. 

"Don't tell me to shut up!"
"I'll do whatever the fuck I want" 
"Amelia go upstairs!" 
"No stay right here!"
Mia looked at her parents and stayed seated, bringing her knees up to her chest. 

"God you think I wanted this life!? You think I wanted to have a whore as a wife and a disappointment for a child!?" Richard practically screamed, throwing the plate of dinner on the floor, causing it to shatter, making Mia flinch. 

Amy then shot up. "Do you not care about this family? All we do is try to please you! Nothing is ever good enough for you Richard! That's probably why your mother left you with your deadbeat of a father!" 

Richard then slapped his wife harshly across the face. 
"Don't fucking touch me!" she exclaimed, giving her husband a shove. 
Richard returned the shove, causing Amy to stumble back. 

Mia watched in horror, she was frozen in her seat. 
"I hate you" Amy growled before she grabbed her wine glass and headed upstairs. 
Richard stared at his daughter. "Clean this up" he demanded before walking to his study. 

~~~

Mia stood beside Hawk and Aisha as Kreese was telling them a story. 
"You gotta understand that Mogadishu in the 90's was a hellhole. Warlords controlled whole swaths of the city. My team and I was in charge of cleaning the place up" 
Mia nodded as she sat beside Miguel stretching. 

"How are things with Sam?" she asked
"Any chance we had getting back together was ruined by Valley Fest" Miguel confessed. 
Mia nodded, "Maybe it's time you move on?"

"Listen up! I see we got some new recruits. Everybody, fall in. In neat rows and lines. Time to see what you're made of. I thought my last group of recruits was pathetic. To prove you can fight, you have to actually fight. So, who has the balls to take on my two champs?"