little bird // r.keene

xiv. advice and phone calls.

"What did you say after that?" Will asked her, chuckling after Wren was finished telling him the stories of that afternoon.

"Nothing- I left before he could." She shook her head, wishing she hadn't broken her phone so she could call Eli and tell him about what happened, "I don't know Will, I just- I got so angry about what he said about Eli. I just can't sit there and take shit."

"I know, believe it or not- I have met you before. But maybe that's why the whole karate thing is a good idea." Will thought out loud and Wren rested her forehead on the white table in front of them and gently began to bang her head as if that would generate an idea.

"Think of it as a way to channel your feelings because let's face it Little bird, you're an angry kid. It could help you cope with your feelings about what happened to Rue, and your dad and help stop that from happening ever again."

Will poked the bruise under her eye and she swatted his hand away. She had told him about being jumped, she had even told him about Robby who was yet to come back into The Bookshelf, then again it had only been a day.

"Oww- asshole."

Her eyes flickered to the tattoo he bore on his left wrist: a simple sunflower. Rue's favorite. They had often spoken about all three of them getting the matching tattoos when Rue and Wren were old enough. Wren felt a tear burn in the back of her throat but coughed to clear them away.

Wren knew Will was right but that meant swallowing her pride walking back into Cobra Kai and facing Lawrence again.

"But ya know, you could be nicer this time and maybe he will be too." Will offered, and he leaned over to tap the back of her head as Wren still had her head on the table.

"But you should have seen this guy- he was so easy to make fun of and you know very well that sometimes it physically pains me to hold back my sarcastic remarks." She told him, sitting up, and Will let out a low chuckle which was as smooth as silk.

"If I were you, I would talk to Eli-" he paused, "it sounds like he could use a friend right now and if he wants to go back to Cobra Kai then I think you should go with him."

"Since when did you get so wise? I remember a time when you didn't know your left hand from your right." Wren laughed, and a guard gestured to the door, indicating the visit was over, Will stood to hug her.

"Well, little bird- I've had a lot of time to think."

Wren listened to the phone ring- once, then twice- a third time. Nothing.

Until she could get another phone from somewhere, she had been using the landline in the shop, she had tried to call Eli before work and now after but still- nothing.

She sighed and put down the phone then tried another number- unlike Eli, Miguel picked up.

"Diaz residence." He said and Wren smiled down the phone.

"Hey- it's me."

"Oh- hey, are you okay? That was quite something this afternoon." Miguel said and Wren leaned against the desk.

"I'm fine- it's actually Eli that I'm worried about. I've tried calling him to check up on him but he's not picking up. Any ideas?" She asked and she heard Miguel let out a breath.

"Errr- I'm not sure about how to reach him if he's not picking up but I spoke to him this morning and he said he's going to give Cobra Kai another try."

"Really?" She was half shocked.

"Yeah- told me he was going to the session tomorrow afternoon. I think I can speak for all of us when I say, we want you to come back too." He told her and Wren couldn't help but let out a breathy chuckle.

"Yeah, your pal Lawrence would love that."

"I get it, he was mean to Eli but I promise you he is really a good guy. Just give him another chance- please just show up tomorrow and you'll see, just try and be the bigger person."

"I can't I'm only 5'4 the guy towers over me." She said plainly and it was almost as if she could hear Miguel roll his eyes down the other end of the phone.

"But if you truly think it's a good idea- then fine. I'll see you tomorrow Miguel." She said.

"I do- see you tomorrow." Miguel hung up the phone and let out a rather strained sigh.

He prayed Eli showed up tomorrow, for both his and Wren's sanities.