little bird // r.keene

xix. please.

"Excuse me, sir? Miss? If you're looking for the AA meeting, that doesn't star until nine o'clock." One of the men sat behind the table row told them both as soon as Johnny had opened the door. The room was fairly empty, rows and rows of chair layed out facing them like some kind of court room. There was also an empty chair beside the man who spoke-

"No, uh... I'm John Lawrence, here for the tournament committee meeting." Lawrence told them, Wren noticed he was clutching his brief case so hard his knuckles has turned white.

"Are you here because of what happened at last years tournament?" One of the women asked and Wren quirked an eyebrow, "If so, we can assure you we've hired and entirely new food vendor."

"We had no way of knowing those corn dogs had turned." Wren tried her absolute hardest to hide her laugh and succeeded. She had never tried a corn dog, and now really didn't want to.

"No, sorry about you're corn dogs." Lawrence cut in, "That's not why I'm here." He assured them. He began to walk further in the room and Wren sat in one of the blue, plastic chairs and watched as this newfound voice surged over him.

"I'm here because my dojo's been banned from the under-18 tournament, and i wanna see about an appeal." He pointed to his feet and Wren watched as the board members looked at each other, seemingly confused at his claim.

"I'm confused," said the woman, "We banned someone?"

"I didn't even know we could ban anyone." Answered one of the men, "Is that a thing?" He looked to the man on his other side, Wren leaned forward in her seat, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Just bear with us. Probably a mistake." Said the man with glasses, looking through his clip board, "What's the name of your dojo?" He asked and before Johnny could speak, another voice broke through the room from the doorway.

"Cobra Kai."

"Daniel, you made it." One of the board members said but Wren couldn't tear her eyes from the man with the dark hair because of the way he stared down Johnny.

"You know I never miss the annual meetings, there, Ron." Daniel said as he patted his friend on the back of the shoulder, making his way to his seat. "And boy, am I glad I didn't miss this one."

Wren flickered her eyes between the two men, she could tell from a mile away they knew each other and not in a good sense.

"Well, you're just in time."

The adults spoke for what seemed like forever, all about a man named Terry Silver and John Kreese, which Lawrence had never mentioned to Wren before. Though Wren could tell Kreese stirred bad memories for him at the way his back turned rigid at the mere mention of the man's name.

"John Kreese is dead." Lawrence said firmly, Wren looked at him over her shoulder to where he was now sitting beside her.

"We're very sorry for your loss." Said the man with the glasses, leaning forward over his paperwork as if to emphasize his sympathy for Johnny.

"Oh, gimme a break." Daniel shook his head and Wren bit the inside of her mouth in order to keep it shut.

"Daniel, show a little respect." Said one of his colleagues.