THE BRIGHTSIDE, robby keene

012 - kenny

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
CHAPTER TWELVE
KENNY
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

MERCY CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT HER HAMSTER NANCY GRACE.

It's been years since her parents bought her the little animal and also years since she's given her to Sam, after discovering her allergy.

Sadly, Nancy Grace (named after the astronomer Nancy Grace Roman) died three months later. Sam, Aisha, and her even held a funeral.

But for some reason, this exact moment, holding the little casket in her hands while Sam was speaking kind words, is replaying in her mind right now.

Aisha even made them all wear black and Mercy's tights have been too warm for that hot August day.

The sweet memories of primary school that make her blood boil.

Whatever.

The images of Sam's teary blue eyes vanish and Robby comes into her focus again. It's late afternoon and he's teaching them some new moves.

She's standing next to Tory, repeating what he's doing when their sensei suddenly starts speaking.

"Mr. Keene," Kreese speaks.

Robby stops what he's doing and so do they. Mercy turns her head around and spots a little boy besides the man.

"You have a visitor." Sensei Kreese points to the boy.

He's clenching the straps of his backpack, visibly nervous, as he looks at Robby.

"You know this kid?" Tory asks him.

He shakes his head, but takes a few steps towards the two.

"I'm Kenny," he stutters, all eyes are on him, "my brother, Shawn Payne, said you could help me."

The name Shawn sounds familiar to Mercy, maybe he's someone from juvie? She's pretty sure that Robby mentioned him once.

"I didn't know Shawn had a brother. Is he out?" Robby says while walking towards the boy.

"No. That's why I'm here. These a-holes keep hassling me. One of them knows karate, so—" Kenny starts explaining, but then Sensei Kreese interrupts him.

"This is a dojo. You are interrupting my class." He looks down at him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Kenny apologizes and takes a step back immediately.

"Sensei. Shawn Payne was one of the toughest guys in juvie. Kicked my ass a few times," Robby says.

A few times? How many times has his ass been kicked in juvie? He only told her about some guys ripping his book apart, one of them obviously being Shawn Payne.

She'll definitely ask him about that later.

"You know, in the real world, we have to fight our own battles. Cobra Kai can teach you how. But you have to prove that you're worthy," Kreese tells the boy.

"How do I do that?" He questions.

"Take your shoes off and get on the mat."

Mercy watches the boy follow Kreese's order. He's tiny, she wonders how old he even is.

Without being instructed to, all of them sit down on the sides of the mat, waiting for their sensei to announce who will fight against the little boy.

"Mr. Park," Sensei Kreese says.