Mastering the Valley: Completed

Chapter 77: Thinking about my first day.

    I get up off of the couch and walk into the kitchen.
   "See you finally decided to take a break, can I watch the game now?" Noah asks.
   "What? No. I'm not done binge watching this show yet. The new season is about to drop and I don't want to miss it." I say.
   "What show even is it?" Noah asks.
"It's a spin off of this old Karate movie, the television series is about the antagonists point of view, it's on Netflix." I say.
   "Why would you want to watch something about Karate if you're already in Karate?" Noah asks, ruining my chance to promote a great tv show.
   "Oh shut up." I say.
"I only have an hour until I have to be at Cobra Kai to practice before we go back to school." Noah says. "At least let me see the score."
   Then the door opens and Noah and I look to each other then walk to the living room to see it's my dad.
   "Dad!" I yell, running up to him and giving him a big hug.
  "Couldn't miss my two favorite people's first day of school, so I flew in." Dad says. "So, what were you two arguing about?"
   Noah responds in a nervous tone, "Well, Kate has been watching TV for the past two days and I wanted to see the score for the game before I have to go to karate."
   My dad looks to me, "Katie Kat you know you have to share with your brother."
   "I know." I respond, handing Noah the remote.
  Noah screeches, "Gross, Cheeto dust. You are such a hillbilly."
   "You said you wanted the remote." I chuckle, walking back to the kitchen.
   My dad follows me, "So, you ready for school?"
  "Yeah, I guess I am. I'm just really nervous about Natalie." I say.
    "Don't worry about her. You just focus on you and your little friend group." my dad says, kissing my forehead.
   I hear Noah yell, "Dad, hurry up with the sodas they are about to score a touchdown."
   My dad runs past me and goes to the living room. It's times like this that makes me wish he was around more.
   I hear a ding and look to my phone. I look down. It's Samantha.
   "Hey, we are going to the last bonfire of the year, want to join?" she texts.
   I walk into the living room, seeing that my brother has left.
   "Hey dad, I know you just got back and all-"
  "Go have fun Kate." he cuts me off, then smiles at me.
   "It's actually about tonight. One of my friends invited me to go to the last bonfire of the year. I was wondering if I could join?" I ask.
   "Of course you can. Just remember what I have always told you." he says, putting his hand on my shoulder.
   "Okay which thing. Because I know you tell me 'don't throw the first punch, but throw the last' and then you also say, 'if you ever need me, I'm just one call away.' So which one is it?" I ask.
   He looks to me, with an emotion of concern.
  "It's both baby girl."
   I look to him, "Dad, are you-"
    He cuts me off, "Yes I'm worried about you. Your brother isn't in the same karate school that you are and apparently both of your karate places are in some kind of teenage Braveheart war. I have been worried sick about you... so much so that I wanted to come home."
    "I thought you wanted to come home to see us on our first day?" I ask.
   "I wanted to make sure you were alive for your first day." my dad says, opening up his emotions in a way that I have never seen before.
   "What about Noah?" I ask.
  "I know that Noah can take care of himself, but with you two not being in the same karate school, he isn't there to protect you." he says.
    "Yes he is dad." I say.
   "No he isn't. Have you ever heard of the saying 'a snake will never shed its skin'?"
   "The irony that snakes shed their skin-"
  "Kate that's not the point. The point is, no matter how much he says it, he will not defend you when it comes down to the bare wire. He will defend his dojo, not yours."
   "Then why did you trust him enough to let me live with him?"
   Dad raises his voice, "Because I thought maybe you two would finally get along, but I was wrong Kate."
   I look to him. "So you basically lied."
  "I'm sorry Katie Kat. I just thought that maybe if you two would live together for a few weeks you would either join his dojo or he would join yours-"
   "What the hell dad?" I raise my voice. "You actually thought I would join Cobra Kai?"
   "Yes, because you realized your brother was mature and you could follow in his footsteps."
   "His footsteps? We are seriously going there?" I say.
  "Now Kate-"
"We are just going to avoid that he used to be a drunk and a drug addict? Who even are you?" I yell.
   "I'm your father." he yells back. "Everything I do is for you and your brother. Do you think I like being away all of the time?"
    "Sometimes I really wonder." I say.
   "I can promise you that I don't like leaving you and your brother. I never have." my dad says, looking to me. "Now go get ready for that party."
   "Okay." I say, going to turn around.
  I walk up to my room slowly, looking back to take a final look at my dad, who is emotionally smiling at me. I turn back to the stairs and walk into my room.
   Oh boy.