014 the new girl.

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 ( chapter fourteen )
THE NEW GIRL.

Syd was still buzzing about Valley Fest, adrenaline fueling her as she waited in anticipation for the days karate class

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Syd was still buzzing about Valley Fest, adrenaline fueling her as she waited in anticipation for the days karate class. Mr. Kreese had told them they'd get to spar today and Syd couldn't wait. But in the moment, she found herself listening intently as the older man spoke before herself, Aisha, Eli, and Miguel about his time in battle. Well, Miguel was stretching on the floor behind them as the other three stood listening to the man.

"You gotta understand that Mogadishu in the '90s was a hellhole. Warlords controlled whole swaths of the city. My team and I were charged with cleaning the place up." Mr. Kreese explained. "How many warlords did you kill?" Eli questioned, smiling lightly. "You keep track of every ant you stomp out?"

"Woah." Aisha sighed. "Badass." Eli nodded, smile just growing. "They were outgunned, we were outmanned. I tell you... Rwanda was no joke." Mr. Kreese further explained. Miguel stood from behind him, looking at the back of the man's head. "Don't you mean Somalia? Mogadishu is in Somalia, Rwanda's a whole different country."

Mr. Kreese turned around a moment to look at Miguel before turning back around to the other three with a smile. "Of course, Somalia. I spent so much time in the sandbox, it all kind of bleeds together, you know?" The other three nodded, smiling lightly. Syd gave Miguel a small look, one he only returned. Mr. Kreese was, respectfully, an older man. Trying to catch him for making a mistake just looked bad.

"Listen up! I see we've got some new recruits. Everybody, fall in. In neat rows and lines." Sensei Lawrence spoke, clarifying as he looked at the new kids. Syd found herself in her usual place at the front between Eli and Aisha, standing straight as she looked at her Sensei. "Time to see what you're made of."

He then began walking around, looking at everyone as he did so. "Straighten up, ginger twins." Sensei Lawrence spoke, looking at two ginger boys who stood beside each other. Syd remembered someone telling her they were brothers.

Sensei Lawrence then noticed the oddball in the room, a grown man with a bandana around his head and a blue t-shirt. When he first came in Syd just assumed he was there to wait for his kid, but seeing as he fell in line she was becoming a bit confused. "Sorry, parents can't stay for class. It's an insurance thing." Sensei Lawrence spoke.

"I'm not a dad. I... I am here to kick some ass, sir!" The man replied, not meeting Sensei's eye. Syd made eye contact for a moment with Mr. Kreese, sending him a confused look before she fully turned to watch the exchange behind her. "Do I know you from somewhere?" Sensei Lawrence questioned, obviously recognizing the man.

He nodded. "Oh, yeah, the, um... I sold you the mirror. We kind of bonded, talked about rock bands." Syd was starting to feel bad for the guy, seeing as he obviously was trying to relive some youthful days sort of deal. "Look, you're a little old. This is a class for teenagers." Sensei Lawrence continued. "Well, I... I can take them." The man replied, chuckling. "Not afraid of kids, sir. and my mom, she doesn't charge me rent, so I just... I got a lot of cash to burn."

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