Pride. [ ANTHONY LARUSSO - COBRA KAI]

PRIDE.

"Pride will be the death of you."

Jade Lawrence

"You said you wanted out of the bubble wrap LaRusso!"

Anthony LaRusso

"I don't think I could ever hate you Joy."

Jade Joy Keene was an amazing child. She got good grades, did every sport in the book, got every trophy a little girl could get. All to get her parents attention. But, Jade's mother was too busy hooking up with old rich guys to pay attention to either Jade or her older brother Robby.

But what really screwed with Jade's head was all Robby had to do to get their fathers attention, was get sent to the office for selling drugs and have the principal call Johnny Lawrence, their father who abandoned them. Then suddenly Johnny wanted to be a father...but only truly wanted to be a part of Robby's life. Because the father thought Robby was the only one who needed the attention.

Robby started working for Daniel LaRusso to piss off Johnny, and the siblings' mother decided to leave them without money and go to Cabo with some man. You know, like any good mother does.

When Mr. LaRusso realized the kids were living alone so he let them stay in his guest rooms. He also said one of his reasons for letting the Keene kids stay with him is so he could teach them the real reason everyone should learn Karate. For defense.

But then it wasn't about defense anymore. When the school fight happened and Robby was forced to run in order not to get arrested, Jade was left alone. Once Robby didn't come home to the LaRusso's the night of the fight, she packed up. She grabbed all her belongings and fit them in a small bag, along with some of Robby's clothes. She wrote a note, claiming how she was grateful and she respected the LaRussos for letting her and her brother stay with them but that she had to leave.

Then she took off. 

And Jade did the only thing she could think of. Join her fathers enemy dojo. I mean, she had to get his attention one way or another. Why not learn a few new moves while doing it? She used to train in Miyagi-Do with her older brother, but when she moved out she left the Dojo as well. Sensei Kreese was her new mentor. Jade was Kreese's new star student, just like Johnny Lawrence was.

She used Karate and training as a distraction. A distraction from her having no friends out of the dojo, being homeless, having barely enough money for food, and having a shitty relationship with her whole family. But, after Anthony LaRusso invites her into his home, no matter how hard she trained she couldn't shake the thoughts about him.

Anthony would never admit this to anyone, not even his sister, but he was alone. Sure, he had people around him, clinging onto him, sitting next to him at the dinner table. But he never truly had anyone. He always got to do whatever he wanted because his parents never paid any attention to him. Everyone called him so lucky for having such strict parents but every night and every birthday candle he would hope that his parents just noticed him. Grounded him. Did something just to show they noticed him.

The only person who did notice him was Jade. The sister to Anthony's sister's ex boyfriend. Jade and Robby used to live with the LaRussos. Until Robby pushed Miguel off a railing and fled. When Jade came home and found Robby wasn't there, she packed up and left a note on the kitchen counter saying how she was leaving.

The more karate in his life, the more complicated it was and the more sadness he felt. Then, Anthony decided to do the stupidest thing he could do when he bumped into Jade outside of Gold N Stuff. He asked her to hang out.