Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

125 - Everything Is Okay

Juro por dios, Silver being put in jail must've been like sealing away an ancient evil that was plaguing my life, because things just keep getting better for me. A position opened up in the garage at the dealership, and Mr and Mrs LaRusso had me switch positions to be a mechanic. I was already filling in from time to time anyway, now it's just my full-time part-time job. It means I get paid more, and I get to work on cars, which I absolutely love doing. Life is beyond good right now.

"Parker?" someone asks as I walk into the dealership to put my things away so I can get to work. Mr Lawrence. Him being a salesman here was not on my bingo card for the year, admittedly, but it's gone surprisingly well so far. I turn to face him. "Daniel and Amanda aren't here right now. What are you doing here?"

This feels oddly like when he didn't know I had been living in his apartment complex for almost two months.

"I work here?" I respond. Did he really not realize I still worked here? He looks just as confused as when he first asked.

"Since when?"

"Since for the past year and a half?"

"How have I never seen you here?"

"Because you've been in the showroom while I've been out in the lot working, or in the garage working on cars,"

"What do you do here?"

"Well until recently I was basically just in charge of waxing cars, doing inventory, taking care of the bonsais, and keeping the showroom looking nice, but I just got promoted to mechanic," I say. He just looks at me. I just shake my head a little and start to go on my way.

"What was up with you today? You usually kick ass in sparring," he says, and I stop in my tracks, "but you were acting like a pussy against Sam and Tory."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie. I know exactly what he's talking about. I'm Miyagi-Do at heart, and even then, I've always been a reactive fighter. I wait for the other person to make the first move, then counter it. I do it in sparring, I do it in chess, I do it in social situations- everywhere. So when Tory and Sam both spar me like they've forgotten all the karate they've ever known, I'm not just gonna wail on them. I don't know what's going on. I just know that I won't fight them like we used to until they fight me like we used to.

"Yeah you do you little shit, you had no problem putting Miguel and Robby's asses on the ground, but when it came to your girl friends? You were holding back. I thought Reyes-LaRusso didn't hold back," he says. He's lucky we're not out on the showroom floor. I don't understand what his approach is here. My expression hardens a little.

"If I didn't hold back, someone at the dojo would give me a reason to," I say flatly. Usually I love Mr Lawrence, but he's getting on my nerves a little right now. I just want to work on cars.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asks.

"It means that I spent half my summer break losing my mind being caught in the middle of everyone's drama, and now that things are finally going good for me, I'm not gonna ruin it by beating up on my friends,"