Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The dojo was filled with the buzzing chatter of excited students. It was crammed with people from all over the valley. Cristina smiled when she walked in, spotting Demetri and Eli in the crowd. The former was complaining about karate being like an extra gym class while the latter tried being positive for his own sake. It was evident he was nervous, but he seemed soothed when Cristina smiled encouragingly at him as she shuffled out of her shoes.
Declan had surprisingly agreed to come too. When asked why, he said it sounded like fun and that he too wished to smack Kyler across the face with a lunch tray. Cristina knew that was a lie. He just simply didn't want to be left out.
Sometimes, Cristina could see on his face that he didn't think he fit in with the others. Declan wasn't smart like Demetri or kept up with a multitude of series like Eli, and despite much protest, he wasn't as badass as Miguel. And Cristina fit in simply because she was a girl too caught up in pleasing others to tell them Doctor Who wasn't actually her favorite show.
Declan was loud and oppinuated and lazy. He often clashed with Demetri because of it. He had a hard time finding something in common with both Eli and Miguel, and he had given up on getting along with Demetri a while ago. So he jumped at the chance to do something with the others that he could possibly be good at.
"Is there usually so many people in here?" Declan leaned down to whisper in Cristina's ear, his eyes scanning the crowd nervously.
Cristina shook her head with a smile on her lips. "No. It was just Miguel, Aisha, and me before today." she tied her hair up into a ponytail and dragged Declan with her onto the mat.
When it was time to begin, Johnny stepped out of his office clad in his black gi. Out of all the students, Miguel, Aisha, and Cristina were the only ones with the white Cobra Kai gis on.
"Quiet!" Johnny shouted, and instantly the ongoing conversations ceased. "Face front!" the students somewhat clumsily did as asked and turned to face him. The only ones who didn't look like utter train wrecks under his stern stare were the three who were used to his antics.
In the front, Cristina fell into her spot in the middle of Aisha and Miguel, leaving Declan with Demetri and Eli a few rows back. Her friends smiled at her arrival and nodded in greeting, something she was quick to return. She bounced on her feet, excited to train with more than two people.
Dramatically, Johnny began walking through the rows of students, zeroing in on the slightest details he found weird with them and then loudly commenting on them. As he approached Demetri and Eli, Cristina held her breath, knowing her friend's pi shirt wasn't going to be ignored.
"Hey, nice shirt," Johnny said, and any normal person would've realized it wasn't a compliment.
But Demetri smiled and nodded. "Thanks!"
"I'm joking, it sucks."
More insults were said, and more students were looking at the floor in embarrassment, not knowing what else to do with themselves. Cristina felt bad for them and shifted uncomfortably on her feet.
