Can't Have Both

Bargaining.

Tory got the call from the hospital at 2 in the morning. They gave the body to a funeral home, that would either bury it, or be cremated. They needed a response the following week. Or it would be too late to hold a funeral. 

Tory was sitting against the wall, eyes barely open, but she couldn't sleep. The phone call had taken up so much energy. The doctor who had helped her the most called. She couldn't remember much anymore. She just kept thinking of her mom. She felt angry. The doctor sent her a stage of grief chart. But she knew them already. She was prepared for when this would happen, she just didn't expect it to happen this fast. She had been angry. But she was past that now. She was still angry about everything happening, which she used in the tournament. 

But she wasn't angry about her mom. She wasn't in denial though. She wasn't sure what she was in. Bargaining? She hoped not. That was closer to accepting it. And she could never accept what was happening. 

What if her mom was still here? What if her dad didn't leave? What if her mom didn't get sick? What if she had a nice childhood? 

She could have stayed with her mom, instead of hanging out with Robby. She should have called her. Or checked. She should have asked the hospital additional questions. She should have stayed with her mom more. 

She sighed. Leaning against the wall she closed her eyes. She tried to sleep. She didn't want to get in bed. She was too tired to get up. She wanted to do something. Anything. She had to sleep. She closed her eyes again. Maybe if she kept them closed long enough she would sleep. 

She did end up drifting off. 

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Robby practiced the minute they got back. And practiced. He couldn't lose. He needed to win. This was it. If he didn't make it through the next day, he would lose it. He needed this win.

" Woah, isn't that overkill?" Miguel tried joking, but Robby glared at him. Miguel backed up.

" Uh... I think he's upset." He whispered to Sam. She gave him a look.

" Ya think?" She said, rolling her eyes. She was also training, but not as hard. Robby stopped, as if he just realized they were actually there, and he wasn't hallucinating. 

 They both nodded.

" If I knew, I would go back, and be nice to her the first time I met her." Sam said, looking down regretfully.

" And I wouldn't have hurt her how I did. I caused both your futures to be put at stake." Miguel added.

" No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have hurt you." Robby said. " But it's all in the past now." He said.

They both nodded. 

" I'm sorry I keep bringing her up." He said. 

" No, it's fine Robby. We all feel how you feel." Sam said. Miguel agreed.

" I'm going back to training. I need to win this. For her." He said. They nodded. 

He just left them very concerned, whispering behind his back.

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Devon lied in her bed. She looked up at the ceiling. It really happened. She really lost. She had woken up from a nightmare about everyone being disappointed in her. She knew Robby was also awake. Doing what? She wasn't sure.

She didn't want him to know she was up, so she stayed still. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw him, on his phone, under his sheets.

She couldn't take the silence anymore. She rolled over and asked, " Robby, you awake?" She heard the tapping stop.

" Did I wake you?" He asked silently. 

" No. Couldn't sleep." She said.

" Yeah, me neither." He said. Putting his phone down, and sitting up. He turned the lamp on and faced Devon. She looked back at him.

" You nervous?" She asked. He nodded. " Tory's not doing ok. She talked to me at the tournament-"

" Wait, you didn't mention she talked to you." He interrupted.

"Will you let me finish? She talked to me, but when I mentioned her mom, she went away. She's been avoiding it." She said. Robby was silent, trying to think. " And I felt bad, so I let her go. I probably should've gone after her though, right?"She asked.

" Uh, maybe..." Robby said, unsure.

" What do you mean maybe?" Devon asked. 

" It's just... I don't know. Never mind." 

" No, what you do you mean?"

" Nothing. Go to sleep." He said turning over and lying down.

She tried. But she kept having nightmare's about losing, Tory and the others leaving her, Kenny finding out.

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Tory was up bright and early to train. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep she was doing pretty well. She wasn't tired. Maybe it was adrenaline? She didn't know. She just knew. She was ready. Today would determine the finalists. She would win. For her mom. For her brother. For her team.

And for Robby, She thought. 

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Robby was up early. He had gotten up before anyone. Devon had agreed to come, only to support her team and talk to Tory. They had arrived. Demetri and Devon were sitting on the sidelines, but Devon had no intention of staying. She wanted to talk to Tory. Tory didn't even glance at her as she walked in. She was talking to some boy. 

Robby came in with Miguel, and they stood at their posts. Robby stood and looked at Tory. She was with another boy. He looked at the clock. 

8:59. The qualifiers were in 1 minute.

Tory's conversation ended, and she looked up to a pair of green eyes looking at her. She couldn't take her eyes away, and just stared back.

" WELCOME TO THE SEMI-FINALS!" An announcer said. Robby and Tory were still looking at each other. They were thinking the same thing. Winning. 

" TODAY WILL DETERMINE WHO WILL BE FIGHTING WHO TOMORROW, AND WILL DETERMINE THE BEST DOJO IN THE WORLD!" Many people cheered. Some clapped. Tory still looked at Robby. 

" GOOD LUCK TO THE CONTESTANTS. GET TO YOUR FIGHTS. THE SEMI-FINALS HAVE OFFICIALLY STARTED!" People started moving to their first fights.

Good luck. Robby mouthed to Tory. He wasn't far, and she could make it out. She looked away. It was painful, watching him there. Last night it had only occured to her. If she was fighting against Miyagi-Do, would she fight against him? She really hoped it didn't come to that. 

Plus, with the things with her mom? She didn't need anymore bad thoughts. She only had till later today to call back the hospital. If she didn't... they might throw away her mom's body. But she couldn't have that. She didn't want it thrown away, but she didn't want it buried. 

Make up your mind, she thought. She couldn't. The stupid hospital. 

She walked to her fight, put her hands in front of her face, and said " AITZ." Before showing her opponent who's the winner.