Finding My Family **ON HOLD**

Ch 16: Sang the Waitress

I look at myself in my bathroom mirror, wearing my official blue Bob's Diner polo and white shorts. Karen gave me an extra half apron she had so I can put my order pad, pen and any tips I get in it. I've pulled my hair back into a pony tail and I continue to stare at myself. I still don't feel ready to be a waitress. It was one thing serving my friends, but actual customers is a different story.

I run down stairs and quickly say bye to my parents who are having a super important Academy meeting. It looks like they will be going on assignment again and can't decide who will stay behind with me. As I walk down Sunnyvale court I wave to Kota who is washing his car while simultaneously giving Max a bath. He nods at me just as I hear the shouting.

"Get the fuck out of here you worthless piece of shit!!" I hear from the direction Nathan's house is in. Glass shatters and it stops me dead in my tracks. I look over back at Kota, he frowns and gives me a slight shake of his head. There's nothing we can do, ignore it. That's what that shake tells me and I get a little angry inside because of it. My stepmother abused me as a child and my sister and father did nothing. I'm not going to do the same for my friends. I'm going to do something!

I do an about face and head straight towards Nathan's house. Let's see what this tough guy looks like. I bet I could kick his butt from here to Sunday with my Academy training!

"Sang! Stop!" Kota yells, dropping the hose he was using, the water still running. He rushes over to me just as I make it to Nathan's front lawn. "Sang, you can't go in there." He grabs my arm urging me to stop.

"We can't just do nothing!" I snap at him while I try to yank my arm free.

Kota sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose before speaking, "Sang you don't understand. It's dangerous. When he gets like this it's like dealing with a wild bull. He's unpredictable and sometimes if you interfere he'll get worse. It'll be worse for Nathan."

"So we're supposed to just stand here and let it happen? What about what you promised me? That we would help him. You and me only. What happened to that? I'm here willing to go in there and you aren't!"

Kota has the decency to look ashamed. I know he's not purposely acting like this, but he feels helpless. That's why I wanted to tell my parents. The Academy would know what to do. Kota managed to walk me back to the sidewalk away from Nathan's house before speaking again, "I haven't figured out a plan yet, but for now we just need to deal with it the way we have been. Nathan and I have been managing his dad for years now. We can do it ourselves, but I won't have you going in there guns blazing like you can take this guy down no problem!"

"I probably can!" I urge defensively at Kota's doubts. "I took down North and --"

Kota cuts me off with a quick shake of his head. He grabs both my wrists and pulls me closer to him, resting my hands on his chest. It feels nice...wait, Sang focus! Kota leans in towards me to make sure I'm listening to what he has to say. "I didn't see what happened in the forest that night, but from what I heard you were amazing. But Sang, North would never hurt you. Was he really trying to fight you or was it more like contained sparing?" I don't answer him, because he knows the answer and so do I even though I don't feel like admitting it out loud in this moment. I have the skills, I have the technique, I have excelled in controlled environments, but I have never succeeded in a real life fight or flight moment. I can get in a few good punches, but could I take down the bad guy for good? With my size? I need a lot more practice if I ever want to do that.

"Get to work, your going to be late. I'll check on Nathan, okay?" Kota whispers as lets my hands go. I give him a nod and continue on my way to Bob's Diner.