Heartstrings | Miguel Diaz

𝟬𝟯. back in black

CHAPTER THREE
that's the thing about illicit affairs

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     𝐅or some reason, Johnny had them mixing cement with their bare hands for hours, and everyone was practically about to pass out from the heat and the exhaustion. They now faced a huge cement mixer truck, which slightly unnerved her since they could've just used that earlier. However, whatever he was planning━it was obvious that the challenge hadn't started yet. The so-called aces of the dojo stood in the very front while the others stood behind or around them.

     "You think winning the All-Valley gives you the right to goof off? Well, I got news for you. Winning one championship don't mean squat. A true champion never stops training. You gotta keep moving forward... or else you could get stuck exactly where you are. It's like the cement in this truck. If that drum doesn't start turning, the cement inside will harden and get stuck. Is that what you want to happen to you?"

     "No, Sensei!" They chorused.

     "Good," Johnny said hardly. "Then climb up, get inside, and make it spin."

     Murmurings broke out among the students as they exchanged confused and disbelieving looks with each other. Raegan frowned a little, glancing at Miguel and Hawk as she stood between them. Next to Johnny, Kreese had his feet up on the truck with that permanent smirk on his face, obviously anticipating more than she'd liked to.

     "Sensei," Aisha was the first to speak up, and she had a worried look in her eyes. "we're sorry for messing around."

     "We learned our lesson." Hawk nodded.

     Johnny grabbed the folded ladder that led inside the tanker and slammed it open, making some of them flinch. He was obviously not buying their apologies and bullshit. Even Raegan didn't believe a word that her friends said.

     "Get in!" He yelled.

     "Sensei, this seems kind of dangerous. I mean, the fumes alone━" Miguel started, but then someone else cut him off.

     "Quiet!" Their eyes snapped towards the person who owned the voice, taking them by pure surprise, even their own Sensei. Kreese walked up front. "This man led you to the mountain top, and you question him? Look at you. Look at all of you."

     "I can't believe this pathetic pack of pussies competed in the All Valley, and let alone won," Kreese said as he paced in front of them, even looking at Raegan for a mere second. Like he knew something she didn't. She clenched her jaw in annoyance. "It's an absolute miracle. And who's responsible for that miracle? Johnny Lawrence. The best student in the history of Cobra Kai. My student."

     That's when she put the pieces all together. Raegan heard of this old man before, and from what she recalled, he was nothing near good. She stiffened between her friends, trying to hide her disdain towards the man. 

     "You were Sensei's Sensei?" Eli asked in disbelief.

     "You better believe it, kid," Kreese said. Then he glanced at Johnny. "And I tell you I've never trained a tougher student in my whole life. So if you know what's good for you, you better listen to every goddamn word he says."

     A familiar determined expression flashed on Miguel's face, and Raegan knew he had made up his mind. "I'll do it, Sensei."

     Johnny only nodded, and the boy walked towards the truck. Raegan sighed quietly, but she didn't hesitate to follow him, Hawk not far behind her. There were also a few others who were brave enough to step inside the tanker with them. She heaved out a deep breath before hauling herself up the ladder, hearing Miguel curse out loud when he saw the inside of the cement mixer, but he stepped inside.