patience is key | the karate kid

xxvii. wax on, wax off

xxvii. wax on, wax off

"AS MUCH as I'd like to talk, I only have a minute so try not to make it long."

Kat sets down a glass of Coca-Cola that's filled to the brim with ice cubes poking out the top. She slides it to her boyfriend and sits down in the chair across from him by the window. It's the same table her and Daniel sat at that one day.

   Johnny remains quiet. His fingers gently touch the outside of the glass and his eyes follow the bubbles as they float to the surface. Kat scoots her chair in so she sits closer.

"What's up?" She asks, furrowing her brows. Rarely does she ever see Johnny so quiet, so settle. The boy bites his lip, hesitating to answer. Then he slowly looks up and into her eyes.

"What was that.. at the dojo today?" He meekly asks with his fingers still tracing up and down the cold cup.

Kat falls back in her seat with a sigh, she should've known this was coming. It was one of the several things she was fearing, today.

"I'm just as confused as you are, Johnny." She says, half-lying with a shrug of her shoulders.

Yes, she was confused, and still wondered why Mr. Miyagi wanted her to come along with him and Daniel earlier that day. But there was a little bit to the situation she knew about more than Johnny.

Such as, what Mr. Miyagi and Daniel were doing today.

"Mr. Miyagi.. he was so eager for me to join him and Daniel today. Believe me I had no idea where we were going."

Johnny's eyes stray from Kat's and he glances down on his drink. His fingers wipe away a few droplets of condensation that had started to form and he lets out a sigh.

"Well now Sensei Kreese wants me to fight him in the tournament. If he makes it that far." He mumbles. Kat opens her mouth to say something but he cuts her off.

    "I.. I know this puts you in a pretty tough position."

   "Yeah. It does." Kat agrees, looking down at her lap. Although the problem itself isn't nice, Johnny understanding it makes her feel better. He glances up and reaches his hand out across the table.

   "We'll be alright, right?" He asks with hope sparkling in those dazzling blue eyes of his. "Despite what happens at the tournament?"

Kat looks up at him and takes his hand into hers with a kind smile. Her thumb overlaps his as she strokes it gently.

   "Yeah." She replies with a nod. Their fingers intertwine as they both sit there, blushing. "We'll be okay, I believe."

As confident as Kat wants to be with her statement, she can't help but feel unsure about it. Would they really be alright if Daniel, say, did win?

What about her and Daniel if Johnny won the victory — what would happen with them?

She gives Johnny a trying smile and he grins back, then raises the back of her hand to his lips. He plants a soft kiss and holds her hand close to his cheek. What a gentleman.

"You're really something, you know that Kathleen Martin?" He says, being cheesy. Kat rolls her eyes and pulls back her hand with a scoff.

"C'mon, really." Kat laughs and so does Johnny as he takes a sip of his coke. His tongue licks off the droplets left on his lips and he smiles widely.

"What?"

"You know I despise my full name." She exaggerates and grimaces with her nose scrunched up. "Kathleen... ugh. It just doesn't sound right."