Chapter Twelve
STILL INTO YOU

     "You've trained hard. You've gotten stronger, tougher, faster. You've done your best. You're ready for this tournament, am I right?"

     "Yes, Sensei!"

     "Wrong!" Sensei threw his beer can down and the remaining liquid inside splashed on some of the students. "Your best ain't shit! If you wanna win the All Valley Under-18 Karate Tournament, you gotta give me better than your best. Which is why from now on, you're gonna get my worst. Do you understand?"

     "Yes, Sensei!"

     "Are you losers?"

     "No, Sensei!"

     "Are you nerds?"

     "No, Sensei!"

     "Are you sure?"

     "No, Sensei!"

Sensei had a list of activities he wanted the kids to do to prepare for the All Valley and get stronger. He had them run through tires first. "Move those feet. Go!" Mara panted as she went through the tires as fast as she could. Everything was going well until Aisha tripped and fell, causing Mara to fall on top of her, Miguel to fall on top of Mara, and Hawk to fall on top of all of them. They all groaned and got up. Miguel reached out his hand to help Mara up and she gladly took it not noticing the look Hawk gave the two.

Next Sensei handed them all makeshift bats and had them stand in a group. "Your enemies are all around you. Destroy them!" Everyone ran to different spots around the junkyard. Aisha and Mara found a random car and started smashing its windows.

     Mara took out all of her frustration on the car and wiped the sweat off her forehead when she was done. She looked over at Aisha who was hitting anything as hard as she could and screaming. Her eyes widened at her friend. Aisha was scary when she was angry.

     Mara wondered around, breaking things, and eventually, she found Miguel. "Hey, about yesterday. I'm sorry for lying to you about Sensei, I just didn't know if you were mad at me about the whole Ryan situation."

     "Oh I am mad. I just like to hear both sides of the story before I punch someone."

     "Look, I like him it's just I also really like Sam and now we're dating and I can't just break up with her. I like hanging out with her and she's really cool."

     "You can go out with Sam if you want Miguel, but it's the fact that you hurt my brother and then turned around and started dating someone else."

     Miguel looked down. "I know. I messed up. I shouldn't have said all of those mean things to him. He hates me now doesn't he?"

     Mara placed her hand on his shoulder. "He doesn't hate you. He mostly hates himself because he thinks he forced himself on you."

     "What do I do?"

     "Like I said last night, you need to be truthful with yourself. Ask yourself what you really want and go for it. If you don't and continue to lie not only to others but to yourself you'll get people hurt. And I don't want to see you hurt Miguel. I really don't."

     Miguel nodded and tightened his grip on his bat. Mara looked around a saw a giant piece of scrap metal. She walked over to it and grabbed the corner, starting to lift it. "Help me with this would you?" Miguel came over and grabbed the other end and the two threw it out of a window. It crashed down onto scar that was sitting below and the two cheered and high-fived.

Next Sensei had set up a piece of metal across a pit of broken glass and sharp metal. He had Miguel go first and the boy got across easily. Mara was next and she slowly walked across, trying to keep her balance. When she got to the very end her foot slipped but she managed to catch herself before she fell. Hawk came after her and made it across quickly only having one slip up in the middle.

After they were done all of the activities, Sensei put them all back into a clump and started handing them strips of bacon. "You wanna win? You gotta be hungry. You guys hungry?"

"Yes, Sensei!" Mara took a bite out of her bacon and slightly gagged. That was not bacon. Miguel laughed at her and took another bite of his piece.

"Good! Cause so are they!" Sensei pulled out a whistle and blew into it and soon all of the kids could hear the sound of dogs barking. It got closer and closer until they saw a pack of dogs running straight at them. Everyone separated and ran for the nearest shelter. Mara found a car and quickly hopped on top of it. Hawk was right behind her and a dog was gaining on his heels. She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him up but soon found he was too heavy for her.

     "What the hell did you eat for breakfast,
Moskowitz?" She finally gave up and dropped his hand. She jumped off of the car, catching the dog's attention and running in another direction. She found another car and jumped onto that one and looked back to see Hawk had finally pulled himself up. She fell back on her butt and let out a breath of relief. The dog was still trying to get up into the truck and Mara just stared at it and gave it the finger.

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      "How can you not like Jacob?"

Mara was laying on her back hanging off the side of Moon's bed while Sam and Moon sat against Moon's headboard. Sam and Mara had gotten into an argument about whether Edward or Jacob was better in twilight.

"Jacob's a creep." Mara told her. "He literally kissed Bella against her will and then he imprints on her child right after she was born. That's weird."

"If anyone is a creep it's Edward. He's 100 years old having sex with a 17 year old."

"He's a vampire! He's technically still 17 too."

Moon laughed at the girls. "How about we agree that they were both creeps and Bella should've gotten with one of the girls."

Sam and Mara laughed and nodded their heads. Someone's phone started ringing and Sam reached into her back pocket. "That's my dad. I have to get home. Grandma's coming over. See you guys later."
The girls said bye to her and after she left Mara sat up and scoffed closer to Moon so that their knees were touching.

     "Sooo, what have you been up to?"

     Moon blushed and turned her head to the side so Mara wouldn't see. "Nothing really. I've mostly just been focusing on cheer. I wish we could've hung out more though."

     "Yeah. I'm sorry, karate's taken up most of my time and I haven't really reached out to you. But we can do something now."

Moon smiled at her and nodded. She leant  forward on her knees and shimmied her shoulders. "What do you have in mind Mars?"

Mara hopped up from the bed and turned on Moon's radio. She started flipping through the channels before she found one she liked. "Oh I love this song! Can't count the years on one hand that we've been together. I need the other one to hold you make you feel, make you feel better." Mara grabbed her phone and used it as a microphone.

Moon laughed as she watched the girl swing her hair around and dance around her room. "It's not a walk in the park to love each other. But when our fingers interlock, can't deny, can't deny, you're the worth it." Mara grabbed Moon's hand and pulled her off the bed, twirling her around. Moon put on a pair of sunglasses and then grabbed her own phone to sing along with the brunette. "Cause after all this time I'm still into you. I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you, I'm into you." Moon pointed at Mara and took her hand to twirl her around multiple times. The girl giggled as she started to get dizzy and she grabbed onto Moon to keep her balance.

The girl's laughed breathlessly and Moon held Mara up as the girl tried to stand up straight. Moon couldn't help but admire how beautiful Mara was. In the heat of the moment she leaned forward and connected their lips. When Mara didn't kiss back and stood frozen Moon pulled away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. You were just so close and I've liked you since forever and—"

     "Shut up." Mara grabbed Moon's face and pulled her into another kiss. She instantly kissed back, wrapping her arms around the girls waist. Their lips roughly moved together, both pouring the feelings they've kept bottled up for so long out into the kiss.

Mara didn't realize until now how deep down she hid these feelings. The ones she felt when she was twelve and Moon's arm would brush against hers. When the girl would sleepover and they shared a bed. They were both so young and both so scared to tell the other how they felt. And now years later, here they were expressing those feelings to each other in the best way possible.

The girl's fell on top of Moon's bed, pulling each other impossibly close. Lost in the feeling of skin on skin and lips on lips. They didn't care about anything else around them. Not the door that was still open or the phone vibrating on the floor. Just each other.

And if just for a few moments, Mara forget about all of her problems in the world. She forgot about her father who never seemed to care about her, the Sensei who only ever believed in one student no matter how hard he tried to seem like he didn't, the brother who had finally apologized to her after six years. She forgot about the boy with the blue mohawk who was no longer the boy she grew up with, who's feelings she wasn't completely sure of.

All she could think about was Moon.
   

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     Miguel heard a knock come from his front door. He waited to see if his grandma would open it but when he didn't hear any footsteps he turned off his music and went to go get it himself.

     Mara was on the other side of the door when he opened it. She looked stressed about something and Miguel was about to ask what when she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house. "I need to talk to you." She made him get in her car and then she locked the doors. The new bobble head of Bucky she had bought shook as the teens slammed her door closed.

     "What happened to you?" He noticed her hair was disheveled and her lips were swollen. Had she been with Hawk?

     "I have a problem. So I went over to Moon's house today, just to hang out with her and Sam. Everything was normal and then Sam left and things starting getting weird."

     "Weird how?"

     "Well we were just listening to the radio and singing and then next thing I know we're dancing and then suddenly we're on top of her bed kissing."

     "What? You kissed Moon! But what about Hawk? I thought you two had something going on?" Miguel was starting to see her problem.

     "I did too! But then Moon kissed me and I kissed back and things just escalated. I mean she's a really good kisser."

     "Did you guys have sex," Miguel asked her raising his voice. If he thought his situation was bad Mara's was on a whole new level.

     "Oh my god! No! It was just kissing. Lots and lots of kissing. And some touching. But my point is I didn't think I liked her that way anymore. All it took was one kiss and all the feelings from when I was 12 came flooding back!"

     "Shit Mara. I mean I thought my situation was bad but yours? That's on a whole different level." Mara smacked his shoulder causing him to flinch and reach out to soothe the area. "Ok sorry! Well do you still like Hawk?"

     "I don't know. I mean I liked Eli and Hawk is an entirely different person. I haven't really gotten a chance to get used to him. He's different and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him."

     "But you like Moon?"

     "Well yeah but we just became friends again a few months ago."

     "Damn it Mara. Give me something to work with here!"

     "I'm trying!" She ran her fingers through her hair and took deep breaths to calm herself.

     "Why don't you just take the same advice you gave me?"

     "Yeah well now I'm realizing, it was really shitty advice."

     Both teens sat in their seats and stared straight ahead. They both were in similar predicaments, but now none of them had a solution. Mara closed her eyes and decided to turn on the radio to drown out the silence. Mara closed her eyes as she listened to the soothing voice come through the radio.

Miguel turned to her seeing her try and stay calm. He knew what she felt like too well and we wished he didn't have to see her go through it. "It'll be ok Mara. Well figuring it out. I promise." He linked his pinky with hers and felt her lean her head on his shoulder. He just closed his eyes and listened to the song flooding the car.

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         Mara and Miguel eventually made it to the movie theater where they were meeting Aisha and Hawk. The two were already there waiting for them. Aisha linked her arm with Mara and the girl smiled. She looked at Hawk who had a furious look on his face. His eyes were looking back and forth between Mara and Miguel and then he scoffed and made his way inside the building. Mara and Miguel shared a confused look before following after him.

     The four bought some snacks and then went inside the movie theater. They found their seats, Miguel on the end while Aisha, Mara, and Hawk flooded in after him in that order. They were all submerged in the movie at first until their minds started wondering and they stopped paying attention.

     Hawk was throwing pieces of popcorn at random people while Mara competed with him to see who could throw their's farther. Aisha shook her head playfully at the two before turning to Miguel who had a sad look on his face. "Hey what's wrong?"

     He shook his head slightly. "I can't stop thinking about what Sensei told me about Sam's dad."

     "So Sensei and Sam's dad had some beef. What's that have to do with you?"

     Miguel looked at her dumbly. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Sam's dad hates Cobra Kai. I'm a part of Cobra Kai. So, by the transitive property, Sam's dad is gonna hate me."

     Hawk scoffed at their conversation. "Jesus Christ, you're such a nerd." Mara lightly smacked the back of his head and grabbed another piece of popcorn. "It takes one to know one," she whispered to him before launching the popcorn at someone's head.

     "I'm telling you, it's not just on my mind. Sam was acting weird the other day when her dad walked by."

     Aisha shook her head. "Listen, I've known Mr. LaRusso since the third grade. He's really nice guy. You just have to talk to him."

     Mara leaned her head over Aisha. "He could be a nice guy but studies show that 90% of kids are easily influenced by their parents opinions."

     "Mara?" Aisha asked.

     "Yes?"

     "You're not helping."

     "Sorry." Mara turned back to Hawk and grabbed another piece of popcorn.

     "I haven't even been invited over yet. She's probably too afraid to introduce me." Miguel didn't know what to do anymore. Ryan hated him and his girlfriend didn't even want her family knowing about him and their relationship.

     Hawk tired of their conversation decided to but in. "Dude just go over there. It's the alpha move." He threw another piece of popcorn and it hit a man who was sitting in the front row.

     The guy got up angrily and turned around. "Who the hell did that?"

     Miguel, Aisha, and Mara all pointed at Hawk.

     "Really guys?"

     The four thankfully didn't get kicked out and were now exiting the theater to go home. Mara felt an hand grab her elbow and pull her to the side. She looked up to see Hawk glaring down at her. He pushed her back until her back hit the wall. He leaned in closer to her and lifted the hair that was covering her neck. "Who the hell gave you this?"

     Mara's eyes widened and she covered the hickey she knew she had on her neck. She mentally cursed herself for not checking before she came. "No one. Don't worry about it." She tried to walk away but he just pushed her shoulder back to keep her pinned to the wall.

     "Who gave it to you? Was it Miguel?"

     "What? No! Miguel and I are just friends. Why are you acting so crazy? We're not dating or anything."

     "But we were doing something, Mara! I literally kissed your neck in a pool. That doesn't mean we're just friends."

     "Well I'm sorry I'm not a mind reader. Kissing my neck one time doesn't automatically make me think we're a thing, much less exclusive. If you wanted that you should've used your words and actually communicated with me."

     Hawk looked away for a second to calm himself before looking back at her. "Who. Gave It to You?"

     "Again it's not any of your business what I do. Just because your mouth touches my neck doesn't mean you have some claim over me. You're not some wolf in heat."

     "Im pretty sure that's exactly what it means. I mean, I'm not a dog, but me kissing you means that you can't go around kissing other people."

     "Do you even hear yourself right now? I thought I  liked you and I was trying to figure out what to do. Now you're just acting crazy. I've kissed your neck before but that didn't mean we were a thing! It just meant I was too short to reach your cheek! Communication is the most important thing in a relationship Hawk. If you wanted to have one with me then you would've communicated with me and told me that." She tried to walk away once again but he just pinned her back to the wall.

     "Ok. I'm communicating now. I don't want you kissing other people."

     Mara scoffed. "You know I liked Eli. I really really liked him and I thought that I would like Hawk too but right now he's acting like a complete idiot."

     "You said you wanted me to communicate, so now I'm communicating! What else do you fucking want from me?"

     She glared at him with tears in her eyes. "To get a fucking clue." She pushed his arm off her shoulder and walked away from him.

     "Don't fucking walk away from me." Hawk grabbed her wrist again, tighter this time causing her to wince.

She used her other hand and grabbed his arm twisting it back causing him to shout in pain. "Don't touch me."

     She quickly walked back to her car where Miguel was waiting. He had watched the whole thing and wanted to ask if she was ok but she just shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. He watched as the girl got into the car and he looked back to see Hawk looking in their direction with a sad look on his face. Miguel just shook his head and joined Mara in the jeep so she could take him home.

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Two chapters left! They'll be posted today don't worry. Dot forget to vote and leave a comment if you liked this chapter!