﹙REFLECTIONS ★﹚

CHERRY'S SPONTANEITY CAME FROM HER FATHER!

She'd called her father and refused to go home, rambling on about how she wanted to go to school, she didn't want to live in an empty penthouse.

Alexander, after a five-minute conversation that was obviously a guilt trip, agreed to his daughter's bizarre suggestions. He moved to the San Fernando Valley with her.

Before Cherry could settle into the new house, Kenny had invited her to a random strip mall. After Cherry purchased her boba, it didn't seem like such a good idea anymore.

A large banner with the name Cobra Kai plastered on it was the only indication they'd arrived at their location. Cherry had agreed to only go along with Kenny as a form of moral support.

"Can I help you?" An older man questioned, eyes darting between the pair that had stepped into the dojo.

"I-I'm looking for Robby Keene." Kenny clutched onto his backpack straps, his gaze averting to his best friend in hopes the sight of her would calm him down.

"Mr. Keene. You have a visitor." The older man called out, causing all of the students to stop their training. Cherry assumed that the beautiful-looking man up front, leading the warm-up, must've been Robby Keene.

"You know this kid?" A blonde girl standing to the side questioned.

Robby turned to face Kenny, saying nothing. Cherry couldn't say anything either, because she had no idea what was going on.

"I-I'm Kenny. My brother, Shawn Payne, said you could help me." Kenny started, his nervous habits beginning to poke out.

"I didn't know Shawn had a brother. Is he out?" Robby adjusted the belt of the white gi he was wearing.

"No. That's why I'm here. These a-holes keep hassling me. One of them knows karate, so-" Kenny was about to speak when he was interrupted by the older man wearing a black gi

"This is a dojo. You are interrupting my class." the sensei cut him off, which made Cherry almost wince.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Kenny put his hands up in surrender.

"Sensei. Shawn Payne was one of the toughest guys in juvie. Kicked my ass a few times." Robby interrupted, vouching for the younger boy.

Cherry brought her eyes up from their inspection of her nails, running the pad of her thumb over the charms. She said nothing, just glanced between the sensei and Kenny.

"You know, in the real world, we have to fight our own battles. Cobra Kai can teach you how. But you have to prove that you're worthy." The sensei crossed his arms.

"How do I do that?" Kenny questioned, trying to hold eye contact.

"Take your shoes off and get on the mat." The sensei instructed and looked over at the redhead behind him. "You too. Or get out of my dojo."

This comment brought an unusual feeling to the girl's chest, something like irritation. She bit back a scoff and kicked her Converse off her feet, revealing white, cherry-patterned socks.

A tall girl stood on the mat, and Cherry positioned herself directly in front of her. She had absolutely no experience with karate, and she hadn't even planned on doing anything besides sit in silence while watching Kenny.

"Fighting positions. Ais!" The sensei yelled out. The girl got into a position that Cherry tried her best to mirror. "Good luck." The other girl commented, with a smirk, as she lunged forward.

Cherry moved out of the way, her hands fumbling for a moment before grabbing the girl's leg and flipping her over.

"Thank you." Cherry leaned over the girl on the mat, her big smile carrying no trace of mockery.

The blonde girl from before stood in the corner, analyzing the girl's movements, searching for any faults or weaknesses.

"You." The sensei pointed to Kenny, as the pair of girls left the mat. "Let's see what you got. Mr. Park?"

A black-haired guy stood up when his name was called, cracking his neck as he took his spot on the mat. Kenny winced at the sound of the popping. "But h-how am I supposed to fight if I haven't had any training yet?" He questioned, moving his weight from foot to foot.

"Don't worry, man. I'll go easy on you." The black-haired guy reassured with an evil grin that wasn't any sort of real comfort.

"To be a cobra kai, you have to have a killer instinct. Fighting positions." The sensei spoke vaguely. "Ais!"

Cherry sat on the floor, neatly tying her Converse as she watched her best friend, and hoped he wouldn't leave the mat bloody.

Kenny squealed when the black-haired guy lunged at him, taking so many steps back he was off the mat. All of the students erupted into laughter.

"Come back on the mat. Grow some pubes, let's go." The black-haired guy encouraged sarcastically.

"It's all right, Mr. Payne. Try again." Robby's sensei called out, gesturing back to the center floor.

Cherry gave Kenny a thumbs up, and he nodded his head. Despite his friend's encouragement, though, he ran off the mat again.

"I've seen enough. The All Valley is just a few short months away. We don't have time for losers. Or cowards." The sensei eyed Kenny.

"Kenny's not a loser." Cherry was quick to defend him, but her good intentions only made him seem like even more of a baby who couldn't defend himself.

"Don't take it to heart. You did fine." The sensei shrugged. "I think you'd make a wonderful addition to the team."

"I think I'm okay." Cherry waved her friend to her side, holding the door open, not sparing another glance.

"Come back when you're willing to learn." The sensei commented and turned back to his class.

Cherry slammed the door behind herself and wrapped her arm around Kenny, who melted into the touch and mumbled something about humiliation.

She refused to do anything without Kenny. They were a duo. If they were going to do something, they were both gonna do it, not one or the other.

Cherry and Kenny's conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. The tension that built in the boy's shoulders was clear. He hadn't invited anybody over.

The pair approached the door together, and Kenny pulled it open. "How'd you know where I lived?" Kenny questioned, at the sight of Robby. Robby held up the boy's backpack, pointing to the tag.

Cherry squinted, skimming the sharpie scribbled text.
"Kenny, why is your whole address on your backpack? What if someone wanted to kidnap you?" Zhe smacked the back of his head like a concerned mother.

Kenny shrugged, the tension in his shoulders releasing as he took the backpack. He quietly spoke a thanks, trying his best to be polite.

"So how's Shawn? Is he still getting out this summer?" Robby tried to make conversation.

"They gave him an extra month because he spit in a guard's face." Kenny informed, glancing at his friend.

"Okay. Yeah, sounds like him. Hope it was the guard in the computer lab."

"It's my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Shawn had some bad friends at school. I caught one of them stealing from my parents. Guy came at me, but Shawn got between us. Beat him pretty bad. He was just defending me. With him gone, I've got no one. That's why I was hoping you-"

"Look, I can't be your tutor. I have to focus on the all valley."

Cherry had been trying to drown out their conversation, and finally. A cell phone beeped like a saving grace. Kenny unlocked his phone and grimaced at whatever was displayed on the screen.

Cherry leaned over his shoulder, frowning when she saw the video. "That's so fucked up." This comment caught Robby's attention.

"What?" Robby shifted, but Kenny shook his head and claimed it was nothing. "Give it. Come on." The older boy took the phone. His eyes were unblinking as he watched the clip of Kenny opening his locker full of milk. "I can show you a couple of moves."

The green backyard made a perfect space to practice on. Cherry watched from the side, her eyes taking in every single swift movement and deflection.

Kenny wasn't bad at karate, exactly. He was just terrified. Whether it was to hurt the other boy or to fail, wasn't clear. Every time he attempted one simple move, he ran away as soon as Robby slightly shifted.

"Let's run it again. I'm not gonna make contact. All right? But that means you have to stay in the fight. All right?" Robby reassured, getting into position.

"I believe in you!" Cherry encouraged, falling back onto the soft material of the trampoline.

"Bow. Fighting stance. Elbows in. Remember, always look your opponent in the eye. Ready? Fight! Ais! Ais!" Robby lunged, which caused Kenny to flinch.

Robby frowned at the sight of the boy's tightly shut eyes. "I'm not sure I buy that you're Shawn's brother."

"Well, Shawn was always big and strong, okay? All I can do is run." Kenny spoke of himself pitifully.

"Then use that. Instead of using your speed to run away from your enemies, use it to run at them. Come on, let's try it again. Let's go. Let's go, come on. Ready? Bow." Robby got into position after the pep talk.

Cherry jumped all over the trampoline, making occasional comments and jokes the entire afternoon, her gaze never leaving Kenny's practicing form.