LIX. Heartbreak Weather

Odessa anxiety chewed on her thumb nail while she watched Eli and Tory stare each other down at the top of the water slide as if they were about to duel to the death. The two dojos stood on opposite sides of the water. Kyler took the liberty of being the ref. Odessa stood close to Hailey and held her arm, which made Hailey happy that she trusted her enough to touch her. "Y'all ready for this?"  Kyler shouted out. This is to decide the champion of all champions!"

"Oh my gosh, it's a damn water park." Hailey muttered with pure annoyance. "We can't go anywhere these days."

Odessa only hummed in response. Eli and Tory took their places in their tubes and everyone started chanting their names. When Kyler shouted for them to go, the teens slid down the slides. "Come on, Eli!" She found herself shouting. 

"Let's go, Hawk!" Grayson yelled out.

Eli held his breath the entire time. With his friends chanting his name, he was determined to win. He didn't have anything else to prove. He was the All Valley champion. Everyone knew what he was capable of now. But his entire life, he spent it being pushed around and controlled by people like Cobra Kai. Odessa was right. He didn't want to keep doing it anymore. 

But then, he noticed how we was beginning to slow down. "Come on. What the hell!" He shouted to himself and trudged forward on the tube in attempt to go faster. He could feel it deflating from under him.  He made it to the water exactly two seconds after Tory.

"God dammit." Oliver cursed under his breath and gripped his hair.

Odessa sighed and she closed her eyes. Tory let out a loud cheer of self victory and it amped up the Cobra Kais even more. She was about to make her way to Eli when his face twisted in anger.

"What the hell? You guys cheated!" He shouted at Tory while holding up his deflated tube. "There was a hole in my tube!"

Hailey scoffed out loud. "Cause that's all they know how to do!" She shouted sinisterly at the Cobra Kais.

"Boo! Cheaters!" Everyone started yelling out and Tory's excitement fell along with her face. "Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters!"

Odessa went to help Eli out of the water but he trudged his way up the stairs in anger. "Eli, wait—"

He ignored her and stormed up Kenny. "Hey, dipshit.  I know this was you." He sneered.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Kenny said and got in his face.

He only smirked. "Not strike first if that's what you think. You don't have the balls to anyway."

"Eli, leave it alone." His girlfriend said from behind him.

Kenny's lip curled into a chuckle and he started to walk away, but quickly turned back and swung his fist at him. Eli leaned back and dodged it with no hesitation. "Is that all you got?"

Miguel ran around the other side of the pool to where they were at. "Get him, Eli!" Grayson encouraged.

Kenny grunted and attempted to punch Eli but the champion dodged them with his hands like it was nothing. He let out a groan when Kenny was able to hit him in the face.

Everybody gasped. Odessa quickly looked at Oliver.  "Ol, do something!" She begged. Before he could,  Robby ran up to them and shoved Eli into the pool.  That's when she got angry. She stormed up to him.  "Hey!" She shouted and pushed him by his shoulders.

Like it was out of reflex, and completely unlike him to do so, Robby spun around after the contact and he accidentally hit her in the face. The force was strong enough for her head to turn to the side and she held her face.

"Ohhh!"  The growing crowd gasped out again.

"Hey!" Miguel hollered in anger and he, too, ran up to him and shoved him back. "Don't touch her! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You wanna go?" Robby challenged him.

"I'll fucking kick your ass myself." Oliver threatened.

"Dess!" Said Eli and he jumped out of the water. He quickly touched her shoulders. "Hey, let me see."

But again, Odessa flinched back while still holding her face. "No. Please, just, don't touch me." She stammered and walked away from them all.

"Odessa!" He called out her name.

Hailey quickly stopped him before he could follow her. "Let me. Trust me." She simply said and followed after her friend.

Feeling angry, Eli whirled around and faced Robby. "I'll kill you." He seethed.

The same worker from before blew his whistle again and stormed up to the commotion. "Hey. Everybody get out and leave the park immediately. I mean it. Everybody out. Now!"  He shouted at everybody that was around.

Robby looked regretful. "I didn't mean to hit her." He said to nobody in particular.

"You better watch your back." Eli said again with a hateful glare.

The handful of boys that thought of Odessa like a sister glared at him as well before walking away. Eli walked as fast as his feet could carry into the waterpark building. He saw Hailey and Odessa come out of the girl's bathroom. Her hair was pulled out of her face and the red mark on her face was visible. He felt even angrier. Hailey walked away, eyeing him on her way, and he quickly went up to her. "Babe, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Eli." She replied hesitantly.

"I'm so sorry that happened. Just say the word and I'll end him—"

"No, just. . ." She immediately said and paused for a minute. "Just please, stop with the feuding. You won,  Eli. You're the All Valley champion. You deserve to feel like you've overcome all these obstacles because you do. Please, just leave it alone." She begged him. It was over. It was Summer. They were supposed to be kids.

His face softened at her words. "Yeah, no, you're right.  You're totally right. I'm sorry. I promise I'll stop." he rambled. He wanted to go in for a hug but he stopped himself. "Dess. . ."

She titled her head.

"Why won't you let me touch you?"

She blinked and her lips parted slightly. She felt stupid. She felt embarrassed. She also felt disgusting. "You wouldn't get it, Eli." She muttered sadly.

"Then help me to get it." He responded and kept his voice quiet.

Odessa's nails scraped against her bare skin. The marks from them appeared red. Eli noticed. "I've been touched, pushed, and pulled for years. I just needed to breath. I couldn't breath in there." She explained to him almost like she felt guilty.

His face fell to regret. "I'm so sorry," he said quietly again. He reached for her hand and he saw her flinch slightly. He stopped then slowly went in again. His hand touched hers and she let him told it. "I love you. You don't ever have to be afraid of me doing something like that. I would never in my life."

She knew that. Of course she knew that. Eli loved her. He loved her through her obstacles, through his own obstacles, but that didn't stop her from feeling insecure. Odessa couldn't remember a time when she didn't feel insecure. Having her reputation ruined didn't make it any better. But Eli would never hurt her physically. "I know." She replied. "I know. I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand and stepped closer to him. "Of course I know that."

"I understand completely. I promise. When it comes to shitheads like Kyler, I know all about feeling insecure," he said and it made her feel even more guilty. "But I have you. That's enough for me."

Odessa titled her head, her eyes soft, and she pressed her hands to his cheeks. She kissed him gently. She didn't feel uncomfortable with him. He made her feel on top of the world.

They walked out of the building and joined their friends outside. Hailey smiled when she saw them holding hands. "Hey, do you guys know where Sam went?" Asked Miguel, not being able to find her anywhere.

"I saw her leave with Anthony." Hailey responded.

"I'm sure she's just as pissed off as we are." Said Oliver.

"I'm not sure about that." Eli muttered with a light scoff.

"Yeah, I don't blame her," he mumbled. Miguel looked ahead of him and saw Robby. "Uh, you guys go ahead." He told them.

"You sure, man?" Grayson asked with his arm wrapped around Hailey's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Miguel." Hailey waved and Oliver patted his shoulder before they took off to their vehicles.

Odessa stared at him for a minute, knowing what he was thinking, and she turned to Eli. "I think I'll hang back too. I'll catch up with you."

He nodded. "Alright. I love you."

"I love you." They quickly kissed and Eli took off walking. Odessa turned to Miguel and sighed. "Don't do this."

"He hit you—"

"I've been through worse, Mig. C'mon, fighting with Robby isn't going to solve anything."

But Miguel had a mind of his own. He took off running to catch up with Robby and Odessa let out a sigh of irritation. She chased after him. Miguel quickly made his way through the cars and stormed his way in front of Robby. He shoved him by his shoulders. "Hey! I could've sworn Sensei said you were out of Cobra Kai."

"I'm not in Cobra Kai." Robby confirmed roughly.

"Yet, you're on their side every time they start
fights—"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Odessa was getting dizzy looking back and forth between them. She rested her hands on her hips and sighed like an exhausted mother.

Miguel got close to his face.Look, I know you think because you came to Mexico that you think you're a good guy. Well guess what, you're not." He spat.

"Guys, stop. This is stupid." Odessa uttered.

"Stay out of this, Dess," Robby said to her before glaring at Miguel. "Let's get one thing clear, I didn't come down to Mexico for you."

Johnny rolled up in his van in the middle of their fight.

"Nobody asked you to go anywhere!"

"Hey, stop!" Odessa shouted again.

"Hey, hey! Stop it!" Johnny yelled when he stepped out of the van. The three teens turned and looked at him. "I want you guys to get along. We're all friends now."

"No. We're not friends."

"We never will be."

"You two are so stupid." Odessa sighed from frustration.

Johnny saw the red mark on her face. "Odessa, what happened to your face?"

She didn't answer right away. She leaned on one of her legs and her eyes nonchalantly looked at Robby."Uh, diving accident. I landed the wrong way." She lied. She quickly tried to get away. "I've gotta go find, Eli."

She fled the scene in a panic and walked through the still busy parking lot. "Odessa! Dess, hold on!" She heard Robby call her name. She quickened her pace. "Dess, please!"

She stopped and sighed quietly. She turned around and faced him.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you," he quickly let out. "I-I. . . It was just a reflex. I promise I didn't mean to."

"But you did." She stated harshly. "And I know you're only defending Cobra Kai because of Tory but Robby, you're out. They can't control you anymore. Maybe use your new found freedom to try and control yourself."

Robby watched her walk away and this time, he didn't stop her.

Odessa didn't know how she was going to explain her face to her mom. There wasn't any bruising but Robby had his her with enough force to leave a bright red mark on his cheek, visibly enough to tell that she had been hit. She was hoping that her mom wouldn't be home but, unfortunately, she was. Along with her dad.

When she walked into the house, Thalia stood from the couch. "Hey, honey. How was the water park?" She said with a smile. Her eyes settled on the blemish on her daughter's face and the smile fell. "What the hell happened to your face?"

"Diving accident." Odessa answered and started walking to her room.

"That doesn't look like a diving accident."

"Did someone hit you, Odessa?" Her father asked and stood by Thalia's side.

"No. Nobody hit me. I'm fine." The teenage girl raised her voice.

"Don't—"

Odessa spun around and shot him a glare. "Oh, please don't act like you all of a sudden care." She blurted out.

"Odessa."

"No, mom, you know I'm right!" She nearly shouted. She looked at her father. "What makes you think you can abandon me and all of a sudden show up to act like a father? Huh? You left me!" This time, she did shout.

Christian's face fell. "Honey. . ."

"Odessa, please, don't do this right now." Thalia begged.

"Why? Because you're trying to protect him?" Odessa jeered. "Did you forget all of the shit he put you through? He stole from you. He used me for money. He made me all these promises and then I just never saw him again. You're just going to let him back after everything he's done?"

The words spilled from her like word vomit. She was being harsh. She didn't mean to be but like every teenage girl, they said things that they didn't mean. She watched her mom's face turn red. "Odessa Violet, what the hell is going on with you?"

"Maybe I should—"

"No!" She yelled, making Christian stop talking. She pointed at her daughter. "You've been avoiding the situation and I keep letting you because I know that you're hurting. But you can't keep running away, Odessa. We have to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk about it!" Odesa shouted and threw her hands up. She looked at her dad. "Don't you get it? I don't want this. I don't want you here."

"Odessa, please talk to me. I can't keep doing this." Christian begged, her words cutting him deeply like a knife.

She scoffed outs laugh. "You can't keep doing this? What about me? You have no idea what I've been through!"

"Then tell me!" He accidentally shouted.

Her eyes filled with angry tears. "You don't deserve to know!"

"I'm your dad, Dessa."

"Stop calling me that!" She screamed. It echoed in the home and everything went quiet.

Thalia stood in front of her daughter with her mouth gaped open. She didn't know what to say. Odessa's wild blue eyes looked between her parents. Her father was on the verge of tears and her mother was trying to hold back her emotions, much like she was.

He didn't deserve to know her. She didn't want to know him. Everything Odessa though she knew about her father was washed away. He was a stranger to her; a stranger with her face. Odessa was the spitting image of Christian Beaumont. She wore his face like a tattered mask. He was a constant reminder of all the pain she was out through because of his absence. She hated him but everything she did was a way of chasing him. "Fine. You wanna know everything, dad?" She spat with a hateful glare. "You wanna know everything single little thing that's happened to me?"

"Odessa, please. . ." Her mom slipped out.

"No, no, mom, he wants to know." She dismissed and blinked her eyes, the tears in her azure blue eyes finally falling. She released a painful laugh. "You want to know everything, dad? Well here you go. In the three years that you've been gone, I've been sexually assaulted—" she started counting on her fingers. "I had a rumor spread about me at school that I slept with someone when I didn't. That I had an STD. That I've slept with every guy at school when it reality, every guy that I've been with has tried forced themselves on me. My best friend almost died. I had an eating disorder and almost died myself. And my boyfriend went on a stupid karate rampage and almost ruined everyone's life. And yeah, my ex boyfriend just accidentally hit me in the face because everywhere I go, there's a stupid karate war that I find myself getting mixed up in."

I've been living in absolute hell because you weren't here. You. Weren't. Here!" She shouted with a painfully right throat. "You being here now is never going to fix any of it."

Christian Beaumont felt ruined inside. He always did. A black hole took place inside his soul. It was impossible to pull out of. But he found his way out eventually and he thought that was enough. But it wasn't enough. He would never be able to make up for the years he lost with his daughter and she would never get those years back either. They were lost, gone with the wind, and she wasn't the same girl she used to be. His clear blue eyes blurred. "Oh, Butterfly. I'm so sorry," was all he could manage to say.

Thalia covered her mouth as her own tears fell.

Odessa was very young when she cracked open. She was young when she was faced with the harsh reality of the world; that her father wasn't perfect. He was a beautiful man with clouded vision. He didn't see the crash course in front of him until he was in the middle of the collision. He didn't realize he was ruining his life until it was already ruined. As a result of it, Odessa suffered. Her mother suffered. She was angry because of her father. The undying love she was once, she now held like a grudge. Deep inside her, there was a growing anger that pitted itself in her heart. A rageful anger. It only unleashed itself when she let it slip between her fingers.

"I don't need you." She uttered. It was painful to talk, and her words were barely above a whisper. Tired tears stained her face. There was so much more she wanted to say but she was exhausted. She gave up. "I don't need anyone." She whispered and walked away to her room.

When she entered her room, she slid down the door and let out all the cries she had been holding in. Her hands tangled themselves into her knotted blonde hair. She didn't feel like she was herself. She felt like she was detached from her body. With a trembling hand, she took out her phone and dialed a number. She held it up to her ear.

After three rings, there was an answer. "Odessa?"

"Hi, Dr. Carmichael. I-I was hoping we could talk."