I SAT ON the forest floor for quite some time. I could see the sun between the trees, slowly making it's descent and casting shadows over the leaf covered ground. My eyes squeezed shut as another wave of memories from my mom's accident came into focus. I wanted to shove those thoughts away forever or burn them so I'd never have to feel so terrible again.

I couldn't help but look at my hands. Seeing the leftover splattered blood from Johnny's nose only made me remember how they had been covered in my mother's as I tried to hold her wounds closed. It was no use though since she was already gone by the time I got there.

With desperation, I threw myself to my feet. My limbs were unstable but I pushed onward, listening to the sounds of the creek and following it. When I came upon the gurgling water I plunged my hands under it. The water was frigid for it being warm weather still but I didn't let it stop me as I scrubbed my skin, washing away the blood but never the memories.

"Is that my blood?"

I snapped my head up and faced Johnny who was standing at the edge of the creek only a few feet away from me.

I turned back down to scrubbing my hands again, "Have you come to gloat about your win?"

Johnny took a step closer, his blonde hair trembling in the slight breeze. "No," He said. "I haven't."

"Then what have you come here for?"

"To see if you're alright."

I scoffed and flicked my fingers to get the access water off of them before flopping onto a nearby rock in a crisscross sitting position. "Well, I'm fine so you can go now."

My irritated tone didn't sway Johnny from leaving though. In fact, he walked up closer and then sat beside me. Not too close, but close enough for me. I refused to look at him and instead studied the ripples in the creek's surface, watching them change and reform. I felt a flutter of exhaustion flowed through my body.

"How is your nose?" I asked him.

Johnny shrugged, "It's seen worse in a fight." When I did not reply Johnny angled to face me more as if that would make me pay more attention to him. "I know you could have beaten me back there. Honestly I wasn't sure about you but you definitely give someone one hell of a fight." Johnny hesitated for a second before speaking again, " You should have ended the match when you had the chance. Why did you stop?"

"I wasn't trained to fight like that."

Johnny nodded, "You already said that earlier. But why? You had the look of absolute fury on your face one moment and then the next it was gone. What happened?"

"It isn't your story to know," I snapped.

Johnny softly sighed, "You know for all your talk of me being a bully and unpleasant, you sure can be cold too."

I released a caged breath, and turned my head to look at him for the first time since he sat down, "I know. I'm sorry. I just have had a lot happen in only a short amount of time and I can't seem to balance it all."

Johnny nodded distantly as if thinking of something else, "I know how that feels." He turned to look at me again and said, "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're strong and a badass at karate. You'll be fine." Johnny stood and then held out his hand to me, "For now how about a pizza?"

I looked up at Johnny and his outstretched hand. A part of me wanted to take it and be carefree with him like he seemed to be most of the time but another part of me was afraid I'd be the girl he didn't know. The girl who lost her mother and who now had the impulse of running away because the fear of losing someone else was extremely hard to handle.

But Johnny's smile was completely genuine, and in the end, it didn't require much for me to take him up on the offer. I took his hand and let him pull me back onto my tired feet. As we walked I gazed sidelong at him, "So, you think I'm a badass?"

The ends of Johnny's lips quirked up, "Did I say that? It very well could be true. You did say I was handsome once and like I've said, when you get a compliment it's only right to say one back."

I half smiled, "I believe you did."

"Hmm. Does this mean I'm forgiven for the whole Freddy thing?"

"We'll see I guess. Most likely no because that was so out of line. Are you paying for pizza?"

"Well, I thought maybe you..." When Johnny saw my face of mock outrage, he laughed. "Okay, okay. Yes, I'm paying for your pizza."

"Hey Johnny!"

Looking up as we walked I saw Tommy jogging across a small patch of open forest to where we were. Johnny nodded to Tommy, "What's up?"

"What's up? We've been lookin' for you man. Wanna go to Pizazi's or what?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming. We're bringing (Y/N) too."

"Well then let's get moving! I'm starved!" Tommy's enthusiasm over pizza was infectious and I couldn't help but smile and gain a bit more pep in my step.

Johnny led us over to where the guys had their bikes and motioned for me to get on the back with him. This time I didn't hesitate and grabbed the spare helmet he offered, strapping it on and settling on the bike behind him.

Pizazi's Pizza Parlor was downtown near the dojo. It's red, black and white color scheme looked cool on the inside and the waiters and waitresses dressed in the same hues made the place really classy.

Most of the guys from Cobra Kai were there and had commandeered two giant booths next to each other for all of us sit at. I slid down onto one of the red cushioned seats that wrapped around a table in an "L" shape and took off my jacket, placing it behind me on the booth.

Our waitress came to the table to take drink orders and brought us a free appetizer of garlic bread to tie us over while we'd be waiting for our food.

"I'll take a Dr. Pepper please," I said and the girl dressed in a red shirt, white pants and a black apron jotted down my order on her notepad.

When she was done getting our drinks ordered she left right away to go get them. I snatched a slice of garlic bread from the middle of the table before the guys could. Taking a bite, I savored the buttery, salty garlic flavor. I'd never tasted anything so good.

As I ate, Johnny was smirking at me with his eyebrows raised.

"What?" I asked him.

Johnny shook his head, "You look like you've never eaten garlic bread before."

I shrugged, "I have. Just not any this good. The pizza restaurants back in Minnesota were good but I've never eaten anything from there that compares to this," I gestured to the bread I was eating and then took another bite.

When the girl came back with our drinks I took mine gratefully. All the salt from the garlic bread made me thirsty and I took a pretty big swallow. Too big. I choked as I swallowed the soda pop and it made my throat burn. I coughed twice and was fine but I decided I should slow down and eat a little less quickly so I didn't inhale anything on accident.

"Why did you move here from Minnesota? That's fairly far away." Jimmy asked me.

Jimmy's question caught me off guard. I wasn't sure what to say. I hadn't told anyone the actual reason I moved. Not even Ali, Susan and Barbara knew. I wasn't exactly open about what happened to my mom.

"I..." It was hard to say it and I didn't think I could in front of so many people. "I'm just staying with my Dad for some time." It wasn't a lie. But it wasn't exactly the whole truth either.

Tommy shuddered, "Man, I'm not sure how you live with Sensei Kreese. I keep forgetting that he's your dad. That's scary as hell."

I took a sip of my soda pop to wet my throat which had gone dry, "Uh, It's not so bad." I shrugged, trying to play it off like living with my dad was no big deal. "We really don't have time to talk much with being busy but it's better that way. He... was barely in my life before he and my mom split." I grabbed my soda again and took another drink, trying to drown out the conversation.

Most of the eyes at the table were still lingering on me as if I wasn't finished talking. "Hey Dutch, you still gettin' that new bike?" Dutch's eyes lit up at Johnny's words and instantly the pressure was off of me and on Dutch as he exploded into talking about the new motor bike he was saving up for.

Filled with relief, I glanced at Johnny sideways and gave him a small smile which he returned with a slight nod of his head that actually looked like it was more of a shrug.

Soon the waitress returned to our table again, ready to take our order which consisted of three large pizzas topped with pepperoni, green peppers and onions on two and another one with just mushrooms.

The guys were a horde of hyenas when the food arrived and I thought I was going to have to fight one of them for just a second slice. "Geez you lot eat like animals."

"That's what you get when you put pizza in front of a group of hungry guys." Tommy shrugged and mumbled around a mouthful of cheesy pizza, "Deal with it."

I grabbed a paper napkin from the table and flung it at Tommy's face, "At least use a napkin you dummy. I don't want to be embarrassed by hanging out with you all, than I already am."

Tommy dropped his jaw with mock awe but the effect was more disgusting instead, "I'm doubly hurt now that you think we're embarrassing."

I grabbed a third slice of pizza, "Well, now that I think about it... It's mainly just you that's embarrassing Tommy." I took a bite of the saucy cheesy goodness before talking again. I chuckled over my own mouthful, "It's definitely not me."

We laughed together and for a little while it seemed like the pressure of the day was completely gone. Here I was hanging out with these guys who were sort of becoming my friends and who I knew had some of the same pressure on them that I felt from my father. They understood at least a bit more than Ali, Susan and Barbara ever could, even though I knew they'd be there for me if I needed them to be.

On the way home, it was just Johnny and I. The others went their separate ways from Pizazi's, so the ride home was quieter with just the sounds coming from Johnny's motor bike instead of all five together.

Johnny pulled the bike over to the side of the street and turned off the engine. I hopped off within a few seconds and grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. "Thanks for the ride again. And the pizza too. I needed that."

Johnny gave me a lazy smile, "Anytime."

"And thanks for talking to me earlier too, even though I was a bit of a jerk about it. I'm sorry."

Johnny nodded in understanding, "I'm sure you'll tell me what you want to in your own time. But I am here if you ever need to... You know, talk I guess. If you want?"

"Thanks." I turned my head around to look at my dad's house. "Is it bad that I really don't feel like going in there?"

"Nah, I couldn't imagine living with Sensei Kreese. He's... intimidating to say the least."

"I don't know how he'll handle with what happened at Coyote Creek. I definitely disappointed him today."

Johnny started up his bike again, "Like I said, you should have just finished it."

I frowned but nodded. I knew I couldn't avoid my father any longer than I already had, "I'll see you at school."

I turned away but Johnny stopped me, "Don't let him fool you that he's the most intimidating thing in the room. That dojo belongs to you too, you know."

I smiled, "Bye Johnny."

"See you around karate queen." With that being the end of the conversation, he revved up his bike and sped off down the lamp lit narrow street.

I squared my shoulders and walked into the house. I am a badass.