______________________________________

"So, the classes are actually back in session again. Sensei is getting a lot of calls since the fight in the cafeteria." Miguel chuckles

"I mean, what you did was pretty cool." Jamie says

"Really?"

Jamie adjusts the phone in her hand, "Yeah. How many people do you know who win a fight using karate?"

"Not many I guess. But I wanted you to be the first one I told." He says

"Well, Aisha already told me."

"What? When?" He exclaims

"She talked to me about it after the fight happened. I didn't even know she was in karate."

"Yeah. Well, what did she say?"

"Just basically explained how much better she now feels about herself since she started." She says, "She also told me how she kicked your ass."

"She didn't kick my ass. She only tossed me." He stammers

"Sure." She chuckles

"So, knowing all of this, are you gonna join?"

"She also told me how sexist your teacher is. So, I'm very reluctant in joining."

"No, no, he's not sexist per se." He says as she hums in acknowledgement, "He just has an old time kind of mindset."

"Interesting." She mutters

"Just-" He sighs, "Just try giving him a chance. I promise he's not all that bad."

The line goes quiet for a second. Only the humming of Jamie's fan being heard in the background.

"I'll think about it."

______________________________________

Jamie opens the door to the dojo. She turns to see a huge logo that says, Cobra Kai. She frowns a little at the snake in the middle of it.

"Hey, you made it." She turns to see Miguel and Aisha walking up to her

"Yeah. I figured I'd try it since you guys keep talking about it." She says as they all laugh

"It's not that bad. You'll like it." Aisha smiles as she goes back to the front of the class

"It's fun. Trust me." Miguel says smiling softly

Jamie nods as Miguel follows Aisha back to the front. She sees them start to practice as she looks around the classroom. She sees Eli and Demetri amongst more students who she's seen around school.

She then turns as she sees the older man that lives in her apartment complex.

"Okay! Today we begin-" He starts, but realizes that none of the students are listening

Jamie looks around with raised brows as Johnny sighs, "Quiet!" He yells. Jamie jumps slightly as the students go silent.

"Face front." He says as the students turn towards him. Jamie stays closer to the door.

Johnny starts to walk around as he looks over the students. He stops in front of Demetri, "Nice shirt."

"Thanks." Demetri says

"I'm joking. It sucks." He says as he walks away

He stops in front of another student who smiles at him, "Word of advice. If you got shit for teeth, don't smile." He mutters before walking away to another student

"My God, makes me feel like a virgin just looking at you."

Jamie frowns as Miguel looks back towards her. He winces as he sees her expression before turning back around.

Johnny continues walking back to the front of the class, "When I look around this dojo, I don't see Cobra Kai material."

"I see losers. I see nerds. I see a fat kid with a funny hat with his tits popping out." Jamie looks over at the kid as he puts his head down. "But my short time as a sensei, I've also seen some miracles." He says as he looks at Aisha and Miguel

"So maybe there's some hope for you yet." He says looking over at the students again, "First, I need to see where you're at. So everybody, fall in!"

Jamie, as well as the other kids, look around confused.

"That means line up." Johnny reiterates. There's a mix of oh's and ok's as all of the kids start to get in lines behind Aisha and Miguel, "No, not-not line up in a line. Lines. Get in lines." Johnny tries

"You mean, like, rows?" Demetri says in confusion

"Ugh." Johnny groans as his hands cover his face. Jamie watches in amusement as the kids stumble to get into rows.

______________________________________

Jamie walks back to her bag to pack her things up. The first karate class had just ended and she knew a lot of these students wouldn't be back. She walks out with her bag as she makes her way home.

"Jamie. Wait up!" Miguel yells. She turns to see him jogging towards her, "So, how'd you like it?"

They make start to make their way home as she answers, "It was pretty fun I guess. I'm just glad I wasn't someone he came down on."

"I know how it looks. He just has a very unique way of teaching."

"Yeah." She shrugs, "What got you into karate anyway?"

"Kyler." He sighs

"Kyler?"

"Yeah. I got beat up right outside the store by him and his friends. Sensei was the one to help me." He nods. Jamie frowns, "Well, not really help me. He was saving his car, but still helped me. I saw the moves he used and wanted to learn so."

She nods as she takes a second to process what he told her, "That's why you were so frantic to find students."

"Mhm." He hums, "Sensei has helped me a lot in the little time that I've known him. I feel a lot better about myself." He chuckles softly

Jamie looks over at Miguel as he stares ahead. She takes in his features as she gets lost in her own thoughts.

"Jamie." She hears. She's quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she realizes they stopped. She looks around and realizes they've made it to the apartment complex.

"God, I didn't even realize we made it." She says

"You okay?" He frowns

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking." She mutters

"What about?"

She stops herself from saying what she really wanted to, "Thinking about whether or not I wanna go back to those classes." She says as she walks up the stairs

"I really think you should." He calls out

She turns to see him standing at the bottom of the steps, "You think so?"

"Yeah." He nods, "I mean, I want you there."

Jamie stands there flustered for a couple of seconds. She smiles, "Then I guess I'll come back."

"Okay. Great." He chuckles

"Good." She nods, "Goodnight." She says as she continues walking up the steps

"Night Jamie." He smiles before making his way back home

______________________________________

A couple of days have passed and Jamie decided to start attending classes. She's not a huge fan of the way Johnny addresses some students, but she did enjoy learning karate.

They're currently learning the basics of a punch. Johnny walks around correcting some students on their stance and the way they're punching. He stops in the front of the class as he looks around. His eyes land on Eli, "Hey, Lip." Eli stops as his face drops, "Yeah, you. The one with the freaky lip. Who do you think I'm talking to?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Lawrence." Demetri starts

"Sensei Lawrence." Aisha corrects

"Okay." He says with raised brows, "You really shouldn't make fun of someone's physical appearance."

"Oh, is that so?" Johnny says, "So I'm not supposed to mention his lip at all?"

"Well, yeah."

"Yeah, maybe that's what they teach you in school." He starts, "but in the real world you can't expect people to do what they're supposed to do. Right? You hear that, Lip?" He looks over at Eli, "If you can't handle someone making fun of you, how are you gonna handle an elbow to the teeth?"

"By calling the police?" Demetri said matter-of-factly

"Dude. Knock it off." Miguel tries

"What?" Jamie says. Miguel looks over at her with pleading eyes.

"What? He does realize the nazi lost the war, right?" Demetri raises his voice, "Why should I be scared of him? Because he's got a snake on his wall?" Jamie watches as Johnny puts his head down, "It's not like he's a teacher who can give us a bad grade. We're paying him. He works for us. It's not like he can actually hurt us."

"Oh shit." Miguel whispers as he closes his eyes

Johnny stands in front of Demetri as the other students back away, "You done?"

"What?" Demetri mutters

"Hit me." Demetri looks around, "Go ahead, hit me. Strike me right here." Johnny says pointing to his face

Demetri gets into his stance as he punches at Johnny who quickly pushes his hand away.

"Harder."

Demetri tries again, but this time gets his hand slapped away.

"Is that all you got princess?" Johnny says

Miguel sighs as he watches Demetri try again. He's quickly flipped on his back as Johnny goes to strike him in his chest. He stops before he actually hits him. Johnny stands up, "Let that be a lesson to all of you."

Miguel looks over at Jamie who continues to watch Demetri who sits up on his elbows.

______________________________________

Jamie sits in Science class as she waits for it to start. She looks over at the door as Miguel and Demetri walk in. Miguel gives her a smile and she raises her brows in acknowledgement. She then sees Sam walk in. As she turns, students start to laugh at her. Jamie sees a blow pop stuck to Sam's shirt. She sighs and rolls her eyes at the stupid joke.

"Thanks for the Blow Pop, guys. Really never gets old." Sam says

"Hey, everybody. Who let the pigs out? I did, because I ordered the fetal pigs." The teacher jokes. The students continue to stare at him as his joke fails, "But seriously, get in your groups."

Jamie sighs. She hates group projects. She's happy her partner is quiet and will do their part of the work on their own.

"Oh, who wants to take Samantha in? This little piggy needs a group." The teacher states as Sam stands in the front of the class. The room stays silent as Sam looks around, "Don't all volunteer at once."

After a couple of seconds, Miguel speaks up, "We'll take her."

"Thank you." The teacher says

Jamie watches as Sam walks over to Miguel and Demetri's table. She frowns as Sam passes by Demetri. The boy then looks down at his arm for a couple of seconds before he sniffs it.

"What the fuck?" She mutters

______________________________________

After school, Jamie is in karate class again. There are a lot less people in the class now due to Johnny's unique teaching methods according to Miguel.

"Okay, everybody fall in." Johnny walks out of the office, "Where's everyone? Crater face? Nose ring? Slingshot?"

"They quit, Sensei." Miguel says quietly

"You serious?" Johnny exclaims, "I mean, good. That was a test. I wanted to see who the quitters are. Not you guys. You're in it to win it. Right, you could be at home, playing your iComputers, playing your video games, eating candy. Instead you're here, doing pushups, learning how to fight." He nods. He looks around, "Lip. Look. Even Lip's tougher than those guys. He's no quitter."

"Could you please not call me that?" Eli mutters

"Excuse me, what?"

"I said, could you please not call me that?" Eli says a little louder

"Um, I'll warm 'em up, Sensei." Miguel mumbles

"No, no, no. Lip has something he wants to say. Sorry, speak up, Lip. Or is your tongue messed-up too?" Johnny stands in front of Eli, "Are you one of those challenged kids?"

"Um, the doctor said I could be on the spectrum." Eli says

"I don't know what that is, but get off it pronto. All right? If you don't want me to call you Lip, then don't have a weird lip. Can't you get surgery for that?" Jamie huffs as she watches them

"I was born with a cleft lip. This is the scar from the surgery." He says softly

"You mean it was worse before that?" Miguel shakes his head, "Or did the doctor just screw up?" Eli's brows furrow as Johnny continues, "Because if this is the after photo, that sucks, man. You should sue."

"Can we just please change the topic?" Eli tries

"You don't think I want to? It's tough when it's right in front of me. If you want to be something other than a nerd with a scar on his lip, then you gotta flip the script." He says, "Okay? Get a face tattoo. Or gauge your eye out. We'll call you Patch, all right?"

Miguel sighs again as Jamie puts her hands over her face, "No, don't do that one. You'll still look like a freak." Johnny says turning around

Eli storms away to the back of the building, "Ugh, great, really? Another quitter?" He groans.

Miguel and Jamie look over at each other before Jamie scoffs.

______________________________________

Miguel walks out of Johnny's office and he sees Jamie about to leave.

"Hey." He says

She turns to him with a look he's never seen before, "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about Sensei. He can be very hard to deal with, but-"

"He's not all that bad and it'll be fun just trust you?" She cuts him off. He sighs as she continues, "And I should stay to figure that out?"

"He's just stuck in his old ways. I swear-"

"Miguel the whole reason any of them even came here was to get away from bullies and to learn how to defend themselves." She says, "They shouldn't have to go through that again to finally get away from it."

"I'm gonna try to talk to him, okay? Just please- he was the same way with me." He tries

Jamie sighs as she looks away. She looks back over to see Miguel still staring at her, "I'll see you at school." She mumbles as she walks out.

Miguel sighs as he turns away.

______________________________________

Jamie stands at the back of the class as they face the mirror. Miguel turns to look at her, but doesn't get any response. Johnny walks out of his office as he looks over the students.

"Three more absences, Sensei." Miguel sighs

"Bunch of pussies." Aisha says

"No, it's my fault. Since you joined Cobra Kai, I have been hard on you. I've called you names. I've humiliated you." He says as he walks back and forth.

"Some of you I've hit. And for that, I don't apologize." He says with a head tilt, "Cobra Kai is about strength. If you're not strong on the inside, you can't be strong on the outside. And right now you're all weak. And I know that because I was you."

Jamie frowns, "I used to have no friends. Used to be the weirdo kid." He says pointing at a student, "Not that weird. I still hooked up with babes and all, but.." He trails off

"The point is, I wasn't always the badass sensei I am today. Just like a cobra, I had to shed my loser skin to find my true power." He stops in the front, "And you guys will too."

Just as he finishes, the bell jingles as the door opens. In walks someone with a mohawk who looked very familiar to Jamie.

"Welcome to Cobra Kai." Johnny says

All the students turn to the door. Jamie frowns before her eyebrows raise in surprise, "Oh my god." She whispers

"Eli, what happened?" Miguel says in shock

"I'm flipping the script." Eli says with a new found confidence

"Wait, are you the kid with the lip?" Johnny asks "Nice cut, bro. You see that? Doesn't matter if you're a loser or a nerd or a freak. All that matters is that you become badass. Hawk," He says to Eli, "Fall in."

Eli smirks before taking off his shoes and stepping onto the mat.

"Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, Sensei!" Eli says

"Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, Sensei." Aisha says

"Defeat does not exist in this dojo, does it?"

"No, Sensei." Miguel says

Johnny turns to look in the mirror in front of the room, "Class, are you ready to learn the way of the fist?"

"Yes, Sensei!" Everyone yells

Jamie sighs as she watches Johnny smirk to himself in the mirror. Maybe karate wouldn't be so bad.

______________________________________

ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ. ʟᴍᴋ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ <3