Hello everyone out there in the world of the Karate Kid fanfiction universe! I first just have to say I am really excited about this fic, and I'm going to tell you why.
A few weeks ago I woke up from a dream where the DREAMIEST (pun intended) guy starred the lead. Now when I woke up I knew I had seen him somewhere, but couldn't recall. Then it hit me. The baddy from Karate Kid, he was also on How I Met Your Mother. Reeling from the dream, I downloaded The Karate Kid, and fell head over heels in love, with Johnny of course. Looked the movie up on fanfiction sites, so so sad for the lack of fics overall, let alone ones about Johnny. So I had to do it, just had to.
So for all of your pleasure, and my own, I give you… Training Wheels, a Johnny Lawrence + Frankie Garcia love story. I hope you all like it.
When I stepped out from the darkness of the movie theater there was only one thing on my mind. I made a mistake. So maybe going to the movies in the middle of the afternoon on a sunny day wasn't the best idea. And the only thing that was keeping me from walking in front of a bus was that at least I was wearing my denim jacket instead of my leather one. It was mid July in Los Angeles, and the only thing I had to do on this day of my summer vacation was kill time.
My days were filled with goofing off and sweaty naps. The downside of doing good in school was that I was free, while the rest of my buds were serving time in summer school. Summer school, where all you did was sit in an air conditioned class, while you filled out times tables for the first fifteen minutes, then spent the rest of your time watching the Twilight Zone on tape. Getting free lunch then going home to write a page essay on what you thought that episode meant, then starting all over again the next day.
So what do I get for passing all of my junior classes, total freedom. Freedom, to do nothing.
Walking down the concrete sidewalks as I feel the heat rise up through the rubber of my dirty white hightops. Why did heat have to rise? It was like mother nature giving the bird to humanity. The heat rose from my feet, up my jean clad legs, up my stomach and back, to the nape of my neck under my heavy hair. Causing me to do the obvious, sweat. And as the beads of salty water rolled down my already hot skin, and the heat continues, all this time, to rise, the pooling sweat starts to dry at the small of my back.
And all I can help but think is that this is my life, the viciously hot, sweaty cycle.
And what do I come home to? A house with no air conditioning, and the angry uncomfortable grunts of my father as he sits in his chair missing his over shirt. Rightfully complaining in his sweat stained wife beater, to my mother on how turning on the cooler for a couple of hours couldn't hurt the environment too much.
While my mother's in the kitchen making artificially free lemonade, which my dad also hates, her impossibly long dark braid sways back and forth with her efforts.
Pulling off my jacket, I plop down on the couch next to my dad's chair, as I fix my baggy sleeveless Iron Maiden tee.
"I'm with pops on this one mom." I breath out and my old man grunts in appreciation as he continues our case for survival.
"Please Judy, save all this eco-friendly bullshit for winter, where all I have to do is put on a fucking coat." he winks over at my responding chuckle that I try to stifle due to my mother's glare.
"I can't take off my fucking skin Jude. Please, let the kid turn on the air, for the children." he please dramatically, gesturing to me on the couch. But all my mother does is roll her eyes.
"Children Paul? It's just you and Frankie. The boys are still in school."
"Wait a minute, the twerps can't pass the seventh grade, and they get air conditioning, but I passed last year, and I gotta sit here in my own goddamn bodily fluids? How is that fair?" I asked in exasperation. Oh the humanity!
"Language Frank!" at my dad's scolding I lower myself deeper into the couch cushions.
"Sorry pop."
"But the kids got a fucking point." this time I couldn't hide my laugh as he goes on.
"I work all morning in a garage that might as well be in the Devil's ass," covering my mouth with my hand I glance up at my mamma who gestures to me to come to the kitchen.
I spare one last glance at my dad who continues to complain about the heat, and head over to the kitchen. My mother, a flower child in her day, she'll tell you that the time of peace and free love never ended, and it hasn't, at leads at my house.
"I have a surprise for you." eyeing her suspiciously I take over stirring the strawberries into the lemonade.
"What kind of surprise? You're not sending me to another commune for the summer right?" laughing she starts mashing avocados in a stone bowl.
"Of course not, your father wouldn't let me after the last time." I turned to her, eyes widened as she continues to mash.
"What the hell,"
"I found you a job." the release of air from my chest was a cool welcome. Cause no one needs anything warm right now.
"Jesus mom, lead with that next time. Almost gave me a heart attack." I did not want to shovel compost on a good day, let alone in this heat. God the smell would be nuclear. Turning back to the lemonade with a happier twirl of my wrist, she continues.
"Jerry said you start on Friday, but to show up tomorrow so you have a day to get the hang of it." I immediately stop stirring. Warning sirens going off in my head.
"Wait, Jerry?" turning my back once again to the counter, I stare intensely at the back of my mother's head. Hoping to Black Sabbath I heard wrong.
"Ya, she said she'll show you around-"
"Jerry manages Golf N' Stuff. You got me a job at Golf N' Stuff?" feeling my hostility she turns away from her fruits and gives me a confused look.
"Well, yes." turning from her I stalk over to the fridge.
"UGH! Tell her I change my mind! Tell her I don't want it." never in a million hells!
"What?! You said you wanted a job before you go back to school so you wouldn't have to depend on your father and me for your senior year."
"Ya, well I'd rather be broke." pulling open the fridge I ponder my unbelievably horrid luck as I look for the jug of water.
"Well that's too bad, because I already told her you'd take it." Jesus fuck.
"Mom!" forgetting about the water I slam the fridge and turn to her, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't understand this Frankie. You've been looking since school ended for a job, and I down right hand one to you, and you won't take it. Why?" putting my hands up I lean back on the fridge.
"Excuse me If I don't want to literally clean up after or serve the goddamn Hilly's all summer, alright mom." I finished in a huff crossing my arms and trying to avoid her knowing stare. Not happening, it's not happening.
"Oh, so that's what this is about."
"I don't want to work for them." I begrudgingly admit as I finger a hole at the hem of my shirt.
"You're not working for them. You're working and they happen to be there."
"What's the difference?"
"Your attitude. Do your job, be as tolerant as I know you can be and turn the other cheek. They're just people, like you and me." in what universe is someone like Ali, with an I, like me? No fucking universe this close to the cosmos, I'll tell you that right now.
"They're not like us mom. If one of those ladies saw you walking down the sidewalk, they'd walking in the other direction."
"Maybe you're right. But they're not the ones that are going to lose out if you don't take this job, only you will." my mother, and all her wisdom. Damn it all to heck.
"What's this job entail anyways? Pumping nacho cheese, handing out plastic spin tops, or is it something really glamorous like fishing out golf balls and cigarette buds from the pond?"
"I'm not sure exactly, but Jerry said it was in the water park section." oh glory be. Water. In an entire park. Free!
"When did she say I should show up again?" looks like my luck is changing. Suck it universe.
Thursday morning I showed up at seven, following Jerry around the water attractions. The Lazy River, the Wave Pool, and their four water slides. Each one varying and escalating in height and length. From the kitty slide to Mount Doom. Whoever job it was to name these things deserves a prize.
My position was lazy river in the morning, lunch, then switch off to mount doom. I wasn't afraid of heights and it was a plus that Jerry knew I could handle the idiots that seemed to frequent that particular slide. I may be only 5'2, but I was raised by a hippy and a biker. If I couldn't nicely convince you to not do something, I could always hit you in the face with a metal pipe.
I'm totally kidding about that last part by the way. I would never do that… ever again.
No serving, no cleaning, no kissing ass. Just sitting and instructing, I could do it for the remainder of this rotten summer vacation.
The next morning while enjoying my breakfast trying to ignore the twisting and shifting of my hair, courtesy of my mother's hands, as I recall my first conversation of the day.
"You're not leaving your hair down right Frankie?" startled from my mother's sudden appearance I turn to her with the toothbrush still in my mouth.
"I was going to put it in a ponytail." came my muffled response.
"Are you crazy?! Do you know how much chemicals they put in that water? It's gonna wreck havoc on your beautiful virgin hair. All those chemicals Frankie!" coughing on toothpaste I was forced to cut my dental hygiene short. Rinsing out my mouth, I turn back to my mother with an amused grin.
"Then I'll put it in a bun. And please stop calling my hair a virgin. I swear the next time you say it, I'm gonna be forced to blow dry it, please don't make me. I really hate feathered hair."
"No! Alright I won't say it again. But not in a bun, It'll end up falling out. I'll braid it. Come on, I served your breakfast, I'll do it while you eat."
Ten minutes later here I am, nearly done with my eggs and plantain as my mom finishes up the last of my braids.
"Alright, there. That's the safest it will be short of wearing a swim cap." turning to her she pleads with her eyes, face hopeful.
"I'm not wearing a swim cap mom. The insanely tight halo braid around my head, which is in fact extremely heavy due to my lack of haircuts, thank you very much for that one, will just have to suffice." she huffed in indignation as she takes the plate from the table and I grab my bag from the floor of the kitchen entryway.
"Wait Frankie, I'll take you. Don't want you to be late on your first day." she says as she grabs her keys.
"Thanks mom."
Twenty five minute drive later and I'm unbuckling my seat belt. Ready to start the day. Kind of.
"Here baby take this. You know that sunblock is loaded with palm oils." taking the container that holds one of my mother's homemade concoctions I smile at her.
"Thanks mamma." I draw the line at her homemade deodorant, somethings you just really need to buy. And I always liked the smell of her sunscreen.
"Remember frankie," shutting the door I lean into the car window. "tolerance." I give her a little smile and wave bye, heading towards the gates to my new job.
In the middle of the arcade and water park is Jerry's office. After clocking in she hands me my uniform.
"Um Jerry, are you sure I can't just wear my cutoffs?" I ask the pleading in my voice barely hidden, but she just waves me off.
"Don't be silly. How else will people no you are an employee?" great.
Taking the red garb from her I leave the office and head for the locker rooms. It's the parks locker room that has just a door that reads 'employees only' that separates the public lockers from ours, including changing rooms. Thank Aerosmith.
After changing and standing in front of the floor length mirror I cringe in thought as I eye my uniform.
"Please let the guys uniform shorts be longer than this." I cannot handle the rest of the summer working alongside hanging balls. What is with the 80s and mens short shorts?
The red uniform consisted of a one piece 'v' neck swimsuit with adjustable around the waist red swim shorts that literally ended right at my ass cheeks. And to my absolute horror, that was just standing still.
"These fucking things are so gonna ride up." lifting my arms up over my head I stretch as high as I can and the damn things rose up over the curve of my bum. When I dropped my arms back down the fabric of the shorts went from tight, due to the strain of the stretch, to crinkly, but the hem stood right in place over my cheeks.
"Mother fucker." I gritted through my teeth. "I just wanted a summer job, not to be a baywatch reject."
The top wasn't so bad, even with the 'v' cut showing the swell of my chest, I decided that I could live with that. Maybe on account that I had a less than impressive bust.
"There's nothing wrong with a comfortable b-cup." I muttered to myself. But the shorts that went up to my waist and ended at my ass, to me, was lacking in a considerable amount of length.
Holding my breath I considered what I was about to willingly walk head first into.
Working at a place where my fellow school mates, better known as the Hilly's, loved to frequent, was not one of my most brightest decisions. I already knew what was most likely in store for me. Torment. It was a never ending occurrence from day one of freshman year.
Trash, no good, stoner, fat ass, easy, slut.
You know for a school to call me trash and fat, but then say that I've slept with half the school's male population is, I always thought, was somewhat of a contradiction. But what can I say, their logic knew no bounds.
My mother would lovingly call me fertile, I was blessed by mother nature to be in her image, or some hippy bullshit like that, my father called it the way he saw it; big boned. I on the other hand, gladly referred to my body type as pear-shaped. I had no qualms on that name. Big thighs, big ass, big hips, average, some would say small, boobs. But I guess I could admit, considering the rest of me, proportion wise, they could be bigger. So, pear-shaped I am.
Trying very hard from keeping my thoughts away from negative outcomes, I placed my bag into my knew locker. Grabbing my shades and quickly applying my mother's all natural sunscreen over the showing skin, and it was off to the races.
I think it's safe to say, the Lazy River is my favorite attraction. Mostly filled with little kids that were too afraid of getting me mad to step out of line. I wouldn't be too mean to them, but I felt that it was better if they didn't know that. Literally smooth sailing for the beginning of my work day, until she showed up.
Susan McCoy, alongside Barbara Walters. Two thirds of the ever present cloud that loved to rain over my entire scholastic existence.
With their neon swimsuits and feathered hair, they were about to make my day go from smooth sailing to hurricane dead ahead.
"Frank the skank?! What are you doing here?" Susan's face scrunched up in obvious disgust as I sat up straight and motioned to the river. Keeping my mother's voice in my head on repeat.
"Please mind you step into the lagoon, be mindful and courteous of your splashing for the others around you, and please have a swimmingly lazy day." just get in, please just get in and leave me alone.
"Oh my GOD, fatty Franny works here!" Susan turned to Barbara and the both of them laughed in hysteria. Cause it was such a clever nickname.
Susan started coming closers to me and I shot out of my seat, standing back straight. But as she neared me her arm went around grabbing two inflatable donuts. Satisfied smug ever present on her face her and Barbara went to the edge of the river.
"Make sure we have our towels when we come back around, won't you Franny." they both went into the water, their laughter echoing as they went down the current.
Closing my eyes I took in a shaky breath, keeping it in to try and gain control of the angry dam that was threatening to break through my closed eyelids.
Was this job worth it? I always knew my education was enough to deal with the name calling and the pranks. But was 4.25 an hour worth this bullshit? Letting out the breath, I clenched my fists.
"Fuck your towels, fuck you… and fuck this."
"Frankie?" snapping my eyes open I turned to the voice calling from behind me. Tom, fellow co worker. Just breath, you're fine.
"Ya?" he came closers and handed me a black zip up hoodie with the parks logo on the back.
"I'm here to relive you." his kind smile helping me feel less on edge. " I'd thought that you'd want a little more cover for your lunch break."
Taking the sweater from his outstretched hand I gave him a thankful smile.
"Thank you." he nodded, smile still on his face.
"You're welcome. You get thirty minutes and then you head over to mount doom." nodding I picked up my shades from the chairs arm and hung them at the front of my suit. Giving Tom one last smile as I headed for the food bar, pulling on the sweater as I went.
It was a warm day, but spending the majority of it mostly unclothed made the soft cotton fabric surrounding my arms and back a welcome relief.
Sitting under an umbrella covered table as I ate my lunch, I had a clear head finally since the incident at the Lazy River. And I realized, this was a summer job, I wasn't gonna be here forever, certainly not once school started, but I would stay until I finished, that was for damn sure. I swore that to myself at the very table. I could wait it out, I was tougher than they thought I was.
After eating I took a quick trip to the restroom then headed over to mount doom. The biggest water slide in the park. And the favored attraction of the hilly D-bags. Quickly going up the flights of stairs for the employee's, I had to give myself a minute to catch my breath once I reached the top.
"Don't worry newbie, you'll get used to it." looking up from my knees to the man who spoke, I couldn't help but be a little embarrassed.
"Names Saul." he offered his hand and I took it, giving it a good shake.
"Frankie." he nodded and led me over to a chair at the corner of the covered platform that housed the two entryways of the slide.
"Frankie, that's a good name. Alright Frankie, this is your throne. While you sit on this throne you are the ruler, queen if you will, of Mount Doom." chuckling at his way of explaining I nodded and he continued.
"Go ahead, have a sit." he gestured to the wooden seat, I eyed it and approached it slowly. "Go on." he encouraged and I took my seat. Glancing down at the sides of it then back up to Saul, who grinned excitedly.
"So, how's it feel?"
"... um, sturdy."
"You're damn right it's sturdy! Okay this is how it works. You can either sit there, or stand between the opening of the slides, or by the rail, you know it's closers to the line, sit on the floor if you want,"
Okay Saul was definitely on a level of his own, but I dug it. It worked for him for a man of his age. He was like what, forty? Maybe, I wasn't really sure.
"You call up a citizen from the line, have them go in, back down, that is very important. They can do whatever the fuck they want, once they're inside the tube, but for insurance purposes, they need to go in there back down."
"Okay."
"Then once they're in you count to ten alligator and send the next one back in. It will get confusing if you don't send two down at the same time. Cause then you have to keep track of two slides that are going at different times."
"A person in each slide at the same time, got it." I nodded in understanding, Saul clapped his hands and patted my back as he headed to the rear employee stairs.
"Alrighty newbie, I'ma open up the slide now. Give em hell your majesty." chuckling at his retreating form I took off the hoodie, placing it on the wooden seat, getting good and ready for the citizens to come.
Standing between the slides, I decided is where I liked it best. I could call two over from the line and make sure they didn't go down until the end of ten.
It wasn't too bad, a few looks and crude gestures, nothing I hadn't been through or couldn't handle. Mostly teens from around. The few from my school weren't the really nasty ones. Just some guys from the soccer team that did nothing more than joke around and laugh amongst themselves. I counted myself lucky so far.
Calling over the next two, I had them get into the position in the opening and turned back around to face the line as it moved up.
"Oh shit." eyes widening I spotted maybe about six people back, the tide tormentors of my life. Pushing amongst themselves and others in the line. Of course. They were excited, as their excitement grew so did their rowdiness. I knew that for a fact, and personal experience.
They haven't noticed me yet, and if I timed this right I could get them all down the slide before they even noticed it was me.
"Hey girl come on!" flinching out of my panic state I looked down to the two boys in the mouth of the slide, waiting impatiently. Then again I'm pretty sure it's been well over ten alligators.
"Ya can we go already?!" shouted the other one. Nodding numbly, they both quickly went down. Keeping my back to the line I called out.
"Next!" I could do this, four more people between me and them. Down they went.
"Next!" two more people, I could do th-
"Hey is that Frankie?!"
"Fuck."
"Hey man can we go down yet?" fuck fuck fuck, there was no point in trying to hide now.
"Ya, go ahead." as they went down I took in one much needed breath and turned towards the line before I convinced myself that I could escape by throwing myself down the slide.
There behind two sophomore looking kids, we're the sinister smiles of the Cobra Kai. I did the only thing logical. The only thing left for me to do.
"Next." the two kids ran up and got down on their backs, keeping my eyes on the five who thought it was a good time making people cry, as they snickered and eyed me in wait. I finished the rest of the count out loud.
"Seven alligator, eight alligator, nine alligator… ten alligator. Go on down."
I never turned my eyes away from their rowdy group, every second I counted was like watching hounds snaping at the gate holding them back from their shaking target.
"The next two." it was Tommy and Jimmy. Out of the two of them it was Tommy I kept my eye on as they sat in the opening of the slide, and I immediately started the count.
"I just can't believe you got yourself a job stoner!" trying to keep track of the seconds and not lose count I ignored the mean voice I knew to be Dutch Quinn. One of my more aggressive tormentors.
"Four alligator-" I muttered under my breath, as Dutch went on.
"You probably had to suck some ones dick didn't you?" "Six alligator," "I'll pay you to suck mine baby!"
"You can go. Next." I didn't even wait to check if the first two went down, I just wanted this over with. But of course it had to get worse as Dutch started towards me, Bobby closely behind him as he went into the tube.
Dutch wasn't very tall, maybe an inch higher than me, but he was burley, and the nastiest of the group and he loved making sure everyone was aware of it. I tried keeping my mother's mantra at the forefront of my head, but the old man broke out instead.
"Fuck off Quinn, not all of us can steal cash from our drunk mothers." it wasn't an alligator later that he pushed me up against the space between the two slides. Letting out a grunt on hard impact, I couldn't help but add on.
"Don't worry Quinn, it's not the alcohol's fault that your mamma doesn't love you. It has to be your face." before his hand could shoot up towards me, it was grabbed by the Cobra King himself.
"Get in the tube Dutch, we don't wanna get banned so early in the summer, right." I kept my glare on Dutch as he went in the tube, and the moment his back touched the bottom.
"Next!" once they went down is when I turned my glare to Johnny, who looked down at me with amusement.
"That wasn't very nice Frankie."
"That's why I said it." I sneered at him but his only response was a low laugh.
"Well I figured since you're working here now, you could give your good buddies from school a little VIP access. Front of the line pass from the employee stairs."
"... sure, but there is that one little issue. I don't have any buddies from school. At least none that would show face here." there was no laughing this time, but his smug grin was still there.
"Come on Frankie, I thought we were friends." he said as he gestured for the next kid to take his spot in the slide. Rolling my eyes I gave the go ahead to the two.
"So that's what you were doing when you filled my locker with dissected fetal pigs the last day of school. Making friends." this time there was a chuckle.
"Now that was Dutch's idea," "Of course it was, that sick fuck." "I just made sure no one got caught." I had to throw away everything that was in that locker. And the smell! Ugh.
"How about you take your own advice Johnny, and get in the goddamn tube." his grin was now just a slight upturn of his lips as he nodded and sat down in the opening of the slide. That was too easy. What's he playing at?
Turning to make sure the other kid was in the right position I turned back to Johnny and leaned over, down close to him to say quietly.
"Oh, and make sure to tell that bitch of an ex girlfriend of yours, that I said fuck you. She'll know what it's for." his eyes steeled over and his cheeks turned red as I shouted close to his face.
"Go ahead!" I smiled smugly as I started to straighten my stance but right before he slid down Johnny's hand snaked up and snagged my sunglasses from the 'v' of my swimsuit, taking them down with him.
"Mother fucker…" taking what seemed like the hundredth deep breath today, I closed my eyes and repeated.
"Tolerance… NEXT!"
If you couldn't guess, this fic starts off in the summer before the movie starts, and if I planned this right it will go on all the way into their senior year. I'm talking graduation people lol.
Anyways let me know what you think so far. How do you all like Frankie, a little, a lot, not at all. Well If it's the third one, ouch, that hurt lol. I'm just kidding. But really let me know how what you thought, it means a lot.
Till next time, which will either be this time next week or sooner… probably sooner. What can I say I'm really excited about this fic. It's a good thing right lol, you'll get faster updates!