"Kim, Jack, c'mere a minute?" Rudy yelled over to us sparring, we walked over together.
"Do you know what he wants?" Jack asked curiously,
"Nope… Maybe it's about our sparring? I mean. We both weren't doing our best there.." I replied suggestively, when we got over to Rudy he told us to come into his office and take a seat. He stood up with one leg on the coffee table whilst we sat on the old couch, my hands in my lap.
"Guys, there's the karate competition going on for the next few weeks, it's a voting out competition and there will be a male and female winner. The coach and host there asked me to get my two best pupils and ask them about joining, they'll be two more groups there along with you. And you two will be sharing a room, but at the end of each week someone gets voted out, and if its a draw they spar. The winner stays and the loser leaves, but if your teammate, for example. Jack, lets say Kim got voted out, you could offer to spar the next person with the most votes, and if you win Kim would stay and the other would leave, but if you lost. Kim and you would be leaving? If you get me. I think you can guess why i didn't ask Jerry to do this, it's rather confusing. But i've spoke to both your parents and their fine with it, so what do you say guys? Will you do it?" Rudy pleaded.
I looked over at Jack and he gave me a discreet nod, "Sure Rudy, we'll do it. When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow, after practise today you're going to go home and get clothes for three weeks, however you may be there longer. But you can wash your clothes there, then after you have your stuff, you drop it off here and i'll be giving you some final practise, you'll have dinner here and then i'll give you a pep talk, i've already wrote it up!" Rudy said proudly, holding up a piece of paper, "Then i send you's back to your house. And you meet me here at 7 Am sharp, i'll take you too the train station. And they'll pick you up at the station, and they'll explain the rest! Simple enough guys?"
Jack looked a bit bewildered but i understood, Rudy was right, thank god he didn't ask Jerry to do it, he'd be so confused! And also he's only a yellow belt, i could figure out this was going to be tough competition!
"We're up for that," Jack told Rudy, "We'll go practise now!" He got up from the couch and walked back into the dojos main room, i followed him through,
"What did Rudy want you guys for?" Eddie asked,
"It was just some competition he wants us to be in, we thought it'd be fun so we went for it," Jack told him, shrugging his shoulders,
"Cool, how come he didn't ask any of us?" Milton pondered,
"It's black belts, and a girl and a guy have got to go. Since Kim's the only girl she sorta has to, and i'm a black belt. And it's pretty confusing, Jerry wouldn't have got the rules!" Jack joked,
"Hey! Who said my name?" Jerry piped up from the bench,
"Nothing Jerry," I said, it would be easier not to explain, that would just take longer.
Rudy came out from the office, rubbing his hands together,
"Jack, Kim. I phoned the host for the show and you're defiantly on it, two kids from this club in Britain will be there and the black dragons, two will be there. They got the three biggest karate clubs, Bobbi Wasabi, Black Dragons and one called Chop, Chop from Britain,"
"Black dragons?" I asked, "What club from?"
"These ones are from different clubs, theres no other Bobbi Wassabi that are black belts except from a boy from Texas, but he wasn't keen on the idea, so it'd be Kim and this boy, but he didn't want to, his mother didn't want him to. So Jack's going, but they'd spar against each other to decide anyway if he was to, for the black dragons. Well guys, it's the club by us, Frank and a girl from another club called Carla shall be doing it, and from Chop,Chop it's a boy around about your age, he's called Will and a younger girl, about 12? And she's called Tj." Rudy informed us,
"Right guys! Get working, i want everyone trying their hardest for the next hour, Jack you'll be sparring me first, then Kim can spar me."
Everyone set off in twos whilst i went to sit on the bench, watching the sparring groups, Rudy was slightly better than Jack. But he wasn't going down without a fight, in the end the score was 3-2 to Rudy, but it could have went either way,
"You're turn Kim," Jack said, walking over to the bench, panting. "Beware, he's good." He warned me.
I got up from the bench and calmlymly walked over to Rudy,
"Ready?" He asked,
"You bet i am," I replied intimidatingly.
Me and Rudy spent forever sparring, everyone else was finished their match whilst we kept sparring, heck. Jack and Jerry sparred each other and were finished, i was giving Rudy my all and he wasn't going to go easy on me,
"HI- YAH!" I screamed, my foot connecting with his chest, Rudy had fallen to the ground,
"She won," Jack said idiotically, " She won?"
I didn't relies i had won but the score was 4- 1 to me, i couldn't believe it!
"Well done Kim, " a startled Rudy said, "I say thats a night, Kim, Jack, i think you've had enough practise. Just pack, and get to bed early k?"
"Sure thing." We chorused together, "We'll get packing soon as possible!" I promised him,
"Okay, goodnight kids." Rudy said before walking into his office.
I grabbed my bag, which was inside my locker and set off home,
"Hey Kim, wanna walk with me?" Jack asked, skating up beside me, he halted to a stop and started walking with me,
"Seems like i have no choice, but sure anyway," I said biting my lip,
"Don't! You'll make it bleed again," Jack said giving me a mock slap over the head, "Bad Kimmy!"
"Like you haven't done worst!" I protested.
We walked to his house, laughing along the way.
"Bye bye Kimmy, see you tomorrow!" He said, poking me on the neck,
"A) Don't call me Kimmy, i will hit you, B) Don't poke me, i will kill you." I said sternly,
"Bye Kimmy!" He screeched like a little girl running into his house.
I rolled my eyes before running down a few houses and opening my front door, my mum was in the living room with a suitcase in front of her, and piles of clothes stacked up around my case, my little sister was sitting on the couch, sucking her thumb and playing with a pair of my jeans,
"I'm home guys, hiya Lia, hi mum!" I said kissing Lia on the head, Lia's only 4 years old,
"Kim, come help me pack? I've got most of it sorted out i just need your help with some stuff you want to take or not,"
"Okay," i say, lifting Lia up onto my waist.
After a few hours of sorting through my stuff, hard choices of whether to bring my stuffed bunny or not, what pjs would be best to wear and should i bring my house coat,
"I think, i think we're finished!" I said as i sat on top of my case for my mum to zip it,
"Yup, you're all packed, and it's 9. You better get to sleep dear, goodnight." She said plonking a kiss on my forehead,
"Night night mum," i stifled a yawn and climbed up the stairs, practically falling into my bed, pulling my covers up to my neck and then i fell asleep automatically.
The next morning i woke at half 6, my mum shook me awake and i started to get ready, i pulled my hair up into a high pony tail and put on something comfy, joggers and a vest, i shoved Bonzo the bunny into my suitcase and ran down the stairs, Lia would be coming to the train station with us too, she was sitting in her high chair, giggling along to herself, her blonde hair bouncing around around as she swung herself from side to side,
"Careful sweet-pee!" I said, kissing her cheek, i grabbed the orange juice and milk and poured myself a glass and a bowl of cereal, i dug into it, shovelling each spoonful into my mouth, today would be a long day, and i wasn't sure when the next i would eat be,
"We've got to go now Kim! It's 5 to 7, grab Lia?" My mum yelled frantically running down the stairs, i downed the rest of my juice and put my empty cereal bowl into the sink before grabbing Lia and running out to the car, i put her into her baby seat before jumping into the front, my case was already in the back from last night and my mum had just got into the car. We drove into town and parked at the shopping malls car park, it was 3 to, and i knew Rudy didn't like to be kept waiting, i picked up Lia from her booster seat and jog- walked to the dojo,
"I'm here! I'm here!" I yelled running into the courtyard, Jack, Rudy and Mrs Anderson were waiting outside the dojo for me and my mum,
"Finally! Okay kids, say bye and we're off to the train!" Rudy said impatiently,
my mum and had just bounded into the courtyard with my case,
"Bye kids, have fun!" She said hugging me,
Mrs Anderson gave Jack a kiss on the cheek, which he promptly wiped away with his hand, i gave Lia a kiss on the forehead before swapping her for my case with my mum
"Bye bye Lia! I'll be back soon," i said in a baby voice,
"Bye bye Keem!" She said, scrunching her hands into fists repeatedly, it was her way of waving.
We finished our goodbyes and dragged our cases to Rudy's old car, Mines went into the boot and Jack's case was put into the front seat, Rudy hopped into the drivers seat whilst me and Jack sat in the back together,
"You guys excited?" Rudy asked,
"Yeah," we said at the same time, "It's a shame you can't come Rudy," I said sadly,
"Why can't you come again?" Jack asked,
"Well guys, no sensi is allowed to be there, incase they favourite their duo, the sensi there is extremely skilled and will not favourite anyone, his name's sensi Yang, his full family has done Karate, you know you guys are really lucky? Rudy said, changing topic, "Every other duo hasn't met each other until recently, Frank went over to the Black Dragons dojo with his partner who lives in New York, she's your age, they'll be heading over today. Will and Tj come from the same club, but they aren't very friendly. the Chop, Chop club bases it by age, not level of skill, and Tj is Will's friends younger sister so they're not exactly the best of friends, you two have the closest bonding, use that to your advantage. You two are sharing a room remember, so please don't fight and kill each other." Rudy looked at the back mirror directly at me,
"Why you looking at me? Jack's the vicious one!" I protested,
"Oh i am not the vicious one Kim! You're the one who can kill with a look from her eyes!" Jack said, crossing his arms over his chest,
"That's what i mean guys, you love each other deep down, but this will be going to TV and you'll be with four other teenagers and a sensi! You have to stick together." Rudy told us,
an hour drive later and we were at the train station, with minutes to spare until our train came we ran down to the platform just as the train got in,
"Perfect timing!" Rudy exclaimed, he helped me get my case onto the train and Jack hefted his up himself, "Stay safe guys, don't kill each other on the way there and find a seat together, both of you are short enough to get seats, stay together? And be safe!" he yelled as the trains doors shut and it started to chug away from the station i peeked out the window and saw Rudy waving, i waved back to him before sitting down beside Jack,
"Well Kimmy? You ready to see if you're the best out of the biggest dojos all over the world?" Jack said, dragging his suitcase so it was right beside him,
"Yeah, i still can't believe there is only 3 black belts in the full of Bobbi Wassabi dojos all over the world! Do you know what time we'll be there for Jack? Our train left at quarter past 8, and how long does it take to get there? 4 hours?"
"7 actually, it's 3pm then, so we have another 7 hours on the train.. Yay?" He said, shrugging his shoulders,
"I might try and sleep for a bit, i'm offaly tired, you gonna sleep Jack?" I asked,
"Nah. You go sleep, i'll put our cases on the over head," I sat down and snuggled up into the wall as Jack stretched above me and struggled to put our cases into the overhead,
"Safe enough, but if it bursts open your putting your underwear back in!" He joked, and i gave him a mock slap over the head, "Sorry, sorry Kimmy!" He said sitting down and pulling out his phone, and started playing some game.
I put in my headphones and cranked up the volume, letting it become the only thing i could hear,
"Don't be afraid to jump then fall,
Jump then fall into me,
Be there, never gonna leave you,
Say that you wanna be with me too?
So i'm a stay through it all so,
Jump the fall…" Taylor Swift sang into my ears, those lyrics were the last thing i heard before i fell asleep,
I woke up, sleep in my eyes and i could feel my hair was a mess, my eyes flickered open and i saw Jack, staring at me, releasing i was awake he quickly looked away, a red tint appearing on his cheeks,
"Whats the time? How long was i out for?" I asked yawning,
"It's half one ish?" He said, checking his watch, "The lunch cart came around at one, i got you a ham sandwich, your favourite. And an apple, oh and a bottle of water. Eat up," He said, handing it to me,
"Oh thanks, how much was it?" I asked, pulling out my purse,
"Nah really its fine, i didn't mind paying for it. " He said with a shrug, "What were you dreaming about? You kept tossing around and said something about i'll fall for you?"
"It was just the song i had listened to before asleep, must have slept sang!" I said nudging him,
"Just eat, it makes you shut up." He said, nudging me back, and slightly more harder.
I bit into my sandwich, not really remembering when i told him it was my favourite but that doesn't matter, we still had 2 and half hours left, i had napped for about 5 hours. No wonder i felt so tired!
The time sped by as me and Jack started to chat, we talked about all sorts, the gang, karate, the show, Donna to my displeasure and about us sharing a room together, soon enough it was 3 and the train halted to a stop, i got up to get my case when Jack stopped me,
"I'll get them!" He stood up and grabbed my case and got it down, before going back up for his.
"I can see your boxers!" I teased,
"Why are you looking there anyway?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, "Hm?"
"You practically shoved your butt in my face Jack. I had no choice!" I grabbed my case and pulled it out of the train, Jack followed me out.
"I just realised we have no idea where these people will be, nor who they are!" I said, starting to panic.
Jack was looking around, and soon pointed to something,
"Theres two guys over there with a sign saying "Jack Anderson and Kim Crawford" On it!"