The ride towards Johnny's place was silent. Even though Alexa had shared with him another detail about her past, Johnny preferred to avoid continuing the topic out of respect. Once they arrived, Johnny turned to thank her again.
"You know, I've already lost the count of how many times you've helped me".
She laughed. "It's alright. And Johnny…"
"Yeah?"
"Don't be so hard on yourself". He locked eyes with her. "I know you've been through a rough path, but don't let that determine your life. Besides, I'm sure your son misses you".
He shocked his head. "I would't be so sure on that".
"Trust me… Just… don't give up on it".
Her arm stretched behind to retrieve something. "Here", a six pack of Johnny's favorite beverage was placed on his lap, "that's your reward for putting up with me through all this day".
"I love you".
She laughed again. Johnny opened the door, but he hesitated to step outside of the vehicle. He didn't know why, but there was something he'd been meaning to ask.
"Hey, Alexa…".
"Yes?"
"Would you like to come over tomorrow and have some dinner with me?" He started to rub his neck. "I'm not some kind of master chef, so it wouldn't be some fancy stuff. But still, it's the least thing I could do after all you've done and…".
"I would love to".
He stopped rambling. "Really?"
A smile reassured him that she had accepted his invitation. His muscles had relaxed once he had obtained the answer he was hoping for.
"Great. I'll see you later, at your bar, of course".
What the hell, man? Stop acting like some kind of nerd!
.
.
.
"Shit…".
Johnny was standing in an isle stocked with a wide range of bread. Even if Alexa seemed okay with the fact that they would have a simple meal, Johnny still wondered about her tastes. What if she was some type of woman who only ate salad in the night? Or perhaps she was someone who preferred some fancy stuff like sushi…
No, he had seen her eat things that were simple but yet delicious. So what the heck should he prepare?
"I'd go for some spaghetti".
His thoughts were interrupted by a grown up woman standing beside him. It was the owner of the diner, Tina.
"Sorry?"
"I believe you were figuring out what were you going to cook, am I right?"
"How did you…"
"Lexa told asked me if I could keep an eye on the bar while she was out to have some dinner at a friend's apartment".
"Oh".
"Want me to help you with your task?"
"Uhm… sure".
She grabbed a package of pasta and placed it inside Johnny's basket.
"Follow me".
They were walking down the area of fruit and vegetables. Her hand were rummaging through a pile of tomatoes to find the fresher ones. She noticed the wrinkles that were spreading across her companion's forehead.
"Don't worry, darling. This recipe is very easy to make, trust me. I'll make sure to write it down for you".
"Don't mention it. Both of you deserve it. After all, you've been a good influence to each other".
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the first tine that you came into this town, you used to be this secluded man that kept to himself in the corner of the bar, not letting anyone come nearby. Unless that person would give you some alcohol, of course".
He frowned at the remark.
"Don't give me that look, honey. I'm just saying the truth… However, when you crossed path with Lexa, it seemed as if life had come back into you and you were now a different man, a better one. As for my dear Lexa… well, I haven't seen her so cheerful with someone who didn't belong to her inner circle".
Johnny kept those words in his mind.
They continued with their shopping, making sure that no ingredient was missed. Just as they turned around the corner, they bumped into a familiar face that tensed Johnny's jaw.
"Sal", said Tina.
The grizzly man wrinkled his nose. "What do you want now? Are you going to walk around and point out to everyone what happened that night? I'm sure you would like that, won't you? You old gossip woman…".
"Watch it!", retorted Johnny as he stood between them to shield Tina.
"Or what, Goldie boy? This time there's no chick here to come to your rescue".
"At least I'm not the one who weeps like a little bitch when his ass gets kicked".
Sal growled but noticed his yelling had attracted some multitude including the guard that was stationed at the entrance.
"Listen", he hissed, "next time, neither one will be so lucky". After his threat, he walked away.
"Don't listen to him. He's just crazy", assured Tina.
Still, Johnny felt that he shouldn't let his guard down.
.
.
.
A soft knock at the door warned Johnny that his guest had arrived.
"Coming". He opened the door to greet Alexa. "Hey… oh, wow…".
She was wearing a casual crimson dress with a denim jacket paired with some dark ballerinas. Her chestnut hair was pulled in a messy side bun that framed her creamy cheekbones. Her features were highlighted by a light mascara that was applied on her elongated eyelashes and which made here emerald gaze stand out. Her lips were painted with a soft coral tone.
"You don't look so bad either", joked Alexa.
Johnny grinned at the remark. He was wearing a buttoned-down black shirt along with a pair of jeans.
"May I…?"
"Oh, yeah! Come in". He took her jacket to place it on the couch. His palm signaled the way as he took care of pulling out her chair.
"Wow, you are quite the gentleman, aren't you?"
"You'd be surprised", smirked Johnny. He opened the pot that was settled at the table's center and asked if he could serve her dinner, a request that she kindly accepted. She was surprised once she saw the long spaghetti bathed with tomato being placed on top of the dish. The smell of basil and melted parmesan filled the air, making Alexa close her eyes to enjoy the scent.
"How did you know this was one of my favorite meals?"
"I ran into a fairy god mother at the supermarket".
They both chuckled.
"God, that Tina sure is a thing…", spoked Alexa. Johnny agreed on that. She thanked her host and grabbed her fork. As she took a first bite, a moan escaped from her mouth.
"Oh, my! This is so good!"
"I'm glad you liked it".
"Liked it? I could marry this beauty right away with no regrets!"
Johnny laughed. The dinner went on very smoothly.
They both exchanged some anecdotes from their childhood, like the time Johnny decided to put on a magic show for his mom as a birthday present or how he used to ride his motorcycle with his pals. Meanwhile, Alexa narrated the day she went out fishing with her grandpa only for them to catch a cold and having to put up with her granny's scolding.
The hours went by very quickly for they were having a great time. Johnny didn't remember the last time he had done something like this: cook some nice dinner that surprisingly tasted amazing and having a talk with a beautiful lady. He was brought back by the sound of Alexa's voice.
"Are those your friends you were talking about?"
Johnny directed his gaze at the spot that her finger was pointing at. There was a photo hanging on the wall. He stood up and passed the framed picture so that she could see it.
Her pearl teeth stood out thanks to her grin. However, that curve had vanished in a matter of seconds and was replaced by a mask of concern. That seemed to worry Johnny.
"What's wrong?"
"What's this?" She signaled at the symbol o a snake that was circled by a phrase that had shaped Johnny throughout his teenager's years.
"Oh, that's Cobra Kai's emblem… my former dojo…".
"Johnny… what was your sensei's name?"
The mere mention of that bastard had caused his stomach to churn up.
"… John Kreese… why do you ask?"
She raised her head and stared at him as if he had invoked a ghost.
"He's my father".