-Do you know who she is?-. That man ask while drinking (probably) a(nother of many) can of beer.
-Um, yeah, she is one of my schoolmates, Sensei-. Miguel said, as he approached me with a surprised face.
-And what is your name, young lady?-. He looked at me, from head to toe, I think he was analyzing me, or, maybe, he was just trying to seem as a professional, and I was still a little petrified because they had discovered me "breaking" into their dojo, but, I answered him, anyway:
-Ann-.
-Ann... who?-.
-Ann McGowen-. I stood straight, on my "military mode" just like I used to get when my father got mad at me; Fortunately, that was already a habit for me (and I found myself trying to impress them unconsciously).
-And where do you come from, McGowen?-. I was about to respond when Miguel had already answered for me:
-Actually...-. Miguel put his arm around my shoulders:
-She just moved from Boston-.
-Does she belong to one of those rich family that you told me about?-. He asked looking at Miguel; I didn't know what I should respond him to something like that, this guy wasn't making a good first impression on me, I looked at Miguel, waiting for him to answer for me, but he didn't say anything at all, he just shook his head.
The guy looked at me.
-What does your family do?-.
-Excuse me?-.
-Yes, something that makes your family famous, we need some of that prestige, and please, let it be something good-. I asked myself why they would need it. Honestly and seeing them, I realized that anything could be "something good".
-Oh, well, my father is in the USA air force-.
-Is he a war hero or something of that?-.
-He won some medals-.
-Interesting, the children of soldiers can always be useful in this area. And what does your mother do?-.
-She's stills on Boston yet, taking care of my great-grandmother-.
-Typical-. I heard him whisper; I looked at Miguel with a look like "what the hell is happening here?" I respectfully removed his arm from me; I just wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible, so I rushed to pick up my speakers; I could hear how that guy said to Miguel behind me:
-It seems that her technique is quite good, although it needs to be polished a little, but it is salvageable, she can be very useful to us, besides, she is prettier than the rest of the girls here-.
-You better be quiet before she thinks you're a pervert-.
It's too late now.
-Look, I am really sorry, guys, I thought there would be my yoga classes at this time, but, apparently, I was wrong-.
I tried to smile kindly but he just scoffed.
-Those hippies left and took their mats to the another studio around the corner-. So then, that's what that message meant. That "sensei" kept looking at me.
-Aren't you a little young to do yoga?-.
-And aren't you not a little old for be a...?-. Miguel covered my mouth with his hand.
-Why don't we better talk outside for a minute?-. He said as I tried to free myself from him. The man stayed to finish his beer in peace.
-Who the hell is that guy?-.
-That "guy" is the Sensei Lawrence-.
-and where do you know him from?-.
-He's my neighbor-.
-Does he have any license to teach or something?-.
I could see that he hesitated before answering me, and that, in my experience, could not mean anything good.
-No-.
-Of course-.
-I know it sounds really bad, but let me explain-.
-How can your parents let you train with a guy who drinks while he's teaching you? Let me guess, don't tell me, they don't know about him, right?-. I laughed.
-My grandmother knows...-. He said, although without much conviction. I kept shaking my head.
-Oh, please, you can't tell me you didn't like how I kicked Kyler's ass, everyone did, and it's these "guy" who taught me all those moves-.
-I can't deny that, unquestionably, Kyler deserved it... and you were really amazing... And it was very admirable that how you defended Samantha, but...-.
-But?-.
-But you could get into a huge trouble, you were lucky you didn't get expelled-.
-I don't think I'm going to have any more problems in the school, the wrestling teacher defended me-. You could tell that Miguel was no longer afraid; That was positive, but learning karate with a guy like him... Anyway, I didn't need it, I already had sensei(s).
-I thank you very much for the offer, but I don't need to learn anything else, and maybe you don't need it either-.
-Why not?-.
-I told you, my father is in the air force, he taught me a lot more than I think that guy can teach me or anyone-.
-Wait, was that true? I thought you were lying to try to sound a little more interesting-. I just ignored him and went inside to collect my things.
-Listen, girl, if you want to join Cobra Kai, you should stop...-.
-No, thank you-.
-What?-.
-I'm not going to join to... this, I just want to get to my yoga class-.
-Come on, honey, here at Cobra Kai we can teach you many very useful things in any field-. He told me, pointing to what it said on their wall: "strike first, strike hard, no mercy". Dad had taught me about that, about when I shouldn't have mercy, but he had also taught me how to have the necessary mercy with the right people, otherwise, I would only look stupid.
-I don't need to learn anything more from you than what I already know-.
-What? Did your daddy teach you something good? I guess you won't have any problem showing it to me, Miguel, come here-.
-Sensei, I don't wanna...-.
-We already talked about this, shut up and do what I'm telling you-. Without much desire, Miguel stood in front of me in his attack pose while his lips were already apologizing to me; They were both waiting for me to do what was written on their wall.
I didn't have to answer that so I made to leave, when I felt someone pull my backpack and kicked me in the leg, which made me fall over the hard mat. In less than a second I was already on the floor.
-WHAT THE...?!-
I just let out a moan of pain and Miguel rushed to help me get up.
-Don't touch me anymore!-.
-You see it? You can't even get up on your own, how are you going to be prepared to fight against your enemies?-.
-I do not have enemies!-.
-Oh, dear, everyone has some enemy out there, that's why we should always be prepared to kick their asses, am I right?-.
-Yes, sensei-. Miguel responded.
-Or didn't your parents teach you that? Did the soldiers hide in the World War II until everything was over? no, they knew how to strike first-.
I responded, almost yelling at him:
-You know absolutely nothing about the damn world war!, and, for your information, my parents taught me what I needed to know to defend myself, but I don't need to prove anything in front of a drunk idiot!-. I was tired of that guy and his dubious "teachings", this time, I was really leaving.
-If you leave, you will be banned from Cobra Kai forever-.
-Oh, Yeah...? Go fuck yourself!-.
A couple of days later, I was walking through the school hallways, when Miguel approached me, accompanied by Demetri.
-Ann, I just... want to apologize in the name of Sensei Lawrence, and I'm also sorry for kicking you-.
-Wait, did you kick her?-. Demetri asked him with a scared face.
-Not now, Demetri, look, I know he can be... mean to you, but he's literally like that with everyone, he was even with me in my beginnings, but he can be very good when you get to know him-.
-So then, according to you, I have to go to a guy and pay him to humiliate me and beat me in front of others, what is he, a hooker?-.
-I told you-. Demetri whispered.
-Ann...-.
-Listen to me, Miguel, I doubt there is anything moderately "good" that I need to learn in that place-.
-but maybe you could improve your technique a little, we need more strong women-.
-What about Aisha?-.
-She is also very good, but with you we could advance even more-.
I doubted that man would accept me again, he seemed very misogynistic; I laughed and remarked for the fifth time:
-If you continue to insist that way, I swear that I will "demonstrate" all my knowledge on you, because, I have to admit that I have been left wanting since that day-. suddenly, my father approached us.
-Is everything okay here, guys?-. and again, Miguel answered for me, he had taken the "strike first" thing quite seriously.
-Yes, professor-. Dad looked at me suspiciously, he didn't trust Miguel much after the fight, but I just nodded and he left.
-My answer is NO!-.
After that warning, I think that at that moment, I was clear enough, since Miguel didn't bother me anymore.
The next day, when I arrived at school I ran into Demetri:
-Hi, Ann-.
-Demetri-.
-Miguel told me that you tried to join that "Cobra Kai"-.
-I didn't try to join anything, it was just a small misunderstanding with my...-. I guess he thought I was lying to him, because he just laughed.
-It's okay, I tried it too and it was terrible for me too-.
-Did you?-.
-Yeah, that guy also kicked my butt, and it still hurts me-. he said rubbing his back.
-What kind of "sensei" do something like he does?-.
-I know, right?-.
-I think someone should report him, I saw him drinking while he was "teaching"-.
-Easy there, wonder woman, if we do, then all those cobra kai's would kill us, even Miguel-.
-Hey, and where is your friend Eli?-.
-He also joined that lunatic to learn some karate, so I haven't seen him in a couple of days-. At that moment I was a little worried for him, I don't want to sound bad, but Eli looked... fragile.
-But don't worry, I doubt I can last long in that place, I know it sounds cruel, but it's for his own good, when he realizes that, he knows that the doors of my house will always be open for him to come play another game of Crucible Control-.
-That's sounds great-. I said to try to sound interested, when suddenly a group of boys came through the door, and one of them had a ridiculous blue mohawk, they looked like typical popular kids who would never notice me or Demetri. When I turned to him, I noticed that he was looking at the guy with the mohawk.
-Oh, my God-.
-Do you know him?-.
-It's Eli-.
That's when I knew that everything was about to get out of control.