Alaksa cringed at each time she heard Sensei's voice raise from his office, laying a good lecture on Miguel and Hawk for what happened at the tournament. Alaska wrote his name, putting the unpaid bills on the small stack she made, peaking her head around the corner to see Miguel and Hawk both doing push-ups on their knuckles.

"It's bullshit! Completely!" Alaska listened to Hawk rant and rave in her room, sitting on her bed as she kept a eye on his figure pacing her room, "Cheating? I didn't cheat! He deserve it! Insulted my hair and attacked you! What happened to no mercy? Stupid!"

His fist balled at his side, groaned as he walked around the room. Alaska waited, crossing her legs, knowing more was to come soon.

"No mercy my ass! Hypocrite, man, i'm telling you." Eli stopped yelling as he looked to Alaska who stared at him, blinking his way, "Why are you just staring at me?"

"Just don't want to interrupt you." she announced with a shrug of her shoulders, watching as he frowned his eyebrows and took took breaths, "Are you done?"

"I-I think so, yeah." he huffed, falling face first onto her bed and yelling into her comforter, "Why does the world hate me, Laska?"

"The world doesn't hate you." she side, patting his shoulders as he yelled into the comforter again, "He just doesn't want us to get a bad rep, there's always next time."

"But what if I can't help it again?" he said with a huff, rolling over on his back to stare at her, "What if I just get so mad that I get disqualified again?"

"You won't." she said to him with a knowing look.

"But what if I do?" he asked, sitting up quickly as Alaska sighed, rising as well and walking off, "Where are you going?"

"Hang on." she said, disappearing into her closet.

"I don't wanna hang on." he huffed in annoyance, standing up to follow after her, "Can't you see i'm going through a lot right now and you're walking away."

"Why are you such a baby?" she asked in disbelief, eyeing him as he walked into the large closet, "I'm helping!"

"No, you're leaving me on your bed." he said as she rolled her eyes, pulling the essential oil off her shelf and standing before him, "What this?"

"Put your arms out." she said sternly. He took sight of the lavender oil she'd use on him when he couldn't sleep, groaned in disbelief.

"Those don't help." Hawk argued, lying of course, they'd always gotten him to sleep rather quickly, "I don't wanna sleep!"

"Dude." she announced, slapping his shoulder, "You yell at me again and i'll knock your front teeth out."

Eli huffed as he stared at her, throwing his arms out as she put the oil onto his arms, rubbing it in for him with deep rubs, "It's not to put you to sleep, dumbass, it's calming."

"It's bullshit." he argued, voice much softer. Alaska looked at him in disbelief, taking notice of his shoulders and jaw becoming less tense, "I can cool off on my own."

"I know, I just do it so much better." she said with a grin, putting the oil away before facing him again, "You're over thinking things, by a lot. If you think you're going to get too anger or try and throw someone's shoulder out, just try to think of something calming."

"My life isn't calming." he said to her knowingly, staring back at her.

"Neither is a hurricane." Alaska said with a half grin and a eyebrow raise, "But there's one part that's complete calm, completely relaxed. You just have to find yours."

Before he could react she was moving past him quickly, walking into her room with a long sigh, feeling the need to suddenly be away from him before her instincts kicked in.

The next week went by rather well, Alaska was basically counting the days until she could get started in the dojo again. While she didn't mind handling all the office things, jealousy and anger built up inside of her each time she'd hear or see a new move being taught, having it demonstrated. She wanted to be out there so badly, but the lack of any form of medicine for her stitches kept her from ignoring Carmens words.

She'd gotten involved with the rehab group at the hospital, Carmen put her under Alaska Diaz to avoid any talk or getting back to her parents. Alaska didn't mind the group, she felt like she wasn't sure what to say, how to react. It was weird, but it was nice to finally be around others that understood her and what she was going through. Her friends kept her motivated daily. Miguel would take Alaska home with him each day for Carmen to examine her, Eli sent her morning text each day to keep her distracted, Demetri came by each day for a few hours to make sure she'd been doing okay, Aisha always was finding new techniques to keep her from relapsing, even Moon checked in on her every now and then after the "rumor" slipped around a few friend groups about the girls possible addiction.

She was going good, she was getting there. Flicking the rubber band on the inside of her elbow relentlessly, munching on anything she could find, she made her way toward the dojo. As she entered, ten minutes late, all eyes were on her.

"You think just because you aren't participating you can be late, Antarctica?" Johney asked her in disbelief, only seeing a grin across her face as he gave her a stupid look, "Get that smile off your face before I do it for you."

"I can't, Sensei." Alaska said, smiling widely as she held up her one week sobriety chip, "Look what I got today!"

Johney squinted as he eyed it, "One week sober."

The dojo began cheering, yelling as they all hugged Alaska. Johney put a piece of tape on the back of the chip and pressed it onto the wall, "This whole walls for you."

"The whole wall?" Alaska asked with a laugh, seeing antarctica written on a piece of tape and on the wall, "Why the whole wall?"

"For all your sobriety chips." he said to her with a stern look, "Because you're gonna have enough to fill this whole wall, aren't you?"

"Yes, Sensei." she said, grinning as she watched him attempt not to.

"Did I say you could speak?" Hawks voice boomed loudly at the new guys, Alaska entered the dojo the next day with frowned eyebrows, cracking a grin.

"Guys, they're just messing with you." Miguel said as he walked up behind them, Aisha and Hawk cracking a grin, "Besides, everyone knows your names are Assface and Douchbag."

Alaska snorted as she walked over, "That's all? I was leaning more toward Blue Balls and No Nuts."

"That's better." Miguel said to her with a nod, "You get to pick of course, unless No Nuts has something to say?"

Alaska eyes the curly haired boy who she tripped a few days ago as he shook his head, "No, all go-"

"Quiet!" she yelled as he shut his mouth quickly. Alaska snorted laughed as she grabbed Hawks arms, walking off as the pair laughed, "God, I get why the seniors picked on freshman so bad now."

"Making them piss their selves before you're even out there, atta girl." Hawk teased as Alaska waited by the office, not wanting to go in while Johney had been in there.

"One more week and you're getting your ass handed to you." Alaska said with a knowing look up at the blue haired boy.

"Don't get so cocky, I'm not gonna go so easy on you." Hawk said back, crossing his arms as a smirk spread across his face.

"Who said I wanted you to?" she asked him in disbelief, crossing her own arms and raising both her eyebrows, "You don't think I can handle it?"

"Definitely not." he said back to her, stepping closer as his voice dropped, "I think you'll tap out in the first round."

Alaska gave him a pout, "Aw, is the little baby Hawk sad he can't last long?"

"I got disqualified, I would have went so much longer!" he said quickly, getting defensive as Alaksa laughed at his words, shoving his shoulder. The bell ringing from the doorway made the pair look over, seeing a older man walk in with a bag in his hand, eyeing and judging the new recruits.

"Who's that?" Hawk asked, pulling Alaska toward Aisha and Miguel with him.

"I don't know." Miguel said as Alaska hummed.

"Came into the car wash a few days ago, called me a mean name." Alaksa said as the three looked at her.

"Weird." Aisha said as Alaska nodded in agreement. Alaksa watched as Johnny and the unknown man started talking a few feet away, the back of her hand slapping Hawks chest.

"What do you think they're saying?" she questioned with a knowing look, "Planning on turning us into a cult that strangles each other with snakes?"

"I wouldn't strangle you with a snake." Eli said as Alaska put a hand on her heart, "Thats weak, i'd use my hands."

"That so sweet, I wouldn't strangle you with a snake either." Alaska said as she wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug, he hugged her back with a smile. Aisha and Miguel shared a confused, concerning expression.

"Quiet!"

•

kylie speaks

how sweet are
they? i've been
missing that softness
we only saw for
a few chapters
and it's killing me
not putting any
in so here's a small
hawk almost breaking
character moment.