❝ next time, it'll be my fist punching your face. ❞

―

IT HAD BEEN WEEKS AND DEMETRI STILL WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH DECHA.

Honestly, it was starting to feel more like years. Demetri only seemed to get more and more irritated by Decha's presence as time went on, but Decha refused to give up. He would never admit it, but Decha thought there was just something special about Demetri that kept pulling him in. He just wanted to be around him and hear his voice even if he was annoyed by him. Decha couldn't seem to get Demetri out of his head no matter what he did.

The more Demetri played hard to get; the more determined Decha became. Decha wanted to push his buttons. He liked seeing Demetri get flustered. He liked to see the blood rush to his cheeks every time he said something flirtatious. He liked it when Demetri tried to hide the fact that he was blushing. Most of all, he liked it when Demetri insulted him.

The name calling, the number of times he told him to go away, and all the times Demetri told him he was an annoying. It all just made Decha want to stick around him even more.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Decha asked out of nowhere as he sat at the lunch table with Achara and Aisha. "Wait, don't answer that."

"Yes," Achara and Aisha's voices spoke in unison.

The two girls laughed at the annoyed expression on his face.

"Why do you want to know if you're crazy?" Aisha questioned. "I mean, you obviously are, but why?"

Achara finished chewing the food that was in her mouth. "Does this have anything to do with Demetri?"

"You're still trying with him?" Aisha was surprised. "It's been weeks."

"He can't help it. He has a massive crush on him. He's like the Grinch," Achara joked. "Demetri has made his cold, small heart grow." Aisha laughed.

"You think you're hilarious, don't you?" Decha asked, unamused. "Just because I'm showing slightly more interest in someone than I usually do does not mean I have a crush on him."

Aisha gave him a confused look. "Isn't that exactly what a crush is?"

"Yes," Achara replied. "No," Decha replied simultaneously.

"Whatever," Decha rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't you be obsessing over Miguel or something?"

Aisha turned to face her, eyes wide. "You like someone? Wait, isn't Miguel that new kid?"

"I don't like him," Achara denied. "I sit next to him in biology, I'm kind of obligated to talk to him just like he's obligated to talk to me."

"Please, you've been staring at him like he hung the moon for the past three weeks," Decha said. "You can deny that you don't like him all you want."

"How would you know if I was looking at Miguel or not?" Achara asked. "You can't take your eyes off of Demetri for more than five seconds."

"I can too," Decha proclaimed.

"Really?" Achara asked. "One, two, three..."

Before Achara had the chance to make it to four, Decha's eyes moved from focusing on Achara to glancing in Demetri's direction.

"I rest my case," Achara announced proudly.

Decha turned back to her. "Hey! That wasn't fair. You planted the idea of looking at him in my head."

Achara shrugged. Aisha just shook her head and chuckled at them. She was so grateful to have them as friends. There was never a dull moment with the two of them around.

"Attention students..."

Aisha and the twins turned their heads toward Counselor Blatt where she stood across the cafeteria, speaking into a microphone. The chatter in the cafeteria went quiet and some students pulled out their phones as she began a speech about how harmful cyberbullying was.

"Cyberbullying is no laughing matter. Sending a cruel message to someone online can be just as hurtful as saying it to their face," she spoke. "Now, I'm not gonna name names, but the other day a mother called me up because her son was crying after some kids online made fun of his facial deformity."

A few conversations broke out, saying things like "It's the kid right there..." and "It's the kid with the weird lip." Decha and Achara looked over at Eli, noticing how he tried to cover his mouth with his hand. Achara sighed and leaned back in her chair as she looked away. She couldn't believe that counselor would just share that information like that.

As he looked around the cafeteria to see if anyone was still staring at him, Eli's eyes met Decha's. Decha gave him a sympathetic smile. Eli just looked away and slouched down slightly in his seat.

"But today, our goal here is to make this school a safe space for all students," Counselor Blatt continued on, going on an entire spiel about how wrong it is to bully. "Oh, and one last thing, while we're all looking to the Halloween dance, let's make sure are culturally sensitive. For example, instead of 'sexy nurse,' maybe try 'gender neutral hospital employee.'"

Aisha scooted her chair closer to Sam who sat at the next table over. "Hey! I've got a great idea for our costumes this year."

"Um.." Sam spoke.

"I was thinking I go as sodium and you go as chloride and when people ask what we are, we do this," Aisha told her, grabbing the salt off the table and shaking some into the ground."

Sam laughed as Yasmine scoffed. "What is that, some dumb inside joke you have?"

"I mean, it's not really "inside." Sodium chloride is table salt," Aisha explained.

"Yeah, I was kidding," Yasmine replied, trying to make it seem like she already knew that.

"We actually decided to go as Laker Girls," Sam told Aisha, receiving a disappointed response. "But maybe we could order another. Maybe one for you too if you want, Achara."

"Thanks but no thanks," Achara responded. "I think I'll pass."

"They're on size-fits-all," Yasmine chimed in, giving Aisha a quick glance-over, "which suddenly seems like false advertising."

Yasmine snickered as the rest of the girls at the table minus Sam laughed. Aisha's face sunk as she scooted away from Sam. Achara glared at Yasmine and rolled her eyes.

"You know, Aisha," Achara said, "I thought the whole sodium chloride thing was genius. I know it probably won't be the same since you and Samantha always do matching costumes, but could I join you?"

"Really?" Aisha's face lit up. "You'd want to match with me?"

Achara nodded. "Of course I would. You can't have sodium without chloride, can you?"

Aisha flashed a huge smile. Although she was sad that Sam wasn't going to be the one who matched with her, Aisha was happy that Achara wanted to instead. She was beyond grateful that she had Achara. She didn't know what she would do without her.

────────────

Decha and Achara were making their way through the park, passing the basketball court on their way to the skatepark. Achara rode her skateboard while Decha walked beside her, droning on and on about how much he hated the fact that getting to know Demetri was proving to be a much more difficult task than he thought it would be. Achara was only half listening, nodding her head and occasionally responding with one syllable or two word sentences—a series of "yup, uh-huh, really? and that sucks" leaving her mouth.

Decha didn't even seem to notice that she wasn't really paying attention.

"Hey, wanna learn how to kick some ass?"

Achara put her foot out to stop her skateboard as a man stepped in front of her. She halted to a harsh stop. Decha stopped walking, his rambling getting out to an abrupt end, as the man held out a flyer in front of him.

Decha grabbed the flyer and looked down at it. Achara leaned forward to read. "Learn to fight. Join Cobra Kai."

"If you really want to impress the babes, then karate is the way to go," the man said, ignoring Achara and only looking at Decha. "Kicks get chicks."

"I don't think that's—"

"So, what do you say, broham?" the man asked, cutting Achara off.

"Uh, you know what?" Decha started. "I'll think about it."

"Sounds good, man," he replied.

The man patted him on the back before walking away, never once looking in Achara's direction. Decha turned to look at her, a confused expression on his face.

"Was that..."

"Robby's dad?" Achara finished for him.

"Did he just call me broham?" Decha asked.

"Sure did," Achara laughed.

"Did he imply that only boys can do karate?" Decha asked.

Achara nodded. "He most definitely did. You're not seriously going to take karate lessons from Robby's dad, are you?"

Decha shrugged. "I don't know. Don't you want to? You know, to prove him wrong and stick it to the man?"

"No," Achara replied quickly. "Karate is not my thing. Especially not karate with Robby's dad of all people."

"Do you think we should tell Robby?" Decha asked.

"Tell him what?" Achara questioned. "That his dad was trying to get us to join his karate dojo?"

Decha nodded. "Exactly."

Achara put her foot on her skateboard. "I mean, it's not like it really matters, does it?"

Decha shrugged. "I guess not."

Achara moved her left foot forward as her foot remained on her skateboard. As she skated away, Decha glanced down at the flyer in his hand and stared at it for a few seconds. He folded the flyer up and put it in his back pocket before running to catch up with Achara.

────────────

Achara liked to go to parties. She liked to dance to music. What she didn't like was school dances. Achara hadn't even planned on going to the dance, but when she saw the disappointment on Aisha's face, she just knew she had to go. She was there for her and she was perfectly happy with standing back in the corner of the gym where she could avoid people.

"Thanks again for being the chloride to my sodium," Aisha spoke over the music.

"No problem," Achara smiled. "I told you, it's clever."

Aisha turned away. Her focus was on Sam again. Achara sighed and had to fight the urge to roll her eyes when she saw Sam walking towards her and Aisha. Achara crossed her arms and stood next to Aisha as she and Sam talked.

"Hey," Sam chuckled. "Hey, Achara."

"Hey," Aisha said back.

Achara didn't speak. She just nodded her head in response instead.

"I like your costumes," Sam said, looking back and forth between the two girls.

"Thanks," Aisha replied. "Ditto."

"Hey, look, I—"

"It's okay," Aisha interrupted her apology. "I'd rather go as sexy than funny too, if I had that option."

"Don't say that," Sam said.

"Besides, you don't have to apologize. Achara decided to dress up with me," Aisha informed her.

Sam glanced over at Achara. "I see that..."

Yasmine called Sam over to go live on Instagram. The urge to not roll her eyes was growing harder. Of course Yasmine was posting all over social media about how much fun she and her friends were having and how "hot" she thought she looked in her costume.

"Can we make plans to hang out soon?" Sam asked Aisha. "It's been way too long."

"I'd love that," Aisha replied.

Sam smiled. "Stay salty, my friend."

When Sam walked off back to her friends, Aisha turned to face Achara. She was not met with a pleasant expression. Aisha gave her a questioning look, but she didn't say anything. Neither did Achara.

"Let's go check out the snack table," Achara suggested. "I'm hungry."

"Okay, sure," Aisha replied as she followed Achara in the direction of the snack table.

────────────

The first thing Decha did when he stepped in the gym, was scan the room for Demetri. He found him standing in a corner of the gym standing next to Eli and Miguel. He fixed adjusted his posture and plastered a smile on his face as he sauntered up to them.

Decha could have seen Demetri's eye roll from a mile away, but it didn't deter him. Not even the snarky tone of voice that followed once Decha stood in front of him was enough to make him leave.

"What do you want?"

"I just came to say hi," Decha responded.

"Okay. You said hi, now leave," Demetri replied.

Decha chuckled. "You're just dying to get away from me, aren't you, necromancer?"

Decha heard Eli let out a small chuckle. Miguel just smiled and shook his head.

"You think that was real clever, don't you?" Demetri asked, trying to sound unimpressed. Decha could tell he wanted to crack a small smile but was holding it back.

"Come on, Dem," Decha pleaded. "You've got to admit that was good."

Demetri folded his arms across his chest. Decha smiled smugly at him before directing his attention towards Eli. He looked at his costume.

"Doctor?" Decha asked. "What kind?"

Eli's posture straightened. "Lip surgeon."

Decha smiled. "Cool."

Eli could feel his cheeks start to heat up. He was glad that he was wearing a surgical mask. He continued to look at him as Decha turned his attention to Miguel.

"And you're a skeleton," Decha gestured towards him. "Classic."

"That's what Demetri said," Eli piped up.

Demetri elbowed Eli in the arm. "Dude..."

"Who are you supposed to be?" Eli asked Decha.

The three boys looked at Decha's costume. He wore denim jeans, a red t-shirt with a blue and white checkered button up with a red puffy vest over a jean jacket. The look was finished off with a pair of sneakers.

"Marty McFly," Decha answered. "From Back to the Future."

"My mom loves those movies," Miguel spoke. "We watch them every New Year's Eve."

"I don't blame her. They're great movies," Decha said.

"I'm thirsty," Demetri announced suddenly. "Who wants some punch? Eli? Miguel? Want some punch?" He didn't give them a chance to answer. "Great, let's go."

He placed a hand on each of their backs and began to push them in the direction of the punch table. Decha watched them walk away—or rather get pushed away in Miguel and Eli's case. Decha straightened his vest before he made his way towards the punch table. Did Demetri really think it'd be that easy to get rid of him?

Decha made his way towards the punch table where the three other boys were filling up their cups. Decha grabbed a cup from the table and reached for the ladle to fill his cup. Demetri reached for it at the same time, causing their hands to graze each other. Decha felt a small tingling sensation in his hand.

Decha looked up from the punch bowl to see Demetri staring back at him. For the first time, they were making eye contact. Decha's heart felt like it was working overtime, barely able to keep up with how fast it was beating.

As if he had been put under a spell that had just been broken, Demetri snatched his hand away. He looked away from Decha, refusing to take even a glance at him. Decha continued to fill his cup with the red punch.

The four boys stood camped near the punch table.

"We should ask those girls to dance," Miguel spoke up.

"Which girls?" Demetri questioned.

"Those girls," Miguel pointed to three girls dressed as Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.

Demetri filled his cup with more punch and chugged it.

"What are you doing?" Miguel asked, confused.

"Liquid courage," Demetri replied, filling his cup for the third time.

Decha stood by and watched as the other three boys drank cup after cup of punch. It was getting tiring and monotonous.

"Okay, are we ready?" Miguel asked after the longest time. "Let's ask the dragon queens to dance."

"Slow your roll," Demetri replied. "We got time."

A boy walked up to one of the girls and asked her to dance.

"No...shit!" Miguel huffed. "We just lost one to Doctor Who."

Decha sighed and rolled his eyes. He scanned the room looking for someone to ask to dance. He spotted a girl wearing a Harley Quinn costume.

"Watch and learn, boys," Decha said as he walked away from them and made his way over to the girl.

Demetri, Eli, and Miguel watched as Decha talked to the girl effortlessly and how she instantly seemed to swoon. She was smiling and giggling within seconds of him approaching her.

"He's got moxie. I'll give him that," Demetri admitted.

────────────

"Okay, I wasn't going to ask," Aisha spoke. "But what's going on with you?"

Achara finished chewing the Cheeto that was in her mouth. She swallowed and faced Aisha. "Nothing's going on."

"You've been acting weird ever since I talked to Sam," Aisha pointed out. "Tell me, what's up?"

Achara sighed. "I'm just not her biggest fan. I mean, she pretty much ignored you all summer to hang out with her new, popular friends and her asshole of a boyfriend."

Aisha remained silent as Achara continued. "I know she's still your friend and asked to hang out , but I just can't ignore the fact that she left you in the dust for popularity. For Yasmine and Kyler of all people."

"I get it," Aisha responded. "But she's still one of my best friends."

"And that's fine. I just don't want to see you get hurt," Achara told her.

"I won't," Aisha reassured her. "I promise."

Achara just nodded as she grabbed another Cheeto. She hated the feeling of the cheese dust on her fingers, and she wasn't normally a junk food person, but she couldn't seem to resist eating more.

"Slow down there, Speed Racer," Aisha commented jokingly. "You're practically turning orange."

"Arai na?" Achara asked, her mouth full of the cheddar-y chip.

"Your fingers and your lips are bright orange," Aisha told her.

Achara looked down at her hands and sure enough, her fingers were bright orange just like Aisha said they were. Aisha let out a laugh.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Achara said. "I'll be right back."

Aisha nodded and chuckled to herself as Achara walked out of the gym and towards the bathroom. The first thing she did was wash her hands to get rid of the cheese dust and then she wiped off her mouth with a wet paper towel. She made her way over to a stall and locked it.

As Achara walked out of the stall and washed her hands again, her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She dried her hands and pulled out her phone as she exited the bathroom. Achara had just returned to the gym and hadn't even had the chance to look at her phone when she heard several students in the gym erupt into giggles. Multiple phones started chiming and dinging Achara glanced down at her phone and clicked on the video alert.

It opened up to a picture of Aisha eating some Cheetos. The words "The buffet table is under attack" was written in bright red and a pink pig snout sticker covered her nose.

Achara placed her phone in her pocket and squeezed through the crowds to get to Aisha. Before she had the chance to ask if she was okay, Aisha walked off. Achaea turned her head to see Yasmine laughing and then pout her lip as she waved at Aisha.

Achaea clenched her jaw tightly. She stared at Yasmine with a menacing glare. Achara marched over to where Yasmine stood with Sam and Moon.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Achara asked sharply.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yasmine played dumb.

"Cut the crap, bitch," Achara snapped fiercely.

Yasmine tilted her head slightly to the side. "Excuse me? What did you just say to me?"

"What did you just say to me?" Achara mocked her voice. "You heard me loud and clear."

"Achara..."

"Stay out of this, Samantha," Achara retorted, continuing to scowl at Yasmine.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Yasmine spoke. "So, why don't you just go away and comfort your pathetic little friend? Or better yet, go find that asshole brother of yours. Lord knows he's preying on some innocent person as we speak."

Achara's glare intensified. "That's it..."

Achara walked over to the punch table and grabbed the entire punch bowl. It was only slightly heavy, as most of the punch had already been drunk. Achara made her way back to where Yasmine stood. Achara positioned her hands on either side of the punch bowl and titled it. She thrusted the bowl forward, sending bright red punch flying towards Yasmine. Sam and Moon quickly jumped out of the path of the liquid.

Yasmine yelped. "What the hell!"

Laughter erupted throughout the gym. People started getting their phones out to record and take pictures.

"Don't ever, ever talk about Aisha or my brother ever again, got it?" Achara threatened. "This time, I just threw punch at you, but next time, it'll be my fist punching your face instead."

Achara didn't give her the chance to respond before she walked away in search of Aisha.

Achara walked through the halls and checked the bathroom. She checked every open and empty classroom she could find, but there was no sign of Aisha. Achara pulled out her phone and sent Aisha a text. Hey, are you okay? Where are you?

Achara was nearly knocked over by two boys running down the hallway. She looked over her shoulder, realizing that it was Demetri and Eli. Achara turned her head around and looked in the direction the two boys had come running from.

Achara walked down the hallway, deciding to ignore it and continue to look for Aisha. She passed by the boys locker room when she heard what sounded like painful grunting noises. She knitted her eyebrows in confusion and slowly opened the door to the locker room. She stepped in and peered her head around the corner.

Kyler and his friends pushed past her, laughing, and hollering. Kyler gave her a dirty look as he walked by. Achara stepped further into the locker room and was met with the sight of Miguel laying on the floor, wheezing and struggling to breathe.

Achara rushed to his side and fell to her knees. "Miguel! Oh my god. Just hold on, I'll go get help."

Achara stood up, prepared to rush towards the door and find someone. She didn't have to go very far because the second she put her foot forward, the locker room door opened and in walked the man from the park.

He looked down at Miguel and then glanced at Achara.

"You're his sensei, right?" Achara asked. "Please...help him."

— EMILIA'S NOTES  + TRANSLATIONS

updates just days apart and not months/a year ?? who am i and what have i done with emilia?

achara: karate isn't my thing... achara in like 2 chapters: NO MERCCCYYYY!

also this might just be one of my favorite chapter titles ever... marty mcfly's got moxie. honestly, there are probably other titles that are more fitting for this chapter but i thought of this and went, "yes. this is it."

alternative chapter title: achara being a sam hater for 10 minutes straight/achara is a bad bitch!!

TRANSLATIONS:
- arai na
arai - what? (can also mean pardon? what did you say?)
na - simply a particle used to make a sentence less dull. commonly for casual conversation between friends.

fairly simple translation this time, no long explanation!