❝ do you even hear yourself right now? ❞

―

HEADS TURNED WHEN ACHARA WALKED INTO THE DOJO.

She glanced around the room, seeing all eyes on her. Her chest tightened when Silver and Kreese asked her to come into the office. Achara set her bag down and slipped her shoes off before making her way into the office. She stood in the doorway and bowed before Silver held his hand out, motioning to the chair.

Achara held her head up high as she took a seat, her hands resting in her lap.

"We've heard rumors that you attended prom with the Diaz kid," Silver began, his eyes staring down at her.

Achara nodded her head. "I did. I'm guessing someone told you? I was hoping to tell you myself, but it looks like someone beat me to the punch."

Silver and Kreese exchanged a look with each other before glancing back at her.

"And what exactly is it that you were hoping to tell us yourself?" Kreese asked.

Achara sat up in her seat, leaning forward. "I assume you're familiar with the saying keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? I figured out that I'm Miguel's weakness and what better way to exploit that than to go to prom with him and make him think he stands a chance with me?"

Silver smirked and chuckled out a laugh. "Clever girl, aren't you?"

Achara shrugged. "I certainly try to be."

"And no one had any no idea?" Kreese asked her.

"I couldn't exactly tell anyone about this, now could I?" Achara answered. "There's no telling who might have overheard or who would have ratted me out."

"And the LaRusso girl?" Kreese questioned. "From what we heard, there was a fight..."

"And you heard that I defended her?" Achara finished for him, followed by a soft chuckle. "Same thing applies to her as it does Miguel. It was all to get into her head and make her think we're on the same side when it reality, I'm planning to mop the floor with her at the tournament. Why have her hate me when I can trick her into trusting me?"

Achara hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt inside. Her posture may have been straight and her voice free from any wavering confidence, but she felt like she was screaming on the inside. Her heart was racing, and she felt like they could see right through her.

"Isn't that what I was supposed to do?" Achara asked. "Take any measures necessary to win the tournament?"

Silver stared down at her, a pleased smile on his face. He turned to look at Kreese. Achara turned her head, seeing him look just as equally impressed, if not more shocked.

"And that's what separates you from the rest of the others," Silver told her. "They aren't afraid to start a fight, sure. But to use the feelings of others against them and take the risk if what sets you apart."

Achara stood up and bowed at them before holding her hand behind her back. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to get warmed up."

She turned on her heels, moving towards the doorway. She faced them again, bowing one more time before turning and walking out of the office. She held her head up high, not wanting to give any indication that she was nervous. Her fellow Cobras watched her every move.

Achara stood in the corner of the mat, stretching her arms before lifting her leg and pulling it behind her back. She leaned forward, her gaze fixed on the ground. It wasn't until she saw a pair of feet in front of her that she leaned back and looked up as she placed her foot back down on the mat.

Achara crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry," Robby responded. "I know I've been ignoring you and I'm sorry. I've just been getting caught up in training with Kenny and Tory that I—"

"Training with Tory?" Achara questioned him, raising her eyebrow. "Since when have you been training with Tory?"

She glanced in Tory's direction, watching her as she stretched next to Piper and Kyler.

"She wanted some extra help learning the Miyagi-Do moves and I was helping her," Robby responded. "It's not a big deal."

Achara couldn't help but scoff. "Not a big deal? Look, I get training together. Fine, whatever. But not telling me about it? Leaving me out of conversations for weeks and making me feel like I'm being ignored?"

"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," Robby replied. "It's just both Kenny and Tory have been going through a lot and—"

"Oh my god, do you even hear yourself right now?" Achara cut him off, rolling her eyes. "Tory was my girlfriend. If she was going through something, then she could have talked to me. She could have told me, and I would have done anything I could to help her. But she didn't do that. She shut me out and then she turned to you—my best friend—instead and you both shut me out!"

"She didn't think you'd understand," Robby responded.

"Okay and?" Achara asked her. "She still could have told me about whatever was going on instead of shutting me out and making me think the worst! I get that I don't know what it's like for the two of you, but I would have tried to understand. I would've been okay with the two of your understanding each other, but completely ignoring me in the process? That I don't understand."

Robby nodded his head. "I'm sorry. I agree with you. We should have told you, but Tory didn't want to. She didn't want to burden you and then when you broke up with her, she felt like she didn't have anyone."

"And again, I understand that," Achara responded. "But why did you have to act like I didn't exist? You promised me that nothing would come between us again, and that's exactly what happened. Did you ever stop to think that maybe I needed you too?"

Robby sighed in response. "I know and I'm sorry."

"And then you went to prom with her!" Achara shouted, causing several heads to turn. "Why the hell did you go to prom with her?"

"Why did you go to prom with Miguel?" Robby asked.

Achara rolled her eyes. "To get in his head! He's still in love with me and if he thinks he stands a chance, then he'll be off his game at the tournament. You would have been able to see that if you hadn't been dancing with Tory the whole night."

It was a lie, but Robby didn't have to know that and by the way his face faltered, something told Achara that he believed her.

"If you like each other, it's fine. I don't care," Achara told him. "But don't lie to me about it. Don't shut me out. Talk to me. Tell me things. Act like a best friend."

"Class, fall in!"

Achara continued to look at Robby for a few seconds longer before doing as she was instructed. Standing between Robby and Tory had never felt more awkward than it did in that moment.

────────────

Achara sat in Olivia's office, one foot planted on the floor and her other leg was crossed on her lap. Her leg bounced on the floor, causing her foot to shake against her knee. Her arms were followed across her chest as she waited for Olivia to get started.

"It's been a while since our last session," Olivia finally said. "How are things going with Tory?"

"I broke up with her," Achara admitted. "I couldn't stand how she was shutting me out anymore, so I finally decided that enough was enough and broke up with her."

"And how'd you feel afterwards?" Olivia asked.

Achara shrugged. "I wasn't sad about it or anything if that's what you mean and honestly, I don't really think Tory was either. She seemed more mad about it than anything else, but I figured she would be."

"Have you talked to her since then?" Olivia asked.

Achara shook her head. "Not really. She's been avoiding me. But her and Robby seem to be the best of friends."

"Has there been any development in your relationship with him?" Olivia asked. "I know you said he's been putting your friendship on the back burner."

Achara couldn't help but laugh. "He actually talked to me at the dojo to tell me how sorry he was and said that the reason why he started hanging out with Tory was because he was helping her with training and then something about how she needed someone to talk to. She wanted someone who understood her life, and I get that. But why'd they have to go behind my back and not tell me anything at all? Why'd they have to act like I don't exist?"

Olivia nodded her head. "You're right. She should have told you or at least some version of what was going on, but maybe she just didn't know how."

"And that's fine, but making me feel like I'm not important to her anymore?" Achara asked. "Why'd she have to treat me horribly in the process? Why did they have to go to prom together and act like a couple the entire night?"

Olivia raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Tory and Robby?"

Achara nodded. "Yeah. They went to prom together and I had no idea until I saw them waltzing in with their arms linked together. Then, to make matters even worse, a fight broke out at the after party between Tory and Sam."

"What were they fighting about?" Olivia asked.

Achara sighed and shrugged. "Me...I think? Sam told her that she's not surprised that Tory and I broke up and that it was a long time coming. But then Tory said...she said that at that party—the one where Miguel and I decided to become friends again—that Sam told her that I deserve to have someone who will treat me right and that if I was her girlfriend, she wouldn't hurt me."

When Olivia remained silent, Achara looked up from the floor to look at her. Olivia looked like she had no idea what to say.

Achara sighed, deciding to keep talking. "And now I'm overthinking everything and on top of that, Miguel asked me to give him a second chance at prom after I agreed to go with him. He was fighting with Robby and so was I and...ugh," Achara groaned. "It's all just a big mess."

"You went to prom with Miguel?" Olivia asked. "How'd that work given the feud between Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do?"

"He asked me to go with him as a friend and I said yes without even really thinking about it," Achara told her. "I told my senseis that it was just a ploy to get in his head and distract him before the tournament. They seemed to believe me."

"And what about your feelings for Miguel?" Olivia asked her. "Have they grown at all since the last time we spoke about it?"

"I guess they've grown now that I know that maybe there's actually a chance for us after the tournament's over," Achara responded. "I just don't know if I should give him a chance or if I take some time to just..."

"Some time to yourself might be beneficial," Olivia told her. "For so long, your life has revolved around your relationships with others and the drama between your dojos. Use the time after the tournament to rediscover yourself and figure out who you are."

Achara nodded. "You know, I think that might just be the most solid piece of advice you've given me. in a long time."

Olivia chuckled. "Well, you've been able to work out your problems on your own. I'm just here to lead you and you haven't needed it as much. You've grown a lot since our first session, Achara."

"Thank you...I think," Achara replied. "You know, I don't know if I ever told you, but thank you for being here for me and listening to my stupid teenage problems."

"Your problems aren't stupid, Achara," Olivia responded. "But it's no problem. That's what I'm here for."

────────────

Decha stepped into the warehouse, almost thirty minutes late to practice. The other students were already scattered around the warehouse, engaged in various training activities. Decha blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the lighting change. His head felt like it was pounding.

"Boyband!" Sensei Lawrence's voice echoed through the building. "Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh? Where the hall have you been?"

Decha just stared at him, not saying a word.

"Did your ears stop working overnight or something?" Sensei Lawrence asked, clapping his hands next to his ear. "Earth to Boyband!"

Decha flinched, pulling his head back and swatting his hands away. "Why are you screaming at me? Could you bring it down, like, ten notches?"

"Are you—what the hell did you mean why am I screaming at you?" Johnny shouted at him. "You're thirty minutes late!"

"If I remember correctly, you're the one that was late to the first tourna—"

"Quiet!"

Decha closed his eyes, leaning back. "Dude, you've got to chill with the yelling."

"Decha?" he turned his head, seeing Miguel running on to them. "Hey, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

Decha furrowed his eyebrows at him. "Everything's fine. Why would something be wrong? I'm literally fine. I mean, I'm here aren't I? Just be happy I'm here, okay?"

Miguel and Johnny exchanged a look before turning back to him.

"You're not okay," Miguel responded. "Why don't you come over here and sit down with me and we can talk about it?"

"I don't need to talk about anything because there's nothing to talk about," Decha told him. "I'm fine. Now come on, don't we have a tournament to train for?"

A sudden wave of dizziness came over him. Decha tumbled forward, having to reach his arm out to the side in order to balance himself. Miguel and Johnny quickly rushed to his side, helping him stand upright. They helped him over to one of the wooden pallets and let go of him once he was sitting down.

The light was shining through one of the windows at just the right spot, straight into Decha's eyes. He groaned as he grabbed his head and looked down at the ground.

"Are you hungover?" Miguel asked. "You didn't drink that much at the after party, did you?"

Decha shook his head. "I'm not hungover. It's just a headache."

"How much did you drink?" Miguel asked, not believing him.

Decha rolled his eyes. "Jesus Christ, I'm not hungover! Would you just stop?"

"Quiet!" Johnny shouted in his face, causing Decha to flinch immediately and wince in pain. "Kid, you're so hungover it's not even funny. You shouldn't drink."

"Like you're one to talk," Decha snapped back at him. "Aren't you literally drunk or hungover, like, ninety-nine percent of the time?"

"That's not the point," Johnny responded. "The point is, I'm not a reckless teenager who can't hold his alcohol."

"I can hold my alcohol, thank you very much," Decha responded, a snarky tone in his voice.

Miguel sighed and shook his head. "How much did you drink last night? And don't tell me you didn't."

"I don't know," Decha shrugged. "I only drank a tiny bit at the after party and then at home...like, half a bottle? It could have been more. I really don't know..."

"Of what?" Miguel asked.

Decha shrugged again. "I'm not exactly sure. It was some expensive shit my dad had in the cabinet."

Miguel sighed. "Why'd you do it? I thought you were trying not to drink."

"Does there have to be a reason?" Decha asked. "I just...I wanted to take the edge off a little. Is that really so bad?"

Miguel crossed his arms. "Look, it's just that I know you've struggled with alcohol before, and you were sober for months and now—"

"I don't need a lecture from you," Decha interrupted him as he stood up. "Let's go train. That's what we're here for, isn't it?"

Decha walked off, leaving Miguel and Johnny behind. Decha stood next to Bert, lifting one of the makeshift weights in front of him up.

"What happened to you?" Bert asked. "You look like shit."

Decha didn't reply. He just stared straight ahead, tuning out everything that was happening around him.

— EMILIA'S NOTES

this is mostly a filler chapter but it was necessary for the plot. like i said it the previous chapter, there were conversations that needed to happen before the tournament and after prom.

anyway the tournament starts next chapter! i'm both super excited and super stressed to write it.

alternative chapter title: achara thirasawat manipulating grown men like the queen she is.