X.                                                 Heartbreak Weather

      Was it love? How could she know? It was too early. Too soon. She always did this. She got too attached too soon and always thought it was love. Odessa's deep affection scared of every guy she was with. She came on too strong. She couldn't express her love full stop because it would scare them off but then if she acted like she didn't care, they would get mad at her for it. Odessa tried holding in her feelings because she was so scared to lose him but her feelings for Eli were strong. He was special to her. She would be a fool to drive someone like him away.

When the next day came, Johnny had ordered his students to meet him at the junk yard for their training session. She sat in the front seat of Oliver's car with Hailey and Grayson in the backseat. She was noticing his phone buzz in the cup holder every five minutes. "She keeps texting you?"

"Yeah, we know you don't have that many friends," said Hailey and Grayson laughed.

"Fuck you." Oliver said and flipped her off in the mirror. He looked at the girl in the passenger seat. "And no one. Probably just my mom even though she tells me all the time to not text and drive."

He grabbed his phone and turned it off completely, making Odessa give him a weird look. When they got to the junkyard, they saw that the majority of the class was already there. She got out of the Jeep and smiled when she saw Eli standing with Miguel. She quickened her pace and jumped on his back, startling him. "Hey, you."

Eli's hands automatically grasped under her thighs and he looked over his shoulder, smiling at her. "Hey pretty girl."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "How was your date, Mig?" She asked the other boy.

Miguel smiled widely, his braces on display. "Oh, it was great! We went to Golf N' Stuff and then she flipped me over on the ground and kissed me."

She titled her head and hummed. Oliver came up behind him and clapped him in the back. "You work fast don't you, Mig?" He praised.

Miguel's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No, no, not like that—"

"QUIET!" Johnny's loud voice interrupted him and they all flinched. Odessa slid off Eli's back and they all turned to face him. He was standing on top of one of the old cars. They watched as he cracked open a can of beer and chugged it quickly.

"I bet getting drunk with him is awesome." Oliver thought out loud.

"Shut the fuck up," said Hailey.

"You've trained hard. You've gotten stronger, tougher,
faster. You've done your best. You're ready for this
tournament, am I right?"

"Yes, Sensei!"

"Wrong!" Johnny screamed and threw his can of beer at Bert's feet, the loud splashing on Miguel's pant leg. "Your best ain't shit! If you wanna win the All Valley Under Eighteen Karate Tournament, you gotta give me better than your best. Which is why, from now on, you're gonna get my worst. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei!" The class chanted.

"Are you losers?"

"No, Sensei!"

"Are you nerds?"

"No, Sensei!"

"Are you sure?"

"No, Sensei!" "Yes, Sensei!" Oliver laughed obnoxiously loud at the ones who says no. "HA! Losers!"

Johnny groaned into his hands.

Grayson was the most unathletic person in the class and that was saying a lot. Johnny had them running through tires as if they were in football to work on their footing. Unfortunately, Grayson tripped over his food and sent Hailey down with him, which resulted in everyone else coming down.

The next lesson was the most fun, especially to Hailey. They were instructed to take a baseball bat and smash all of the old cars. "Hell yeah! I'm totally pretending this is Oliver!" The Latina cheered and smashed the windows of the cars.

Oliver's eyes widened and he threw his hands up.

They continued to run through the tires until Aisha tripped and fell on Odessa,  resulting in everyone falling on top of her because she was in front. "Oh my god, ow! Ow!"

Eli groaned out loud when he felt Grayson's elbow dig into his ribs. "Sorry babe!"  Eli apologized and groaned in pain.

By the time they were halfway done, they were all exhausted. The white tank top Odessa bad on was steamed with dirt and rust. She had bruises on her arms from being trampled on. Johnny linked them all up and was passing our granola bars. "You wanna win?  You gotta be hungry.  You guys hungry?"  Everyone nodded violently and they watched him smirk. "Good,  cause so are they."  He pulled out a dog whistle from behind his back and blew into it.

Two very loud dogs came running from behind the cars. "Oh, shit!"  Aisha screamed and they all started running.

Odessa quickly looked around her before climbing on top of one of the old pick up trucks and hiding in the bed. She peaked over to see Oliver and Grayson huddled on top of a car and Hailey and Aisha on top of a van. Eli and Miguel looked around in a hurry trying to find somewhere to hide. "Eli, Miguel!" She called out and waved her hands. The boys quickly ran to her and jumped over the bed of the truck before the dogs could get to them.

She could hear Johnny's laughing in the background. "Everyone's still have their limbs?"

Miguel felt around his body. "I can confirm."

"I'm good." Eli breathed out and leaned his body against hers from exhaustion.

"Ow, Hammy, stop trying to sacrifice me to the dogs!" Oliver shout from across the junkyard. 

After the junkyard and taking a hot bath to relieve herself from the pain of being stepped on,  Odessa invited everyone over to her house for a pool party. Hailey adjusted the straps of her green bikini and glanced at her friend from across the bedroom. "I wish I had your body. I look fucking disgusting." She groaned and looked at herself in the mirror.

Odessa looked at her and scoffed.  "Trust me,  I wish I had yours."

"You're gorgeous,  Dess. Done ever question it. Plus your tits looks amazing."

The blonde just smiled and adjusted her straps.  "Hailey, can I ask you something?"

"What's up,  mama?" 

"Do you think i'll scare Eli away?"

Hailey face fell with concern.  "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged.  "I think i'm starting to really fall for him and every time that happens, a boy gets scared and leaves. I don't want that to happen with him. He's different."

The girl nodded.  "Odessa, that boy has never had a girlfriend in his life and he's lucky as fuck that his first girlfriend is you. I've been around him long enough to see that he appreciates and adores you so much. I do not see him leaving you any time soon and I know he would be over the moon for someone like you to fall in love with him."

Odessa smiled at her words and finished adjusting the straps of her pink bikini top. "Did Oliver tell you he's bringing someone?" She changed the subject.

Hailey nodded.  "Yeah, he wouldn't tell me who though. Probably some new guy he's fucking."

"He usually tells us about those,  though."

"He probably likes this one then."

"Well good,  he needs someone good in his life." She smirked. "And you, are you ever going to tell Grayson you have feelings for him?"

Hailey spun around and her eyes went large. "Dess, we've been over this. I do NOT have feelings for Gray."

Odessa laughed.  "It's so obvious,  Hails.  Even Miguel talks to me about it sometimes.  For one,  you're not as mean to him as you are everyone else."

"It's Grayson. He's like a baby.  How cruel would I be the make fun of a baby?"

She narrowed her eyes.  "You made fun of our history teacher's newborn daughter last year."

Hailey made a face. "It's not my fault she birthed something that looks like an alien with a cone head."

Odessa shook her head.  "He likes you too. Why don't you just try?"

"I'd rather stick my hand in a pot of boiling water."

"That's a bit excessive."

"Exactly. . ." She grabbed her hand. "Now come on. I want to swim!" Hailey dragged her out of her room and Odessa rolled her eyes as she avoided the subject.

Thalia closed the lid of the grill when Eli and Miguel walked into the backyard through the sliding back door. "Eli!" The woman beamed and made her way over to them. "How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm good, Ms. Reid." Eli smiled in return. The buttons of his Hawaiian shirt were undone and his hair was foam so that he could get it wet.

Thalia looked at Miguel and pointed a finger at him. "You must be. . . No, let me guess — Demetri?"

His face fell and Eli snorted a laugh. "Uh, no, Ms. Reid. I'm Miguel."

"Miguel! Or course. Sorry, honey." Thalia quickly said and patted his shoulders. "It's very nice to meet you."

The two went to talk to Hailey and Odessa and Grayson came outside with his yellow swim trunks announcing himself. "Grayson!" Thalia yelled and immediately went to hug him.

"Hey, mom!" Grayson shouted back and tugged her tightly.

Eli sat beside his girl on the bench table. "Hey,  beautiful." He smiled her way.

Odessa grinned and kissed his cheek. "Hey, you."

"Where's Oliver?" Miguel chimed.

"He's on his way with a new 'friend'." Hailey air quoted with a smirk.

Grayson came up behind her and slapped his hands on her shoulders. "What new friend?"

He scared her. She flinched and swatted his hands away. He laughed and sat on the other side of her.

When everyone got the food they returned to the picnic table. Thalia sat on the end of the bench. "So, how's karate going?" She asked the kids.

Miguel was the first to speak.  "It's awesome!  Sensei Lawrence is the best!"

"He let me smash in cars today!"  Hailey added in with wide, excited eyes.

"He sent dogs to chase us and I had to jump on top of a car with Oliver.  I accidentally pushed him off."  Grayson explained.

Thalia looked at her daughter.  "He made Hailey punch me in the face." Odessa told her.

She looked over at Eli.  His eyes shifted between her and the others, seeing that they were waiting for him to pitch in.  "Oh,  he made fun of my lip and that's how I got the mohawk and tattoo."

Thalia blinked several times.  "Doesn't sound like much karate going on." She expressed with confusion.

"Oh there is,"  Miguel assured her.  "He's training us for the All Valley tournament."

"The All Valley Under Eighteen tournament?"

"That's the one."  Hailey answered.

Judging by her mother's face,  Odessa knew she would have to talk to her later. "Did y'all start without me?"Oliver's distinctive loud voice shouted from the back door.

Everyone turned around to see him standing there with disheveled red hair and popping freckles. From behind him, there was a boy with him

"About time you got here. It was getting too quiet!"  Thalia shouted

"You know me so well,  mom.  You look gorgeous as always." Oliver smiled and took her by the hand, twirling her.

Miguel looked at Odessa.  "Is everyone like this with your mom?"

Odessa nodded.  "Pretty much. You'll get there eventually."

Hailey leaned forward and whispered, "She's the coolest mom ever."

Oliver and the unknown boy followed the woman up to the patio deck.  "Guys,  i'd like you to meet Asher.  He goes to school with us." He introduced.

Odessa recognized him. Asher was in their grade but he was really quiet, much like Eli used to be. He was on the soccer team.

"Asher, these are my best friends Odessa, Hailey, and Grayson. This is Odessa's boyfriend, Eli, and our new friend, Miguel. This is also Thalia, Odessa's mom and also my mother. Not really, but, practically."

The poor boy's eyes widened like saucers.  "That's a lot of names." He was a cute kid with messy brown hair and light colored eyes. He reminded Odessa a lot of Eli. Not Hawk.

"You're so cute. What are you doing with Oliver?" Hailey said with a smile.

Eli snorted and Miguel laughed into his cup of water. Oliver smiled sarcastically and flipped her off.  "You'll get used to her.  She's only bitchy when it comes to me." He said to Asher.

When everyone was done eating, they all jumped into the pool. Odessa and Hailey sat by the edge of the pool and watched all the boys play volleyball in the water. Oliver had his body in the water while he was talking to Asher, who was sitting on the edge of the pull across from them. Thalia was tanning on the pool chair. Odessa watched with soft eyes as Eli was having fun, his blue hair wet and covering his eyes.

She got that feeling again, the feeling she was scared of. It was inevitable. She was falling hard.

Asher is Oliver's love interest for the time being! He's played by Edvin Ryding!