XXXII.                                           Heartbreak Weather

      Odessa was released from the hospital a few days ago. She was sleeping a lot. Thalia was still struggling to get her to eat. Miguel was getting better but he still wasn't walking. Johnny was a complete mess. They were all a mess. Oliver couldn't concentrate to save his life. Not in school and especially not during karate. He groaned in pain when he landed on his back with a hard thud. "Shit." He cursed.

Chris stood above him and reached his hand out. "Hey, man, sorry about that."

He shook his head. "No worries," he groaned again and took the boy's outstretched hand. Chris hoisted him up and they patted each other on the back.

"Oliver, what's going on? You've been distracted for days now." Sam questioned.

He glared at her slightly before sighing. "I know. I'm sorry. I can't stop thinking about Odessa."

"She's still not doing any better?" Asked Demetri.

He shook his head again. "Thalia said she's still not eating. Said she cries every time she tries."

Sam looked incredibly guilty. Demetri patted Oliver on the back, his touch lingering. They did another fight sequence with Chris and Demetri this time. They were beginning to grow exhausted. Demetri threw a hit at him and sent him to the ground, sighing in exhaustion.

"Good. Again." Sam ordered. They all looked at her like she was crazy. "We have to be ready to fight."

Demetri and Chris got in their fighting stance again,  but before they did anything, Sam's mom came outside. "What do you think you're doing?" Amanda shouted.

Oliver's eyes widened. "Uh. . . Would you believe study group?" Demetri said.  The red head closed his eyes.

"Go home. All of you." Amanda demanded.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Oliver replied and grabbed Demetri's hand, dragging him away. All they boys led themselves out of the Larusso's backyard.  He took his keys out of his bag. "So, you want to come over to mine?" he asked and made his way to his jeep.

"Um. I-I don't know." Demetri stuttered.

Oliver paused and turned around. "Why not?"

"Why don't we go to the mall? I hear the new Spider Man comic's in right now." He suggested nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

He looked at him for a second, head tilted, and stepped closer to him. "You don't want to hang out alone?" He teased him slightly.

Demetri's eyes widened again and he shifted his weight back and forth. "I-I didn't say that—"

"So, what are you saying?" Oliver pressed on, taking more steps closer to him.

He felt his throat go dry. His eyes flickered down to his shoes and back up at him. "I'm not sure what i'm saying, to be honest." He divulged

Oliver smirked and looked him up and down. "Why are you nervous?"

"I-I'm not nervous."

"You always stutter when you're nervous."

"I stutter any time I talk."

"So i'm not making you nervous?" Oliver questioned.

Demetri took a deep breath and sat his hands on his hips, leaning against his back leg awkwardly. "Nope."  his voice cracked.

They stood there for a minute just looking at each other. The look in Oliver's eyes made Demetri squirm. He nodded his head. "Okay. Mall it is." He announced and walked to the drivers side of his Jeep. 

Demetri let out a huge breath and his face turning red.

You coming?"

"Yeah. Yep. Absolutely." He stuttered again and staggered over to the Jeep.

When Odessa woke up from her long nap, she got a call from Oliver. "Hello?" She spoke into the phone.

"Hey, my favorite train wreck. How are you doing?"

She rolled her eyes. "I just woke up."

"Is everything okay?"

She nodded her head even though he couldn't see.  "Yeah, i'm fine. Those three weeks of not sleeping really did a number on me."

She heard him sigh. "Well, listen. . . Chris just texted us and said that Cobra Kai's messing with him at work. So you think you can come down here and maybe say something to Hawk? He listens to you more than anyone."

Odessa sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. "I don't know, Ollie. . ." She trailed.

"Please? We're tired of them getting away with everything, Dessi. I know you have no part it in but please help us."

"What's plan B if I don't work?"

"I'll have Hailey bring her pointy heels." 

She cringed. "The ones she wore when she stepped on my hand that one time?"

Oliver smirked through the phone. "Those are the ones."

Odessa rolled her eyes again. "Okay, yes,  i'll meet you guys there."

"You're the best, Dess." He made a kissing sound with his mouth. "Demetri, tell Odessa you love her."

"I love you!" Demetri said into the speaker.

She chuckled. "You two are so stupid."

Odessa wanted to believe that Eli was going to be better. She always believed that. He would show his vulnerabilities, make her feel bad for him, but then he would go back to his old ways. It was exhausting. She said walked into Golf-N-Stuff and found everyone standing in the lobby. "Okay good, you're here." Sam announced when she saw her.

Hailey's eyes widened. "You called her?" She said to Oliver and hit his arm.

"She's our best bet at getting Hawk to back off. I didn't know what else to do. Your pointy heels will only take us so far!" Oliver exaggerated.

Grayson waved his hands. "Okay, okay, it doesn't matter. We're all here."

"Where are they?" Sam asked Chris.

"They snuck into the old laser tag place." He told them.

"How many?" Asked Hailey.

"Five of 'em."

"Nine of us. I like our odds." Sam said with a nod of her head.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?"  Demetri questioned.

"We're not on school property. This is our chance to fight back."

Oliver patted Demetri on the back. "Don't worry,  Demetri. They'll have to get past me and Hailey's crazy pointy heels."

"Yeah, she accidentally stepped on my hand with them last year and made a hole in my hand."  Odessa added in and showed them to small scar on her hand.

The remaining Cobra Kias (They were barely in Cobra Kai. They haven't been to the dojo in a while) and Miyagi Dos sprinted to the old laser tag place. Oliver told Grayson to cut the lights. They stepped into the laser tag and Hawk glared at them. "What do you want?"  He sneered.

"Payback." Sam answered with anger in her voice.

Odessa stepped out from behind Oliver and Hawk looked at her in shock. He threw a glare at her, along with Hailey and Grayson. "You're gonna betray your own dojo like this?"

"Oh please, we gave up the minute you and your obnoxious ego turned this into a karate war." Hailey snapped.

"And when you started acting like a little bitch to Odessa." Grayson added in.

Right after he said it, the fighting started. Sam shoved Mitch backward and she roundhouse kick another one in the face. Hawk went to throw a punch at her but Odessa was quick to grab his hand a throw it. He looked at her in surprise. "I'm not going to fight you,  Odessa." He said with a shake of his head.

"Too bad for you, I guess." She sneered and kicked him in the face.

Oliver grabbed a boy by his neck and threw him into one of the displays. He felt someone grab his by the shoulders and attempt to put him in a chokehold. His arms around around his neck tightly. Demetri quickly ran over and kicked the boy in the back. When he turned around, Demetri kicked him in the stomach and he fell to the ground.

Oliver watched with wide eyes and heavy breaths. He almost smirked. "Who's the body guard now?"

"Oh, shut up."

Hailey swung her leg at one of the Cobra Kai boys and he yelling in pain when her heel cut against his face. She spun around and kicked another boy coming at her in the chest. When she turned around, a fist collided with her face.

Grayson's nostrils flared. "That was a really dumb idea." He punched the boy in the face and grabbed his arm, throwing him over his shoulder.

Odessa was in the middle of a fight with the same boy who tried fighting her at the mall. Her body was still weak and in recovery but she didn't care. She wanted this to be over. Odessa attempted to leg sweep him but he quickly jumped up avoiding her legs and kicked his own foot in her face, making her spin and fall to the floor.

When he tried kicking her in the stomach, Hawk shoved him away from her. "No. What did I say? Not her!" He barked.

"I don't need your help, Hawk." She hissed from the floor.

Ignoring her, he grabbed her arm and lifted her up.  "You shouldn't even be here, Odessa. You should be at home and resting."

"You don't get to be concerned for me anymore. We're not together!" She kicked him in the stomach.

Hawk grabbed her wrist twisted it behind her back.  "You don't get to decide whether i'm concerned for you or not." He shouted over the commotion.

Odessa threw her leg back and kicked him in the knee,  making his groan in pain and let her go. She swung her arm around and her fist collided with his face. "I'm tired of you doing this!"

"Doing what?" He quickly recovered and stepped closer to her.

She shoved his chest hard, but he grabbed her wrist,  holding her in place. "Making me fall in love with you and then acting like a complete asshole to my friends.  Your friends!"

He looked at her sadly. When he was distracted, she elbowed him in the chest and spun around, kicking him in the face again. He fell to the floor and slid back.

"Sam Larusso! Where are you, bitch?"

The sound of Tory's voice made Odessa feel dizzy again. But she wasn't weak. She was strong. Even if she was physically exhausted, she wouldn't allow herself to show it.

Sam was nowhere to be found. Chris was corned by Mitch and another boy from Cobra Kai. Both of them beating the shit out of him. Grayson was pulled back by another with his arms locked behind him so he couldn't move. Another Cobra Kai stood in front of him and was punching him in the stomach. Hailey was in the grasp of another and couldn't get out. She watched her boyfriend stuffer and she cried for them to stop.

Oliver was looking for Demetri. His breath quickened as he looked around every corner. He found Hawk throwing him to the ground and standing above him with Demetri's arm in his grasp, bending bending behind his back. "No! Hawk, please, don't do it!" He quickly objected. 

"No! Please, stop! Eli, stop! Stop!" Demetri pleaded desperately,  not being able to move out of Hawk's grasp.

The other Cobra Kai's stood behind him, waiting for him to make the move. Oliver was practically on his knees in begging.

Odessa ran around the corner and found them all, her gasping when she saw Demetri on the ground in Hawk's hold and he was almost seconds away from breaking his arm. "Eli, wait, please don't do this." She begged.

He stared at her, not doing anything.

Demetri and Oliver locked eyes. The red head was almost in tears as he got on his knees. "Please, let him go, Hawk. Please." He continued to beg.

"It's me, Eli. It's me! Help me!"  Demetri shouted when he saw Sam right in front of him, cowering in fear.

"Do it!" Tory demanded, the others shouting with her.

"Eli, look at me. Please," said Odessa. Eli hesitated and looked up at her. She had tears in her eyes and she practically put her hands in a praying position. "It's Demetri, Eli. Our friend. Your best friend. Please, this isn't you. I know it's not."

"Hawk, finish him!" The rest of the Cobra Kai's kept yelling.

Eli looked at the blonde girl who was completely terrified. He hesitated. He hesitated because he knew if he did what he was about to do, he would officially lose her forever. He would lose the remainder of his friends. He would lose the trust of her mom. He would lose everything. He wanted to let him go.  Demetri was his best friend. He would never think he would be the one to hurt him. But Hawk knew what he had to do and what he had to prove. With that thinking,  he said i'm sorry in his head and snapped Demetri's arm. 

The breaking of Demetri's bones rattled in her ears and Odessa screamed. The image replayed in her head along with Hawk breaking Demetri's arm. She was ten seconds away from passing out.

Demetri's cries in pain made Oliver cry. He ran his hands through his buzzed hair and cried heavily. He held his chest in pain. "Ah! Dammit! Ahh!"  Demetri cursed loudly and the pain was excruciating.

Odessa fell on her floor in shock and her hands shakily covering her mouth.

The Cobra Kai's praised Hawk for his actions but the boy frowned deeply at the sight of Demetri withering in pain and crying. When they walked away,  Hawk tried stepping toward Odessa. "Dess—"

"Get out of here!" She screaming, making him jump.  "What the fuck is wrong with you? Get out of here! I hate you. I never want to see you again!" She cried out. "I'm done with all of you. I quit. Leave!"

He watched her crawl to Demetri and she pull him in her arms, avoiding his hurt limb. The boy's heavy sobs echoed off the walls. With one final look, Hawk left with the Cobra Kias.

liver had crawled over to Demetri and grabbed his hand that wasn't hurt. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He mumbled in tears.

"I'm sorry, Metri." Odessa whimpered into Demetri's hair. She ran her hands through it and tried to comfort him but it didn't work. He couldn't feel his arm. All he felt was pain.

Grayson laid on the floor with his ribs broken and his face bloody and bruised. Hailey crowed down above him.  "Gray, baby? Can you hear me?" she cried and grabbed his face.

"Did I win?" He groaned in pain.

She laughed through her cries but they turned into silent sobs. "My baby, i'm so sorry."

It was a terrible night. A horrific night. Odessa didn't expect the outcome to be like this. She didn't expect to be holding one of her best friends in her arms as he cried in pain. She didn't expect her other best friend to be almost beaten to death. She sat there on the floor,  holding Demetri in her arms and she cried.