one — we built this city, starship
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Soledad turned off the light in her new bedroom before walking towards her daughter. There was not much space in their new home but it was their own, and that was something that could never be said for their previous houses.

Making the decision to leave was one of the hardest ones she'd made in her life, but if she did not leave it would kill her.

Her husband was evil, and it was not her daughter's fault she'd chosen so poorly. Mariana would not pay for her sins.

"I thought I told you to pack lightly."

Mariana Montenegro turned on her heel, glancing at her mother in the doorway of her new bedroom. "Packing light is hard when you're leaving behind everything you own."

Sol's smile faded slightly.

She watched sadly as Mari continued to pull things out of the box sitting by her foot.

No matter which way she tried to frame the necessary change, nothing would make it better. Everything had different, and they would have to keep it that way.

Sol's usually kept and untouched hair was now bleached with a red streak down the middle. Her daughter's beautiful permed hair now sprouted her natural curls, taking away from the look she'd determined most enveloped her individuality.

They would not be recognized in the street, and that was the way they wanted it.

"I know it's hard," Sol stepped into the room and laid her hand on Mari's shoulder. Her daughter still did not meet her eyes. "But we have to remember why we're here. We have to make sure—not to draw any attention to ourselves."

Mariana finally turned around to face her mother. The red in her eyes was evident.

"Why run so far if even here we can't live a normal life?"

"We can, mija." Sol's voice softened as she pulled her daughter into a hug. She steadied herself as Mariana gripped her tight. "Just, quietly."

Silence lingered in the bedroom as they embraced. Only the sound of Mariana's tears could be heard between them.

"The spotlight is overrated anyway."

The sound of knocking on the front door interrupted them.

Mariana quickly stiffened and stepped back, immediately reaching to wipe her eyes. Soledad motioned, "It's just the TV guy. I'll deal with him if you want to stay in here."

Sol smiled reassuringly at her daughter before walking out and closing the door behind her.

She walked towards the front door and paused. She took a breath before opening it. Sol stared at the blonde older man standing in front of her, "Hi—oh, um. You're not Mike."

"And you're not my bed after a long days work and 8 cans of Coors, we're both disappointed, mamacita."

Sol blinked, shocked. "I'm sorry?"

"You're forgiven. Now do you have a TV for me to install?"

Soledad breathed, calming herself down. She regained her composure and stepped out of the way, holding the door open with a fake smile. "Right this way."

The man stepped in, his tools making noises as they all slammed into each other in the dingy tool belt hanging around his waist. She waited for him to walk in before shutting the door quickly.

He stayed still in the hallway, waiting for her to keep walking.

She resisted the urge to curse and walked ahead, leading him towards the living room.

"And where would you like it?"

Soledad wanted to strangle the man who stared directly at her TV leaning up against the only empty wall in the house.

"Take a wild guess."

The blonde turned to look at her. "I've had a long day and I hate this job already. So how about you just tell me where you want the TV so I don't put it across the "wrong door."

She watched as the man made quotation marks with his fingers around the last words.

Sol scoffed, "Are you serious? I mean the TV's clearly against the only open wall and literally every other one is full with pictures—"

"Listen I've had enough bitching for today." The man dramatically sighed, "I don't need this—"

"What did you just call me?"

"No, I mean I was just talking about your lameo responses—"

Soledad was fuming now. She had now truly seen everything. This grown man spoke like a five year old.

"You've literally been rude since the second you waked into my house, not giving me an explanation about why you're here and not Mike, and—"

"Well you invited me inside your house without asking me my name or if I wanted something to drink, I'd say that's poor hosting!"

"You're not a guest, you're just the TV guy!"

"Well that's just rude!"

Soledad wanted to pull the hair out of this blonde man's head.

"What is your name, I mean, really," Sol could hear a smile in her words from just how humorous this man was being. "I want to make sure I rave about you in your review."

"Johnny Lawrence!" Johnny shrugged as if it was a matter of fact statement. "I could spell that for you too if spelling is as hard for you as putting up TV's is."

Johnny laughed before mumbling to himself, as if he'd just won something. "Burn."

"That insult was really not as good as you think!"

"Well," Johnny stumbled over his words, "N-neither is your interior decorating!"

"Get out of my house!"

"Fine!"

Johnny dramatically pulled his tool belt up again as it was starting to sag against his belt. As he tried to pull it higher it got caught on his buckle. He tried again, and again until it popped.

His tools fell out of the pockets, sprawling across the floor.

He looked up at Sol and gave a proud face before turning on his heel and walking out. He made an effort to slam the door behind him.

Soledad did not know what to say.

"Mom?" Mari peeked out of her room, "Who was that?"

Sol paused.

"Hopefully, someone we will never see again."

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Christina Kowalski sounded like she was intentionally making an effort to break everything left in her families small stripped apartment.

She did not try and fumble with the lock on the front door as any normal person would.

Instead she'd launched her broken heel through the window of their living room before dragging herself through the shards. The smell of alcohol lingered on her clothes.

"Koda!" Kat yelled through the hallway as she linked herself underneath her mother's armpits, pushing with her legs to get her up on the couch. "HURRY!"

The older Kowalski twin walked out from his bedroom, wiping his eyes in frustration. He walked towards the couch and looked down at the mess.

"Alright, move."

"Koda—"

"Kat!"

Kat complied wearily, moving out from underneath her mother. Koda moved to grab his mother's arm, pulling her entire weight onto his shoulder. "Shower."

Kat ran ahead of her brothers path, pulling the shower curtain open in their small bathroom. Koda did not waste a second in moving towards the bathroom. He slowly placed his mother down in the molding tub and took a step back.

He placed a hand on his sister's arm, pushing her towards the door before using his foot to kick on the cold water.

The twins quickly shielded themselves from the water as it struck their mother's skin.

Only a second passed before she jumped awake. Christina Kowalski quickly gripped the sides of the tub to steady herself, screaming. "Koda-bear! What the hell!"

Kat watched the water pour down her mother's face with a sad look. It never got less depressing having to watch the way their mother handled herself.

"I already said to stop calling me that." Koda moved to the left, grabbing a towel off the makeshift shelf he'd built. He threw it towards her. "Don't stay in here for too long. They started charging for water separately."

He did not give his mother a chance to respond before pulling him & his sister back into the hall, quickly shutting the door behind him.

Kat stumbled, shaking her head.

The two teens waited in silence for a second, until the water finally shut off. They both looked at each other and nodded before heading back off into the living room.

Both took their respective spots at opposite ends of the living room.

"Broom?"

"Got it. And don't walk over here barefoot."

"Breathe."

Kat flashed her brother a fake smile before slipping on the shoes sitting beside their open kitchen. She launched the broomstick in the air, her brother quickly catching it.

The two teens had found themselves in this common routine since they were children.

While some mothers were able to put aside their vices in sacrifice of their children, Christina Kowalski had done the opposite.

The birth of twins had been exactly what she had (not) hoped for, and with the inevitable abandonment of her long-term boyfriend, she had looked to other things to cope. It had not always been bad. They remembered the years where their mother took them to Toys for Tots on christmas and they were oblivious to the hell they lived in.

But as they grew older, it seemed to have the opposite effect on their mother. Who only seemed to care less about what happened to them.

Sacrifice was never something the Kowalski twins had been foreign too.

Koda moved to the middle, easily sweeping up the glass shards surrounding the entryway of their small apartment.

Kat moved around him, unwrapping the duct tape in her hand so that she could cover the literal fresh hole in the wall.

Dakota took a long breath after emptying the glass into the trash, melting into the sofa behind him. He watched his sister finish and move to stand in front of him.

"At least she didn't mess up the power breaker, again."

"Small victories."

Kat laughed while pushing her brother's legs over so she could sit beside him. She looked over at him, seeing the curious look on his face. "What's wrong with you?"

"Is our Mom being a nuisance not enough reason to pout?"

"Not for your optimistic spirit, Koda-bear."

She watched her brother slowly sit up. His knuckles grew white the tighter he gripped the idea of the couch, tension building within him.

"Well. Robby, hasn't been by in a couple of days."

"Oh my god, really?" Kat could not hide the irritation in her voice. "You're sad because your asshole of a boyfriend is disappearing like he always does?"

"Jesus, Kat. Give him a a break. He's...." Koda's voice fell as he tried to think. "Troubled."

"He's literally our Mom fifteen years ago."

Dakota rolled his eyes and settled against the couch. He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose as he sat up. "Do you really think you're in any position to give someone advice about relationships?"

She did not know what to say to that.

The insult rang between the twins, falling heavy on the mood of their conversation.

Kat stayed still, shocked at the brutality of her brother's words. While they were always big on being honest with each other. That was a dig on his sister's sorest spot.

Koda swallowed. "Kat. No. I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry—"

The sound of knocking interrupted her brother's apologies.

Both twins eyes flew towards the door. Kat blinked away any of the redness of her eyes and turned towards her brother at the same time his met hers. She moved before he could react, running towards the door.

Koda tried at the same time but failed by an inch as Kat threw the door open.

"Hey Rob—Mari?"

Koda appeared next to his sister, "Mari? Oh my god. Mariana."

Mariana Montenegro smiled up at her best friends.

"Long time no see."

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"So your Mom and Dad broke up?"

"Something like that yeah."

Mariana shoveled in another mouthful of ice cream to avoid saying another word about her Mom and Dad's alleged separation.

The less she spoke on the real reason they'd left, the easier it would be to avoid lying.

She was a horrible liar.

"I can't believe you're back home," Koda smiled while staring at her. He walked in between his twin sister and best friend. The childhood trio had kept in touch, but not been together physically in years. He could not contain his excitement. "I have so much to catch you up on."

Mari swallowed down the last bite of her cone, "Like what?"

"Like he's dating a dick who does drugs," Kat spoke sarcastically through her venomous grin. "He has a bad Mom though.... as if we don't all."

Koda shot daggers at Kat.

"Like Kat has really turned into a judgmental ass."

Mariana laughed, shaking her head as she looked between her two bestfriends. They didn't know the comfort they brought her from just being around.

"So, where are we going now?"

"The mini mart. It has the best pizza."

Kat moved backwards to lean down to Mariana's ear. "The cheapest, but it's edible."

Mariana nodded knowingly, letting her friend seem excited as they walked towards the strip mall near their apartment. They stopped suddenly as the sound of noise ahead of them.

Koda instinctually moved in front of the girls as the yelling increased.

"Oh, shit! Someone has freaking diarrhea!"

Kat tensed suddenly, "Kyler. Asshole."

"Who's Kyler?"

"Human shit with hands and legs."

"I miss going to school. I don't like not recognizing people." Koda shook his head, moving behind the wall and motioning for the girls to follow him.

Mariana followed him, turning her head. "What do you mean miss school?"

Koda paused, "It's a long story... anyway, Kat. Who is that beside him?"

"Isn't that the boy who moved into the empty apartment yesterday?"

"Oh shit!"

Mariana jumped to attention as she saw 'Kyler' pour the Pepto-bismol over Miguel's head and punch him hard in the chest.

"Asshole!" Kat moved to run towards the fight, but Koda moved quicker, catching his sister with his arms. He pulled her into the air, cursing when he felt her hit his stomach. "I can't deal with an assault charge right now, Kat. Please don't make me get into this."

Mariana walked closer, still hidden behind the pillar across from them.

She watched the boy get tossed and cursed again. She could help him. If she stepped in they would not try to threaten the boy again

All she needed was one second.

"Trust me, you are pissing off the wrong guy on the wrong day."

"Holy shit, guys."

Mariana went speechless as the sound of fighting got louder. She motioned her bestfriends over. The twins shoved each other while trying to fight for the spot beside her, but they quickly stopped when seeing the scene in front of them.

They watched as an older blonde mad kicked and shoved against the group of teenage bullies. Legs moved in intricate ways, hands striking from every angle.

In this moment, the teens realized why it was called Martial Arts. 

The boys seemed defenseless against his fighting. Mariana felt her fingers tingle anxiously. She could feel just how exhilarating it would feel.

The moment was cut short by the sound of sirens.

"Shit, cops!"

"Koda, move!"

The two twins turned on their heels and started to run away. Kat linked her arm around Mariana's, dragging her away from the scene.

Laughter filled the teenagers air as they ran, keeping the moment lighthearted.

Koda tried to speak in between awe, "Hey, Mari. Didn't you used to do Karate?"

Mariana smiled with wistful eyes.

"Yeah. A long time ago."

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notes— oh my god so im gonna love writing this and i love the characters they can lowkey be annoying sometimes but they're teenagers and emotional and it's ok like let them live okay? okay. also this is all about to get crazy like the relationship drama is gonna be wilddd i genuinely cannot wait to watch the rest of the story unfold so like what yall thinkin