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CHAPTER SIX
"the thing about self defense"
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(cobra kai never dies)

"YOU SERIOUSLY HAVE been taking karate lessons?" 

Jules's scowl only deepened as she stared out of the window of the car as Shira drove her to school. Hearing about Miguel's incident with Kyler was a surprise to the woman, but the even bigger surprise came when she learned that her daughter had been learning karate from the local asshole. And Jules wasn't really in the mood to explain it all, as all she could think about was kicking Kyler in the face. 

 "Only a couple times. It's not a big deal." 

"Not a big deal?" Shira shot her daughter a disbelieving look. "You could have been hurt!" 

 "Please," Jules grabbed her backpack from the floor of the car, turning to shoot Shira a sideways gaze. "Those guys may be assholes, but they wouldn't beat up a girl." 

 "Well Miguel got hurt!" 

 "And you don't think I feel bad enough about that?" Jules demanded, her cheeks heating up as she scowled, reaching over to open the door as the car slid to a halt. 

 "Hey!" Shira's voice made Jules stop her movement, tilting her head so she could look at her mother. "Be careful, okay? No more fighting." 

 "No more fighting." Jules repeated, sliding out of the open door and stepping out into the crowded entrance of the school, not knowing how much truth the words to her mother held. 

***

"YOU LOOK DANGEROUSLY calm right now." 

 Jules took another deep breath as she shut her locker, glancing at Demetri with a shrug. "I am calm." 

 "That's something that people who aren't calm say." 

 Jules rolled her eyes, but she had to admit: her friend was right. She was the farthest away from calm she has ever been. Between the taunts she heard people throwing at Aisha, and the looks that Kyler and his gang of assholes threw her everytime she walked past them - she was ready to literally murder someone. But since she wasn't supposed to be fighting, she was just mentally cursing out people in her head. 

 "And I hate to say I told you so, but karate really wasn't the best choice for you after all." Demetri continued, Jules leaning her head back in exasperation as they turned the corner into the library. 

 "Alright, 'Metri, but don't expect me to be nice to you now." She gave the boy a grin, to which he responded with an eye-roll. The two turned the corner, Demetri smacking his forehead on the door to the library when Jules reached over to open it, the girl sighing deeply and patting his shoulder as she passed. 

 Eli and Miguel were already seated as the two walked in, Jules giving the Latino the best discreet once-over she could. She couldn't help but be concerned about Miguel, especially since he sported a rather nasty looking black eye from his run in with Kyler. 

 "So that's it?" Demetri cut right to the chase after throwing away some things in his backpack. "No more karate?"  

 Jules shot him a warning glare, aiming a kick at his leg but accidentally hitting the leg of his chair, only suceeding in knocking him backwards an inch. Miguel sighed, but otherwise didn't even look up to respond. "I guess so." 

 A ping of anger echoed in Jules's chest. She didn't understand why Miguel had to give up something he was passionate about, just because a few assholes have nothing better to do than beat up underclassmen. It was unfair, and it made Jules mad enough to break another table. 

 "It's probably for the best..." Demetri tilted his head to the side, "it was starting to boost your confidence." 

 As if he could sense Jules pulled her leg back, he turned to point at her sternly. "Don't kick me." 

 Miguel's eyebrows furrowed as he looked over at the brunet, "isn't that a good thing?" 

 "Yes," Jules assured at the same time Demetri scoffed a "no!"

 The girl glared at him again, but he was already speaking again. "What has confidence ever gotten anybody? Other than a black eye, and your backpack thrown in the trash?"

"Happiness, friends, success-" Jules listed off on her fingers, crossing her arms. "Shall I go on?" 

 "I thought it was cool how you stood up to Kyler." Eli piped up, a small smile on his face that was quickly wiped off when Demetri cut him off. 

 "Are you insane? Let me ask you-" He leaned forward, Jules sighing deeply and leaning over to draw a star on the corner of Eli's paper. "What is the best superpower anyone could have?"

"How did you manage to turn this conversation into something nerdy?" 

 "Just answer the question!" 

 Jules sighed, twisting a piece of hair around her fingers before pursing her lips and responding. "Strength. Because then you can just be amazing at everything." 

 "That's what I was gonna say!" Miguel smiled, Jules grinning as she leaned over to high-five him. 

 "Well you're both wrong. Invisibility, a distant second would be super speed to run away really fast." 

 Jules blinked once at her friend, shaking her head softly. "I have never respected you less, 'Metri." 

 "Run away from who?" Kyler suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere, resting one hand on Jules's shoulder as he leaned in closer to the table. The girl scowled, wordlessly bringing her pencil up to poke his hand, pleased when he withdrew it with a yelp. 

 "Whom," Brucks - Kylers stupid friend who Jules kind of hates a lot - corrected, earning an annoyed look from his friend. "It's the object of a preposition, remember english class?" 

 "I'm surprised you can remember an event that happened so long ago," Jules drawled, although her laid-back nature was apparently not shared by her friends, as the boys jumped up and scrambled to get away. "We were just leaving -" 

 "Hey where you going -?" Kyler darted out, grabbing Eli's arm and yanked him over to him, putting one hand on his shoulder and one under his chin, tilting his head up and chuckling as they observed the scar on his lip. "Shit! What kind of girl would ever kiss that shit?" 

 "Let him go, dickheads." Jules grabbed Eli's arm, tugging him away from the boys. Kyler turned to her, crossing his arms in an intimidating matter. "Or else what?" 

 "Or else I'll find out just what you put in your hair to make it stand up so goddamn straight because I'm almost positive it isn't legal in America." She mimicked his posture with a small smirk. "And I'll have you know that girls actually like scars. They're hot. You know what isn't hot? Guys who's hair can pass for a replica of the Eiffel Tower." 

 "You're a real charmer aren't you, Monroe?" Kyler took a step forward, shoving her arm so that she took a step back to regain her balance. "No wonder Sam likes me better." 

 Jules had about ten more hair jabs she could have thrown at the boy, but before she was given the chance, Miguel spoke up. "Just leave them alone." 

 Apparently Kyler liked the complete none-threatening tone of his voice, as he turned to round on the boy, squaring his shoulders in an effort to look bigger. "What'd you say?" He took a few steps forward, "You haven't had enough, 'Rhea?"

"I've had enough," Jules stepped up, lacing her arm through Miguel's, sticking up her middle finger at Kyler with a sarcastic grin. "I hope you know that you don't deserve Sam LaRusso." 

 "Yeah, well who's gonna tell her?" 

 Jules scowled, turning on her hip and stalking away, practically dragging Miguel with her as Eli and Demetri scrambled to follow. 

 *** 

"I JUST DON'T GET IT!" 

Jules was angrily ranting to her mother that afternoon, her hair half-straightened as she angrily flat-ironed her dark locks, cursing every time she accidentally burned her scalp. "Like, how can they just let Kyler talk to them like that? I mean, I know that they don't want to get the shit beaten out of them, but -" 

 "Some people just don't want to speak out," Shira appeared in the doorway, watching as her daughter anger-straightened her hair. "It's a coping mechanism." 

 "My coping mechanism is yelling at kids," Jules grumbled under her breath, "I just don't want my friends to get hurt just because they're kind of dorks." 

 She blinked. "Okay, they're huge dorks. But I still love them and -" 

 She was cut off by a knock on the door. Jules sighed deeply as Shira exited the room to go answer it. Jules was seriously tired of Kyler and his friends. And she didn't understand why Sam was dating someone like that. Surely the girl is smart enough to realize that whatever bullshit he's spouting to her is complete... well, bullshit. 

 "Uh, Julie?" 

 Jules turned her head to look at her mother, who suddenly looked a little bit nervous. "There's someone at the door for you." 

 "Who is it?" Jules questioned, running a hand through her hair and setting the flat-iron down. Shira just motioned for her to follow. Jules grumbled a few choice words under her breath as she followed her mom out to the front door, although she froze when she saw who it was. 

 Samantha LaRusso stood at her door, shifting nervously back and forth on the balls of her feet. She smiled when she saw Jules, who blinked once in surprise, before regaining her composure and waving back. "Sam! Um, what are you doing here?" 

 "I was just hoping that I could talk to you for a second." Sam caught her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing nervously as Jules nodded, slipping outside and shutting the door behind her so that her mother couldn't listen in. 

 Jules shivered for a moment at the sudden change of temperature, rubbing her arms. "What's up?" 

 "I - I wanted to talk to you about Kyler." 

 Apparently Sam could see Jules curl her lip in distaste, as she held out her hands, rushing to finish her statement. "I broke up with him! I heard you guys in the library, and then he was just being all-" she made a few gestures with her hands, scowling, "-at the movies, I just-" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I feel so stupid for not realizing who he really is. I came to apologize." 

 "You don't owe me an apology," Jules assured, although she did feel an odd sense of pride that Sam had broken up with Kyler. "Kyler's a dick, I'm glad you don't have to deal with him anymore." 

 Sam smiled, exhaling like a weight had been lifted from her chest. "Thank you... for standing up for me, it - it means a lot." 

 "Of course, what are friends for?" 

 Sam smiled again at that, Jules nervously fiddling with the ends of her hair. "Okay, I'm gonna hug you now." 

 Jules laughed, holding her arms out as Sam stepped forward, embracing her tightly, swaying slightly on the spot. Being around Sam provided an odd sense of familiarity... like she was the thing missing from her life. 

 They pulled away, although Sam still had one more thing to clear up. 

 "Oh, and I don't like him better. I never have." 

 A smile tugged at Jules's lips. 

 "Good to know, LaRusso." 

A/N:

jules and sam are lowkey becoming a ship - 

eskwsjwkw i literally have a crush on jules i love her so much!! and i love her relationship with miguel, and just wait until the next chapter, you'll the them even more!

i was watching cobra kai and a lot of jokes came to my mind about how kyler's hair stands up so straight so i just had to add the part with jules bullying him lmao! 

 thank you guys so much for all of the love this story has been getting! it is almost at 200 votes, which is insane to me!! i love you all so fucking much <3 please continue to vote and comment to tell me what you think! 

much love!