FIGHTING WITH Sensei Lawrence, technically her new stepdad, was extremely awkward. Instead of getting involved, the twins were instructed to watch the class— resulting in the other students believing that Johnny was 'picking favourites'.

"Maybe, mom told him to go easy on us." Isabella whispered, as the rest of the class were practicing their offence.

"I don't know." Miguel whispered, "But, everybody thinks he's picking favourites. I don't like how he's acting..."

"Like, a parent." Isabella finished, "It's kind of nice."

"Nice?" Miguel repeated, "He's treating us so differently—"

"Good job today! Ice up, we're back at it tomorrow." Johnny told the class, before walking over to the twins, "Your mom wants us to have a family dinner tonight, so don't be home too late."

They both nodded hesitantly, exchanging looks of confusion as Sensei walked away.

"Must be nice, huh?" Mitch scoffed, as he walked passed, "Teacher's favourites."

"Yeah." Bert added, "Is he gonna tuck you in?"

Isabella rolled her eyes, biting the side of her cheek in frustration.

***

Isabella arrived home on time for dinner; her probation meeting going successfully, despite the bruises on her face. She didn't lie, she said it was from a karate incident, though she didn't explain all of the details. Thankfully, she was still in the clear from any potential reason to get sent back to juvie.

Carmen asked, as she sat down at the circular table, "Where's your brother?"

"I don't know," Isabella shrugged sarcastically, putting her two index fingers to her brain and closing her eyes, "Let me just use our telepathy to find out."

"Cut the sarcasm, Belle." Carmen said, "He's never late. Do you think he's okay?"

Johnny reassured, "I'm sure he's fine."

"I'm gonna kill him when he gets here." Carmen sighed, "Johnny, I need you to have my back."

Johnny replied, "When my mom's boyfriends tried to discipline me, I didn't want to hear me. I don't want him to think I'm an asshole."

"Johnny, things are different now." Carmen reassured, before looking at her daughter, "Oh, Belle, I picked up your new prescription today. Take one now, before dinner."

"New prescription?" Isabella repeated, as slid her chair away from the table and walked over to the small kitchen. She picked up the new bottle, "What was wrong with my old ones?"

"I thought that upping your dosage was a good idea," Carmen explained, "These are stronger, more effective. You'll feel better."

Isabella read the orange bottle, "Aripiprazole." She read the side affects and the dosages she needed to take. Side affects: fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea. She frowned, "This will make me make tired, Ma. I won't be able to fight properly in the All Valley."

"What—" Johnny frowned at the idea, but he was stopped by Carmen.

"This isn't a discussion, Belle." Carmen replied, "You'll be fine. This will help you. Please, just take one, I don't want to argue."

Carmen watched as Isabella opened the orange bottle, taking out one pill and placing it on the counter. She slowly grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. Luckily, Miguel opened the door and arrived home, which meant the focus wasn't on her.

Carmen turned away from her daughter, looking at the boy, "Where have you been?"

Miguel apologised, "I'm sorry, I lost track of time."

"He lost track of time," Johnny approved, before glancing at Carmen and changing his mind, "Which is very irresponsible, and you can't worry your mom like that."

Miguel frowned, "I was just hanging out with Sam."

"We just want you to be safe." Carmen said protectively.

"Right. We want you to be safe." Johnny added, "Always wear protection."

Isabella let out a chuckle from the kitchen behind them, before quickly stopping herself before she drew attention to herself. While her mom wasn't looking, Isabella dropped a pill down the sink; she knew that her mom would've counted the pills to make sure she had taken them, so she still had to take one away every day.

Carmen raised her eyebrows, "What? No."

"No? No, don't wear protection." The man frowned in confusion, "Uh, just let the girl decide that—"

"Just stop it." Miguel blurted out in frustration, "At first I thought it was a little weird that you two were together but I figured I would just, I don't know, get over it. You said that nothing was gonna change. And now everything's changed. It's weird at class, it's weird here. I'm over it!" He stormed away to his room, leaving them in silence.

Carmen questioned, "Protection? Really, Johnny?"

The man took a long breath of reflection, as Isabella took a sip from the glass of water and sat down at the table. The girl said sarcastically, "Well, that went well."

Carmen sighed, before asking, "Did you take your medication?"

"Yep." Isabella nodded, opening her mouth to show her mom proof, "Count them, if you don't believe me."

"I do believe you." Her mom smiled, which made Isabella feel terrible for lying. She suggested, "Can you check on Miggy, please?"

"Sure." She nodded, before grabbing her and Miguel's dinner plate and taking it with her. Isabella opened the door handle with her foot, both plates in her hands, before walking inside their room. Miguel was resting on his bed, the light from his phone beaming on his face in the dark. She passed him his dinner plate, filled with food, "Room service."

"Thanks," Miguel sat up in his bed, as he took it from her. Isabella sat on her bed to eat her meal, too, accompanying her brother in the silence.

Moments later, a pattern of knocks came from the door, before Johnny slowly opened the door. He closed it behind him, before pulling the chair out from the desk and sitting on it. He took a long breath, "Look, I'm sorry if I'm acting a little weird, it's only because I don't have any experience with this. Ask me anything about karate or 80s, I'm your guy, but when it comes to all this? I freaked out."

Miguel nodded in understanding, "That's what happened with Robby, right? You got afraid."

"Yeah. But, I never told you why." Johnny explained, "My dad left when I was in kindergarten. I barely remember him. My mom did everything she could. Married a rich prick, thinking that would be a good idea. But, it only made me miss my dad more. I didn't know why it happened. You know, I felt so..."

Miguel finished, "Cheated?"

"Yeah." Johnny nodded, "The point is, I didn't have a male role model growing up. Til I met Kreese, and you both know how that went. And I didn't want to be like him, or Sid, or my own dad. And I took all that bulls but I felt from them and I put it on Robby's life. I can never fix that. And I don't wanna make that mistake again."

Isabella smiled, for the first time in a while.

a/n:
a cute little chapter
i hope you enjoy!