Chapter Fifty Four
Primadonna

SYDNEY SMILED AT Miguel when he opened the driver side car of her door.  "Good day,  my lady,"  he said in a British accent and held his hand out to her.

She rolled her eyes with a laugh and took it.  "Hi, love."

He smiled and kissed her.

"So, did Johnny and Daniel have their talk last night?" She asked and closed the car door.

He sighed. "I'm not sure."

"Well, let's hope today goes better than yesterday. God, if I have to hear more arguing I might just have you put me out of my misery."

Miguel laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, that's not happening,"

Eli walked past them without saying a word. A sledge hammer was slung over his shoulder.

"Hey Hawk," Miguel greeted but got no answer. "Hawk!"

He and Sydney shared a look before running after him.

Sydney was helping the others clear the small space in the backyard.  She was carrying the three limbs over to the side of the fence.

"Need some help?"  Eli asked.

"I can manage,"  she denied and dropped another pile of limbs onto the ground.

Eli frowned at her response.  "We haven't got a chance to talk,"

She looked him in the eye.  "There's a reason for that,"

He watched her walk past him with more tree limbs in her arms.  "Yeah,  I get that.  I just . . I'm really,  Sydney."

"I'm not the one who needs an apology,  Eli ,"  she said and stopped what she was doing.  "I could care less about all the shit you did to me. But you tormented everyone because you thought you were better than us.  You and your cobra Kai friends beat the shit out of us and you broke Demetri's arm because they told you to and you were too afraid to say no. Miguel is your best friend and you still went out of your way to betray him. You and your old friends broke into Sam's house and started another karate battle,"

Eli was silent.

"Look, I get that you want to change. I think this idea is a good start. I know you've been apologizing but like Johnny said, talk is cheap and it's going to take a lot more than this to convince me to be your friend again. I'm sorry."

She walked away and left him standing there in guilt and regret.

The combined dojos continued to work together and clear the space.  "All right,  stand back.  It's coming down!"  Eli shouted at them after hitting the fence with the sledgehammer.  He hit it again and the fence fell the ground.

"Hey!  What are you doing?"  daniel shouted in a panic when he and Johnny rushed into the backyard.

ELI frowned at his tone.  "You were both right.  Talk is cheap.  So I'm building a bridge,"

"Uh,  more specifically an Okinawan sparring deck,"  Demetri elaborated and pulled the model up on his ipad.  "Eli's a design whiz.  I looked it over and the physics check out,"

"Mr.  Miyagi just used this area for extra storage,"  said Sam.  "But a new deck would mean a lot more room for training."

"We're all going to help build it.  Assuming our sensei's approve?"  Miguel asked.

"Please say yes.  My back is killing me,"  Sydney begged.

They laughed at her and Johnny and Daniel looked around at all the students helping to clear the area. "Sounds good to me." Daniel insisted. 

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. Sounds awesome."

Sydney grinned and she and Sam high fived.

Johnny and Daniel started helping them clean up. Sydney and Demetri started racking the leaves into piles. "Hey, Demetri?"

He hummed.

She leaned against the rake.  "How can you forgive Eli so easily after everything that's happened?"

Demetri stopped racking at the question.  "Uh,  well. . ."  he started.  "Me and him have been friends for so long.  I can't imagine us not being friends.  When you care about someone,  you try your best to look past everything and remember the good things they've done.  It's easy to hate someone. Forgiving is a lot harder,"

Sydney soaked in his words like a sponge. She looked over at Eli, who was helping carry more tree limbs with Miguel. Then, she looked behind her at Charlie, who was also racking the leaves. She sighed under her breath. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to forgive yet."

Demetri formed a smile. "There's no rush, you know?"

She smiled at him. "But you want to forgive him, don't you?"

It was more of a rhetorical question because she already knew the answer.

"It would be nice," he nodded with a shrug. "You know, you're the only friend I've had that's a girl that's ever looked out for me.  Besides Sam of course,"

She smiled again. "We're an unlikely pair,"

He nodded. "We definitely are."

The deck that Eli came up with was actually perfect. It gave the combined dojos enough room to spar and a bigger advantage. For days, they had began their training for The All Valley. Sydney was struggling to balance karate and dance but at the end of the day, it was worth it and she had been practicing new moves that she eventually wanted to show her sensei's.

"Hiya!" Sydney grunted and moved fast on her feet, throwing punches at Miguel.

Miguel was quick to dodge her punches with his forearms. He took a step back and ducked, missing her swing and it moved swiftly behind her. She spun around quickly and did a side kick, attempting to kick him in the stomach. Miguel quickly grabbed her ankle so she couldn't go anywhere. He smirked. "Your move,"

She smirked back. "Too easy."

She lifted herself upward off her other foot and spun around around quickly, using her free foot to kick him across the face. When her foot was free, she landed gracefully on her feet.

Everyone that was watching was in shock.

Miguel's eyes widened. "How'd you do that?"

"Practice, baby," she breathed and let out another cry, going to kick him again.

Miguel quickly refocused and ducked so that her leg went over his head. He moved forward and threw punches in her direction. Sydney raised her forearm to block and he took the opportunity to grab her wrist.

Sydney lifted her arm so that he spun her around and she gripped his arm, throwing him over her shoulder. "Hiya!"

Miguel landed on his back with a loud groan.

"Hell yeah!" Johnny shouted with excited eyes.

Wveryone clapped. "Sydney, where'd you learn to do that?" Daniel asked in shock.

Sydney smiled through her heavy breathing. "Dance. I've been practicing some new moves."

She held her hand out to Miguel.  He took her hand but smirked and Sydney quickly realized his next move.  She grabbed his hand that was on hers and did a front flip over him and hit her fist against his chest.  She grinned and leaned down to kiss him.  "Nice try."

He groaned.  "That is so not fair."

"All's fair in love and war,  my love."

Miguel and Sydney walked off the deck and let the next two people train.  The training went on till it got to Daniel and Johnny.  Sydney watched them fight carefully and laughed loudly when Johnny did Daniel's iconic move from The All Valley.

Daniel shook his head in disbelief and threw the mits down.

"Come on,  what's up?"  Johnny asked innocently.

Sydney high fived him when he came walking off the deck.

After a long and good day of training,  everyone was free to go home.  "Good job today,  Sydney,"  Chris compliment when he walked by.

She smiled.  "Thanks."

Bert walked up to her excitedly.  "You have got to teach me that spin move.  It was awesome!"

She chuckled and ruffled the top of his head.  "I'll teach you.  I promise."

Miguel wrapped his arm around her waist. "Remember the time you said you never wanted to do karate?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes."

He smirked. "Now look at you.  Practicing new moves. Was I right or what I right?"

She looked up at him. "You're annoying."

"But you love me anyway," he said cutely and kissed her cheek.

Sydney wrapped her arm around Samantha and smiled when she saw her father with Daniel and Johnny in the kitchen.  "Aren't you happy they're getting along?"

"I am actually,"  Sam nodded and laid her head against hers.  "It's such a relief not having to hear the constant bickering,"

"Tell me about it.  I don't think my dad's been around Johnny this much since high school,"

"Maybe they'll start going out together,"  Sam grinned.  "Tou know,  clubbing,  drinking,  dancing."

Sydney pulled a face.  "Ugh,  I don't want that image."

Sam chuckled.

"Kids,  dinner!"  Amanda announced.

Miguel pulled Sydney's chair out for her and sat down beside her.  Sam sat on the other side of her. 

"You know,  I don't think I'll ever get sick of seeing you all together,"  Carmen admitted and looked between the three men.

"Me neither.  I wish I could take a picture and frame it."  Caroline agreed with a wide smile.

"Last time these two were in the kitchen together. . . Well,  let's just say I'm glad the steak knives weren't out,"  Amanda joked.

"I'll drink to that."  Johnny said.

"So will I,  even though I wasn't here."  said Alexander.

Sydney started pilling slices of pizza on her plate.

"So,  how's business?"  Carmen asked the Larussos.

"The dealership's the best it's been in years,"  Daniel responded.  "It should practically be on the autopilot by the time Sam takes over.  Right,  Sam?"

"Dad. . ."  Sam said in embarrassment.

"You're gonna take over the dealership?"  Sydney asked then laughed.  "I can't wait to see your face on a billboard,"

"That's awesome,"  Miguel smiled.

"Nah,  it's just an inside joke.  You see,  when Sam was little,  she used to walk around the dealership like she owned the place,"  Daniel explained.

"Can you blame her?  She was practically raised on that showroom floor,"  said Amanda.  "Almost born on it,  too."

"Hey,  whatever Sam wants to do with her life,  that's completely up to her,"  Daniel declared.  "If she decides to go to school nearby,  maybe get her MBA.  USC  UCLA  I'm just saying. . ." 

"How about you Caroline?  How is work for you and Alex?"  Carmen asked Sydney's parents.

"It's going wonderful,"  the British woman beamed.  she grabbed her husband's hand from under the table.  "Alex and I decided to take some time off for a little bit to spend more time with Sydney,"

Sydney smiled at her from across the table.

"i think it was an excellent decision.  Now I can keep an eye on this on,"  Alex said and pointed at Miguel.

Miguel's eyes widened in fear. "Uh. . ." 

"Dad!" Sydney hissed in embarrassment.

Sam chuckled from her seat.

Caroline saw both Miguel and Carmen's faces and she laughed. "He's kidding, I swear! Don't worry Carmen, we love Miguel," she assured and smiled at Miguel from across the table. "Right, Alex?"

"I sure do," Alex nodded but gave Miguel a stern look.

Miguel laughed nervously.

"Are you planning on college, Sydney?" Carmen asked and leaned forward in her chair.

Sydney nodded. "I am. I want to go to Julliard."

Miguel choked on his water. "Like in New York?"

She smiled and nodded. "It's always been my dream."

"When Sydney was little, she would always say she was going to attend the best dance program in America." Caroline informed with a proud smile.

"I think that's great, Sydney," Amanda praised.

"You absolutely deserve it," Daniel followed.

She went red at the compliments.

"So Miguel, how's school going?" Amanda asked Miguel.

"Uh, good. Uh, great actually," Miguel responded shyly.

"Straight A's this semester," Carmen said splendidly.

Sydney squeezed his hand. "That's amazing."

"Yeah, see a total nerd." Johnny commented.

"See, with grades like that you can go anywhere you want," Daniel pointed out.

"You'll probably get to go to New York, too," Alex mentioned.

Miguel's lips twitched into a smile. "That would be awesome. I'm, uh, also considering Stanford,"

Alexander hummed. "Very impressive,"

"Yeah, I think it's like number six in the country. The campus is beautiful. Syd and I looked it up the other day."

"It's definitely a top choice. But that tuition, wow," said Carmen.

Miguel frowned slightly.

"We're also thinking about Santa Monica College, right Miguel?" Carmen asked her son. "Save some money, live at home, then see where we can go from there,"

Sydney frowned and caught her mom's eye from across the table. She looked at her boyfriend. "I'm also considering the California Institute of the Arts. Ut's like 30 minutes away. That is if you're not sick of me by then,"

The table laughed and Miguel formed a small smile.

She grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it, giving him a small smile. "That's not for a while away though, yeah?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Sydney was quiet for the rest of the night, not wanting to talk about the opportunities she might get in front of him. She knew of the financial struggles that Carmen had to deal with and she tried her hardest not to brag in front of the family. She noticed the way Miguel's expression had fallen after the conversation.

Sydney and Eli are more similar than they think

i felt really bad for Miguel in that scene. College is hella expensive!