▓▒▒░░░LIKE A WRECKING BALL░░░▒▒▓

After Milton had been sucked up into the air duct—literally—Turner showed up outside of the dojo with a megaphone, warning the kids and Rudy that they had 5 minutes to leave with the threat of a wrecking ball.

“You don't scare us, Turner!” Rudy yelled from where he was chained up, “That whole 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 routine? It's the oldest trick in the book.” Rudy waved the words off like he was batting a fly.

Before anyone could reply, the sounds of a motor roaring and chain clanging were heard.

Olivia's heart dropped as she quickly rushed towards the glass door. Peaking over Jack's shoulder, her jaw dropped as an 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 wrecking ball was lowered into the courtyard.

“Uh, Rudy…” Jack started, taking a step back whilst grabbing Olivia's hand, “They just brought in a wrecking ball.”

“What? Unchain me, you fools!” Rudy panicked as he struggled against his restraints. The silver metal dug into the brown hoodie he wore as Olivia quickly mimicked her mentor, panic clawing its way up her throat like a demon. She muttered a quiet, “Oh god,” as she took a step back, hand slipping from Jacks.

“We can't!” Jerry panicked, going to tug at his hair but refrained as he touched the beanie on his head, instead. “We gave the keys to Milton.”

Jack was quick to pat down his pockets, frowning in dismay as he noticed how empty they were. He truly did not want to believe it, but nothing could prove otherwise.

“What? No, it can't end like this; I never sat in a hot tub full of pudding! No, wait, yes I did—No, that was custard.” Rudy continuously cut himself off, trying to remember exact details.

Jerry gave him an are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘥𝘦? look but didn't comment on anything else. As her chest constricted, she walked away, hoping the fewer people around would give her more air. So caught up in her panic, she didn't hear footsteps behind her as she bent over, hands on her knees.

“Hey, hey, easy now.” Jack whispered as he crouched in front of her to meet the level she was on.

“I cant–Ja–I can't b…” She struggled to speak as her ears started ringing. Her vision turned fuzzy, and the only thing she noticed was Jack speaking to someone over her shoulders before he stood up.

Olivia was quick to latch onto his arm, scared of being alone.

Another set of hands grabbed her elbows, and she could help but unexpectedly jump from the feeling of warm hands against her skin. Her movements made her stumble as she bumped into Jack's chest. He was quick to wrap her up in himself, saying soothing words that didn't reach her ears.

Slowly, Jack walked both of them back until they were out of view from the others. There honestly wasn't much that he could do to help besides hold her close and give her feelings of comfort, but if that was the only thing he could do, then he would be doing it.

It seemed to be minutes and hours at the same time as she gradually calmed down. For all she knew, the dojo had already been taken down, and they were standing in the last bit left, the both of them just swaying back and forth. Her head pulsed, feeling heavy but somehow also lightheaded. It didn't make sense if you thought about it hard enough, but it was overwhelming, nonetheless.

She sniffled and hid her face in the crook of his neck. It wasn't often Olivia knew what peace was, but this had to be it. Standing in Jack's arms, nothing but the sounds of her labored breathing and his low hums.

This was bliss.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

By the time she had recovered and drank a bottle of water, per Jack's request, the only ones left in the building were her, Jack, and Eddie. Kim had left the dojo to get her first big story, Milton had not returned yet, and Jerry had walked out to negotiate, which somehow led the crowds to start chanting.

And, well, Rudy was there too, if you count being tied to a post as “𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”

Olivia sighed, half tempted to just take a nap when something caught her eye.

“Uh, hey guys…”

She was greeted back with a chorus of 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘶𝘱? and 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩.

“Does that wrecking ball look like it's swaying to you?” Olivia leaned closer, thinking it was just her eyes. Maybe even her mind playing tricks on her. Before anyone had the chance to say anything else, the sphere of steel jerked back, her friends around her gasping in fright.

They all watched in horror as the wrecking ball's momentum made itself hurl right at the news reporter, to whom Olivia assumed was Margaret from the back of her. She gasped and quickly stood up in time to see Kim rush forward and tackle her to the ground, a hair length away from too late.

Jerry, terrified at the scene, was quick to rush back inside the dojo, hoping it was safer in a sheltered environment.

“Yo, Arthurs lost it, you guys! A few more swings and this dojos history.” Jerry panted, hands slightly trembling in a mix of fear and adrenaline as he gripped his beanie.

“What are we gonna do?” Eddie panicked. It was only a split second, but Olivia saw the change in Jack's expression. One that was full of determination and guilt.

“Jack–!” was all she was able to get out before he rushed out the door. In a state of shock, Olivia was quick to rush after him, only to be pulled back by Jerry. She squirmed as she tried to fight him back. Usually, she would succeed, but her legs were already feeling like jelly from her panic attack, and her brain still hadn't caught up with the fact that the boy she liked—the boy she 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥—had just willing walked into danger.

“What are you doing? Let me go!”

Her tone was stubborn, but the hands wrapped around her waist were stronger. She could tell that part of it was to hold her back, but the other was because her friend was just as petrified as she was.

“I'm sorry, I can't. I won't.” Jerry whispered as he pulled her close and hugged her. She could feel his forehead pressed into her shoulder as a few tears started to fall from her eyes.

“I can't lose anyone else.” She quietly choked out.

“And I can't lose you.”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

All they could do was watch. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 did not include Olivia, the second Jack started to fight, and she had turned away. Even while the wrecking ball headed straight toward their doors, she couldn't find it in herself to do something. Anything.

She wasn't brave like Jack.
She wasn't confident like Kim.
She wasn't strategic like Minton.
She wasn't persuasive like Jerry.
She wasn't determined like Eddie.

She was just Olivia. Scared, cowardly, antisocial Olivia.

And for a minute, as the boys curled around her and Rudy, she was disappointed that this was how she was going to go out. Gutless.

But then it swayed back, leaving the dojo without a scratch.

And she thought, maybe, just 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦, that was a sign to step up.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

She had to hold herself back from jumping Jack the second he walked in, and not in a good 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 way but in an 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵 kind of way.

Shoving Arthur in front of him as he walked, Jack spoke up, “I think this belongs to you.”

His chest was almost heaving as he puffed out breaths, walking a few feet away. Taking a glance at everyone else, she noticed they weren't paying attention to anyone but Arthur and his father. She moved over to where he was standing, and he smiled when he noticed her.

Any other day, she would swoon, but right now, she was upset.

She lightly shoved him back before she spoke up in a whispered yell. “What is wrong with you? You could have gotten hurt—or worse, killed—running head first into danger without thinking!”

An offended look crossed his face at her words, “I was thinking about the dojo! If I hadn't done that, this place would have been gone!”

“And what am I supposed to do if you're gone?” She hissed back. His face twisted in shock, as if the idea hadn't ever crossed his mind—which it probably didn't. He went to say something else but was quickly interrupted.

“A place is just a place! We can make a new one, rebuild, find somewhere else to go, but we can't bring people back if they get hit by a thousand pound wrecking ball!” Her eyes shined with tears, and as Jack stared at her, he realized it was his least favorite way her eyes could light it.

I hurt even worse when he realized it was 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 of him. She was hurt because of his actions, his carelessness.

Guilt ate him up for a moment as he remained speechless. In all honesty, he hasn't thought about how she would be affected if he got hurt. How it would affect 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 around him.

Headstrong Kim,
Inquiring Milton,
Loyal Jerry,
Shy Eddie.

Sweet, loving, inspirational Olivia.

“There's only one you, Jack.” She whimpered.

Her breaking and weak voice caused 𝘩𝘪𝘴 throat to close up, this time. He didn't say anything, not sure if actual words would come out of heartbroken sounds. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, hoping she would be able to read the apology in his embrace.

And she did.

░▒▓▆▅▃▂▁𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐀 𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋▁▂▃▅▆▓▒░