the other girl

Chapter 5

Courtney's POV

What was that? I did nothing but chores for a week and I know how to defend myself? Something doesn't add up. I made sure nobody was following me and I went down a dark alley next to Cobra Kai waiting until 10:00.

It was freezing outside and I watched as the clock hit 10. Now's the time I get some sleep. I went to bed as soon as I locked the door and I was really glad this week was over. Hopefully this means no more chores and maybe I'll actually learn something with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

I woke up and quickly left the building. I snuck back into my house through the old built in ladder on the tree. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and I started to climb back out.

"Hey, Courtney." Johnny said.

I groaned. "Shut up." I mumbled.

"Scared you gonna get caught?" He asked a bit louder.

"Yes. Be quiet."

"This tree is gonna fall down pretty soon it looks like."

"I know that." I said once I got to the ground.

Johnny groaned and closed his window. Please don't follow me, please don't follow me.

He followed me.

"So where's your little friend at?" He asked.

"He doesn't have to know where I am every second of my life. We just met."

"You should come back with us, Courtney. We can all be friends again. And maybe your dad won't hate you as much anymore."

"Wow, real inspiring, Johnny. Thanks."

"How did your boy toy feel about you being the daughter of someone he hates?" I didn't respond. Johnny laughed. "Does he know?"

"No, he doesn't. But it doesn't matter. Knock it off."

"Come on. Daniel LaRusso is a bad guy."

I cut him off. "He's a nicer guy than you'll ever be. At least he doesn't go around messing with poeple and hurting them."

"You're so dramatic. Ali and I are over. We were just friends."

"Just friends. Friends don't sleep with each other for one thing and I know if she gave you a second chance you'd crawl right back to her, would you not?" He didn't answer. I laughed. "I knew it." I took a breath and turned towards him. "I hate you. I hate Ali. I hate John Kreese. Fuck off."

I shoved him and he stumbled back but not too much. He finally went back and got his motorcycle and rode that to school.

I went to my locker and I tried to be quick so I didn't have to talk to anyone. I went through my day and I was kinda nervous for tonight. Do I still have to paint a fence? Or sand his damn floor again. I don't even know how much more I could sand that floor. It's practically perfect.

I dried my hair and walked out to the parking lot.

"Hey. Where have you been all day?" Daniel asked coming up beside me.

"School." I said vaguely.

"Haha very funny. I always see you at your locker every morning and you weren't there today."

"I just wasn't in the mood for talking today."

"Why not?"

"I dunno. I ran into Johnny this morning as I was climbing out my window and-"

"Climbing out your window?"

I realized my mistake. "I- I just- I was taking the fun way." I said with a fake laugh. He gave me a look of confusion. "Ok fine. If I tell you this, you can't tell anyone, ok?" I asked.

"I won't. I promise." I sighed.

"My family is... not the greatest. We all have our fair share of issues. My dad has some kind of PTSD and anger issues, my mom's got a drinking problem, and well... I'm messed up." I said with a laugh.

"I don't think you are."

If only you knew.

"I'm just not the most normal person in the world. I mean, I'm kinda secretive, don't ya think?"

"Well, then I'll learn more about you."

Oh God...

"Full name?" He asked.

"Courtney Rose Michaels." I said

"What are your parents jobs?"

"My moms unemployed and my dads a teacher."

"What school?"

He really knew what he wanted to know. "Umm... I'm not exactly sure. We don't have a good relationship. But he teaches kids our age."

"So you have to sneak in and out of your house?" He asked a bit softer.

I sighed. "Yeah. My parents hooked up one night and they kinda started to develop feelings for each other. So my mom found out she was pregnant with me and she got a lot of hate from that. So my dad married her and then it went downhill from there. My dad enlisted in the army when I was three and that developed my moms drinking problem. She didn't like being alone and it was hard watching her lose her life like that. I went to a therapist for about a month. One thing she told me was that you only remember your childhood when something traumatic happens. So seeing my mom lose herself and my dad not giving a shit about anything, it was hard."

I could see the sympathy in his eyes. I felt stupid for getting so open about this. "But I'm over it." I said quickly. "I've gotten used to it. My dad came back home really quickly after he enlisted. I was five when he came back so it was only two years. I don't remember when he left but I filled in the details. I can't imagine what my mom was like when he first left. She must have been a mess. Worse than she is now."

I stopped myself. "I wanna know about you now. Enough with my sob story. What are your parents like?"

"Well, my dad died when I was 8 from stomach cancer. I moved to Reseda from New Jersey in August because my mom got a promotion to work for Rocket Computers. We needed some extra money though so she also works the night shift at a restaurant across from Cobra Kai."

"Your mom sounds awesome." I mumbled.

"She is." He said with a grin. "Moms are the best." I didn't say anything. "Well, most of 'em." He corrected.

"My mom is great." I said defensively. "When she's sober. I just don't see it very often."

"I'm sure she is." He said.

I stopped the conversation there. My moms a really pretty girl. Well, she can clean up nice. Talking about her drinking problem is hard. I rarely see her sober but she's a great person when she is. Which is why I wish my parents would get divorced already. I don't know why they haven't. Probably because my mom can't live without my dad. She needs the support. She doesn't have a job so she relies on the dojo.

I shouldn't have said anything about it. I feel like an idiot.