ANTI-KARATE 《cobra kai 》

-0.8 birthday fun

chapter eight!

"MOM?" ASKED ALEX, slowly opening the door to her apartment. Her mother looked up, Alex having to hold in a sigh of relief at the look of recognition in her mother's eyes. Behind her stood Noah, standing there awkwardly as Alex held on to his hand. They'd been dating for going on three weeks and Alex had figured that it was time Xolani and Noah met. In a way, she was fortunate- if it went bad then her mom would probably forget about it so she could just try again in a few weeks.

"Alex honey, where have you been?" asked Xolani, rushing over to the pair from her spot on the couch. "I got up this morning and you were already gone. And who is this guapo hombre joven you've gotten with you, mija? Esperanza mi futuro yerno. El es lindo."

"Mama, please," Alex groaned at the last part. Hopefully my future son-in-law. He is cute. Alex stepped to the side a bit, ignoring her mother's words from there as she shoved Noah forward. "This is Noah Peterson. My boyfriend. I figured it was time that you two met."

Noah couldn't help but grin at how happy Alex seemed to be around her mom- less stressed, less worried. Her smile was wider and it now actually reached her eyes; they glimmered in the low lights of the small apartment. He wished he saw this side of her more often. Sticking his hand out for Xolani to shake, he grinned, "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Aw, how polite. It is wonderful to meet you as well, young man," gushed Xolani, shaking his hand. She pats it once before letting go, turning around and walking deeper into the house. "Well, come on in, honey. Let me get you something to eat."

Noah looks over to Alex, seeing if that last part was a question or demand. Alex shrugged, a grin still clear on her face. Leaning over, she whispered, "Just roll with it. I'm the only company she ever has besides the doctors."

"O-okay," he stuttered, following as Alex led him towards the kitchen. Xolani was already going through the fridge, pulling out a juice carton, milk carton, and a few bottles of soda.

"Get you something to drink, mijo," she told him as she waved around at the drinks she has laid out. Turning to Alex, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion; making Alex's heart drop suddenly and the smile disappear with it. "Alex, what do you think you're doing just standing there? Get the poor boy a glass."

Alex sighed in relief, chuckling to herself as she went to the cabinet and grabbed one of the few glasses they actually had. They usually just used plastic cups. She grabbed one for herself and Xolani as well, setting the three down on the counter and looking back at Noah. "What would you like to drink?"

Hearing how her voice was teasing, Xolani took a nearby oven mitt and slapped Alex upside the head with it.

"Um, anything is fine, really," said Noah, standing awkwardly behind Alex as she nodded.

"Soda it is, then."

"Noah, you can sit down," Xolani offered, motioning to one of the chairs at their small table. Noah nodded somewhat awkwardly, moving to sit down at the table as Alex brought the three glasses over to the table. "You're lucky you came when you did. You probably know that Alex's birthday is tomorrow, which is why I was already making cookies before you arrived."

Noah then shoots Alex a look that says, tomorrow is your birthday? to which she nodded with a sheepish grin. She had succeeded so far in keeping her birthday a secret- seeing as she had to work shifts at both jobs with a fundraiser in-between. She knew that if her friends knew it that they'd try to force her to take a day off. A day that she couldn't afford.