Living in Reseda

Chapter 17: Larusso Auto

Third Person POV

The next day Demetri quit Cobra Kai, mentioning something about prostitution. Miguel tried to convince him otherwise, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

"Why should I learn when I have you two?" Demetri asked as the three kids walked to science class. They stopped at the stairway as Kyler came around the corner. He eyed Miguel and Hazel before scurrying away. Miguel grinned.

"Come on Hazel! He can't quit right?" Miguel asked as they made their way into the classroom.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that sounds nice," Hazel asked as her cloud of thoughts thinned to hear what Miguel asked her. She was thinking about what Mr. Larusso had said on the phone earlier. He called that morning and told her he wanted to practice karate at the dealership with her. Oh, and she was trying not to think about what kept her up last night and had her barely picking at her food at dinner even though her mom had made one of her favorite dishes.

"Mija what's wrong?" Her mom had asked.

"Nothing! I'm just not that hungry," Hazel said. There was no way she was telling her mom that was thinking about how Miguel had made her feel in the dojo especially with all the company at the table.

"Come on, you have to eat some!" Her mom said when Hazel hadn't continued. After a few more minutes of badgering from both Hazel's mom and her Abuela, she took a tone she didn't think she had ever used.

"Just leave me alone," Hazle snapped. Silence settled over the table but Jake broke it.

"It must be that time of the month," Jake had said wiggling his eyebrows at Peter. Peter had nearly choked on his food but his mom shut it down. Hazel had told herself she was just upset because she thought she only liked Miguel as a friend, but her blushing earlier that day showed her thoughts were clearly wrong.

"You think it's nice Demetri's quitting?" Miguel asked, bringing Hazel back to the present.

"Oh. No, that's not what I meant. Demetri, you should stay," Hazel said before finding her seat as the two boys followed behind her still discussing karate. Sam entered the classroom and a round of giggles followed. The rumors hadn't died out and the jokes were just getting worse.

"Thanks for the blow pop guys. Really never gets old," Sam said sarcastically as she pulled a lollipop off her sweater where it was stuck to her shoulder.

"It's cause she gives blow jobs. Get it? Blow pop... blow job," Demetri said nudging Miguel.

"Yeah. I get it," Miguel said looking at Demetri with a weird look.

"It's just a rumor," Hazel added, trying to stick up for her friend.

"Hey everybody! Who let the pigs out? I did, because I ordered the fetal pigs," The teacher joked, chuckling at his own statement. No one laughed and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Get in your groups."

"Mr. Palmer, my partner is absent," Sam said walking up to the front of the class.

"Who wants to take Samantha in? This little piggy needs a group," Mr. Palmer said, addressing the whole class. No one answered. "Don't all volunteer at once," He added.

"We'll take her," Miguel said after another beat of silence, beating Hazel to it. Sam smiled gratefully at him and went over to grab her bag. Technically Hazel wasn't in their group but she sat behind them and they talked in class all the time. Sam walked over to them, accidentally bumped Demetri's arm, and put her bag next to Miguel. Demetri looked at his arm in wonder as Sam spoke.