𝘛𝘙𝘖𝘜𝘉𝘓𝘌. Eli Moskowitz

sixteen

"SO, are you nervous for your meeting?"

Johnny sighed as he finished buttoning his jacket. "I'm not nervous, I'm pissed off."

"Okay, but you have to be nice to these people," Miguel reminded him. "So if you get pissed off, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, I usually just punch the guy."

"Um . . . yeah, that's not going to work," Violet sassed. "Okay, how about when you feel like punching someone, you make a fist like you're going to hit them, but don't actually hit them."

"Hold it in?"

"Yeah."

"I guess I could try," Johnny shrugged, picking up a black briefcase.

"Ooh, a briefcase. What's inside?" Miguel asked.

Johnny opened it. There was nothing inside.

"Nothing. Found it in the dumpster."

Violet was horrified. "Did you clean it?"

"Why would I do that?" the man scoffed. Before Violet could elaborate on why him dumpster diving for accessories was unsanitary, Miguel jumped in.

"It's a nice touch," he said.

"Thanks," Johnny thanked him. He looked between the two kids. "What about you two, are you nervous for your dates?"

"A little," Violet admitted, while Miguel said, "A lot."

"There's nothing to be nervous about, alright?" Johnny said, trying to calm their nerves. "Just relax, be cool. When the time's right, make your move."

"Move, what move? I don't have a move. What's my move?" Miguel panicked.

"Oh, come on, man. You got to kiss the girl," Johnny stated as if it were obvious.

"I mean, yeah, I'd like to, but I don't technically have to, right?"

"No, that's true. You could just learn how to braid her hair. Talk about all the other guys who had the balls to kiss her on the first date."

"Shit," Miguel groaned.

"You're a Cobra Kai. Strike first, strike hard," Johnny said. "It's not just for karate, it's for everything, all right? You too, Huang. Grow some lady balls and kiss 'em."

Violet pulled a disgusted face. "Why do I have to have balls at all?"

Johnny realized how odd his statement sounded and cringed. "Yeah, forget that part. Where are you two going anyway?"

"Hawk and I are going to the movies," Violet answered, to which Johnny pointed at her proudly.

"Nice. Good place for a date. What about you, Diaz?"

"The observatory. Little picnic on the lawn, chocolate tasting three ways, and if the sky's clear, then we'll look at the stars."

Johnny stared blankly. "The only part of that that made any sense at all is three way."

Violet snickered.

"It'll be fun," Miguel said, defending his idea.

"Alright, look," Johnny started. "If you want to impress this chick, you got to take her to where I used to take all my babes back in the day."

"Where's that?"

For the first time since Hawk became, well, Hawk, he was nervous.

Could you blame him?

The girl he'd been silently crushing on for the past couple of months was on a date with him. I'm surprised she even . . . He shook his head lightly, ridding himself of those thoughts.