Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

8

"You've been progressing phenomenally, Miss Park." Her therapist smiled at her warmly. "Have you noticed any difference from a year ago?"

Jesse nodded her head quickly. "Most definitely. It's a weird feeling to think about the changes. Like for example, I couldn't understand people talking from the side of me but now it's almost natural."

"That's great news, Jesse!" The older woman took off her glasses and stared at the teen with a smile. "I know you mentioned crowds were still hard which is normal. The best I can tell you is to practice whenever you can so your brain learns how to process those waves."

As soon as the session was over, Jesse texted Demetri to let him know she was on the way. The drive wasn't too bad and she was relieved that she wouldn't have drive for a very long time. The girl was a little nervous to meet his parents, but figured they couldn't be too bad.

Jesse rang the doorbell and fidgeted with her bag. The door quickly open and in her view was who she figured to be Demetri's mom.

"Well aren't you just a cute thing!" The woman exclaimed with a grin. "You have no idea how excited Demetri is. He has been talking about you for the last few weeks and I finally convinced him to have you for dinner." Jesse blinked at the woman.

"Come inside, quick quick. It's too hot to be standing out there! We're in a drought you know!"

"U-uh yes ma'am!" Jesse stuttered as she was rushed inside. Inside the foyer she paused and dug through her bag. "Uh, these are for you. As a thanks for having me over."

Demetri's mom took the bag of cookies with dancing eyes and bright grin. "You are absolutely adorable! Thank you so much, I'll go put these in the kitchen." Before she left, the woman hollered up the stairwell causing Jesse to wince. "Demetri! Your girlfriend is here! Come down and say hi!"

Jesse felt her eyes widened at the label and looked at the woman who just sent a wink. "I know, I know. I just can't help it. I've gotta tease you guys or else what kind of a mom would I be?"

Demetri raced down the hallway and down the stairs, fearing what his mom has already said. "Please don't scare her away, mom. I actually like having friends!" Jesse tried to hide a smile behind her hand at the awkward exchange going on and Demetri narrowed his eyes at the girl. "This is not funny."

"It's a little funny." Jesse whispered, showing her thumb and index finger pinched together. Demetri's mom just chuckled and headed to the kitchen after giving the teen a pat on the back.

"Don't forget to keep the door open, or else!"

This time both teens felt mortified at the implication and stared at each other with red faces. There was a brief thought that passed through Jesse's head that she should leave while she can. Demetri silently agreed.

"S-so, I brought my laptop like you said." Jesse cleared her throat and lifted up her case. "W-what do we need to do now?"

"Right." Demetri gestured up the stairs with a sheepish smile. "Come enter the cave of madness." Demetri felt a little more awkward than usual. This was the first time a girl other than his mom would be entering his room and the teen was nervous about it. Even if the intended outcome wasn't one his mom implied.

Jesse followed, taking in the beige walls and family photos. "So you're an only child?" She stopped at one family photo and grinned at the tiny Demetri on his dad's shoulders.

"Yep." Demetri replied, coming over to the girl. "It's why Eli and I were so close. We had no siblings so we were binary brothers."

"Binary brothers? Isn't that like the number things?" Jesse question. Demetri scoffed at the question and headed towards his room, not bothering to answer the question. Jesse chuckled and followed into the nerd's room. Looking around she nodded, impressed with his decor.

It was everything Jesse expected his room to be and more with books, comics, figurines, posters, movies and more. Demetri tried too look casual as he sat on his computer chair and tried not to panic. He had cleaned right before this. Everything was in order, nothing out of place, it was fine. He was fine.

Everything was fine.

"What's this?"

"Please tell me you've seen Star Wars?"

"Er...."

Everything was not fine.

Panicking internally, Demetri tried to explain why a bikini woman with chains was on his figurine shelf and he started to realize more and more just how crazy he sounded. Jesse just listened, not really all that upset or disturbed. But she really enjoyed Demetri's rants when embarrassed.

"So, that's another thing to add to the list." Jesse finally had pity on the boy, interrupting with a gracious smile. "We'll have to watch Star's War!"

Demetri didn't even bother correcting the title and just smiled with a nod, his heart beating faster at the open invitation that there would not just be a next time but many next times that the two would get together.

"Alright, so..." Demetri spun around to his desk and made a little bit of space. "Pull up that stool and put your laptop right here. We need to set you up with a steam account!" Jesse did as told and set her laptop down, but Demetri frowned as he saw the apple. "Apple?"

"What's wrong with it? It's the newest model." Jesse frowned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She thought that this would work just fine, it was new and worked well for school. She felt herself deflate, thinking she had upset the nerd.

Demetri felt bad for making the girl deflate and tried to back pedal. "N-no it's fine, really! There's some games that don't work with iOS but we can play the ones that do work no big deal."

Jesse looked at the boy with excitement, ready to play games. "So what's first, Sir Demetri?"

Demetri hummed as he got the WiFi set up on the laptop. "Well... what do you think you'd like?" The nerd then went down the list of game types and explained them all. Eventually, the boy found himself getting up and writing on his whiteboard (yes, full classroom white board on his wall) to further help explain.

"So, what type speaks to you the most?"

Jesse blinked with wide eyes at the white board. "U-uh... maybe Sandbox? Are there any games we can play together?"

"Oh, young padawan...." Demetri said almost condescendingly. "I know your first game."

And the teen immediately hopped into his seat and downloaded Minecraft for his friend to play.

"Now here, let's set this up better. Help me move the table." Jesse helped Demetri move the table further into the room and connect the girl's laptop to sit right behind his computer screen. With a click of his tounge the nerd decided to change.

Demetri unplugged one monitor and let Jesse use his. Now the monitors were back to back, something that he and Eli did a lot while playing games.

The next few hours Demetri taught Jesse how to play Minecraft and the girl started to really love the game. There was so much to do and the fact that she could play with her friend was just a bonus in her book.

For her friend across the table, he was trying not to get distracted by the looks of excitement and joy.