Sell Out | A Cobra Kai FanFiction

Down with the Sickness

Looking at my own reflection
When suddenly it changes
Violently it changes

~

It was a quiet drive.

For the most part the shitty old car with fading bumper stickers and scratched paint was filled with a heavy atmosphere almost too thick for Miguel to comfortably breathe in. The combination of mental trauma and daddy issues left the two Hispanic teens unable to say anything besides small comments regarding the drive scattered randomly when the air became too quiet.

They stopped infrequently for gas and Jade would give money to Miguel for food while she pumped the gas. It became robotic for Miguel to hold out a hand as soon as the car turned off and Jade would shove whatever paper she had in her pocket for him to grab whatever edible and some drinks. They barely made eye contact during the exchange and as soon as the doors closed the car was moving forward again.

Miguel offered three times exactly to drive with varying responses.

The first time was a simple fuck no followed by an increase in music volume. At the next top Miguel tried again and Jade paused to sneer at the boy with a harsh fuck no. The last time he asked Jade pulled the car over and glared.

"If you ask one more time, I'm leavin' you in the middle of the fucking desert."

And he believed her fully.

Although Miguel was thoroughly worried that he was the only person in the car who had any sort of sleep over the past 24 hours when they arrived just outside of Cueta, he stayed quiet. The silence broken only by harsh screams and melodies from her CDs.

She finally spoke up when they were just outside their next pit stop.

"Have you ever been to anywhere outside of the states?"

"Er, no." Miguel scratched the back of his next and started feeling small compared to Jade -even though he was considerably taller- just by the presence she radiated. A simple sigh leaving her lips had him feeling like a kid who got caught stealing a cookie before dinner.

"Look, twiggy. I love this country I really do, but it's no where near as safe for us, okay? You can't trust nobody." Jade's voice was strong, borderline harsh, but without the sharpness that she carried around so often. It surprised Miguel more than the fact she was talking to him. "Don't let 'em know you know English or that you're from the states, let me talk where possible, and just don't fuckin' talk to strangers, okay?"

"I-I don't understand." Miguel stammered out, eyebrows furrowed as he stared forward at a car that jerked in front of them hazardously and speed away, leaving their car to cruise alone on the dark highway. "Why do I have to do those things? Why can't I say where I'm from and how am I supposed to find my dad if I never talk?" The drive was starting to bring Miguel to the brink of insanity, his vision tunneling in anxiety and frustration.

Everything that led to this moment was starting to pile onto him and he could only suppress the trauma for so long before it lashed out onto those around him. His mind turned to a sharp term when Jade only stayed quiet the only indication she heard him was a sharp exhale through her nose and the sound of the leather steering wheel crunching softly under her fists. The lack of interaction further pushed Miguel, a scoff leaving his lips before his eyes narrowed accusingly.

"Why are you going to Mexico? You've been so secretive about all of this a-and I'm tired of not knowing things! I don't know who my dad is, I don't know if I can trust you, and I don't know why my back is messed up a-and why can't I drive!?"