𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄́ ─ 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱

"AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU, MARI, YOU NEED TO GO HOME." Carmen, Miguel's wonderful mother who had been blessed heavily with culinary skills, had stood in front of her living room television and stared down at her son and his friend. "You're mother just called and she's been worried about you all day."

Marissa failed to notice, or rather refused to acknowledge, that darkness had swept over California and she had been out all day. Since arriving at the Diaz household, Marissa's mood had positively increased, but she did know that she had to go home and face Alana Vancamp's wrath.

"Fine," she huffed disparingly. She got up from the couch and playfully kicked Miguel's feet off the table so she could get through to the door. Before grabbing the knob, she turned and smiled at the mother and son, "Thanks for letting me hide out for a bit." Carmen smiled back when Marissa added, "And the toquitos."

"Hey, don't I get any thanks?" Miguel whined, turning toward Marissa who had now opened the door.

"Sure, Miggy." Miguel cringed at the name he loved to hate. Carmen, Marissa and his grandmother made great use of it for that reason alone. Before Marissa came along the name had been extended to Carmen and Miguel's grandmother, but, in a way Miguel believed it stayed within family. The family just grew a little. "Thank yourself for me. I'll see you at the dojo tomorrow."

"Yeah, if your mom doesn't skin you alive first. I'd imagine open air would hurt let alone karate." That was the last remark made before Marissa smiled sarcastically and closed the door behind her.

When she walked out, she had realized it was later, and darker, than she thought. It was always a risk to be a woman traveling by herself but that risk was worsened at night. Marissa believed that with her lessons she could easily lay anyone out who tried to touch her unwillingly but still a feeling settled in her stomach as she walked to the front gate of the complex.

Across the street, by the studio, was the same blacked out car that was sat outside her apartment three days prior. From her eyeline, she could see just half of their face, enough to know it was a man. His hat obscured the other half and all she had to go on was his skin and nose, the latter somewhat recognizable.

Marissa backed away knowing she couldn't walk out the gate and a feeling of uneasiness settled upon her. The feeling only increasing when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun and kicked her foot out to connect with the person's ribs in a near perfect roundhouse. Only when the person recoiled did she notice that she had just kicked her teacher--her Sensei.

"Oh shit," she said a little too loudly. "I'm so sorry, Sensei. Are you okay?"

The middle age man clutched to his abdomen tightly as he slowly stood tall again. Breathing rather hardly, he winced, "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry," Marissa said again. "I was just leaving Miguel's," she said pointing to her friend's door. "Do you live here or something?"

"Sure, why not?" Johnny answered. "Isn't it past your curfew? Or is that not part of your millennial, generational approach to life now?"