Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

66

"Okay, first thing you have to know is I'm sorry."

Those were the first words out of Eli's mouth after he accosted Jesse and all but shoved her around a corner of the mall. In her confusion she had lashed out with a heavy hand to his ribs, which only caused a wince, before Eli had launched into his explanation.

"What do you mean?"

"Second thing you need to know..." He hesitated for a moment and looked around the corner where his best friend starred at his girlfriend with dewy eyes. With a roll of his eyes, Eli looked back down at the scowling Asian. "...Yasmine is here."

Jesse's face immediately fell and her eyes followed quickly. With a sigh she took a moment to rest the back of her head against the wall and just slumped, feeling the weight of life fall over her. Even through her darkened vision she could feel Eli in front of her staring down at her with that familiar look of pity.

That dumb stupid look that he gave her every time the two idiots were together and did nothing but cuddle and talk and trade spit and ugh-

"You've got ten seconds and when I open my eyes that look on your face better be gone." She threatened and counted to ten, ignoring the snort she heard. After her count she opened her eyes and rolled them at the face in front of her smirking down.

...Perhaps she shouldn't let him so close to her considering the history, but the boy was quickly becoming closer than most blood.

"What look?"

"Literally just..." Jesse sneered playfully as she stuck her palm and circled his face with her hand. "All of it."

Eli's smirk grew as he grabbed her hand and forced her palm over own face. "You should try looking in the mirror sometime. If anyone needs to fix their face it's you." And his words held no malice in them.

"Maybe you need glasses, nerd."

"Maybe you need them."

"Mimicking is the sincerest form of flattery."

"Is that how you sleep at night after a long day of being a bitch?"

Jesse scoffed but pushed her way out of being caged in on the wall and walked backwards from the hallway in challenge. "I sleep happy knowing that dorks like you know their place." She continued to watch cheekily even as Eli stepped into her space once more with his eyebrow cocked in question as they seemed to dance together until they stopped and Jesse finished the conversation with a whisper. "Beneath me."

"Hey guys! Yasmine wants to go to- oh my God."

Both Jesse and Eli rolled their eyes at the sudden entrance of their shared best friend. Jesse turned away from Eli and looked towards the couple where Demetri's eyes were bigger than tennis balls and Yasmine was hurriedly texting away with an expression of uncaring.

"What the-?"

Quick on his feet Eli shoved his hands into his pockets and walked forward past and through Jesse. She stumbled as he slammed - he insisted playfully - into her shoulder and she glared at his back. The boy swirled on his feet and smirked over at the group of various expressions.

"Come on guys. Jesse has a bedtime to reach."

"Oh, go to Hell!" She cried out as she hurried to his side. "You're such a jerk!"