Cochlear | A Cobra Kai Fanfiction

57

Jesse bit the inside of her cheek before nodding her head a few times. "My dad has this stereotypical Asian dad thing about Kyler and I being like robots instead of kids." She took a shaky breath, avoiding the stares and chose to look at the garbage can behind her friends. "I had...have this... stutter." She spat it out, looking away from Eli's calculating eyes as he put the puzzle pieces together. "He hates it."

"But you've always been so... precise with your words?" Demetri interrupted in confusion, gesturing to the girl with both hands. "I've never heard you stutter in your life."

Jesse tried not to look at Eli, but her eyes couldn't help darting over to see his reaction. "It's funny what fear does to you." She said softly and Demetri's eyes softened at the reminder.

"I-oh."

With a sigh, Jesse broke the awkward silence and stuffed her hands under armpits. "During the first month of summer vacation Kyler got sent to... camp." She frowned and swallowed. "I got sent to my aunt's."

"You look pathetic." Her aunt stated simply, arms behind her back with no real emotion on her face. Jessica frowned looking up at the long haired woman in confusion. "Small, weak... fragile."

"I'm nine." Jessica responded dryly from her kneel, wincing as her cheek reddened and her face was sent sideways from sudden impact.

"You have a mouth on you, but your dad insists you're spineless." Jesse scowled as her cheeks were grabbed and was forced to stare into the dark eyes of her mother's sister. A smirk grew on the woman's lips and Jesse found herself hating her even more. "Of course you're not. You're a Kim."

"Your breath smells like kimchi." Jesse sneered, wincing as she was shoved onto her back and looked up at the woman towering over her. "I-I don't like you."

"Good." Her aunt nodded, her arms behind her back once again as she left her niece on the cold stone in the yard of the dojo. "You'll sleep out here as a reminder."

Demetri blinked over at his best friend.

Or at least, his second best friend.

His best girl frie-

No.

His mouth opened and then closed again. He held up a hand, clenched it, before opening it again as he tried to process the story that the girl in front of him had just finished sharing.

"So," he began, clearing his throat as his voice started to raise in pitch out of disbelief. "You're telling me that you..." his hands moved in front of him, in no language other than that of a person trying to grab onto thoughts and piece them together. "That your aunt is a karate master and you've been training since you were nine years old, in Korea, after your dad sent you because you had a stutter?"

"...yes." Jesse nodded after thinking for a moment and Demetri let out a small noise in the back of his throat, looked over at Eli, and gestured to the girl.

"How are you okay with this?!" He demanded, his hand going up and down quickly.

Eli shrugged. "I'm at a point where Karate has just become normal, man." He said honestly, shoving his hands in his pocket with a sigh. "I mean, Miguel got first place in a competition after raining for a few months compared to kids who've been doing it their whole lives. Anything's possible."

"So, your mom's family comes from Karate..." Demetri clarified and Jesse nodded.  "...and Terry Silvers..?"

"Does business with my dad." Jesse hesitated. "And he used to train under my grandpa."