LVIII. Heartbreak Weather

Odessa was stress free when she was with Eli. His affection energy always had a way of digging deep in her bones and making all of the deep thoughts and anxiety she felt daily disappear. He was her safety net. Her light at the end of the tunnel. The very dark tunnel that was her own mind.

Her loud scream echoed when she and Eli slid down the water slide together. She was between his legs and his arms were wrapped tightly around her. They came zooming out the end of the slid and they toppled over each other in the water. She kicked her legs and swam up until her head popped over the water. She giggled loudly when he tackled her back into the water. "I told you that would be fun!" She expressed happily in his face.

"It was. Especially after the fifth time." He agreed with the same happy smile on his face

"Hey, guys!"  They heard Grayson's shout. The couple looked over and saw him standing at the diving board not far from them. Oliver was right behind him. "Check this out!" He ran forward and jumped, doing the flip from Fortnite, and landed right in the pool. Oliver ran right behind him and did the same thing before diving.

"Whoo!" Miguel cheer from the side of the pool.

Odessa laughed out loud and her arms tightened around Eli's shoulders. "What should we do next?" She asked and shifted so that she was in front of him.

"Uh. . ." He trailed and looked around the park. "I'm really not sure,"

"Why don't we go to the Colossal Curl?" She suggested and pointed behind her to where the slide was.

Eli looked over her shoulder and his face stilled slightly. "It's on their side, Dess."

Her face fell as well. "So?"

"Babe—"

"We came here to have fun, Eli. It's a water park." She emphasized and felt her anger level start to rise.

"I know, babe, but you know the deal."

She dropped her arms from him. "You've been terrorized by people like them you're whole life and you're going to still let them control what you do?" She questioned sharply. She scoffed. "Whatever." She started swimming to the edge of the pool.

"Odessa!" Eli shouted but he was ignored. She jumped out of the pool and he watched her walk back to the lounge chairs. He closed his eyes. "Fuck."

Odessa angrily sat down on her chair. Miguel was laid back with his sunglasses on and Sam was still reading her book. Hailey was with Grayson and Oliver at the pool. Hearing her sigh of frustration, both Sam and Miguel looked her way. "What's for your swim suit in a twist?" She asked with an amused smile.

She rolled her head to the side. "I've spent my entire my life being told what I can do by others and now that I'm to a point where I don't give a shit anymore, they're still doing it!" She rambled.

Though things between them were still awkward, Sam and Miguel slowly looked at each other. "What are you talking about, Dess?" He asked.

Odessa sat up and looked at them. "We have as much right to be there as they do!" She emphasized and threw her finger over to where the Cobra Kai's were. "I mean, it's Summer! We're supposed to be having fun. I mean, who do they think they are, Mussolini?" She continued to ramble and her face started to go red.

Sam blinked. "Well, I would tell you to go for it, but, I don't think any of us want another karate battle to start."

Yeah, I know. I know."

Not far from where they were sitting, Devon was having the same argument with Bert and Mitch. "Hey, Odessa!" She shouted out after hearing her loud rambling. Odessa turned to her. "Come with us! This ends today!"

"Uh, are we sure that's a good idea?" Bert questioned.

"Hell yeah!" The older girl shouted back and ignored her friend's protest for her not to go. She quickly ran over to them. "So, what are we doing?" She asked them.

"I'll explain on the way." Devon told her and quickly grabbed her arm, dragging her away. Mitch and Bert followed behind them. "We have just as much right to slide down these slides as anybody else!"

"Yeah!" Odessa loudly agreed.

"But, Dess, what about Hawk?" Bert butted in.

She let out a chuckle. "Oh, my sweet boy," she said and wrapped her arms around him. "You should know by now that I don't abide by his 'rules'."

"Exactly, because she doesn't have to!"

She and Devon high fived. The girl was leading them to the Double Dragon ride. They entered Cobra Kai territory.

"I feel so lively right now." Mitch chimed with an excited smile.

"That's how you should feel." Odessa expressed and felt the same rush of adrenaline.

All was going well until the group was now faced with Kyler and his minions. "Ah, nah, nah, nah!" Kyler said obnoxiously loud. "Now what did I say?"

"If you don't stop talking like that, I'm going to rip out your vocal cords." Odessa threatened when the annoyance in her took over.

Kyler stepped closer to her. "What'd you say, bitch?"

Mitch stepped in front of her. "Hey, back off!" He yelled in his face.

Kenny and a bunch of other boys from his dojo came to his side. "Hey, get outta here! Go to that side!"

"Who do you think you are?"

They began getting close to each and shoving and Odessa felt herself grab Devon's arm out of protection. "Get your ass back!" They all shouted at each other.

"Back the hell off!" Odessa shouted angrily as she was getting pushed. Suddenly, Kyler's hands gripped her arms and she got scared. "Get off of me!" She screamed at him.

"Hey, get off of her!" The boys shouted and tried to push Kyler away her.

"Get off of me!"

Tory and Robby quickly approached the scene and tried to break everyone apart. "Hey, get off of her. Now!" Tory shouted at Kyler and shoved him back at the same time Robby pushed her away with the others.

"Don't touch me!" Odessa seethed and shoved his hands off of her. The anxiety she felt from always getting grabbed by the boys at school came back and she didn't want to be around any of them. It got even worse when she felt herself being pushed forward into the Cobra Kais. "Stop! Stop!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oliver boomed and he sprinted to the scene with Grayson hot on his tail. He saw Kyler shoving his friend and he stepped in front of him. He shoved Kyler back with full force. "What did I say? I said back the hell off!"

"Back off, Oliver!" Robby shouted over all of the commotion.

"You back the hell off, Keene!" Grayson exclaimed while getting in his face.

"Hey!" Eli and Miguel shouted over them when they, too, made an appearance. Eli saw Odessa struggling and he immediately sprinted over and pushed the boys from the opposing dojo back, resulting in him getting laughed as well. "Hey, get away from her!" He shouted at them and grabbed her hand to pull her away.

Odessa flinched and stepped away from him, ignoring the way his face fell.

"Stay out of it!" Said Robby to Miguel.

A loud whistle from one of the water park workers caused the commotion to die down. "Stop it. All of you. Or you're all getting kicked out!" He screamed at them. The teenagers went silent and he stormed away from them.

Odessa was visibly shaking and Eli noticed. "Hey, are you okay?" He almost whispered and went to grab her hand again. She flinched once again and pulled it back. "Dess."

"I'm sorry, okay? Just, please don't touch me right now." She expressed vulnerability snd started to pop her fingers.

The boys who were practically her body guards glared at the other dojo like if looks could kill, they would be six feet under. "Okay, clearly, we can't coexist in peace, so let's find a solution," Miguel announced.

"We can't fight. What are we supposed to do?" Asked Mitch.

"Who says we can't?" Oliver threatened and glared at Kyler with a tightly set jaw.

"Hey." Hailey warned and hit his arm with her elbow.

"We need to go." Robby said to Tory.

She shook her head. "No—"

"How about a race?" Bert suggested.

It seemingly was a good idea and their eyes trailed to the water slide that was behind them. "Yeah, I'll go," Eli volunteered. His eyes scanned the group for someone to go again. They landed on Kyler. "What about you? So I can kick your ass for putting your hands on my girlfriend."

"What did you say—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" They said all at once and Oliver stepped forward, holding his friend back. "Not so fast, Casanova. Maybe another time."

"No," Tory announced and stepped forward in front of Eli. "I'll do it."

Odessa looked between them, nervously. Kyler whooped loudly. "All right, champ versus champ!"

"Whoever wins gets the park."

Eli didn't look threatened at all. "Deal. But you won't win."

Everybody followed as he went to get ready for the race. The dojos divided but Odessa stayed where she was standing. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she nervously scratched her nails along her skin. "Hey, are you okay?" Asked Oliver.

"I'm fine." She immediately replied, obviously not okay.

He reached out to put his hand on her arm and she flinched away. Oliver and Grayson looked at each other. Hailey immediately noticed. "Guys, go hype up Eli. He needs it." She told them both. When they walked away, she stood in front of her friend. She smiled softly. "You don't have to pretend with me, babe. You know that."

Odessa blinked her eyes and swallowed a lump in her throat. Hailey slowly reached forward and took her hands. When she didn't object, she took them away from her arms and held them. "What happened?" Hailey asked.

"Kyler grabbed me and it freaked me out. Then everyone kept shoving me. I just need a minute to breath right now." She explained quietly because she trusted Hailey. She was a girl. She understood better than anyone.

Hailey nodded. "I understand. Don't feel guilty for it. And believe me, that racist prick will get what's coming to him.