Pulpo

"Eileen, what am I gonna wear to the party?" Demetri asked, looking through his wardrobe while Eileen sat on his bed. 

Eileen shrugged, "Whatever you want. Why do I have to choose?" Demetri's eyes moved away from the closet and onto the girl.

"To match, duh!" He replied. Eileen rolled her eyes and sighed before she sat up to look at his wardrobe. Eileen currently was wearing a white tank top with a soft green loose button-up and jean shorts.

"Wear this," Eileen told him, pulling out a plain blue button-up and red shirt. Demetri grabbed the things Eileen suggested plus grabbed a pair of shorts before he kicked Eileen out of his room and changed.

Demetri rushed out and took Eileen's hand as they rushed to their car so Demetri's moms wouldn't ask where they were going.

"Our first high school party!" Eileen cheered as Demetri drove out of the driveway to the road.

"Yeah," Demetri agreed, not mentioning to the girl about the party where Aisha had given someone a wedgie so he didn't spoil her fun, "there's gonna be food, drinks, and board games."

"Oh yeah," Eileen muttered, her tone dropping to a sadder one. Demetri took notice of it and gave her a concerned look.

"Hey, you know you don't have to drink any alcohol, right?" Demetri reminded. He knew that Eileen and her mom had their issues with alcohol, but he never pushed it, knowing it was extremely personal.

"Yeah, but then I'll look like a loser," she noted, staring at the window as they pulled up to the house. Moon and Demetri lived close to each other, making it easier for them to hang out.

"Then we won't drink together," Demetri concluded, exiting the car, and grabbing his board game.

Eileen followed his lead and smiled. They both held each other's hands as they walked into the party. Chris and the other Miyagi Dos had caught up with them as they walked up the driveway.

"There's a lot of people out here already," Chris commented. Eileen nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess Moon must have invited other kids from school," Sam responded.

"I only brought trivial pursuit. If I'd known there be this many people, I would've brought balderdash," Demetri ranted to the group.

"Oh, sweet Demetri, I don't think this party is a bring a board game party," Eileen said with a smile. The group walked inside and through a hallway before they found a few Cobra Kai members sitting on the couch.

The karate rivals frowned when they saw each other, except Eileen who gave an awkward smile to them. Hawk stared down at Demetri, who looked down. Eileen patted his back as he pulled her in front of him. Miguel and Tory walked in for a bit before noticing Sam.

They walked away before Moon walked up to Sam to talk. The group went their separate ways, Eileen going to grab something while Aisha went to go use the bathroom.

"Aisha, hey!" She called.

"What?" She asked, annoyance in her tone. Eileen stopped for a second before mumbling a small ' nothing, sorry' and walking back to Demetri. She crossed her arms as she stared through the window to see Sam chugging an alcoholic substance on a stool.

"Eileen! Listen," Demetri whispered, hearing the song that had just come on. Still into you by Paramore blasting from the speakers. Eileen's childhood favorite song.

Her frown cracked into a smile before she yanked Demetri to the space where everyone was dancing. He got out of her grasp, standing right outside the people and watching Eileen dance around to the song. She jumped along to the beat, letting her hands sway around. Chris joined her, and the duo pranced and sang along not having a care in the world.

As the song slowed, Eileen turned to Demetri, smiling at the boy while mouthing the words to the song, 'I'm still into you,' causing Demetri to realize his suspicions about himself and Eileen. He liked her. His old feelings were gathering themselves and shoving them into his heart.

Eileen walked back to Demetri as the song ended breathing heavily.

"Heart rate?" He asked, checking it as Eileen practiced her breathing exercises to lower it down. Once it was back to its normal level, Demetri gave her a thumbs up.

"I'm going to go get a drink," she murmured smiling. Demetri nodded and went back inside. As Eileen walked to the table, pouring herself some grape juice Moon had left just for her, Sam came up as well while Aisha watched her from afar.

"Bullshit. It's bullshit," Sam slurred. Eileen looked at her in full caution. She knew for a fact that Sam didn't drink often so to see her incredibly intoxicated astounded her.

"Sam? What's bullshit?" Eileen asked. Sam just shook her head and poked her in the chest.

"You-you're bullshit," she told Eileen, "you and you're 'friendship' wi-with Demetri."

"Sam," Eileen scolded. She knew that Demetri and she were close but a relationship? She never knew if she was ready for a relationship or not.

"You like each other, it's bullshit that you don't just,- I don't know- make out already!" Sam announced before walking out, Aisha walking behind her. Luckily for Eileen, no one saw that besides Aisha. Eileen sighed before walking into Demetri, who smelled like beer. Eileen sniffed it from a mile away as she looked at Demetri with widened eyes.

"You smell like beer, did you—" she asked before Demetri interrupted.

"No, I didn't!" Demetri defended, "Eli poured it all over me! I had to clean myself off."

Eileen nodded believing him but the smell of alcohol was clearly bothering her. Demetri noticed and sadly walked away. Eileen looked at him with saddened eyes. She didn't want him to feel guilty.

"Tri, wait!" She called, watching him go up onto the stage and steal the microphone.

"Excuse me! I'd like to make a toast. To Eli Moskowitz," the girl's eyes widened as she looked to Hawk, who looked back at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, some of you might know him as Hawk. But underneath that crazy crown cosplay and whatever Manic Panic he dumps into his hair, he's still good old Eli. My binary brother,"

Robby who thought of Eileen as his younger sister pulled her closer to him, watching her glance nervously at Demetri and Hawk, clearly worried about the consequences of the speech.

"Well, he was my binary brother. You know what he is now? A real zero."

"Alright, that's enough Demetri," Hawk stated. Eileen, getting more worried by the second walked back into the house, worried about any more conflict, before bumping into Tory.

"I'm sorry—," she said before walking away swiftly. She ran to Demetri's car before ducking down when she saw the police lights flash. She saw Demetri and Chris rush to the car, Eileen waving them like a maniac.

Once Demetri unlocked it, the three of them jumped into the car and Demetri quickly drove them away. They drove in silence, just Chris talking about how amazing his speech was. Once Chris was dropped off, Demetri looked to Eileen who stared at the window.

"You mad?" He asked.

Eileen shook her head, "He attacked you... And then you attacked him... What's going to become of you two?" The boy didn't answer, letting it sink in.

"I don't want to be a part of some stupid karate war, Tri. I can barely handle seeing you and Hawk fight," she admitted.

"Don't you want to defend yourself?" He asked sincerely. The truth was she did. Her father had been out of Eileen's life for as long as she knew it. Kelli had nothing to do with him. The text message that asked her if she wanted to meet up, along with further proof that she was his daughter remained.

If he did something, she could defend herself. 

"A little," she admitted, "but not when it comes to having this karate war." They had arrived at her house. Eileen said goodbye and walked into her house, her mom looking pissed.

"What the hell?" She asked, hopping off of the counter. Eileen scrunched her nose in confusion before she showed her the video of the mall fight. Specifically, her blocking a kick and shoving someone away.

"They were going to attack Demetri, mom! I couldn't just stand there and let it happen!" She tried to reason.

"And the police?" She asked, showing the 'board game' party she was at. Eileen looked down shamefully as Kelli sighed.

"You shouldn't drink, Eileen! Drinking caused me to make some of the shittiest things I could have done."

"Like, sleep with my dad?" She asked. Kelli, shocked to have heard that, crouched down.

"I might have regretted being with him, but I don't regret having you, okay?" She asked. Eileen nodded, still pondering what she should do with her father texting her.

"I didn't drink, you know that right?" Eileen asked her. Kelli had her walk in a straight line before she had faced her punishment.

"One hour phone time at home. You are not allowed to use it at school, only at home. Got it?" Kelli asked. Eileen nodded, handing her the phone, and going to her room. While laying on her bed she sighed softly before wondering what her first day would be like tomorrow.