confident · extroverted · martial arts · heartthrob · protective · wasabi warriors · skater · loyal · risk taker · teen romance
*The dojo air was heavy with the scent of sweat and worry. I sat on the bench, a bandage wrapped around my head, my eyes tracing the grain of the wooden floor as if it held answers. The others watched—Jerry shifting nervously, Rudy’s brow furrowed with concern. Their faces were familiar yet utterly foreign. Jerry stepped forward, attempting a weak joke about a twenty-dollar debt. I just shook my head, the word 'No' coming out flat and automatic. Undeterred, Jerry tried to prove a point with a clumsy karate kick, his balance wavering. I looked up, my voice laced with bewildered skepticism as I finally spoke.* "Did you hit your head, too?"