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Johnny walked down the pier. His mom had just left, having to pick up his step-dad’s dry cleaning as he’d instructed her to do. It stunk that it had cut their walking along the beach short, but it was nice having some free range as well. He went around with his pocket change in hand, playing another carnival game and buying a thing of cotton candy. It was nice just buying the sweets without people telling him he shouldn’t eat so much. At first, shoveling his face was great, but still…it would have been nice to have someone with him.
He wandered around a bit more, played a few games that tested his aim or his strength. Even when he won it didn’t quite feel that great without somebody to show off to. Wishing he had his cassette player on hand to at least distract himself, Johnny suddenly didn’t feel like playing anymore games. His second thing of cotton candy slowly dwindled and he finally threw the stick into the trash as the glint of the Ferris wheel caught his eye. It would be closed in the next hour meaning he’d need to go on it now or not at all. Going on it was typically a special thing he did with his mom.
Reaching the highest point, looking down at the people and scanning the horizon, Johnny loved it. It was like a moment of false freedom, a lie but one that Johnny didn’t mind experiencing. He could pretend that all those little points he saw he could fly to. There were no rules, nothing holding him back up there.
Even with his mom gone for now, Johnny still wanted that feeling so he walked over and got in line. It was cloudy and not really a time of year for tourists meaning it didn’t take long before he was near the front. However, right as he passed the coins over, the man said, “Alright, you boys just get on in.”
Johnny blinked, confused as to who he was being referred to just as he felt someone push him into the cart and a sneering voice shout out, “No going back now Bobby!”
The man in charge of taking coins was already giving his pre-recorded speech, clearly not caring about the shaking boy, apparently Bobby, that had just been shoved in next to Johnny. Another kid on the other side of the shaking one popped his head around with a large grin. “You go to our school right?”
“I-I—”
“Were you really going to ride the Ferris wheel by yourself? That’s lame,” snorted the boy. “What? Do you have no friends or something?”
Johnny stumbled over his words for a split second but he quickly sat up straight and said, “I have friends. They’re just too wimpy to come with me.”
It seemed he’d chosen the right words because the kid grinned and said, “Bunch of pussies huh? You’re right to leave them behind. I’m trying to get this one to grow a pair but if all else fails, I can always push him off.”
Just as the kid said that, the Ferris wheel started to move to the next position.
“Dutch I really hate you!” cried Bobby.
The other one, Dutch, just howled with laughter, clearly taking joy from the fact that his friend was shaking like a leaf.
“You won’t really get thrown off though,” Johnny tried but Bobby interrupted him with, “Like hell he wouldn’t!"
“No mercy!” laughed Dutch.
Johnny mimicked Dutch instinctively, just trying to fit in and follow the path that wouldn’t get him pushed away. He’d tried talking to other students but this was really the first time he’d had a full on conversation with someone. Normally he was just called names and everyone in his class had already decided he was boring and too quiet. He doubted he’d get another chance like this so he forced himself to keep talking.
“No mercy, that like your motto?” asked Johnny.
“More than a motto. It’s a way of life!” Dutch shouted just as the Ferris wheel moved up again. “Cobra Kai, never dies!”
Johnny’s eyes sparked up in recognition. “I’m going to start taking classes there!”
“Well then you’re already better than most of the pussies out there,” Dutch said.
“Aren’t you like, not supposed to say that word?” Johnny tried. He wanted to fit in but he felt like his mom wouldn’t really approve of the language going around.
“When you realize you’re better than everyone else, you stop worrying about that,” grinned Dutch. He opened his mouth to talk again but as the Ferris wheel went up again, the cart rocked just a little harder and Bobby let out a scream. The laughter coming from Dutch just continued to grow, but Johnny couldn’t help but feel a little bad. He hadn’t enjoyed his first Ferris wheel ride that much either.
“Hey, it helps if you keep your eyes closed,” Johnny tried as he nudged Bobby in the side.
“They are closed,” Bobby shot back. He sounded angry but still clearly terrified.
“I wasn’t finished,” Johnny sighed. “You’re not on the Ferris wheel.”
“Yes I—”
“No, you’re not,” repeated Johnny. “You’re sitting on a bench.”
“A bench with a safety bar?” squeaked Bobby.
“Sure, why not? That wind you’re feeling? It’s just a really windy day in the park.”
“And I’m on a bench?”
“Yeah, you’re on a bench,” Johnny said. He watched as Bobby seemed to ease up on his grip just a bit. He slowly let out his uneasy breath—
“We’re all going to die!” screamed Dutch just as he violently rocked the cart.
“I hate you I hate you I hate you!!!”
Johnny groaned, his head rolling back as he felt Bobby grabbing hold of him. Johnny just looked over his head to glare at Dutch. “Really?”
“Oh come on. That was funny.”
Johnny hadn’t really thought so but he gave a small chuckle all the same. However, he also patted Bobby’s arm and whispered, “We’re already halfway over. We’re almost back on the ground.”
Bobby nodded in understanding, his eyes firmly shut for the entire way. Johnny talked with Dutch more about karate and how long he’d been taking it as the Ferris wheel finally came back to the ground and the door was opened. Despite clinging to him the entire time, Bobby practically teleported back onto solid ground, gasping for air like he’d just been drowned.
Dutch made a tsk-ing sound with his voice. “I guess we didn’t fix your fear. I guess we’re going to have to go again.”
“No way! No!” yelped Bobby. He pulled his pockets inside out, tossing the coins at Dutch’s feet. “You win alright! You get my arcade money! Just don’t drag me onto that death trap again!”
Dutch let out a triumphant cry, quickly pocketing his extra change as Johnny went over and held out his hand. Bobby hesitated but Johnny tried to put on his most reassuring smile and added, “I promise I won’t drag you back onto the Ferris wheel. I don’t have any reason to.”
Bobby made a weak chuckle of agreement as he accepted the offer and Johnny quickly pulled him to his feet.
“Alright, time to watch me get the high score on every arcade game as I always do,” Dutch proudly spouted. “You should come too.”
Johnny blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Whatever friends you were with clearly didn’t feel like waiting,” Dutch said like he knew Johnny had lied about that but he was going to let it pass for now. “Come on. I could use the extra audience.”
“And I’d owe you big time,” Bobby quickly said. The color had finally returned in his cheeks and Johnny saw him smile for the first time. “I definitely can’t deal with this egomaniac on my own.”
Johnny quickly glanced at his watch. He still had a good thirty minutes before his mom would be back… “Sure.”
“Hell yeah! Follow me!”
Dutch set off with Bobby and Johnny following closely behind. It didn’t take long until they were inside the nearby arcade, Dutch only further stroking his ego as he went to town on the machines. Johnny had never been one for those kinds of games so after failing spectacularly at one, he handed a good bit of pocket change to Bobby.
“Thanks man,” Bobby grinned.
Johnny returned it and stepped back. He was simply enjoying that he was actually talking with people his age. The fact that they both were already at the karate studio that he’d be starting soon was some great luck too. He’d almost backed out of going, partially because of what his step-dad had said, but also the fear of being the new kid. He’d always had trouble connecting with his classmates. Just because what they would be taught was different didn’t meaning actually forming friends would be any easier.
However, the fear of being the outcast was crushed even when Bobby nudged him and said, “Hey, so like I said, I owe you now.”
“Wait, for what?”
“For making it so I don’t have to put up with his bull alone,” laughed Bobby as he gestured towards Dutch.
“Oh yeah. You don’t—”
“No. I promised so I’ll give you some pointers about Cobra Kai, if you really are joining.”
Johnny’s eyes lit up. “Yes. Yes totally!”
“Ok, so first off you always call the teacher Sensei Kreese. He won’t really show it but he’ll be impressed if you already know that. Also, he usually tests how strong you are on the first day so be prepared to suck in all the tears because…”
Johnny vigorously nodded along with every word that came out of Bobby’s mouth. He would have been happy just listening to him for hours, but a quick glance at his clock showed that he needed to get running before he worried his mom.
“Thanks a lot but I’ve got to run.”
“I get it,” sighed Bobby. “I hope I at least helped.”
“Yeah! You did, thanks!”
Bobby grinned and held out his fist. Johnny returned the gesture before rushing towards the entrance but Bobby calling out for him had him freezing.
“Hey, you didn’t even tell us your name!”
Johnny couldn’t help but laugh and sheepishly rub the back of his head. How could he forget something as important as that? “It’s Johnny.”
“Well Johnny, do you have first period lunch Monday?”
He nodded.
“Then you’re sitting with us tomorrow! We’ll be out in the court yard.”
“I’ll see you then!” Johnny waived back before quickly jogging out and back towards the parking lot. It didn’t take long until he spotted his mom’s car and he rushed over.
“There you are,” she smiled. “It’s not like you to be late. Everything alright?”
“I think I just made some friends,” Johnny admitted as a smile slowly formed on his face.
“Really? Are they from here?”
“They actually go to my school. We just haven’t had any classes together. But they’re part of Cobra Kai and they gave me pointers on what to expect and how I should act.”
Johnny looked over hopefully and like she always did, his mom knew exactly what he was talking about. His step-dad rarely remembered whatever new thing Johnny was trying but his mom always did.
“That’s great! You’ll already have some friends in there then. What are their names?”
“Dutch and Bobby. Dutch is…a bit loud. And a bit obnoxious. But I like Bobby!”
His mom laughed and firmly patted him on his leg. “Well, we’ll definitely count Bobby as a friend and put this Dutch on a waiting list, alright?”
Johnny nodded in agreement. It was hard not to be happy with this newfound change. Maybe he’d even finally find a way to impress Sid. Looking from his mom to the dashboard, Johnny winced at the speed. He should have hurried faster. If they were late, his step-father would be pissed, not a new occurrence but still one Johnny tried to avoid. Maybe if this Cobra Kai did work out, if he finally found something he was good at and could show that he was good at, maybe Sid would finally lay off him and his mom. It was a small hope but it was there.