Karate, Conflict, and Connection

The days went by, and my routine consisted of talking to Sam during the classes we had together, like biology, training in the afternoon, and chatting with her on Facebook at night. There were even a couple of days when Johnny took us to a dump or something similar for intense training sessions in preparation for the tournament. Honestly, these past few days had been fun and engaging.

I was in my room, talking to Sam over a video call, while in the dining room, my mom, grandma, and Johnny were having dinner. My mom had insisted on inviting him over, and well, there he was.

"You have no idea about the chaos in my house," Sam said with a sigh.

"What happened?" I asked, curious.

"My mom and grandma are at it again. It's like World War III," she replied, visibly annoyed.

"Maybe you should be the mediator in this war—'The LaRusso Peacemaker,'" I joked with a smile.

Sam laughed, lightening the mood a little, but she quickly changed the subject.

"Hey, Miguel... I know you train at Cobra Kai, but have you ever thought about switching dojos?"

That question was something I had been expecting for days. I took a moment before answering.

"I don't think I could leave my sensei. He helped me when no one else did. But... why do you ask?" I said, looking at her intently through the screen.

Before she could answer, a voice interrupted.

"Who are you talking to, Sam?" It was Mr. LaRusso.

"A friend, about a school project," she quickly replied. I won't lie—it stung a little, but I understood the situation. The conflict between her dad and my sensei made things complicated.

"Well, hurry up. I need your help with your mom and grandma," Mr. LaRusso said as he walked away.

Sam sighed and looked back at me.

"What were you asking?"

"Why you brought up the topic of switching dojos. Did something happen?"

Sam seemed to debate whether or not to tell me. I tried to reassure her.

"You can tell me anything, Sam. We're a couple, right? We solve things together."

Finally, she made up her mind. She told me everything her dad and grandma had said about Cobra Kai, and none of it was good. After listening to her, I shared Johnny's story about his last summer at Cobra Kai.

We both sat in silence, processing what we had just heard. Finally, I broke the tension.

"Sam..." I said to get her attention, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She looked at me, focused.

"I think whatever's between your dad and my sensei is their business. We can't pretend the problem doesn't exist, but they're adults. They can sort it out on their own."

She nodded, still pensive. I decided to lighten the mood.

"Now, if they were the ones dating, then we'd have problems. But we're the ones together, not them."

Sam laughed at that.

"You're right, Miguel. Let's drop the subject. By the way, do you want to go to the movies on Sunday?"

"Hmm, I have training all day on Sunday," I replied, watching her expression change. Before she could get too sad, I quickly added, "But I can leave a bit early to go to the movies in the evening. What do you say?"

Her face immediately lit up.

"Yes! That sounds perfect."

Before we could continue talking, her dad's shout echoed in the background.

"SAM!"

Sam rolled her eyes and said goodbye quickly.

"Well, Miguel, I'm needed in World War III."

"Go ahead, LaRusso Peacemaker. Fulfill your duty," I joked, making her laugh.

"Bye," she said with a smile.

"Bye," I replied, signing off as well.

DOJO - SUNDAY

Sweat was dripping down my forehead after an intense training session at the dojo. I took a deep breath, but I remembered something important and approached Johnny.

"Sensei, can we talk?" I asked, still trying to catch my breath.

"Sure, Miguel. What's up?" he replied, crossing his arms and giving me his full attention.

"I wanted to let you know that I need to leave a bit early today. Nothing major, just an hour before training ends."

"And why's that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have a date with my girl," I said proudly.

Johnny gave me a lopsided grin.

"Oh, no problem, Miguel. But now that you mention it... don't you have a picture of your girlfriend? I want to see if my student has good taste," he added jokingly.

Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and showed him some pictures of Sam. Johnny looked at them closely, but then he grabbed my phone to get a better look.

"Wait, wait..." he said, swiping through the images. His expression changed slightly as he looked at me seriously. "You're dating LaRusso's daughter? After everything I told you about her father?" he asked, a mix of disbelief and annoyance in his tone.

I knew this moment would come, so I answered calmly.

"Sensei, whatever issues you have with Mr. LaRusso are between you two. I'm dating his daughter, not him. Sam is amazing, and I'm sure you'd like her if you got to know her. She even knows karate."

Johnny was silent for a moment, seeming to wrestle with his pride and what I had just said. Finally, he nodded.

"Alright, Miguel. You can leave early. But be careful; you never know what a LaRusso might do."

"Thanks, sensei," I replied respectfully.

I put my phone away and said goodbye to Johnny before heading home. I had to get ready for my date with Sam, and nothing was going to ruin our time together.

THE MOVIE DATE

The night of our movie date had arrived, and there I was, nervously standing outside the entrance with a pair of tickets in hand. Sam wasn't late—I had just arrived early, eager to make sure everything went smoothly. I glanced around every few seconds until I finally saw her approaching. She was wearing a simple outfit but looked effortlessly stunning.

"Hi!" she greeted warmly.

"Hi," I replied, trying to sound casual, though I was sure my face betrayed how nervous I felt. "You look... amazing."

"Thanks," she said, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "You don't look bad yourself."

We went inside and headed straight to the concession stand. Sam's attention immediately went to the popcorn options.

"Butter or caramel?" she asked, pointing at the menu.

"Why not both?" I replied with a grin.

She gave me a playful look.

"That's a safe answer. Alright, both it is."

We ordered mixed popcorn, a couple of sodas, and some nachos. With our snacks in hand, we found our seats. As we settled in, Sam leaned toward me.

"Do you ever feel like you're invading someone's space when walking through a row in the theater?" she whispered conspiratorially.

I chuckled softly.

"Yes, and it's even worse when you accidentally kick someone's feet."

"Exactly! It's like a minefield," she laughed, and we finally settled into the middle of the row.

The movie started, and while it was good, I found my attention drifting to Sam. She was completely engrossed in the screen, smiling or frowning depending on the scene.

At one point, our hands accidentally brushed while reaching for popcorn at the same time. We both laughed softly, but I didn't move my hand. Neither did she.

By the end of the movie, we walked out, still talking about the twists and turns in the plot.

"That was way better than I expected," she said, clutching her empty drink cup.

"Yeah, but I think you were the most excited person in the theater," I teased.

She nudged me playfully with her shoulder.

"No, I wasn't! Okay, maybe I got a little into it."

"That's one of the things I love about you," I said without thinking, and immediately noticed how her expression changed. A mix of surprise and happiness lit up her face.

"Thanks, Miguel," she said, and for a moment, we just looked at each other.

We strolled through the mall for a while, laughing and chatting about random things. The night had been perfect, and though we both knew there were bigger problems looming, this date was a breath of fresh air—a moment just for us.

Before we said goodbye, she stopped and smiled at me.

"Thanks for leaving training early for this. It means a lot to me."

"I'd always do it for you, Sam."

She leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to leave. I stood there, watching her walk away, with a smile I knew I wouldn't be able to wipe off my face even if I tried.