Romeo and Juliet is a Toxic Love Story [Miguel Diaz x OC]

22 - Talking Isn't Doing

"I don't think I've been to a hardware store in years," Robby says as we get out of Mr LaRusso's car at the hardware store. We need materials to replace a shelf in the Miyagi-Do dojo. I can't believe he hasn't been to a hardware store in the past... month, really. I feel like I'm here all the time to get stuff to repair or replace something that's broken or gone wrong in our apartment. I think some of the employees know me by name.

"Yeah, usually I just have somebody else run here to get supplies for the dealership, but today, it's a bonding experience- and a mini hardware lesson," Mr LaRusso says.

"I was here last week," I say, closing the car door behind me.

"Oh? What for?" Mr LaRusso asks.

"New light for the kitchen and more secure screws for all the doors," I respond.

"More secure screws for the doors?" Robby asks, seeming confused.

"Makes them harder to break into," I say, and with that, I start walking towards the hardware store, my peer and mentor following just behind me.

—

"Wait, let me get the lesson here. You're saying that in life, I can't do everything by myself and I have to rely on other people?" Robby asks, smiling over at me for a second. I was just explaining how the screw works? I didn't realize there was a whole lesson involved. Mr LaRusso smiles at him. Mierda... am I the only one who wasn't with the program? My heart starts to beat faster as I smile back at Robby as if I know what's going on.

"No, I was just teaching you guys about shelving, but if you can get a metaphor out of that, you're a better student than I ever was," he says. Ay, gracias a Dios. At least I'm not out of the loop. I laugh a little in relief, my smile relaxing to be genuine.

Unfortunately, since nothing good ever seems to last for me, I notice Mr LaRusso's smile fade from his face. ¿Qué-

"Johnny," he says under his breath. Putain... sure enough, as I turn around, I make direct eye contact with Mr Lawrence. I haven't seen him since the tournament. I've been deliberately trying to avoid run-ins at the apartment complex. Xalvador says that he's never come by while I'm gone and he's been home, so that means no attempt at going out of his way to apologize for all the shit he said to me. I don't know why I would expect an apology from him in the first place. He's stubborn as hell. 'Defeat does not exist in this dojo', and I wouldn't be surprised if he views apologizing as defeat. The smiles are wiped clean off of Robby and I's faces.

"Woah, LaRusso Auto?" An employee asks. Mon Dieu.

"Chopping prices! Pshh! Pshh!," he says, actually making a chopping motion, "I love that commercial."

Robby looks amused. I think I'm mostly just shocked. How does one do that without getting embarrassed out of their mind?

"I love karate too. I mean, I never got to do it. My mom wouldn't let me, so... hey, you look just like him. Is this your son man? And you look a lot like him, your daughter?" He asks, gesturing between Robby and his dad and Mr LaRusso and I respectively. My face burns bright red. I wish. At least then I would have a dad that's not batshit crazy. Mr Lawrence turns and says something to the employee and he kinda shuffles off, presumably to- I don't know- do his job, then the former crosses over to us. Por Dios, no... this is just gonna end up bad... and I'm still mad at him for what he said to me.