"Green belts, go with Sensei McArthur, he's going to go over kicks with you." The green belts broke away from the group, along with a black belt who sported glasses and a consistently red face. "Orange belts, you're with Sensei Wise. He's going to handle chokeholds." Those poor orange belts, I thought to myself. Sensei Wise looked like he could snap a human being like a twig. He was easily the most buff guy in the room by far, and that was saying something. "Yellow belts, you're doing the basics with sensei Gratton, white belts, you're with me, and brown belts…" She stopped and looked around. "It's just you here tonight, isn't it, Nicky?"
Nicole, face worrisomely serious, just nodded at the sensei.
"Alright, then why don't you take Adam?" The sensei asked her. "Teach him the basics, let him know how to bow in and how to behave in line, stuff like that."
"Osu, sensei Sparrow." Nicole responded like a soldier, before bowing. She then started to walk off to a corner and motioned for me to follow.
"Do I get to call you Nicky?" I asked Nicole, grinning.
"Fuck off." Nicole responded playfully, grinning back. That was enough of a 'no' for me!
***
The rest of the class went by eventlessly, with Nicole explaining to me the basics of karate, with a lot of manners, some terminology, stances, and a few basic moves. For the last minute of class, though, Sensei Sparrow called the class together and all of the students found their own spaces around the room. I was asked to keep to the sides, since I apparently didn't know what they would be doing.
As I later learned, they were doing what were known as 'katas' – a series of karate moved done in seemingly perfect execution. I was in awe of how perfectly they all seemed to pull it off, in unison no less. I was equally shocked, however, with how the Sensei was constantly barking criticisms as she watched everyone.
"Bart, straighten your punch."
"Paul, fix your stance."
"Georgia, other hand should be at your side."
Nicole, in my mind, was an enigma of perfection, a person who seemed to never screw up, but shockingly, she was actually the one the Sensei picked on the most.
"Nicole, your shoulders are too stiff."
"Nicole, your timing is off."
"Nicole, you should know better."
Sheesh! If I thought Salvador was tough, then this was insane. Nevertheless, Nicole never once talked back, never once did anything but correct herself. It was interesting to see.
After we did the line and bow thing at the end of the class, we were all dismissed by the sensei, and Nicole walked up to me. "So how'd you like it?" She asked as we started to leave.
"It was… interesting." I said with a small chuckle. We both bowed as we left the room (apparently called a 'dojo'), something Nicole taught me to do.
"Sorry that the sensei was so hard on you." I added as we left the building. I noted the black December night sky as we walked back to Nicole's car.
Nicole gave me a weird look before lightly laughing. "Dude, if you think she was 'hard on me,' maybe you're not so ready for karate." she told me. "In karate, you're supposed to accept that you're not the best. You have to be diligent and learn, leave ego outside the door, and swallow your pride." That 'ego' line sounded like something Salvador would say. She got into the car with me in tow, then added, "And speaking of swallow, I'm hungry as hell. How about McDick's, squirt?"
Why the hell did everyone in high school feel it was necessary to call it that? "I'm down." I cheerfully answered.
"Cool." She beamed as she started the car. Before leaving, though, she reached over and gave me a peck on the cheek.
"What was that for?" I asked her.
"I wasn't aware I needed a reason." She replied, winking at me. "But it's so I can show thanks. For one, I hate how my karate friends are ONLY my karate friends, this gives me a nice change. Plus, even though you were kind of being a shallow prick earlier, it doesn't change the fact that I was being a bit of a bitch. It means something if you are willing to put up with me like that."
I shrugged. "Not so much 'putting up with you,' more like 'scared of your tone.'" She playfully punched me in the shoulder, before realizing I was serious. She couldn't have made that realization more obvious if she tried. Instantly she tensed up and looked forward, focussing on getting out of the parking lot with a suddenly blank-yet-almost-worried face.
I caught that immediately and tried to break the tension. "And hey, it means 'something'? It doesn't mean 'a lot'?" I was kind of worried I made her upset, so I hoped my tone reflected the playful attitude I wanted it to, not my worry.
Luckily, it paid off as she looked back at me with a sly grin. "Well then, dinner's on you."
"I was already planning to pay." I replied, slyly yet seriously.
Nicole smiled. The car came up to a red light, and we stopped. She took the opportunity and rotated my face to meet hers. Slowly, sensually, she kissed me on the lips. After a few seconds, we broke away ,and she faced the front of the car. She was half-smiling as she bit her lower lip, presumably in thought.
About a minute later, she spoke. "Yeah."
"Yeah what?" I asked her, not knowing what she meant.
"It does mean a lot."
***
Full and happy, we approached Nicole's house around 10pm that night.
"Hope you didn't mind eating in the car." Nicole piped up as we pulled in her driveway. "I don't exactly like going around town dressed as…" She gestured at her white robe. "…This."
"That's fine, don't worry about it." I replied as we got out of the car.
"So… Wanna hang around for a bit?" Nicole asked me.
"I probably shouldn't." I answered her. "I've got this lab report due tomorrow, plus I want to be well-rested if you meant that thing about hitting the weights tomorrow."
"Oh, I was dead serious, squirt." She said with a chuckle. "But I can help you with the lab report."
"Nah, I should probably go home to my parents anyway." I replied.
Nicole looked at her front door, then back to me. "Please?" She asked.
"Why do you want to so much?" I asked. I looked to the door after her – I wondered briefly if her parents ever did have that talk with her. They said they would, after all. Hopefully things were better with them.
I swear it was only out of curiosity, but Nicole's gaze stiffened, clearly taking my comment offensively. "Fine." She waved me off as she started to go inside.
Shit. "Sorry." I immediately blurted out. "I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to know if there was a specific reason or something. I can hang around for a little bit, but not any longer."
Nicole smiled, but shook her head at me. "You really need to learn how NOT to offend girls, you big dumbo." She muttered at me, still smiling.
"I know." I admitted sheepishly. "By the way, how are your parents?"
Nicole was about to open the door, but stopped when I asked. "They're fine…" She slowly answered. "Why?"
"I was just wondering if things got any better with them. Like, if they sat down and talked to you about it or something."
Nicole shrugged. "Nope. I don't think that's gonna happen. It's just sorta… Oh well, y'know?"
I nodded, although I was kind of angry on the inside. Her parents didn't talk to her at all.
Nicole opened the door and strode in. "I'm hoooome~!" She sang as she walked in. She dropped all of her stuff off near her shoes and strode right in.
As if I shouldn't have expected anything different, her dad was sitting in the kitchen, reading Dickens. The Chimes. Hm.
Her mother was getting up to greet her from the living room. "Hello, Nicole! How was your d-" Her sentence stopped right in its tracks when she clapped eyes on me. A brief flash of something that left too quickly to be identified filled her eyes, as she looked back at Nicole and smiled.
Noting the silence, Mr. Baker looked up from his book to see me, doing a double take when he saw me for the first time. He looked me dead in the eyes and cleared his throat. "Um, sweetheart, maybe this isn't the best time for your friend to be visiting. We have something we'd like to tell you."