𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄, Tory Nichols

S03:E08

•~3rd person P.O.V~•
Sierra had been keeping a secret from her family. She'd kept many secrets from some members of her family, but she'd usually tell Anthony or her Mom. This time, however, no one knew.

Robby had emailed her, and sometimes they'd call, about two days after he was brought into juvie by her Dad. He apologized, and just wanted to know how everyone was doing. Including Sierra. When Sam was dating Robby, she was always around him, which made Sierra stay as far away as possible. Apparently, Robby thought that meant Sierra hated him.

So, when he told her that he was getting out and he had no one to pick him up, Sierra offered to pick him up and drive him to wherever he wanted to be.

"Dad? Johnny?" Sierra asked, walking up to the door of the juvenile detention center.

"Sierra, what are you doing here?" They asked in unison. Sierra gulped, realizing she'd have to reveal her secret because there would be no lie to cover this up.

"I offered to pick Robby up, and he accepted." Sierra shifted her purse on her shoulder, looking at the ground.

"You've been messaging Robby?" Daniel asked as Sierra looked at her shoes.

"Yeah, so what? He's a friend." Sierra spat bitterly. When she realized how she spoke to her Dad, she realized she was going back to her old ways of just picking a fight. She pressed her lips tightly together, feeling like if she opened her mouth she'd say something she'd regret.

Why did she have to mess everything up? Why couldn't she just do one thing right?

"You should've told us those types of things," Johnny said suddenly, Daniel glared at him.

"Us?" Daniel said, annoyed.

"I'd tell you before I'd tell him," Sierra mumbled, hearing Johnny snicker.

"Are you serious?" Sierra looked up, seeing Robby come out of the doors.

"Robby."

"Hey, Robby." Sierra looked from Johnny to her Dad, knowing that Robby didn't want to see either of them.

"C'mon, Robby." Sierra waved him over, and he followed her to her car.

"You didn't bring them, did you, Sierra?" He asked as Sierra started her car.

"No, I came here and they were already here." Robby nodded slowly. "Do you wanna get something to eat?" Robby smiled and nodded.

~

Sierra wasn't at practice when she got the message that the All Valley was canceled. She was eating with Robby, who was eating as if he hadn't eaten in twenty years.

"What's wrong?" He asked, wiping his mouth.

"They canceled the All Valley." Sierra sighed, slamming her phone down on the table.

"I thought your Dad didn't let you do the All Valley tournaments?" Robby asked, gulping down his third cup of water.

"He said I could this year, it would've been my first All Valley and the first time to prove to him I'm actually good at karate." Sierra picked at her food, remembering how she got to watch all her other friends participate. If she wasn't a Cobra, then he'd let her.

"I've seen you practice, ya know on Cobra Kai's Instagram and stuff, but your more than just good at karate, Sierra." Sierra looked up and smiled at Robby, suddenly wishing that she had spoken to him more instead of just ignoring him because of Sam.

~

Sierra ignored all of what the men were saying until she heard her name.

"Just ask my previous student, Sierra LaRusso." Sierra felt her cheeks get hot as everyone looked at her. She froze, she couldn't open her mouth and give any smartass retort.

"Wait!" Sierra looked up, seeing Miguel walk down the stairs to the podium.

"My name is Miguel Diaz. I was in the school fight. I was the one that got kicked off the second floor. You know, uh...I thought I was gonna be paralyzed. I relearned how to stand. I relearned how to walk. And I want the tournament to continue." Sierra smiled at Miguel. She missed being his friend, and not some karate rival.

"We are very happy for your recovery, young man. But I'm afraid you don't understand-"

"Yes, he does!" Sierra stood up, walking down the podium. "We're the ones fighting, we're the ones getting hurt. Our voices should matter the most. And we want a place where we can compete, fairly and safely." Sierra looked at Miguel for him to continue.

"When I first moved here, I was bullied. And I realize that there's no escaping it. There'll always be a kid who wants to steal your lunch money, or give you a wedgie, or give you a swirlie." Miguel stared at the council people.

"A swirlie?" One of them asked.

"When you dunk someone's head in the toilet and flush it. Pretty funny, actually." Sierra and Miguel both wiped their heads backward at their Sensei.

"Sensei!" They shouted in unison.

"Instead of burying your heads in the sand, pretending that bullying doesn't exist, or that you could just get rid of it, what you need to do is teach kids how to defend themselves." Sierra nodded.

"Physically and mentally. Because sometimes the scars you can't see are the ones that hurt the most." Miguel looked at Sierra for a moment, before continuing.

"Karate is about discipline. It's about inner strength. It's about confidence. Lessons that you can use for the rest of your life." Miguel continued.

"Look, I don't know where I would be today, or who I would be today if it wasn't for my Sensei. We don't need this tournament to do cool kicks or to sell tickets, we need it to show the bullies of the world that we're not afraid. It's called the All Valley because it's for everyone, to give everyone the chance to show what they can do, to fight, to become a champion. And we deserve that chance." Unbeknownst to Sierra, Johnny smiled behind her. Johnny loved Sierra as if she was a daughter to him, and Sierra loved him as if he was her biological father.

"To be honest, I don't get the Valley's fascination with karate. But...if it means that much to all of you, and you're willing to sign waivers stating that the city is not liable, then...the All Valley Under-18 Tournament is officially back on." Sierra smiled wide.

"Yes!" She squealed, pulling Miguel into a hug which he gladly returned.

Sierra pulled away, feeling someone else pull her into a hug. When she realized it was Johnny, she immediately hugged him back. Johnny pulled Miguel into the hug too, smiling that he finally got his students back.

~

"Tory, c'mon. Be honest." Sierra pleaded as she went through her closet, trying on different clothes.

"You look great in everything, Sierra." Sierra glared at Tory.

"Your lying." Tory smiled.

"I'm not! You might not see it but I do." Sierra smiled.

It was only a couple of years ago that Sierra hated looking at herself in the mirror, but ever since she got with Tory she'd helped her confidence raise more than she could ever imagine.
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Word Count:1,186