☞︎ HENRY'S POV ☜︎
*Flashback*
I woke up in the early morning, jolting my head up quickly. The early sun was shining into the room, casting a bright orange color on everything. I looked around the room slowly as I raised my arms to stretch.
I felt something move next to me, so I stopped and looked down. It was Clair. She was asleep with her head on my lap as she laid down. I stayed still, so I didn't wake her.
I looked over to my mom. She laid sleeping in the same, stiff hospital bed. We thought she was getting better, but... her cancer is way worse.
She tells Clair and I not to worry, and that we must stay strong. She says that all the time. She mostly says it to remind us, but sometimes I think she says it to remind herself as well. To remind herself to stay strong for us.
I need her to stay strong. I can't lose my mom. What would Clair and I do? We don't have any relatives to stay with... that I know of, at least.
I sighed quietly and rubbed my eyes. I carefully slid out from under Clair's head, careful not to wake her. I quietly walked across the room and towards the door.
I left the room, shutting the door behind me quietly. I ran a hand through my hair, smoothing it down a bit. I put my hands in my pockets and walked down the empty halls of the hospital.
I walked through the hospital and towards the front exit. I needed to take a drive. Hopefully it'll clear my head some.
I rolled the windows down and drove. No where in particular, exactly. I didn't really have a specific place to go. The cold air filled my car, biting at my skin and blowing through my hair.
Blurs of threes and buildings moved past as I drove. I stopped at a red light, my music playing quietly through my car. I held a hand up and looked to the left to try to block the sun.
Then, my eyes landed on something across the street. I could feel a small pain in my chest. It was Ventura Zoo.
Damn it... here we go again...
Y/n and I went on a date there once. But only once, because, well, it's pretty obvious...
Y/n doesn't know this, but I saw that guy at the zoo too. The guy with the red mohawk. Y/n and I were looking at the birds, when I glanced behind me. I saw that guy running away.
I told myself it was a coincidence at first. After all, she said she didn't know him. But when I found that picture of them later that day, I knew something was up.
They were kissing in the picture... kissing! That's when I knew that it was no coincidence he kept showing up everywhere. There was something between them, still. I knew it.
I just... didn't want to know it.
I tried to think about what to do. I was so confused and angry, that I ended up just ignoring her. I didn't know what to say. Then when I finally confronted her about it and she confirmed they had done something while her and I were dating, something snapped in me.
I felt angry. I felt like I wasn't good enough. Am I so horrible that someone has no choice but to run back to their ex? I hate the feelings it gave me.
So I decided, I wouldn't let it happen to me ever again.
The car behind me honked, taking me out of my thoughts. I looked up to the light, which was green now, and sped through the intersection, away from the zoo.
I needed a way to get my mind off of it. A way to prevent something like this ever happening again. I thought and thought as I sped down the roads. I made random turns here and there.
I was driving down a road when someone started to cross the street suddenly. I slammed on my breaks and laid on my horn. I watched the woman as she walked across the street, as if she didn't almost get hit by a car.
She looked homeless, maybe. I watched as she walked into the parking lot of the strip mall next to me. My eyes grazed the small group of storefronts, until my eyes landed on one particular sign.
I've seen that logo before, of course I had. It was all over the news for a time.
Cobra Kai.
I've heard about the fight that happened at West Valley. Everyone has. Cobra Kai fought that day. I think I also heard they had won a karate tournament in they Valley.
I turned into the plaza and parked my car in front of the Cobra Kai storefront. I got out and looked up at the sign.
An idea popped into my head. Cobra Kai looked tough. Cobra Kai looked badass. Maybe this was the way I could make sure no one ever double crossed me again.
I clenched my fists and walked towards the door. I walked faster as I got closer. I reached the door and swung it open, taking the final steps inside.
The class stopped what they were doing and looked over to me. The room went quiet. I stared back at them, my eyes grazing over each of their faces.
There was an older man in the front of the class. He had a snake tattoo on his arm. He must be the teacher.
The man furrowed his eyebrows as he walked through his class and closer towards me.
"Can I help you?" He asked rudely, as if telling me to leave already. I let out a quiet breath.
"I want to join."
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☞︎ Y/N'S POV ☜︎
"Henceforth, Miguel Diaz shall be known as The Rainmaker." Demitri said, wiggling his fingers to look like rain.
"El Diablo de la Lluvia!" Eli yelled with a rasp.
Miguel smiled and looked down to the ground.
The Eagle Fangs and Miyagi-Dos (also known as the Miyagi-Fangs; a name Demitri came up with) were standing outside the back of the dojo, waiting for class to begin.
"Yeah, but if they hadn't fallen for it, we still would've beaten them." Sam added. Miguel looked down to her. "Maybe, but there's still so many ways it could've gone bad." He said.
"What could've gone bad?" Sensei asked, walking over to the group of students. "We we're about to get in a gnarly fight at the drive-in, Sensei. But, Miguel saved the day." Eli told him.
Sensei smiled and asked Miguel how he did it. "Told the Cobra Kais to come to the baseball diamond... Just in time for the grass to get watered." Miguel smirked proudly.
Sensei looked as if he was processing the idea in his head. "So you picked a fight, you didn't show up, and then you doused then with a hose?" Sensei asked, trying to clarify.
"Oh, it was sprinklers." Demitri corrected. Sensei glared at him. "I'll go back to saying nothing." Demitri said, looking down and taking a small step back.
"You just poked the bear. What do you think's gonna happen? Do you think they're just gonna leave well enough alone?" Sensei asked.
Mr. LaRusso walked out from the dojo now and joined in the conversation. "From everything I heard about last light, it sounds to me like Miguel practiced restraint." He interjected. "Found a way to get out of a bad situation without anyone getting hurt. What did you want him to do, get into a drive-in switchblade fight?"
"Sorry, Sensei LaRusso, but may I interject for a second?" I asked carefully. He looked over to me and shrugged, seeing no problem with it.
"What're we supposed to do when the Cobras try to get back at us?" I asked, looking between both senseis. "We all know they're not gonna let it slide. They're gonna do something back." I added.
"We're gonna have to fight back." Sensei answered quickly. Mr. LaRusso held his hand up to stop Sensei from saying anything further. "Slow your role, alright?" Mr. LaRusso said to Sensei, before looking back at me.
"Y/n, you have absolutely nothing to..." his sentence trailed off as his eyes landed on something behind me. "What the..." he said quietly, making everyone follow his gaze.
Two old men walked menacingly into the back yard of the dojo. One of them, I recognized instantly. John Kreese. But, I don't think I've seen the other one before...
It was quiet as two men walked closer. I took a quick looked behind the men, half expecting the rest of the Cobras to be there. But I didn't see them, so my eyes bolted towards the old Sensei.
I watched Kreese closely as he walked, not taking my eyes off him in case he decides to do something he shouldn't.
The men stopped a few feet away. "Gentlemen." The man with a grey ponytail spoke. "It seems we have a few things to discuss."
I heard Mr. LaRusso swallow loudly. "Everybody, get inside. Now." Mr. LaRusso demanded, not taking his eyes off the strange man. I looked at Sensei with a questioning look. He nodded his head towards the dojo, telling us to get inside as well.
We, the students, looked at each other, confused, before all walking into the dojo. Once we were inside, I walked over to Eli.
"Do you know that guy?" I asked. He shook his head, looking at the guy through the door. "No. I don't know who that is. I've never even seen him. I also don't remember Kreese talking about him..."
"Shhh, guys. Come here." Miguel waved everyone over. We all gathered by the door of the dojo. Everyone was quietly watching the exchange between the men outside.
They all seem to know each other. Soon, the man with the ponytail began apologizing to Mr. LaRusso, but he wasn't having any of it.
"Your dad is pissed. Who is that guy?" Miguel whispered to Sam. "I have no idea..." she answered.
"He looks like a Highlander." Bert whispered.
"The Highlander. There can be only one." Nate replied to his friend, who both look like they're enjoying the situation. Everyone continued to watch and listen.
I bent down further than Eli, who was standing slightly behind me. I felt a section of his chest touch my back and his leg bump mine. I looked over to him and he looked to me.
That's when I realized how close we were standing. Our faces were only a couple inches away from each other's. I felt my cheeks warm up as we looked at each other. After a moment, I quickly looked down, as did he.
The men outside talked for a few minutes more. Mr. LaRusso was done, so he basically pushed the man with the ponytail out. Before Kreese left, he talked quietly to Sensei individually. No one could hear the words they exchanged.
Kreese and his friend finally left. All the students in the dojo walked out and met up with their senseis. "What was that all about, dad?" Samantha asked Mr. LaRusso. He took a beep breath in and out, as if trying to regain his composure.
"We have to start training." Mr. LaRusso said.
"Everyone, get in position!" Sensei yelled loudly.
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☞︎ HAWK'S POV ☜︎
I jogged up to my front door and went into my house. "Eli? Is that you?" My mom yelled from the kitchen as I shut the door behind me. "Yeah!" I responded, following her voice to the kitchen.
"How was your day, hun?" She asked, washing the dishes. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "Good." I nodded.
"How's competition training going?" She asked. I grinned greatly. "Great." I told her. "I'm gonna win the All Valley this year. I know it." I continued.
She chuckled and walked up to me. She wrapped her arms around my torso. I returned her embrace without hesitation. "I know you will, my strong boy." She said.
We pulled apart and she smiled up at me. "I'm so proud of you." She told me. "Thanks mom." I smiled back proudly.
"Now, go get yourself cleaned up. I'm making dinner soon." She said, before turning around and walking back to the sink. "Will do." I said, before leaving the kitchen.
I walked past the living room, where my dad sat reading. "Hey dad." I spoke. He greeted me back as I walked up the stairs.
I went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. The warm water pouring down felt good on my skin. Once I finished cleaning off, I stepped out of the shower and started drying off.
I raised the towel to my hair and started moving it quickly over my hair to dry it off. I looked to the large mirror that hung above the sink.
First, I looked at my scar. I leaned forward and inspected it in the reflection, softly running my fingers over it. I never really notice it anymore, to be honest. I guess I've gotten used to it. Or maybe no one points it out anymore because they're too busy looking at my hair.
I moved my eyes up to look at the damp strings that lay over my forehead. The bright red color of my hair shown brightly through the reflection.
I'm proud of my hair. People see it and know exactly who I am. That's why I've been thinking about changing it. Not cutting it off, of course, just the color.
It's been red since I was an unbearable asshole in Cobra Kai. Some people need to know that I'm not that terrible anymore. Well, I need them to know that I'm trying not to be.
But what color do I change it to? Not blue, I've already done that. The wrong kind of green would be horrible, and I'm not trying to be a laughingstock. Yellow? No, that would be stupid...
Damn, this is harder than I thought it'd be...
What would y/n like?
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A/N: As I post this chapter (February 05, 2022), this story is currently #1 in the CobraKai tag on Wattpad! I also just reached 7k votes! This is absolutely crazy! Thank you all so much for your support on my story! I'm so thankful for you all, and I hope you continue to read and enjoy.
Yours,
Karley <3