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𝚂𝟹|𝙴𝟼| 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚘𝚋𝚛𝚊
Tessa LaRusso stared at the text message that was sent to her hours before. She had seen it right when it was sent but didn't know how or if she simply wanted to respond. Things had started to become more and more complicated within her life. She began not to know the answers to things she was supposed to know.
She was supposed to answer Miguel.
Miguel 🏥
I'm out of the hospital now. Maybe you could come around and see me sometime. We can talk if you want. I really want to show you something.
Miguel Diaz stared down at his phone, rereading the text over and over again, each time making sure it was sent. Just in case that was why she hadn't responded.
But she had seen it. His device told him she did. All he wanted was for her to respond. But he knew she wasn't going to.
He sighed, hanging his head down low as he threw his phone on his bed, laying back down as he stared up at the ceiling mindlessly.
Oh, how he wanted her right next to him. To comfort him when he needed it. To just be back in his life.
He knew if he really wanted something like that again, he would have to wait. Wait for her to be ready again.
He didn't care how long it would take. He would wait.
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"Man, it was so sick! Tory and Tessa were just kickin' ass. I took care of Chris. Oh! And Hawk got that beta Demetri in an arm bar like Chris Jericho. And just..." Mitch had been telling the story of the Laser Tag fight before practice had begun while everyone warmed up. He brought his hands in front of his chest as he mimicked the nose of Demetris arm being broken. Tessa rolled her eyes at the boy. "Cold-blooded. No mercy!"
"You know I didn't think you were actually gonna do it." Tory and Tessa both walked up to Hawk as Tory began talking. Hawk's face was slumped slightly.
"Yeah, well they got what they deserved for what they did to Miguel." Hawk responded as both girls looked down. "Still haven't seen him yet, have you?" He questioned Tory.
"I don't wanna talk about it." Tory mumbled before walking away. Tessa sighed as she looked up at Hawk.
"Miguel wants me to come over and talk to him. He texted me a while ago, but I haven't said anything. I don't know what to do now." Tessa shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. Hawk opened his mouth to respond, stopping as he looked at the group of kids that entered the dojo.
Tessa quickly turned around at the notice of fear placed upon Hawk's face. Her mouth dropped as she looked at the group. "You've gotta be shitting me." Tessa mumbled.
"Class. Welcome our new students." The two turned their attention to Kreese as he walked to the front.
"I'm gonna call you guys uh... Chodenose and Taintbreath." Mitch laughed as he walked up to the group, looking back at all the Cobra's to get their reaction of his joke.
"What the hell did you just say?" Kyler questioned as he took a threatening step forward.
"Oh, uh, uh, nothing. It's just this thing we do around here sometimes." Mitch spoke fast before Kyler moved towards him causing him to flinch. "Okay." He mumbled frightenedly before walking away. Tessa followed after Hawk as he began making his way towards Kreese.
"Sensei, I don't think these guys are Cobra Kai material." Hawk spoke as Tessa stood behind him, crossing her hands around her chest uncomfortably as she looked behind her, making eye contact with Kyler as he smirked towards her and waved his fingers mockingly.
"Weren't you the one saying that we should get new recruits?" Kreese questioned.
"Well, yeah. But... Look, we both know some of these guys and they're—" Hawk stuttered as he continuously looked back at the group who laughed to each other.
"Natural athletes. Which is exactly what's been missing in our dojo." Kreese turned towards Tessa as she uncomfortably looked down. "Ms. LaRusso, I think you should treat them all with respect just like we've been treating you these past few days." Tessa looked up at the man as she nodded. "Everyone, fall in." Hawk and Tessa bowed at the man in front of them before they walked to their spots.
"I already hate this." She mumbled to Hawk as he nodded quickly.
"Joining Cobra Kai is a privilege. It's not a gift. Which is why our recruits must earn their position in this dojo." Hawk looked back at Kyler for a brief moment as the Park boy smirked. "Prepare yourselves for combat. Only the strong will survive."
Hawk and Tessa looked at each other, nodding their heads as they smirked in agreement. They weren't gonna let them get in.
"Class, prepare for combat." Kreese called out as everyone formed a square around the mat. Hawk grabbed a white and red flag and stood on the corner as Tessa took her place next to the boy.
"Pet snake! Legit! Yeah." Bruck's spoke as he looked at the snake's habit. Kyler walked to his place, slowing down his pace as realization hit as he looked at the Moskowitz boy and the LaRusso girl.
"Holy shit! You remember? Look, it's the kid with the lip! Yo, I thought he moved." Kyler pointed to Hawk as he spoke.
"Oh, shit. You're right! Kye." Bruck's put his hand on Kyler shoulder as he began to laugh.
"Dude!"
"Whoa! The hair kinda distracts you from it though." Hawk looked down as he covered his lip up with his finger. Tessa glared at the two boys as she put her arm on his shoulder, looking at the boy concerningly.
"Wait! Wait that's Sam's older sister. Yeah, she's the one that got with the coma kid." Kyler laughed as he looked at the girl.
"Yeah, that same kid beat the shit out of you. That doesn't say much about you." She took a threating step forward as Kyler and Bruck's stepped back.
"Alright, class." Kreese quickly interrupted the girl before she could do anything as he made his way onto the mat. "Let the games begin." He made his way over towards the two obnoxious boys as everyone stood tall. "You." He pointed to Kyler as the boy smirked.
"Ooh! All right, bro. You got this." Bruck's hyped the boy up as Kreese looked behind him before pointing at Mitch.
"You." Kreese laughed as he spoke. The two that were chosen walked forward as Kyler mockingly waved at him.
"Man, I'm so pumped!" Bruck's mumbled to Hawk as he leaned towards him.
"Ready?" Kyler bent down as he jumped slightly as Mitch bowed at the boy. "Aits!" At the words Mitch quickly moved forward as he brought his leg up, immediately hitting Kyler in the face as the boy moved back, wiping his nose. A smirk was brought to the LaRusso girls face at the contact.
"Now you're dead." Kyler mumbled as he cracked his neck and got back in place. Mitch began to swing at the boy as Kyler dodged them all. As Mitch went for a kick, Kyler moved under him, picking him off the ground as he threw him backwards. He grabbed a hold of his neck as he flipped himself around, putting the boy in a chock hold.
Mitch started to tap on the ground . The boy who stood next to Kreese held up his red flag as to show Kyler won.
"Finish him." Kreese looked to Kyler as he nodded before Kyler looked back down at Mitch, grabbing ahold of his Gi as he brought him up and punched him in the face.
"Ooh!" Bruck's congratulated Kyler as Kyler walked to him.
"Yo, lights out, baby." Kyler grunted as he chest bumped his friend. Mitch began to limp back to his spot in pain.
"Where you going?" Kreese questioned.
"To my spot." Mitch confusingly spoke as he pointed to the area he once stood at.
"You lost to an untrained fighter. He's going to take your spot on the team." Kreese responded as he looked down at the boy.
"All right!" Bruck's excitedly spoke. Mitch looked back at Hawk with helpless eyes as Hawk sighed and took a few steps forward.
"Sensei, Assface has been loyal to the dojo." Tessa put her head down as she rolled her eyes at her friend's words. She knew Kreese wasn't going to change his mind.
"I'm afraid he's not... Cobra Kai material." Hawk looked down at Kreese's words. "I told you, only the strong will survive.
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Tessa watched excitedly as her best friend fought with some girl on the basketball team she had seen before when she was on the volleyball team her freshman year. The girl was a bitch, but she had strength. But Tory was still able to overpower her as she swept her legs before kicking her in the face once when she first got down and again in the mouth.
"You chipped my tooth, bitch." The girl mumbled as she glared at Tory.
"You needed braces anyways." Tory shrugged as she watched the girl get up as she glared at her once more.
"Good job, Nichols." Kreese turned his head to the girl as he nodded his head towards the door. "You know the drill. Off the mat." Tessa smirked as she high-fived Tory as she walked over to her.
"Nice." Tessa smirked as she spoke as Tory nodded at her.
"LaRusso, on the mat." Tessa nodded as she made her way towards the middle. "And you." He pointed to a random boy that she knew that was in Kyler's friend group. She vaguely remembered his name being Ryan, and she believed him and Moon dated their freshman year.
"Shit, I don't wanna have to beat up a woman." He laughed as he smacked his hand against Kyler's chest.
"Trust me, you won't have too." Tessa mumbled as she glared at the boy, bumping his shoulder on her way to her starting place. The boy scoffed at her words as he laughed.
"Ready? Aits!" Tessa quickly stepped forward, taking a hold of his arm that stuck out as he tried to hit her. He used his other arm to get her when she grabbed the other one, bringing her head back as she slammed her forehead on his.
He stumbled back as he grabbed his forehead, looking at the look in her eyes. "Crazy bitch." He mumbled before widening his eyes as she ran forward. She slammed his head down on her knee as he groaned. Tessa got down as she swept his legs, making the boy fall on his face before she grabbed a hold of his side and flipped him over so he would have to look up at her as she brought her foot down onto his face.
She breathed heavily as she bowed back at Kreese and walked to her spot.
"Can somebody get this kid off the mat?" Kreese asked as he annoyingly looked at the body as Ryan grunted in pain.
"Nice one, Tessa." Hawk spoke as she stood next to him with a smirk.
Moments after the boy moved, Kreese looked to Brucks as he talked with Kyler. "You. Big boy." Brucks smiled as he moved onto the map as he jumped about.
"Oh, yeah! All right, who's going down next? Come on." Brucks excitedly spoke. Tessa took the flags out of Hawks hands as he looked at her with furrowed brows before she nodded at him.
"He's mine." Hawk yelled out as he stepped forward. Tessa smirked at the boy; she knew he was finally going to get the payback he needed from so many years of torture.
"Get him, Lip!" Kyler joked as he looked at him weirdly. Tessa quickly whipped her head around to look at the boy.
"Shut the fuck up Kyler. Literally you've been doing wrestling for how many years, and you still got beat up by a kid who had a few months of karate training." She glared at the Park boy as he held his hands up mockingly.
"Sorry sweet cheeks, didn't mean to make you upset." He laughed at his comment as she rolled her eyes before turning her attention to Hawk.
"Okay, all right. Let's see if I can fix that lip of yours then." Brucks spoke as he watched Hawk slowly undue his Gi while Hawk had his back faced him. He immediately became quiet as he looked at the tattoo on his back as he Hawk threw his Gi to the side and turned around, showing off the newly tattoo he got to replace the moon. "Dude!"
"Oh shit." Tessa mumbled as her eyes widened. Kreese waved his hands down so the flaggers would set them down. Hawk smirked as he looked at Kreese as he looked down before Hawk did a spinning roundhouse kick at the boy.
Hawk repetitively punched the boy back and forth, not waiting for him to get a break. Brucks went to charge at him, but Hawk moved making the boy run forwards as he grabbed the back of his sweatshirt and punched him in the face multiple times, also elbowing him as Brucks tried to get away.
Everyone knew it wasn't a competition anymore after Hawk had started to just throw the boy around as he smirked.
"Wait. Stop." Brucks begged as blood started to drip from his mouth. Hawk didn't listen as he grabbed the boy and jumped him onto the floor.
"Finish him." Kreese quickly called out but stopped as he watched the boy who was already repetitively punching the boy under him. Hawk grunted each time as he took the pain from his past and turned it into such anger against Brucks.
Tessa watched as Kyler painfully looked away, along with most in the dojo. She kept her eyes on the pair on the mat as she slightly smirked.
She knew she would have done the same if she went up against Kyler.
Hawk slowly stood up, spitting on the bloody boy before making his way back to Tessa. Tessa scrunched her face up as the spit made contact with his face. Hawk got into Kyler's face as he glared at him while Kyler looked down. Hawk smirked as he looked to Tessa as she gave him a smile.
"All right, class. I think we can call it a day. Somebody pick him up." Kreese ordered as they watched Kyler step forward and tap the boy into consciousness.
"Come on, let's go clean your hands up." Tessa mumbled as she grabbed a hold of the boy's hands to take a look at them.
"Yeah, okay." Hawk mumbled back as he kept his eyes on Brucks, letting the girl drag him into the bathroom.
She ran the water as she looked up at Hawk, the boy trapped within his thoughts as he stared off. "Eli." She spoke, looking at the boy as he looked to her in question before she nodded her head to the sink as he nodded. He didn't mind her calling him that.
"Oh right." He mumbled. He ran his hands under the cold water as he hissed in pain, his face distorting up.
"Does it burn?" She concerningly asked, leaning on the door frame as he looked back at her.
"A little." He shrugged.
"Alright, me and Tory have to head to work. I just got her a job at this Chinese place I started working for in the summer and I don't want her to be late. See you later?" Tessa spoke as the boy simply nodded, barely taking his vision off of his knuckles that ran under the water.
"Okay, see you later." He mumbled, bringing his head up as he gave her a weak smile as she nodded.
She walked her way towards the front, putting her shoes on as she looked to Tory who waited for her.
"What the fuck just happened?" Tory questioned as she looked back at Brucks and Kyler sitting in the corner of the dojo.
"Years of pain that turned into anger. Kyler and Brucks used to bully the shit out of Eli and our friend group when we were kids and our freshman and half of our sophomore year. It stopped after Miguel kicked the shit out of Kyler in the cafeteria." Tory nodded as Tessa shrugged, picking up her bag as they walked out to her car.
"Oh yeah, I think I remember hearing about that after it happened cause one of my old friends recorded it and sent it to me." Tessa simply nodded, barely listening as she thought back to Hawk.
She was afraid that was going to be her in a few months.
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Tessa and Tory laughed as they walked up to the entrance of the door to the restaurant they worked at. Tory walked slowly as she looked up, Tessa looked to the girl before turning her head at what she was looking at. She immediately froze as Tory began walking closer to him.
"Miguel?" Tory questioned. Miguel's smile dropped as he looked up from his phone, looking between the two girls.
"Tory, Tessa." His eyes widened as he spoke.
"How'd you know we worked here?" Tessa asked as she walked towards the two and stood by Tory.
"I didn't." He shook his head while he looked at Tessa before he turned towards Tory. "I thought you worked at the roller rink." He looked down at his lap. Tessa frowned at the wheelchair he was in.
"No, that's a night. I gotta work two jobs now. Mom's not doing well." Tory shamefully spoke as she looked down.
"I'm sorry." Miguel mumbled.
"No, I'm sorry." Tory responded as she sat down at the chair that was across from him. Tessa crossed her arms over her chest as she uncomfortably let the two ex's talk. "I know that I should've come to see you. I just didn't know how to help."
"So, you did nothing." Miguel mumbled as he looked up at her with hurt. "At least Tessa showed up."
"Okay, what were not gonna do is bring me into this." Tessa held her hands up as she spoke, eyes wide as she looked in between the two.
"I felt guilty about everything." Tory trailed off as she looked down before looking back up. "But we're doing everything we can to get back at Miyagi-Do for what they did to you. It's like Sensei Kreese says, 'if one of us gets hurt, we all get hurt.'"
"Nobody else got hurt, Tory. I'm the one in a wheelchair." Miguel used both hands to show off the wheelchair before he pointed at Tessa. "Tessa has multiple deep scars that run across her stomach, that you did. And now what Tessa your just on Kreeses side?"
"I—" Tessa mumbled as she looked down at her stomach.
"Yeah, I just meant—" Tory spoke at the same time as the LaRusso girl.
"No, I know what you meant." Miguel paused as he took a deep breath. "I never cared about Miyagi-Do or Kreese, I cared about us." Tessa looked down as she began to pick at her fingers.
"Did you? Or were you just going out with me to get Tessa's attention?" Tory asked. Tessa wanted them to have their talk, but she knew that it was wrong for her to stand there and listen to everything they said. It had also been super uncomfortable for her.
"Is that really what you think?" Miguel looked up at the LaRusso girl as she nervously looked between the two, meeting Miguel's eyes before quickly looking down.
"I saw you with both her and Sam. You were pretty quick to want to cheat on me with Tessa but she rejected you. And then all of a sudden Sam was next in line for the Miguel kissing contest. Look, I didn't have a choice." Tory explained, looking at Miguel with hurt evident in her eyes.
"Yes, you did, Tory. I know you're helping your mom, but... you need help." Miguel looked at her concerningly as she scoffed.
"You think I'm crazy?" Tory spoke.
"No, I didn't say that." He tried to explain.
"No, that's okay. Everyone does. I don't give a shit. 'Cause all that matters is who wins in the end. Nice seeing you." Tory rolled her eyes before she stood up and walked into the restaurant, leaving Tessa to stand their wide eyed as she debated what she wanted to do.
"Hey." Miguel awkwardly spoke as he looked up at her as she weakly smiled at him.
"Hey." She mumbled, taking a seat down where Tory had been moments before.
"So, you're talking to me now. I know you got those texts." Tessa frowned at his words.
"Look I wanted to—" The Diaz boy cut her off.
"I heard everything you said while I was in my coma." Tessa's eyes widened at the words as she registered everything he said. "I could feel you holding my hand, the tears running down onto my knuckles. I just couldn't move or see anything. It was almost like I was trapped in a dream."
"Miguel, I'm so sorry." Tessa mumbled, barely making eye contact with the boy.
"I just don't get why you changed so much since the summer. Towards me too. Because for a few weeks we were okay and now I feel like I'm just some stranger who won't stop texting you." Miguel sighed as he spoke, barely able to speak to her without letting everything out. "I just can never tell if you love me or not. Sometimes you make me feel like I'm at the top of the world when I hear or see you. Others I feel like I'm just some gum on the bottom of your shoe that you stepped on."
"Miguel, you know I love you." She sighed, looking up at the boy.
"Do I? Because most of the time I feel like you hate me. And if you love me what about Robby?"
"You didn't let me finish. Sure, I love you, but as in a first love way. I'm with Robby still and I know that hurts, but I can't screw that up." Tessa watched as his expression fell even worse than it was before.
"Right, it's always been Robby." He sighed once more as he looked down at his lap.
"No, it hasn't. Come on, Miguel. This is high school, it was just a teenage romance, things weren't meant to last."
"Is that how you feel?" He mumbled as he looked at her.
"No. But if I tell myself that I'll feel better about all of this." She shook her head as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. She quickly grabbed her bag that she set down as she made her way towards the door.
"Tessa, can we at least be friends?" He begged as he looked up at her with such hurt eyes.
"I can't do that; it will never last I'm sorry. Goodbye, Miguel."