"Of course Cobra Kai attacked us. They couldn't even let a charity event run peacefully!" thought Sam as she dropped down on her bed.

Ever since Cobra Kai won the All-Valley tournament, she'd felt so lost. Miyagi-Do could have won if she hadn't lost to Tory.

Tory.

Even just thinking about her made Sam's body flood with anger. She was the one who started dating Miguel. She was the one who caused the school brawl. She was the reason Miguel got hurt. She attacked Sam and her friends in her own house.

Everything that's been wrong with my life has happened because of her.

But she knew that this accusation wasn't true.

It's my fault. It's always been my fault, even when I didn't realize it.

She needed to distract herself from the crippling fear consuming her before it consumed her. She sat up against her bed's headboard and looked around the room. Her curtains cast a shadow on the floor. She remembered when she was a kid how she used to pretend she was afraid of the shadows and hide under the covers so, her dad would come in and read her another bedtime story.

It was so easy back then.

Her white hammock chair swayed gently in the AC's breeze. In it sat a red stuffed octopus, its red tentacles hanging off the chair's front.

Just looking at it made her smile. Miguel had won it for her on their first date.

"I want that guy!" she had exclaimed.

"Oh, the octopus, I see," he had joked.

And their eyes met as they each held one side of the stuffed animal, the world around them disappearing.

That was the first moment she knew for sure how she felt about him.

But why wouldn't he trust me enough to tell me why he left?

She grabbed her purse off the corner of her bed and pulled out her phone. She probably had looked at it more times in the last three days than she checked it the entire month prior (and not just because she'd been so busy training). Her ring finger idled over the screen.

She was sure he hadn't texted or called yet, she couldn't help but checking.

It read:

Four texts from Miguel Diaz.

Excitement washed over her like the ocean's waves over sand.

Maybe he does trust me after all.

She opened their chat messages:

I'm okay. Thanks for asking.

I can't believe Cobra Kai actually won.

I might not have watched you fight, but I know it wasn't your fault we lost.

I can't talk right now. Explain everything later.

So he was okay. But he still didn't wanna tell her where he was?

Should I respond back or leave him wondering like he left me?

She thought for a moment, her eyes set on the octopus the entire time.

I should say something at least.

Me neither.

Thanks for your support. I just really wish you were here with me now.

She fell backwards onto her bed.

It's something.

She yawned as she walked into the LaRusso kitchen the next morning, dressed in thin shorts and a red hoodie Miguel had left over at her house a few weeks back. If it were a school day, she'd have already gotten dressed, but since it wasn't, her plan for the weekend was basically to stay home.

"Good morning, sleepy head," smiled Daniel as he flipped a few pancakes above the stove.

At her spot on the kitchen table lay a stack of sweet smelling bananarama pancakes. She raised an eyebrow suspiciously as she took her seat. Bananarama pancakes were her favorite, but he only made them when something was wrong.

"Surprised Anthony didn't get to these first," joked Sam as she poured syrup over the pancakes.

"Oh he tried, trust me," scoffed Daniel.

Why is he acting so weird?

"Listen, I need to ask you something," started Daniel, calmly as he took a seat across from her.

"Dad, if it's about last night-" protested Sam, but Daniel waved her off reassuringly.

"You don't have to worry about that, I understand."

Sam smiled before gesturing for him to continue.

I can always count on dad to be on my side.

"Your mom and I think that it would be best if you and the other Miyagi-Do students continue to train, under certain precautions of course, to make sure Silver doesn't know," explained Daniel.

There was no response.

"I get it if you don't want to train anymore, I just think because things are getting more dangerous that it would be best if you could better protect yourself," added Daniel.

"I agree," stated Sam, plainly.

"That's my girl," smiled Daniel as he walked around the table and squeezed his daughter's shoulders proudly.

Cobra Kai isn't just going to push us around. We have to defend each other.