Chapter Sixty: Forever/Never

"It was never my intention to brag, to steal it all away from you now. But, God, does it feel so good, 'cause I got him where I want him now."

~Misery Business by Paramore~

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Revised: July 6, 2024

A/N: When I say you aren't ready for this chapter, I mean...

YOU AREN'T READY FOR THIS CHAPTER!!!

Warnings: abuse, addiction, anxiety, biphobia/homophobia, depression, domestic violence, slight eating disorder, language, panic attacks, sexual harassment/assault/abuse, violence, and other mature themes

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Zion's POV

Flashback about six months.

"Z," Hawk sighs after a moment, "I can't do this."

I feel my heart shatter. He has to be kidding. He doesn't actually mean this. There's no way he actually means this. I can't lose him. I won't lose him. This isn't happening.

"I... I..." I try to come up with something to say.

"No. You've obviously been playing with my feelings while you talk to Robby Keene. I don't trust you anymore. And as much as I want to change how I feel about this, it's too hard. I can't even look at you the same. I've been ignoring you for a reason," Hawk says.

I'm a traitor. This is it. He's leaving me. He will never forgive me. I'm going to end up alone.

"I don't want this to be over, but you won't even own up to what you did wrong," Hawk says. I feel tears threatening in my eyes as he walks away after a moment.

I find myself walking after him and grabbing his hand. He turns back to me and our eyes connect. But his eyes are no longer the ones I'm used to. They're full of anger and of betrayal that I caused. I'm the reason for that and for this happening.

"No. No. I think we both need to take some time and think about this. You don't mean what you're saying," I say.

I try to meet his eyes, but he looks away. I'm so scared I lost him. It hurts me to see that I'm the person who made him feel this way.

Maybe if we just think about it-"

He yanks his hand out of mine and continues walking away, stopping me from finishing my sentence. He's never just ignored me and left me like this. This isn't like him and I feel tears brimming.

"Hawk! I love you! You said you love me and that we'd be together forever!" I yell after him and hold up my wrist with the tattoo of the hawk. He stops moving a moment. Maybe I've gotten through to him.

He turns back over his shoulder, "And you said I was the only one for you, that you wouldn't stray."

I stare in shock as I try my best to hold in my tears.

"We all say things we don't mean."

He walks towards the cars yet again and it hits me.

I've officially lost him. It's over.

It's over.

Flashback end.

⭒⭒⭒

We're at the drive-in with three cars for Cobra Kai: mine, Kyler's and Edwin's. I cleared part of my backseat out at Shannon's, so there's room for four or five now. I let Tory and Kenny in the front while I sit behind Tory and chill with Robby in the back.

We keep things PG with others in the car and I just lay my head on his shoulder and watch the movie.

"So, where did you go before this?" I whisper to Robby curiously.

"My dad's."

"What?" I sit up and look at him in concern.

"I told him to tell his students to back off Kenny," he whispers to me.

"Good," I grab his hand and glance over to Kenny in front of us.

My mind drifts off to my dad and how Sensei Silver used his nickname for me tonight... It hurts because it brings back memories of Dad and I don't know how to feel about this new man using it.

"Bitch boy," Kyler screams from the car next to us to get Kenny's attention. "We need you over here."

I look at Robby and he just nods that it's okay as Kenny gets out of the car.

"This is how Kenny gets respect from the guys. Trust me," Robby smiles proudly as Kenny walks over.

I notice Tory's sad face as she just scrolls aimlessly through Pinterest.

"Tory, you all right?" I sit up and lean into the front seat to talk to her.

"I just had a shitty day," she keeps up her bravado.

I recognize that something isn't right and look at Robby. He nods at me as I get out and go around to get into the front seat with her. Robby gets out of the car to go talk to the guys.

"What's up?" I sit next to her.

"Sam LaRusso keeps getting the best of me and I don't get it," she says quietly.

"She can only get the best of you if you let her," I assure my best friend. It's a lesson I'm slowly learning, too.

"I was at my new job... I work kids parties now," Tory sighs in embarrassment. "It's the only job I could find for someone on parole."

"Sam was at a kid's party?" I ask in confusion.

"I'm a mermaid princess at my job, Z," she shakes her head. "For some reason or another, Sam saw me at that goddamn party. I'm just trying to do my job but that stupid family always messes everything up. I need money for my mom and I wish the rivalry would take a break whenever I'm working. It's just not fair."

I see her about to cry and I embrace her in a big, awkward hug from the passenger's seat.

"I'm so sorry, Tory," I whisper.

"Then, Miguel showed up."

I sit back in my seat and listen to what seems to be even more drama.

"She kissed him purposefully right in front of me. I got angry and I walked out because Amanda LaRusso was right there. She was watching me and waiting for me to fight her daughter so she can get me locked away from my mom. This was all in front of my boss. I waited out the party and went back in to apologize and he said I'm on thin ice already," Tory shakes her head. "I did the same shit to her and I don't feel bad about it, but at least it wasn't at her place of business. I didn't show up at LaRusso Auto and kiss someone."

I smile a little, "Can you imagine that vein popping out of her forehead if you did that?"

Tory laughs through the slight tears welling in her eyes, "That would be nice to see."

"I know we'll come out on top at the tournament," I assure her. "We'll be the champions, and then nobody will be able to stop us. Cobra Kai will rule the Valley and anything Sam LaRusso had over our heads will be gone. We'll truly be the ones with the power."

"I hope you're right," Tory sighs. "I'm sorry I took your time with Robby away."

"Don't be sorry. You're important, too," I assure her.

"You're the best," she smirks at me.

"Hey," Robby comes over and leans on the car, "am I good to talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, we're done," Tory nods at him before getting out of the car. I get out, too, and Robby smiles at me.

"What's up?" I ask him.

"Kenny is slowly starting to fit in and it makes me happy," he tells me. It must be nice to not be afraid.

Why am I so afraid of getting attached to a middle schooler? Am I really that broken? Do other people see that? I'm supposed to be unbreakable.

"That's not all you had to say, right?" I ask with a smile.

"No, I wanted to-"

I look past him, "Dear fucking god."

"What?" Robby looks where I am. "That piece of shit."

I rush over to where Hawk towers over Kenny and a bunch of food and drinks on the ground.  Nate and Bert join my ex as Kenny backs up worriedly.

"You should watch where you're going, kid," Hawk smirks evilly down at Kenny.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I step behind Kenny.

Hawk looks at me in surprise and Bert and Nate back away. I push Kenny to the back of me and I hear Robby come from behind me in support.

"Look who it is," Hawk speaks up before Robby can.

"Zion, step away from him," Robby tells me.

"She can step wherever she wants," Hawk moves closer to him, but they don't attack each other.

"You betrayed Miyagi-Do, traitor!" Nate yells over to my boyfriend.

"Oh, there's a traitor here for sure," Tory joins us with the rest of the Cobras. "He's gonna get what he deserves."

I look at Hawk and wonder if this is what it really comes down to. I despise him... don't I?

"I don't think so," Sam comes over with the rest of her combined dojo. "Not if I have anything to say about it," she looks at Tory, "princess."

I look at Tory and see her confidence diminish. This is bullshit.

We stand across from each other and the tension grows as I try to think of a way to stand our ground and not fight. Robby and Tory are on parole and a fight breaking out can't possibly be a good thing for them.

It's not just about me. It's about Robby and Tory and Kenny and all the Cobras finally proving we aren't any lesser than Miyagi-Do.

"Hey, guys. Can you believe that they have Mr. Pibb and Dr. Pepper?" Demetri walks over with a soda in his hands.

We all turn to him and he meets my eyes and then looks towards Hawk.

"Oh, shit. Not another rumble."

"Careful, LaRusso. Your mommy isn't here to play peacemaker," Tory takes a dig at Sam.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the LaRusso girl begins to get angry.

"Guys, stop, okay? We can't do this," Miguel becomes the voice of reason and I look down. "We'll beat 'em on the mat."

"Oh, really? You do remember the last time we fought, right?" Robby tells Miguel.

Everyone tenses and I see Miguel look at Robby tensely. I almost snap at Robby, but control myself. I can't take this. Not here. Not now.

"These are the people you surround yourself with, Z?" Miguel calls to me. "Come on. Look at me."

I look up at him, but my eyes are cold. I can't go back. I can't do this. I chose. Miguel isn't in my life anymore. I chose Robby. I have the control.

"She doesn't want you," Robby steps beside me.

I pull my eyes away from Miguel. I don't want to disagree with Robby in front of everyone. We're a partnership. Cobra Kai is a unit.

Then, he looks at Hawk, "Any of you."

"Robby, come on," Sam speaks up to plead.

"No, Sam. We aren't together anymore," Robby snaps at her then chuckles to himself. "I guess I thought my dad would've told you guys by now."

I look at Robby as he states it vaguely and returns my look. I turn back to the group and my eyes drift over Hawk, Miguel, and Sam.

"Told us what, Keene?" Hawk smirks.

And then, the words fall out of my mouth,

"That Robby and I are back together."

I see the shock on everyone's face. Miguel loses color in his face, Sam stares at me with wide eyes, and Hawk's brave persona drops.

"You're kidding, right?" Demetri scoffs and breaks the silence.

"No, she's not," Tory says on behalf of us.

Miguel's soul looks shattered. I don't care anymore. I don't. He's dead to me. He has to be. He is.

I take Robby's hand and he steps closer to me. Hawk is frozen in place. I have to remember that this heartless bitch is who they think I am.

"I-I don't get it," Sam shakes her head in disbelief.

"It's pretty simple when you think about it," Robby tells her.

"Did you guys really cheat?" Mitch drops the question I know they've all been wanting to ask.

"You... You really stole Robby from me," Sam whispers just loud enough for us to hear.

"No, she didn't," Miguel speaks up, but can't even look at us.

I remember that I'm in control and I have the power. Only two of us really know what happened last summer: me and Robby. We can rewrite the narrative in our favor.

I want to break my ties to them? Robby wants revenge on Sam for breaking his heart? Hawk was so determined to make me out to be the bad guy?

What if I'm everything they say I am? They say I'm a villain; I say I'm a winner. What if I'm both?

"How can I steal something that was never yours in the first place, princess?" I respond with venom in my voice. I see Tory smirk in peripheral vision.

"Z, y-you told me you didn't cheat. You said it and you... you were so sure of yourself," Hawk speaks up again, his voice raspy.

"Well," I turn to him, "there are so many things people say nowadays. Rumors get out of hand and it's hard to know the truth."

Hawk's face falls as I step forward and away from Robby. This is the moment he can feel the pain he put me through for months of on and off only to not believe me, spread lies that transformed into rumors, and then betray me. This is my time.

"We all say things we don't mean."

His big eyes meet mine that are emotionless. It may as well be true with the way he said it like it was real for so long. I can see all the trust and hope inside of him disappear. His confidence is clearly shattered and I see the Eli I first met peeking through.

It's dead silent as my words sink in. Everyone shuts up; nobody knows how to respond. Hawk looks so hurt, but I have to remember that this is what he wanted. All he did was lie and now those lies may as well be the truth. I broke my connections to them and I'll be stronger for it.

Sam steps away from her dojo angrily. The vein pops out as she looks at me with an anger I've never seen in her before. She looks ready to fight and that's when Miguel calls after her.

"Not here. Meet us at the baseball diamond in thirty minutes. And no weapons," Miguel sets the terms.

Hawk's eyes are wide and they drift away from me as I glance at Robby, who can only smirk over at the dojo across from us.

"Yeah, we won't need 'em," Tory refers to the weapons.

We all turn to leave and I back up slowly with Robby as I let what just happened start to sink in.

"God, she's brainwashing Robby and using him, too," I hear Sam say as she walks away with her dojo.

I take a couple steps forward, "I'm right here, LaRusso. Say it to my face."

Samantha turns back with an expression of hatred and heads my way.

"I said you're a brainwashed psycho who is using Robby," she spits in my face.

"Really? Because I recall you using him to get back together with Miguel," I glare at her.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this," Miguel says. Robby speaks up at the same time, "Zion, not here."

"I've got this!" Sam and I yell back at the boys in unison but don't take our eyes off of each other.

I don't trust this bitch any further than I can throw her. She's easy to manipulate, however.

"I guess we've never liked each other, have we?" I speak up. "Not that I'm surprised. You live in a castle while the rest of us have to work for what we have."

"Yeah, I'm sure that stealing the money for Miguel from our car wash was hard work," she counters. "I don't care what you've gone through; it doesn't give you the right to be a bully."

"Okay, so what have you had in your life that was so traumatic, princess?" I mock her.

I notice everyone who's been close to me - Miguel, Hawk, Robby, and Tory - shift uncomfortably at the mention of my trauma since they know about my mom.

But, they will never know about... that night...

"Did you get cloth seats instead of leather in your car? Because, as far as I can tell, you've lived a nice little life with your mommy and daddy."

"Stop bringing my parents into this," she tells me.

"Oh, but it was okay to blame me for stealing from your mom?" I retort and shut her up.

"What?" Miguel asks.

"You know, last summer when I," I glance over at Hawk, "met up with Robby at the beach club, you accused me of stealing your mom's wallet."

Hawk glances back at Robby in question because I met up with him there, but of course that wasn't my intent. I was so loyal to Hawk, but in the end it didn't even matter. I can see that it kills him to think that I lied to him about meeting up with Robby.

"You know, we barely knew each other, but for some reason you hated me," I announce. "Well, of course, you had heard of me from Robby. You were desperate for him to choose you; I know that it's killed you this entire time that I knew him first."

"You're a lying whore," Sam tells me.

I laugh dryly, "Maybe."

That's when she shuts up.

"Maybe you were right: I am a thief."

Her face drops and I feel everyone waiting to see where I'm going with this.

"Not because of your mom's wallet. No, no. I'm a thief because who did Robby choose?" I come within an inch of her face.

I hear people reacting to my words and I see Sam glancing around at everyone for what they think and search for the words to prove that none of what I say is true. She's destined to fail because there is no evidence; Robby and I are the only ones who truly know.

"And, if it was that easy to steal your boyfriend, who knows what else I can take from you," I smile evilly.

She actually takes a step back in fear and it's then that I realize Miguel is pulling her back. She shoves him off.

"You know, LaRusso, maybe your problem was that you forgot to... appreciate Robby."

I glance back at my boyfriend and see our dojos a fair distance from each other with Sam and I in the middle at the center of attention. I continue, unable to stop myself.

"Aw, but don't worry, princess. I make sure he feels appreciated. Every. Night."

And in that moment, my head whips to the side and the left side of my face throbs in pain. Samantha LaRusso just punched me.

Everyone gasps in shock and the moment is slow as I control myself. I knew she was easy to manipulate.

I bend over like I'm in pain. Then, I sweep her legs when she lets down her guard and she falls with a gasp.

She lets out a shriek and regains her footing. We begin to circle each other and I hear miscellaneous voices.

"Sam, stop it." "Beat the shit out of her!" "Not again, not again."

"You ever gonna strike first, princess?" I taunt her.

She throws a kick.

Wax off.

She stumbles back in surprise because now I know Miyagi-Do now.

"You may be a champion yet."

"Oh, shit," I hear Demetri say as I run at the girl.

I fake her out with a hook kick and then hit her in the face now. I just barely missed her nose.

She kicks my leg and I fall down into the disgusting popcorn and soda coating the pavement.

I jump up and shove her to the ground so now it gets all over her. Then, I grab her by the hair.

She grunts in frustration as I yank her up and throttle her to the side. Sam almost runs into Chris and Mitch as I release her hair.

"Sam, we can-"

"I can do this," Sam says in a low voice and refuses to accept help from Demetri.

The girl rushes back over to me and I use a crescent kick, but she dodges it and goes for my stomach. She hits me there and smirks and... pauses... stops.

I realize that she's only been taught to play by the tournament's rules.

It's time to put my new sensei's teachings to good use.

"Extreme situations require extreme measures."

I go for the sweep, but she learns fast enough to realize this and kicks me in the face.

My head throbs for just a second before I regain my balance.

A woman can't breathe, she can't fight.

I head butt her and then she stumbles back like she might fall. She cries out in pain as I kick her ribs, but not for the point. It knocks the wind out of her.

All I see when I look at her are the memories of what she's done to Tory, what she's said to me, how she cheat on Robby, and every privileged thing she has in her life.

I've lost before...

but this is the battle I will win.

I jab my elbow onto her shoulder as she bends over in pain and then I send an uppercut to her jaw.

Sam moves away from me to catch her breath, but doesn't seem ready to concede. I have to admit that I admire her stamina.

It's then that I prepare myself to shove her just like I had with Walker. She's much smaller than him, so using my bodyweight against her won't be hard.

Her eyes widen and she runs at me, too, so I slide out of the way and trip her. She rolls on the ground and gets back up surprisingly quickly.

We glare at each other as she moves towards me, but then slips on the spilt soda.

"Had enough?" I look down at her as she kneels on one leg. I almost don't recognize the tone of my voice.

"No," she gives a back thrust kick, which I counter.

Wax on.

I'm on defense as I try to counter all of her punches and kicks. I can feel how weak her kicks are, but she has more strength in her arms than I thought.

My breathing becomes heavy as we continue for another ten seconds until I kick the back of her shoulder, pin her on the ground, and press on her neck.

She gasps for air and I feel her try to tap her hand for help as I loosen my grip a little.

I bring my fist back to execute the Cobra Strike. I could punch her nose, mouth, or trachea...

Her eyes look like they may pop out of her head as she struggles in fear and pain.

"What do I always tell you, Zion?" my dad asks me.

"'People lose their morals when they get to the top."

Believe what you want about me, but I can't do this.

I let my hand come off of her neck and find myself... disagreeing with Sensei Silver's ideals?

But, my hand doesn't visibly move away fast enough.

That's when a strong kick is given to my side and I roll off of her in pain. I almost fall off the edge of the three foot high cement platform and gasp in surprise as I sit back up for balance.

It's then that I see who kicked me: Hawk.

"ENOUGH, ZION!"

His voice is angry, his face is red, his fists are shaking, and his eyes look watery.

"You led me on and played me like a fucking record," he steps to the side of Sam and over to me. He looks down on me, "You've gone too far this time and... and none of us will ever forgive you."

I want to move or to say something that takes back the lies I've told today, but instead I falter. I'm out of breath and any movement could knock me over the edge of the platform and to an ugly landing.

"Step away from her, Moskowitz," Robby steps beside him. "You won't like what'll happen if you strike her again."

I can feel my heartbeat in my head. I look around and see Demetri and Miguel helping Sam up. I try to process all that just happened. Hawk looks so angry and hurt. I feel part of my heart crack as I look at the panic and pain I've caused everyone.

What did I do?

"Whatever. You can have her," Hawk shoots me and Robby one last death glare before walking after his dojo to leave.

Robby looks at me in surprise and then gives me a hand up when the coast is clear. I try my best not to stare after them.

"Queen Cobra shiiiit!" Kyler rushes over.

Tory engulfs me in a hug that triggers my fight or flight. Everyone else piles on into a group hug.

The sky is black. The pavement is gray. Tory wears yellow. Kenny has on red. The popcorn on the ground is yellow and white. The soda is brown.

Finally, the suffocating hug breaks and I gasp for air. How am I supposed to control these panic attacks if every little thing triggers me?

"Victory party at my house," Kyler announces and everyone cheers.

"I'll text you guys the address in the group chat," he smirks. "Yo, Big Red, let's go get ready for this."

They leave with a small group of Cobras.

"Girl!" Tory shrieks and embraces me in another hug. "You were a fucking badass."

I laugh a little before her expression turns serious and her voice turns into a whisper. Robby is over talking with Edwin as Tory pulls me aside.

"You didn't really cheat on Hawk, right? Because, well, Miguel hurt me and I know that-"

"No, I would never," I assure her.

"I didn't think so," she nods before I can explain more. "I just wanted to double check."

"No, yeah, it was just the right thing to say in the right place at the right time. It was... payback."

"I'm so proud of you. This is why you're my best friend!" Tory laughs excitedly. "I can't violate my probation, so if anyone else was going to beat up LaRusso, I'm happy it was you."

"Um, yeah, thanks," I try to act super happy but the mood has been dampened by the panic.

"Hey, are you okay?" she notices I'm not feeling great.

"I'm fine," I tell her. She looks at me worriedly. "Seriously."

Tory sighs, "Okay. I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Yeah," I tell her. I can be mentally ready by the party.

"Awesome. I'm going to drink my ass off," she smiles before turning away and rushing off with Kyler.

I turn and see Robby waiting for everyone to leave me alone before he approaches me.

"Tory may have believed you, but I know better. Something is wrong. Zion, I know you and you feel bad about hurting Sam, right?" Robby questions me.

"For hurting Sam?" I ask. "No. She deserved it and i-it felt good."

"I am your mother and I deserve respect."

"You don't feel bad at all for what you did?" he asks.

I sob as Janice lets go of my arm and then brings her hand to now punch my face. I stumble back from the momentum of the hit. Everything spins as I try to catch myself.

I hesitate. I can't let down my guard now. Robby may agree and leave Cobra Kai and leave me. I can't leave because it's all I have.

"Zion, I'm so sorry," she immediately apologizes.

"No," I lie.

"Then, what's bothering you?" He seems to have fully dropped his feelings for Sam since he isn't getting angry about it. It's oddly comforting.

"Nothing," I say and take his hand. "Come on. Let's go to Kyler's."

"Zion," he calls back to me, "was it Hawk? Is he why?"

I think about him kicking me, his broken heart.

"You've gone too far this time and... and none of us will ever forgive you."

It's my fault. I wanted to hurt all of them like they've hurt me, but I didn't mean for it to go so far as to almost kill Sam.

I don't know how to explain it or exactly why, but I don't agree with Sensei Silver's new training techniques.

I don't like this side of Robby, either. He's becoming something he's not and is practically threatening Miguel's life again.

It's not like I can tell anyone I don't trust him or that I don't want to learn karate in a fatal way. I mean, Sensei Kreese and my dojo trusts him already. And it's not like I can ever talk to Hawk or Miguel again about how I feel.

All of that disappeared the second I lied about cheating with Robby.

He means the world to me, but even he is wanting to trust Sensei Silver. I have to accept that and keep it inside. Maybe the new sensei will grow on me?

"No, it's not Hawk," I respond. "Please, try to believe me."

"I trust you," he grabs my hands. "I just want to know what happened while I was in juvie. Did Hawk hurt you?"

"No," I respond. "Hawk wasn't the one."

Then, I realize what I said.

"But, someone did?" Robby tries to get me to tell him.

"I don't know..."

"Zion?" he asks me in all seriousness.

I feel my chest tighten and my hands ball into fists. No, no, no.

"I just want to help, but I can't unless I know what happened," he explains.

"I..." I look at him and then look away, "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

Because I can't even say it to myself. I've never said it out loud.

"Just trust me. I'll tell you if I need to," I whisper softly. "Please."

"Okay," he nods in agreement.

"Okay?" I ask timidly. He isn't pushing me to tell him?

"Okay. I trust you. I do, Zion," he nods. I can see the worry in his expression but also the sincerity.

I didn't expect that to convince him.

"It's not that I don't trust you," I tell him. "It's... it's me I don't trust."

Saying it out loud will be too real.

Robby tilts his head in confusion as I hug him.

"...and none of us will ever forgive you."

His arms envelope me in the hug as my body begins to shake slightly, but I smell his familiar scent and feel his warm touch and the world stills.

"You setting boundaries is fine with me. I want you to be comfortable and happy. All I want is for you to be happy," Robby tells me.

He knows me, he trusts me, and he very well may be the only one. I know him, I trust him, and I know now that he's what I've been looking for.

⭒⭒⭒

Robby and I walk into Kyler's huge house with our fingers enlaced. I can feel the tension from not directly telling him about that night, but he doesn't seem to hate me for it.

The house is vibrating with music and the LED lights are every color of the rainbow. I can feel my senses being bombarded, but in a good way.

We walk inside and see more than just Cobras here. It seems anybody who has ever tolerated Kyler is here. I smile when I see the big liquor table, but then remember Robby hates drinking.

"Dude, you made it!" Kyler pats Robby on the back. It causes Robby to drop my hand.

"Yeah, I did." They do a bro handshake. That's new.

"Z, thanks for coming," Kyler nods awkwardly.

"Nice house," I give him a small compliment.

"Thanks. Pretty sweet, huh? Rich parents who are never around is the dream," he boasts but I can tell he's lying about the glamor. I know exactly what its like having an absent parent.

"Z!" Tory rushes over to me. "How cool is this place?"

"It's something," I nod in agreement.

She wraps me in a hug, "Kyler, are we still doing the tribute?"

"Hell yeah, baby," he smiles excitedly.

"Tribute?" Robby and I ask at the same time.

"It's a toast to your win today," she explains. "So, grab a drink and meet us in the game room."

She runs out as I turn to the drink table and Robby speaks up,

"Should you really be drinking? We could get water."

"Come on. It's a party. We can be social drinkers," I gesture to the large arrangement of alcohol.

"Zion, we both know that doesn't end well," Robby says with a disapproving look.

"Just one can't hurt," I insist as I pour the bottle.

"Stop," he pulls my elbow back. "Seriously."

I look into his eyes and find myself wanting to trust him, "Fine."

"Thank you. This is a big deal to me," he reminds me.

I grab his hand again as we find where the game room is.

We walk through the house endlessly until we hit a huge room filled with things like air hockey, darts, and pool.

"There's the woman of the night!" Tory gestures to me. "Z, come up here."

I rush over and jump on top of the table as she gives me a hand up.

"Today, Z did something none of us have before. She won against Sam LaRusso!"

The crowd cheers loudly at Tory's declaration.

"Where's your drink?" she whispers to me.

"Robby and I didn't-"

"Here, take mine. To Cobra Kai!" she shoves me in front of her.

"To Cobra Kai!" they echo.

"To our senseis!" she screams.

"To our senseis!"

Tory pushes me forward, "Say something."

I feel the lights on my face as I try to figure out what to say. I feel the energy of the room supporting me and it prompts me to hold the glass in the air triumphantly, "To our victory!"

"To our victory!"

"To Robby Keene," I smile down at him."

"To Robby!"

"To the fall of Sam LaRusso!"

"To the fall of Sam LaRusso!"

And then, we all take shots. The intoxication immediately sends shock waves through my body in the best possible way.

"To Z!" I hear someone yell from the ground.

"To Z!" they say in response.

"To the Queen of Cobra Kai!"

"To the Queen!" everyone screams.

"Hey," Robby comes over and I kneel down as he continues to talk, but I can't hear over the loud noises.

"What?" I ask in confusion.

"Why'd you drink that?" he asks in frustration.

"It was one shot," I shrug. "It's fun."

"This is a bad idea-"

"I'm fine, Robby. This is a fun night. Enjoy the high," I stand back up on the table.

"Nice job, Z!" some random guy yells to me.

"You're the man!" another girl screams.

"Thanks!" I smile brightly as I'm handed another drink.

I see Robby standing to the side in concern as Tory and I get off the table.

My eyes land on a group of guys that Kyler is talking to and my body goes rigid. What are they doing here?

"Should we head out?" Robby comes over to me.

"We just got here," I argue.

"It's a lot, right?" he asks me. "I didn't know it would be any more than the guys at the dojo."

"It's a party," I remind him.

"Yeah, well the last party I went to didn't go well," he says in a bitter tone that spits in my face before he turns away.

I sigh and rush after him, "Hey. I'm not her, okay? I would never do that to you."

"I know," he frowns and puts his finger under my chin. "I just think that our parents' pasts are good reasons to not drink."

"Even in moderation? I never get to party. I haven't felt this free since before I moved to Reseda. This means so much to me, Robby," I give him puppy dog eyes.

"Will you at least promise not to drink more than what makes you a little tipsy?" he tries to convince me since he knows I can get out of control.

"Deal," I nod in agreement.

I reach over to kiss him and he stops me, "Not while you're drunk. I'm going to be around somewhere and I'll drive us back. Take care of yourself."

"Have fun," I almost slur drunkenly before walking away.

I walk back towards where the boys were and step beside Kyler.

"Hey, Walker. Brad. What the hell are you and your friends doing here?"

"Oh, I figured we were all good. We had an altercation with Sam and her friends a couple of times over the years. They're chill," Kyler nods at me. Walker takes a small step away from me.

"Chill with you, sure, but I still hate them. Get out of here," I raise my eyebrows at them.

"This is my house," Kyler says, "so I can have whoever I want here."

"I will fuck you both up again if you don't leave now," I step forward to be intimidating.

"I don't think so. You seem a little drunk," Brad crosses his arms. "It's like Kyler said: This is his place."

It dawns on me that I came into his territory and still expected to be top dog. It's like it was a trap.

"They haven't bothered you yet so they won't at all," Kyler assures me.

I internally curse myself; they aren't going to leave any of the other girls alone. Jai commented on it, but now I see it right in front of me. They're scared of me and that's why they won't bother me, but they aren't scared of the other girls and they feel okay to harass them or worse...

"Z, did you want to hustle some guys in pool? They're hilarious," Tory joins us and yanks on my arm. "Oh, shit. What are you guys doing here? This is for Cobras."

"Forget it," I take her arm back and we link them before walking away. "I don't really like it here since Kyler invited... them."

"So, you're just going to let them push you out?" she frowns.

"Maybe you can come back with me and Robby," I suggest.

Tory shakes her head, "I don't want to third-wheel."

"We can... We can find you a date here. Maybe... Maybe Big Red or Edwin?" I suggest.

"Yeah, well, I'm not sure I swing that way anymore," she whisper-yells in my ear.

I blink a couple of times and wonder if its the alcohol, "You're a-"

"Lesbian," she nods excitedly. "I mean, if I put a label on it. I just feel more me than I ever had before and that's because of you."

"Oh," I smile proudly, "that's so cool. I just... Wow. Wow. You're so valid, Tory."

"Thank you. It's been hard to come to terms with, but uh..." she smiles as a group of guys shove by her. "Look, I can help you find Robby if you really want to leave. I understand not wanting guys around that make you uncomfortable. I've had plenty of those in my life."

"Haven't we all?" I refer to the recent statistics.

"Maybe you should be a kick-ass lawyer for feminism," she says as she grabs two glasses.

"If I had the brains," I toast with her and down another.

"You definitely have the brains, babe. It's just about putting in the time and effort. For example, I'm trying to get my GED and I think its working," she says. "I'm doing a lot better. Just put your mind to it."

I give her a small smile, even though I know it's impossible for me to ever do anything good with my life.

"Hey," a girl walks over to us, but her focus is on Tory. She looks familiar.

"What do you want?" Tory asks defensively.

"I haven't seen you before. You're hot," the girl with curly hair comments.

Moon's ex-girlfriend, Piper. Damn.

"Yeah, I know," Tory nods at her.

This woman is oblivious to Piper's flirting, so I nudge her in the ribs.

"Ow," she says and shoves me back, but even harder.

"I'm Piper. You don't go to West Valley, do you?" the girl continues.

"I'm Tory Nichols," my best friend responds as a way of intimidating her with her reputation.

"Oh," Piper gasps. "Then, I have seen you before."

"Yeah, you have," I say as I try to coax them to talk.

"Z?" the girl looks at me in confusion. "Hey. We haven't officially talked, either."

"Well, with you dating the enemy, how was there time?" I ask.

"Moon and I are long over. Her best friend and I got into an argument and Moon chose Yasmine," she explains. "But, it's fine. I channel all my anger into gymnastics."

"That's what Tory and I do with Cobra Kai," I smile. "Wow, you two have so much in common."

"Not really," Tory looks at me and I roll my eyes as Piper continues to smile at Tory.

"You know, you're really good at fighting. I don't have karate friends anymore. Sam is best friends with Moon and Yasmine and the other dojo again, so it's awkward," Piper shrugs. "Congrats on the victory, by the way, Z."

The victory that felt as bad as it did good.

"Thanks. Um, I think I'll find Robby and catch up with you two later? Maybe you can go hang out?" I suggest to the duo.

Tory looks more interested in Piper since she brought up how she isn't friends with Sam.

"Come find me later, okay?" Tory makes sure I'm there for her.

"Sure. I'll text you if not," I tell her before we all part ways and I walk around the house aimlessly.

That interaction reminded me a bit of helping Jess find a girlfriend. With me dating Robby again, too, it feels like history is repeating itself. You truly can't outrun your past.

I make it upstairs before I find an empty and quiet room in a secluded wing with a singular light on. I know exactly where he is.

"Hey," I walk through the doorframe.

Robby looks up from the book he's reading, "Hey."

"Look, I'm sorry about getting so pissy with you-"

"Me too," he nods. "It wasn't right of me to try and control you."

"I should have taken into account more of your past," I look down as I empathize about his mom. "I didn't drink much more, like I promised. Are we okay?"

He stands up and comes over to me. Robby pushes my hair behind my ear, "Yeah, we're okay."

"Wait, didn't you have something to say at the drive-in? Before going over to fight?" I ask him.

"What? Oh, no, that can wait," he tells me.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," he kisses my forehead. "I wanted to rip Hawk apart for hurting you."

"I hurt him, too," I admit. "Emotionally."

"I get that, but it's not like he didn't deserve it," Robby reminds me. "He told awful lies about you, broke your heart, and bullied Kenny. I would never-"

"Never say never," I find my finger pressing on his lips to shush him. "Never promise me anything. What hurts most is hope. Just have trust in each other without talking about it. Please."

An older couple walks by, hand-in-hand, just like Hawk and I were on the boardwalk. "That's going to be us one day. We'll be together forever," Hawk says softly.

Robby hugs me tightly, "I won't. Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yeah, let's go find Tory and say goodbye," I try to relax.

He helps me down the stairs and my eyes land on the two girls sitting close to each other on a loveseat.

"I set up Tory," I point over to them.

Robby raises his eyebrows, "She looks happy."

"Yeah, she does."

"Let's get you home," he pulls me away from the crowds and out to our car.

"Are you mad about Sam?" I ask as he sets me safely in the passenger seat.

"Like, beating her up tonight?" Robby asks nervously.

I nod as he walks over to his side and starts my car.

"I don't know. Sensei Silver talked to me today about my fears holding me back from reaching my full potential in a fight. I didn't think I was afraid, but then I realized I was afraid of ending up like my dad."

"You're-"

"Nothing like him, I know," he finishes my sentence. "I addressed that with him tonight, but, um, that wasn't my only fear. I think my biggest fear is losing people and I didn't want to accept that Sam was fully gone or accept the fact that I could lose you again."

I want to assure him I'm not going anywhere, but the "no promises" rule is now in effect.

"You were scared of losing Sam?" I ask quietly.

"I was scared of losing someone who I thought was good for me, but she wasn't. She cheated and while I think I'll always care just a little about her, I know that it's nothing more than what we had when I thought she was good. She even believed us tonight when we said we'd been with each other for months. If she knew me like you do, she would have never believed that. You fighting her made me realize that it's okay to lose people in your life. It gives you the chance to find the right people. And it makes you stronger and strength is what karate is all about, right?"

"You're so strong, but you're also so much more than that," I take his hand and switch it aimlessly between my hands.

"T-Thank you," his voice breaks and I see him beginning to tear up.

I kiss his hand before leaning to the side and beginning to fall asleep. He's truly the only one who knows the real me anymore and appreciates me for all of me.

I drift off to sleep with one last thought, "Hawk was stupid to believe it, too. I'm relieved that you're in my life, Robby Keene."

⭒⭒⭒

A/N: ^Little does she know how important that last thought will become;)

I need more POVs for the next chapter/episode, so whose mind would you like me to write haha? It's a certain episode with scissors and it very much includes Z, but I'd like some other POVs and am open to suggestions.

Also, I head canon Tory as a lesbian, so deal with it haha.