CHAPTER SIX
girl scout cookies

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    diane left devon's house hastily, already past the block by the time she saw devon's room light shut off. by now it was pitch black. there was no way she could find her way back to the larusso house by herself. she reached into her pocket to find her phone barely alive.

"shit," she sighed, shoving it back into her sweater and skated forward. she had to save it for an emergency— as if being lost wasn't one already. after a couple seconds it flew  out, the pocket being too full. diane rummaged with her hand, grabbing an envelope, her phone, and a piece of paper crumpled into a ball.

out of curiosity, she put the other two things back into the pocket and unraveled the paper ball. it was a flyer, with bold words and a man splat in the middle. she squinted, focusing her eyes and saw no other than johnny lawrence.

recognizing him, she was still angry at him for missing robby's visitation that he himself scheduled. her eyes fell to the cobra kai dojo address. diane knew resceda better than encino, so that was where she was going next.

now, she could just retrace the path she took to get to devon's house and go back to the larusso's, but, now that the idea of running away was circulating in her head, it was actually keeping diane's mind occupied. (and also she doesn't remember how she even got to devon's house.)

the more she thought about it, this was the perfect time. daniel was overseas and amanda was so stressed with the dealership no one would notice but maybe sam. anthony didn't even know her name, so there was little chance they'd think of her until the afternoon. diane also still held a small amount of resentment against sam for not wanting to visit robby, thought she thought she got over that.

it was hard, but once diane exited devon's anti-light pollution neighborhood, lamp posts were scattered everywhere. she passed by 24 hour shops and cars buzzed by as she skated down the sidewalks of busy city streets. The led lights illuminated colorful lights onto diane, turning her all sorts of colors.

now she was totally committed to this running away thing, it couldn't be that bad. she'd probably be back by the next day anyway. she decided to use her phone gps to guide her way to the address of the cobra kai dojo, the phone holding onto its last two percent.

finally, she found the strip mall. the cobra kai sign was especially easy to see. the glow of the convenience store next to it lit the whole parking lot. the cobra kai dojo was closed, no lights on or anything. what did she expect? it was middle of the night.

with a heavy deep breath, she looked up, hoping the stars would guide her. instead she saw a tall sign that listed all the chains on the strip mall, the top sign reading reseda flats. her eyes darted to a tall building on the other side of the block. she ran down the sidewalk, finding the apartment building. it looked... familiar. the big front gate was locked, so she took her skateboard and ran to the other side.

just like she imagined, the back door gate was unlocked, the latch left just enough for diane to be able to open it. it was the parking lot side, so someone must've brought their car in and let the door close without checking it.

diane slipped through, looking around the place. it was a bit dusty, the pavement floor felt almost sandy. she knocked on door three. no answer. then door one. she waited for a second, flinching from surprise as she heard the door unlock.

"hello?" a scruffy man's voice asked. he squinted at the girl, not recognizing her. "it's the middle of the night, i don't want your stupid girl scout cookies!"

diane shook her head rapidly. "i'm not selling you anything!"

"then what're you doing here?" his tone got increasingly more annoyed.

"i. um, i needed to—" she was so confident confronting johnny, but now it all sizzled down. she was blank. her mind, her words.

her eyes fell down to her shoes, a stupid bonsai tree was doodled with a sharpie on the white part of the converse. she drew it when daniel would teach sam and robby karate and she stayed inside, meditating with demetri.

"karate," she blurted. "i'm here for karate."

he shook his head, "i'm done with it." johnny turned to shut his door. diane stopped it.

"no! not to learn," she interjected. "i need to write a school paper on... karate."

"who are you?" johnny's eyes squinted at the girl. by now his eyes were fully adjusted to the dark, he could see her features but couldn't put a name to her.

"robby's sister."

johnny's eyes softened when he heard robby's name. he knew about robby's sister, robby having brought her and sam to his house in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago. what's up with keenes and coming to johnny in the middle of the night?

"why me?" he said with a scoff. his hand went to ruffle his already messy blond hair.

"mr.larusso is in japan," she answered. "and you're the only one available."

"not now," johnny tried to close the door again. diane's arm stiffened, making sure it wouldn't shut.

"morning?" she asked hopefully.

"i've got business to do." he scratched his neck, clearly disinterested.

"well, then—" diane took a huge deep breath. inside her head she was praying he would say yes. "can i stay the night?"

johnny furrowed his eyebrows. "what? no!"

"please!" she begged, her tone persistent."i've got nowhere else to go."

"i'm sure shannon's doors are open."

"ever wonder why robby was living with mr.larusso?"

"because shannon is a shit mom?"

"and you're one to talk?" as much as diane didn't want to say yes, he was right. "yesterday, the visitation you signed up for. you missed it. that priest and i were waiting for an hour."

"bobby's a pastor, and, i tried to fix it with robby today. it didn't go well."

"just let me sleep one night," diane begged again. "i'll stay on the couch, and, i'll put in a good word for you to robby. if that even matters to you."

johnny pauses, seeming to really think about his answer. he turned his head and glances at his apartment, then back at the tiny girl in front of him. she reminded him so much of robby. the attitude and stubbornness.

"one night." he pulled the door open, making space for diane to walk in. her lips curve into a big smile.

"thank you!" she almost shouted, walking through the door. her first and immediate reaction was the smell. it was so stinky.

the scent was reminiscent of beer. it was sickening. not to mention she noticed the initial reek from the second the door opened. she knew about his drinking problem, partly. her mom always alluded to him being some "deadbeat drunk" whenever his name was mentioned.

johnny followed in behind her, shutting and locking the door. he flicked the light on, making both of their eyes squeeze shut for a second. when diane's eyes opened, they landed on the trashcan that overflowed with beer cans, the carpet stained, and dust on every surface.

oh great.

"you're taking the couch, bedrooms aren't clean," he said, grabbing a blanket out of one of the bedrooms. he threw it to her, diane barely catching it. he goes back into the room. she pulls the strap of her bag over off her shoulder and over her head, dropping it onto the floor.

he peeked his head out of the door. "and here's a pillow," he said. he flung it to her and it landed on the floor. diane picked it up, tossing it onto the sofa. she took off her shoes and left them in the door area, placing the blanket on the sofa. she unzipped her sweater and folded it onto the coffee table, then lied down.

she tucked herself into the sofa, blanket on top. it was a tad uncomfortable, the couch making small squeaks whenever she moved barely an inch. johnny came back to the living room, turning the lights off.

"night, johnny," she said. her eyes followed him as he walked to his bedroom.

"night," he replied. once his door closed, she shut her eyes, falling asleep.

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diane woke up to soft humming and sun peeking through the curtains that blocked the one window johnny's apartment had. she yawned as she slowly sat up on the sofa, surprised that she was able to sleep a whole night on it.

once she finished rubbing her eyes to focus, she noticed her phone on the coffee table from last night. she leaned forward and grabs it, turning it on. the red zero-battery sign showed up.

she groaned, "john!" diane shouted.

"what?" he shouted back, something in his mouth muffling his yell.

"you got a charger? lighting cable?"

"i have a box of wires in that room!" he pointed his hand out at the room parallel from the bathroom he's in.

she jumped off the sofa and headed to where he gestured to. "why do you have a box of wires?" she asked, clicking the door open.

"used to do maintenance," he replied. johnny spar into the sink and turned on the faucet to wash his toothbrush. "don't think you can come in here and use up all my stuff. i was gonna sell that junk to the pawnshop later."

the room has a bed surrounded with cardboard boxes stacked above each other, a closet full of vintage clothes, and an unused dusty wooden dresser. a lamp sat on top of it. diane got on her tippy-toes and grabbed one of the boxes on the very top, opening it, and pulling cables out. she found a perfect charger buried inside.

diane went back out, plugging it into an outlet near the sofa and letting her phone sit there. she grabbed her bag and sat on the couch, opening it and looking for her extra t-shirt she carried around. she only had it 'cause she took it with her the night she left for the larusso household months back and forgot about it.

johnny walked out the bathroom, his clothes already on. he swung the freezer open and snagged a frozen hot pocket. "want one?" johnny asked, turning his head for diane's answer. she nodded. he picked up another one and unwrapped them, placing them on a plate. he shoved it into the microwave and went over to pull the curtains open.

he squinted through the morning light and his head perked up like a little child's. "diana, i'm going to miguel's," johnny said. the door shut before diane could've even replied.

diana? she didn't even tell him her name last night. close enough, i guess. she plucked the shirt from her bag and placed them to the side.

looks like she'd have to reuse her pants from last night. whatever.

two sharp knocks come from the door that made diane flinch. she sprawled off the couch and stared through the peephole of the door. johnny was back already.

"what happened?" she asked, opening the door. her eyes follow him as he heads to the hallway of the place.

"miguel. you know him. he got released and there's some stupid massager— hand me that magazine," he said. diane's gaze darted to the coffee table. there was, indeed, a magazine next to where diane's phone was previously placed.

the magazine's cover had an almost naked woman slapped on the cover. diane's eyebrows furrow.

johnny came back, holding a fishing rod in his right hand and a clip thing in his other.

"here." she tosses it to him. he caught it then clipped it onto the string of a fishing rod.

"we're gonna go fishing," johnny stated, opening the front door and walking out.

diane let out an amused scoff, picking up her clean shirt and going to the bathroom to change.

johnny's bathroom was disgusting at the least. crust was on the tiled floor and in every crevasse. the sink was stained and the only soaps he had were 5-in-one men's body wash and citrus hand soap. she stood on a bath towel the whole time, tip-toeing back to the living room afterwards. johnny was making a commotion outside. diane slipped into her shoes and proceeded outside.

"weak! that all you got, diaz? i thought you were the all valley champ?" johnny's persuading seemed to work because miguel tried standing up, his fingertips almost reaching the magazine. instead he fell off the wheelchair.

johnny ran down the stairs from the second floor and quickly picked miguel up by wrapping his arms around miguel.

"who's this?" the ecuadorian boy asked, his eyes scrunched a bit as he watched diane walk closer. he's now fully sat up in his wheelchair.

"you all right?" johnny ignored miguel's question, more concerned about him.

"yeah. i'm okay," he assured, "sensei, who's this?"

"i'm diane," diane answered.

"diana." johnny spoke over diane at the same time. "shannon's kid," he added with a small sigh and kneeled down next to miguel.

"you didn't tell me you had a daughter." miguel slightly lit up, a face of shock and a little excitement. diane stood near the two.

"i don't. she's robby's half sister." johnny shrugged. he turned to diane. "can the interview wait? i'm kind of busy right now."

"yeah. we can do it another time." diane nodded. "...but that means i have to stay over again."

johnny didn't even hear her second statement because all he needed was that yes. his focus was already on miguel again. "gimme a minute, we'll go again. i think i still have my vanna white playboy. that'll get you going."

"don't you get it? you could dangle a new playstation, and i still wouldn't be able to stand up." miguel shook his head sadly and wheeled away back into his apartment.

johnny's face was dumbfounded, and a little sad. diane follows him back inside, closing the door. he sighed and opened the microwave, taking the plate out. diane sat back down on the couch. he set the plate on the dining table, the hot pockets cooled by now.

johnny grabbed one and took a bite, turning to open his fridge. he munched on the hot pocket as he searched through it.

diane went and grabbed the remaining hot pocket, and sat herself on the sofa, eating it while she started to unlock her phone. finally, it's at one percent. she wiped sauce off the side of her mouth with her knuckle before pressing in her password.

the first immediate notification was that she had seven missed calls and 17 unread texts all from sam. she had completely forgotten about the actual consequences of running away. who could blame her? it was her first time. she wasn't even a little anxious about "running away". she was fine, she didn't expect the larussos to be that mad.

she tapped on the callback button and put the phone to her ear. she took another bite of her food as she waited.

"diane?" sam's panicked voice shoots out the speaker. "hello? where are you?"

"hey, i'm okay," diane reassured. her tone is calm and collected, opposite from sam's.

"everyone's so worried, my mom almost dialed 911– we couldn't let another kid go missing!"

"i'm sorry i made you worried," diane said. "i promise i'm safe."

"where are you?" sam demanded, still in a panicked state.

"uhh, i'm at my uncle's," diane said into the phone, making that up from the spot. her eyes dart to johnny, who was placing condiments on his kitchen counter.

"when did you leave?" sam asked.

"um." diane frose. she left at 9:30 last night. "seven...?"

"okay, well, my mom talked to the school and got our saturday detention cut off. and also, if you're gonna stay with your uncle, i can send you your stuff," sam replied. "and, gosh, i wish you just told us you were leaving."

"that's good 'cause i wasn't gonna attend anyway," diane says playfully. "thanks and sorry."

"yeah. i'll tell my mom and dad. who's your uncle?" sam asked. "does your mom know?"

"uncle..." diane's eyes stare at johnny again. this time he was rustling through his cabinets, the sound of loud clinking metal fills the apartment. "uncle... l. he lives in recesda. and um, not really. but she'll understand. he's, uh, her brother anyway."

"okay! whenever you're available, come over and grab your stuff," sam said.

"bye," diane said. she hung up and stared at johnny. uncle l. same thing. "making brunch?" she asked, seeing the array of items on his counter.

"nope," johnny replied. he sighed and set tongs on a stack of paper plates. "well, kind of. trying another way to get miguel up."

"can't wait," diane mumbled sarcastically.

"call miguel out, would you?" johnny ordered, sick of her already. "i need to pull the grill out."

diane nodded. she placed her phone back on the sofa to let it continue charging and made her way to miguel's door. it was his because it was the one he pushed himself into earlier. she knocked on the door three times.

"yes?" he said, opening the door.

"johnny needs you. again." she scooted to the side to make room for the wheelchair boy.

"oh, okay." he started to push himself out his apartment. diane follows closely behind him. "diana, right?" miguel asked.

"just diane." she corrected. "he said that, but, he's also old." miguel chuckled at her comment and rolled up to where johnny stood. he was at a small portable grill pouring lumps of coal into it and a plastic white folding table full with hotdogs, buns, and condiments.

"you know why they call this a hibachi?" johnny lit the coal and the fire spread. diane didn't want anything to do with their shenanigans and walked away from the grill, heading back to johnny's apartment.

she picked up her hot pocket, half eaten now, and started to finish it. her phone rang again before she could take the last bite. diane groaned.

"another call?" she muttered, slouching on the sofa. she accepted the call.

"where the hell are you?" shannon asked sharply. diane held her breath.

"hey mom..." diane said, dragging it out. she forgot about this part, too.

"diane, don't tell me you ran away. i get a call from mrs.larusso that you were gone and that they were on the lookout. an hour later she calls me again that you left to some uncle l? diane, if it's who i think it is..."

"mom, just let me explain everything." diane kept her speaking pace slow, not to stress her mom any more— like that ever helped.

"you had a safe, warm, welcoming home with the larussos! how could you just give that up?" shannon cried. diane could feel the disappointment in her voice.

"i am safe. don't worry. i decided to stay at johnny's for a day, just to talk to him about—"

"i knew it," shannon interrupted.

"i'm sorry!" diane said back, feeling the regret sink in.

"oh my god, diane. he can't even take care of himself how will he do anything for you? you're so lucky they didn't call the police— you, you could've been put into a foster home!"

"just listen, i'm only here because i needed some info for school and to talk about—" the call was cut off before she could finish. diane pulled the phone away from her ear.

her phone died. she rubbed her eyes groaning. that five percent wasn't gonna last forever. her phone was a shitty iphone seven anyway, just gliding your fingertip across it would make you bleed from all the damage it's been through.

as she washed the plate her hot pocket was on, ignoring miguel's past shrieking from outside, johnny stormed back inside with a beer in hand.

diane ignored him. she put the clean plate in one of his cupboards, most of them being empty, and dried her hands by flicking them into the air multiple times. when she finished, johnny was sitting at the dinner table writing in a notebook.

"whatcha writing?" she asked as she wiped her moist hands on her thigh, her pants now collecting the final residue.

"nothin'." he tore the page and balled it up, throwing it into a random box. diane turned back around, picking up a balled up aluminum beer can off the counter and putting them in the recycling bin.

"well I'll be damned," johnny muttered as he plugged in his laptop, turning it on. he started tapping at the keys.

diane hesitated before sitting down next to the blond man. she was just a tiny bit worried that he didn't want anything to do with her. but he wasn't that annoyed with her presence yet. and that wasn't her main concern.

"what are you gonna do?" she peered over at his screen. he glanced at her then back.

"help miguel." he shrugged. he tapped some stuff into the laptop. "webbemed," he read. from what diane could tell, it was a website on helping paralyzed legs.

for an old man, johnny had pretty sharp senses himself. just the smallest cry and he was alert. that's why he suddenly got up from his seat when a wail from outside echoed.

diane followed his lead. to be honest, she didn't know why he had gotten up. she still stood up with him. he started to take soft steps away.

"shh," he murmured as he opened the curtain of the window. diane wondered if she should look too. she did, from behind him.

she could make out miguel's mom, a hispanic woman probably at a similar age shannon was. she had curly hair that was pulled into a low ponytail and was crying— crying into her hands and a tissue, leaned against a pole standing outside her apartment.

johnny sighed at the sight, "i'm gonna go. you stay here." he then opened the door, leaving for her. diane did what was told and went back to her seat.

she thought about grabbing her phone, but decided to let it charge. she also needed to get a couple good reasons as to why she left in the first place. started as a slip of the tongue, well, actually she kinda just lied. and it worked.

after a good couple minutes, johnny was back. he slammed the door shut.

"what happened?" diane asked immediately.

"will you ever stop with the questions?" johnny grunted, slumping back into his chair. he started to search stuff on this laptop, diane leaning over to look.

"meds? seriously, johnny?" she stared at his screen, it was a page of medications that would supposedly help paralyzed legs.

"what? he needs them." johnny hovered his cursor to one of them, it being super complicated.

diane snorted, amused by his continuous effort. "you can't just force it. he needs actual rehab."

"what do you know about rehabbing broken legs?" johnny shot back, annoyed at her snide remark.

"my moms in rehab. she chose it herself, even after me and robby's constant nagging. that's why i can't stay anywhere."

"yeah i know," johnny replied. "went to that mojo rehab house when i was looking for robby."

"you know... robby was wrapped up with drugs and as much as i tried to flush them down the toilet he always somehow got it back. the only way he stopped was by himself and time."

"miguel's trying."

"it'll come naturally. and, don't waste your money on that stuff." she slid the laptop to face her and closed the tab. it immediately went to one of his other ones, it being concert tickets for some rock artist. "who's that?"

"dee snider. he's a true 80's rockstar. this is his first concert in years. i went to them when i was your age."

"why don't you bring miguel there?"

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a couple hours had passed since the concert johnny snuck diane and miguel into. he didn't even buy tickets, but the memory was worth the effort. she also for the most part reassured her mom she'd be fine, even though she wasn't very sure herself if johnny would let her stay. it was dumb, but he had some type of heart.

and, when they arrived at home from the concert, johnny fixed up his extra bedroom for diane. there was a wooden bedside table in the corner, then the bed beside it, then extra space and boxes stacked up in the next corner all pretty compact.

she laid on the bed, tucked in. it had a navy bedsheet, pillowcase, and blanket. the mattress wasn't as high quality as the one she had at the larusso household and definitely not as comfortable as the one in her apartment back at north hills, but she could live with this.

the one thing that did irk diane was the inability to fall asleep. she had always had trouble sleeping, it just was feeling a lot different here. this wasn't her first night sleeping at johnny's, but her first time with her own bedroom.

at the larusso's she shared a room with robby, the room in the mansion that was specifically designed for a karate training space was opened up as their bedroom— the home dojo. they each had their own beds. it's not like the two would talk all night, it was the presence they gave each other; the safety she felt during her most vulnerable time, sleep.

even in north hills, growing up they shared a bunk bed. robby called for the top bunk, which was totally unfair because diane didn't know how to pick yet, so she got bottom. they would spend weekends making forts and pretending they lived in a castle. then at night when they'd sleep, diane drifted off to his soft snores.

and yes, she felt this pain immediately the first night robby was gone three weeks ago. it hurt even more now that she was in the home of robby's dad. since then, as they grew up, the bunk bed was thrown away and robby made the decision to sleep on the pull-out couch while diane got her own bed in that bedroom.

diane shut her eyes, ready to toss and turn until she might find a cozy position. then she'll pretend she is six, going to sleep an hour after her mom told her to, imagining above her that there is a bed and eight year-old robby that was cracking jokes and now sound asleep. she'll know she isn't alone with her older brother watching over her.

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a/n
i know that her running away was really random and esp. to johnny but it'll catch up really quickly with the dynamics & plot in later seasons. also me one year ago was kinda crazy with the storyline and now i'm stuck with this plot.

also originally i was gonna include the concert but lowkey i didn't wanna write it. it's half written but i removed it. maybe one day it'll see the light of day,

ck 6 spoilers down below, if you haven't watched yet.

so sorry for the wait. my tiktoks are gaining more attention after the new season! thoughts on devon? originally i saw her as more nonchalant but she's more teenage girl now (the sleepover ep), which is cute, but doesn't really make sense for the previous chapter, chapter 5, that i wrote months before ck 6.

i feel so sad that devon is a cheater... season 5 devon would never! what happened to doing it "my way" ???? it would've felt more rewarding to see her do it right, but then again, we all know kenny is a better fighter. we'll just have to wait until november!!

ok thanks for reading, my a/ns are way too long so i'm surprised if you actually read all of that 😭